Whittingham, James, Chester, u, cm and appraiser (1829–40). Son of ‘Mr. Whittingham of Flookersbrook Iron Foundary’. He possibly trained in London and was employed for two years by Morel & Seddon and then four years by Dowbiggin & Co. before setting up on his own account in Chester in 1829. When working for Dowbiggin he claimed to have been employed in ‘the management of furnishing the houses of different noblemen and gentlemen, both in England and most parts of Scotland, and some in this part of the country’. In Chester he took over the business previously operated by Samuel Davies in Foregate St which he obtained from his widow. It is not clear if he actually traded from Foregate St, and certainly from March 1830 he was established at the corner of New St and Upper Bridge St which from 1833 was recorded as 1 Grosvenor St. He was primarily an u and in 1829 claimed ‘a perfect knowledge of the spring stuffing upon the latest improved principle in Easy Chairs, Sofas, Dining Room Chairs, Pillows, Bolsters, Beds, mattrasses etc.’ In both 1833 and 1834 he advertised that he had travelled to London and had returned with stocks of the most fashionable paper hangings, upholstery materials and carpets. In 1829 he advertised for an app. [D; Chester Chronicle, 28 August 1829, 1 May 1840; Chester Chronicle, 9 February 1830, 16 March 1830, 26 March 1833, 8 April 1834]