Tennant, Thomas

Lancaster, Lancs.; cabinet maker (fl.1799-1839)

Thomas Tennant, son of a stonemason, was apprenticed to Richard Mashiter in September 1799. His work is recorded in the Gillows Archive from 1814. He made two rosewood Rutland chairs in April 1824 for Lady Le Flemming, work number 1794. Ferguson & Co. supplied a rosewood couch ‘to sketch’ made by Tennant and Leeming in 1823. The seat and end were caned and a ‘good squab’ was provided for the seat and another cushion: the scroll end was made to be removed in order to get it up the tower stairs. It is probably the couch still in one of the bedrooms at Levens Hall. He also made a ‘Spanish chair of old dark oak in green leather as pattern’ in August 1825, work number 2871, for Colonel Howard. In September 1836 he made an oak Gothic hall seat for J. Crossthwaite. He was listed in the Gillow’s Petty Ledger for 1834-39 and was one of twenty-five employees of Gillow & Co. on 14 May 1835 when he received a payment of £4 12s5½d.

Sources: DEFM; Stuart, Gillows of Lancaster and London (2008), II, p. 286