Southwell & Wilson and William Southwell & Co

Liverpool; cabinet maker and upholder (fl.1796–1813)

William Southwell is shown trading on his own account at 1 Coventry St in 1796. By 1800 he had formed a partnership with a man called Wilson which lasted until 1813. Southwell subscribed to Thomas Sheraton’s Cabinet Dictionary. The partners’ shop address is variously given as either 11 or 12 Ranelagh St. Initially they traded as cm only, but in June 1806 advertised that they had ‘laid in a handsome assortment of fashionable Carpets, Printed Furniture, Papers & Feathers of the best quality, as well as every other article in the Upholstery line’. A timber yard was maintained at Gt Charlotte St and was in their possession by 1810. Some directories give other addresses for William Southwell such as 1 Case St, Clayton Sq. in 1804 and various numbers in Line St, 1810–13. These are likely to be the location of his dwelling house. In 1811 William Southwell & Co received £95 8s for chairs supplied to Liverpool Town Hall. See Southel & Wilson.

Source: DEFM, Dean, The Regency Furniture in Liverpool Town Hall’, Furniture History (1989).