Gale, Thomas

Catherine Street, Strand, London; upholder (fl. 1772–78)

In 1772 Gale was described as the patentee for ‘a newly invented bedstead which when shut presented the appearance of a bookcase or wardrobe’ (patent no. 1002).

In 1776 he insured his house and goods for £900 and in the following year his utensils and stock for £800 [The London Archives (TLA), Sun MS vol. 246, p. 113; vol. 258, p. 459].

His bankruptcy was announced in March 1778 [Gents Mag., March 1778]. He may have been in partnership with William Gale from 1777 though he is not mentioned in connection with the bankruptcy proceedings.

Although the existence of the business appears to have been relatively short it did attract influential customers. In the period 1775–77

• 2nd Earl of Shelburne was supplied with goods to the value of £556 3s for either his London house or Bowood, Wiltshire [Bowood MS; Kent Record Office, U590 A61/7–8; Bucks. RO, D/DR/5/105].
• Lord Mahon paid Gale £617 6s 6d in the years 1776–77 
• Rev. Mr Drake of Shardeloes, Amersham, Buckinghamshire provided patronage in 1777, the commission including upright splat-back chairs japanned white & green ornament’ charged at £19, eight, Southampton chairs at £4, an inlaid card table at £4 4s and a mahogany Pembroke table at £2 14s 6d

Source: DEFM; Kirkham, ‘The London Furniture Trade’, Furniture History (1988); Edwards, Press Bedsteads’, Furniture History (1990).