Paty, Thomas, parish of St Augustine, Bristol, carver and architect (b. 1713–d. 1789). A member of the noted Bristol family of sculptors which also included James Paty the Elder (fl.1721–46) and James Paty the Younger (b. c. 1746). Thomas Paty was noted for his work in stone and also as an architect. There is, however, also information about the commissions that he carried out for carved woodwork. Between 1741–43 he undertook woodcarvings for the Redland Chapel, Bristol and in 1743 was working on the new Royal Exchange building which had been designed by John Wood the Elder of Bath. His reputation was such that in 1755 he was described by John Cossins, the patron and builder of the Redland Chapel as ‘generally esteemed one of the best carvers in England, either in wood or stone, by whom all the rest of ye ornaments in the Chapel were designed and carved’. A payment of £106 8s was made to him in 1743 for ‘the ornaments of the chancel and pulpit in limetree’ for this Chapel, ‘the standard of workmanship of which is in every way equal to that of the best London craftsmen’. He took apps named Stringer in 1752, Walter in 1759 and Stephens in 1761. His son William, who was active in his father's business from the late 1770s and took over after his death, was also concerned with wood carving. [Poll bk; S of G, app. index; V&A archives; Gunnis]