High back Caistor chair with curved notched crest rail, turned stiles, 7 spindles both above and below the cross rail with bobbin and ring turnings, scroll arms, turned underarm supports with 4 short spindles, straight seat sides, 2 ring legs with vase feet, H stretcher with 4 bobbin turning WS 62

A Caistor chair - from John Shadford workshop WS 62

These spindle back Caistor chairs that appear in John Shadford's notebook just keep turning up. This one appeared at an auction in Sheffield and had been in the vendor's family for many years and had been well cared for judging by the great condition. There is a label stuck underneath saying that it was supplied by Summers Bros of Scarborough.

© William Sergeant 2012 and 2020

High back Lincolnshire Caistor chair with curved notched crest rail, turned stiles, 7 spindles both above and below the cross rail with bobbin and ring turnings, scroll arms, turned underarm supports with 4 short spindles, straight seat sides, 2 ring legs with vase feet, H stretcher with 4 bobbin turning WS 28

High back Lincolnshire Caistor chair with curved notched crest rail WS 28

Probably the most easily recognised of all Lincolnshire-made chairs: this one is often referred to as a Caistor Chair as it was made by John Shadford of Caistor. The most remarkable thing about him was that he was born deaf, but it did not stop him setting up his own business in his late twenties and producing these chairs. I have seen a good number of them, usual as rockers or short legged variety, but this one is of standard seat height. You will have noted all the distinctive spindle turnings at the back: these would have taken longer to make than the conventional bow back windsors but there is no steam bending involved. There is an inherent weakness in these chairs though: where the armrest meets the back turned stile is only glued and they do have a tendency to come loose. John Shadford was apprenticed to William Shirley junior who had learnt chairmaking skills from his father (William Shirley senior) in Grantham.

© William Sergeant 2012 and 2020

Lincolnshire comb back side chair, probably from Grantham, with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 4 long spindles, 3-piercing fleur de lys and teardrop piercing splat, straight seat sides, 2 ring front leg turnings with vase feet, plain back legs with vase feet, H stretcher WS 96

Lincolnshire comb back side chair, probably from Grantham, ash with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 4 long spindles, 3-piercing fleur de lys and teardrop piercing splat, straight seat sides, 2 ring front leg turnings with vase feet, plain back legs with vase feet, H stretcher WS 96

In the collection of Steven Voyt. An unsigned side chair with everything pointing to it being made in Grantham . This chair was inspected by Bill Cotton about 15 years ago and he suggested that it may have been made by Wilson of Grantham . If you have one like this but with a maker's name on it then please let me know.
© William Sergeant 2013 and 2020

Lincolnshire comb back Windsor armchair with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 7 long spindles, 6 short, turned underarm supports, straight seat sides, 2 ring front leg turnings with vase feet, rear legs plain with vase feet, H stretcher, attributed to the workshop of Samuel Wood of Grantham

Lincolnshire comb back Windsor armchair with curved crest rail and turned stiles

I had just published yesterday's post on the chairs of Samuel Wood of Grantham, in which three chairs with turned underarm supports, believed to be unique to that maker's workshop, are featured, when I thought I might just check again whether there were any other stamped "Wood Grantham" chairs hiding on the web anywhere. I spent a few minutes checking my usual sources amongst auction houses, antiques dealers, and all other material for chair-fans published on the web: nothing emerged. I have a comprehensive private digital database of every known stamped Lincolnshire chair and checked that to make sure I hadn't overlooked one that was already known about. Nothing.

I went for a walk around the garden to get a breath of fresh air in these sad days of self-isolation. I had a chat, from a distance, with one of my wonderful neighbours, decided I was getting a little chilly, and went back to my laptop which is currently set up on the dining room table so I can watch the world go by through the windows.

As I sat down I glanced at one of my chairs that sits around the table and did a double take. I was looking at a front leg absolutely identical to the lower chair in yesterday's post, WS 175. I cautiously looked up and realised that I was now looking at an identical underarm turning. The back legs, plain but with vase feet are the same as WS 175 too. 

The long spindles all are thicker below the arm bow and thinner above the arm bow, which is also true of the upper chair in yesterday's post, WS 173. The ends of the arm bow are finished in the same way. The rear legs and H stretcher, the centre part of which, unusually amongst Lincolnshire chairs, is almost of the same girth as the legs, are the same as WS 173. The front chamfer on the sides and front of the seats are the same. The whole seat shape is very similar.  This comb back, which I bought last year because of its pleasing proportions, can now be attributed to the workshop of Samuel Wood of Grantham.

WS 173, reversed, on the left; comb back on right

It is striking how well the comb back's 3 pairs of turned rings, graduated in descending size, cascading from top to bottom, i) on the stiles (vertical turned outer members); ii) on the turned underarm supports; and iii) on the front legs, bring the design of the chair together into a well-balanced harmonious whole. The craftsman who made this chair was very skilled indeed.

Sharp-eyed readers may notice considerable similarity to this chair by George Wilson.  George Wilson, was of course, Samuel Wood's master when the latter was apprenticed. There are tell-tale differences between the two chairs.

The Samuel Wood workshop went for two similarly-sized inverted isosceles trapezoid spaces either side of the 3 short spindles. This is a pleasingly harmonious method of resolving the angles which happen when the comb leans back and the underarm support, holding the arm bow in tension, leans forward (ditto for WS 173).  Four vase-shaped feet break up the otherwise straight line at the foot of the legs and mirror the turning at the top of the stiles.

The Wilson chair places the first short spindle each side below the arm bow further back, behind the mortice joint where the stile meets the arm bow. This leaves a larger asymmetric trapezoid space at the underarm support, which does not sit so elegantly with the upper obtuse trapezoid space between the last long spindle and the stile of the comb.  The single lower ring, which may be a slightly earlier Grantham trait than vase-shaped feet, has no counterpoint on the back legs. The result, for me at least, is that the Wood chair has a slightly more pleasing feel.

© Julian Parker 2020

Lincolnshire medium bow back Windsor armchair by Nicholas Allen of Boston with 9 long spindles, 8 short, turned underarm supports, bell-shaped seat, 2 ring front leg turnings with vase feet, plain back legs with vase feet, H stretcher with dart turning

WS 174 Lincolnshire medium bow back Windsor armchair by Nicholas Allen of Boston

Arm turning detail, Lincolnshire medium bow back Windsor armchair by Nicholas Allen of Boston

Nicholas Allen, son of Nicholas Allen and Mary Allen neé Needlar was baptised on 17 June 1764 at Stainton le Vale in the Lincolnshire Wolds, 6 miles north east of Market Rasen and 6 miles south east of Caistor. On 6 March 1835 the Stamford Mercury recorded the 

"Death at Boston on Wednesday last aged 71 Mr Nicholas Allen, chair turner of Wide Bargate."

The St Botolph's Boston burial register shows that he was buried on 9 March and he is recorded as being 70 years old.

Nicholas was the second of twelve children

There appeared in the Stamford Mercury on Friday 6 August 1790 this advertisement: 

"WANTED IMMEDIATELY, A JOURNEYMAN PIN-CHAIR and SPINNING-WHEEL MAKER.—A good Hand may have constant Employ, and good Wages, by applying to NICHOLAS ALLEN, Chair and Wheel-Maker, of Boston, Lincolnshire N.B, Letters (Post paid) duly answered."

"Nicholas Allen, Pin, Chair & Spinning-wheel maker" is his entry in The Universal British Directory 1791.

On 17 May 1790 the register of St Botolph's Church, Boston contains this entry

"This marriage was solemnised between us 

Nicholas Allen

Frances Harrison + Her mark

In the presence of Us

James Hildred H his mark

John Allen"

The Lincolnshire Marriage Licence Bonds and Allegations reveal that Frances was a widow.

As their son John was baptised at St Botolph's on 27 November 1790 just over six months' later there may have been an element of haste over the wedding.

Masters & Apprentices County Series Vol IR 1/66 Folio 179/52 shows an entry in 1793 as follows: "Master: Nicholas Allen, Turner. Apprentice: Wm Haw 1 16 May 93. 7 yrs fm date. Sum paid £7 7s 0d. Duty paid £0 3s 9d. Date Duty Paid 16 May 1793. Date entered 31 July 1793. Collector: Richd Gibbeson Lincolnse."

On 10 June 1803 the Stamford Mercury advertised:

"To Pin Chair-makers and Bottomers. WANTED, a JOURNEYMAN to each of the above Businesses; who will meet with constant Employment, and liberal Wages will be given, by applying to NICHOLAS ALLEN, Chair and Spinning-wheel-maker, Boston, Lincolnshire. 10th June 1803."

On 11 March 1808 in the Stamford Mercury appeared:

To PIN and FANCY CHAIR-MAKERS . WANTED immediatelv, Two Journeymen Chair-makers Good hands will meet with constant employ and liberal wages by applying to NICHOLAS ALLEN, chair-maker and job turner, Boston, Lincolnshire.—Letters to be post paid. March 10th 1808."

Stamford Mercury - Friday 16 November 1827 contained the following sale:

"BOSTON, Lincolnshire. To be SOLD by AUCTION, At the Red Lion Inn in Boston, Wednesday the 28th day of November instant, at Six o’clock in the afternoon, subject to such conditions of sale as shall be then and there produced, unless previously disposed of by private contract, of which due notice will be given; A Valuable Freehold ESTATE, in Boston. 

Lot 1. A Messuage or Tenement, and Grocer’s Shop, in an excellent state of repair, situate in Wide Bargate, near to Pen-street, with Yard, and Rain Water and other conveniences, as the same are now in the occupation of Elizabeth Moody. 

Lot 2. Allotment of Land in the West Fen, (Tithe-free,) in the parochial allotment to Boston East, containing 4A. 2R. 22P, or thereabouts, lying near to Richardson’s Bridge, and abutting on the Horncastle road on the West, well fenced, and in a high state of cultivation, now in the occupation of Nicholas Allen. 

Lot 3. Piece or Parcel Building Ground, situate on the West side of Pen-street, containing about 200 Square Yards, with a Frontage of 21 feet next the street. 

Part the purchase-money may remain on security of the premises, if required.-—For particulars enquire of Mr Nicholas Allen, the owner ; or at the office of Messrs. Thirkill and Rogers, solicitors, Boston."

In Pigot's Directory 1828-39 Nicholas Allen is recorded as a cabinet maker as he is in the 1835 edition.

On 3 July 1829 the Stamford Mercury records: 

"On Thursday the 25th ult., aged 50, the widow Dawney, cowkeeper, of Boston West. Same day, aged 80, Frances wife of Mr. Nicholas Allen, chair turner, of Bargate, Boston." 

and on 6 March 1835 

"Death at Boston on Wednesday last aged 71 Mr Nicholas Allen, chair turner of Wide Bargate."

Nicholas had a much younger brother, Joseph, the twelfth of his parents' children, baptised at Stainton le Vale on 10 July 1785 who died at Boston on 15 February 1848. He is recorded as a Chair and General Turner in Pigot's Directory 1835 at Cheapside, Boston as as a turner in the 1841 census.  When Joseph married Elizabeth Haw, a widow in St Botolph's in 1814, his nephew John, Nicholas and Frances's son, was one of the witnesses.

John appears at Bargate in the 1841 census as a chair maker: he died on 16 September 1841 and was buried at St Botolph's three days later.

One thing that stands out about Nicholas Allen from the above sequence of advertisements is that had chairs such as the one featured in this post not survived, it would never have been known that his workshop made Windsor chairs.  All the advertisements mention pin chairs or fancy chairs and spinning wheels. Pin chairs are rush-seated - hence the advertisement for chair bottomers in 1803.  

Allen seems to have been a resourceful craftsman with a wide range of output. It is rare in Lincolnshire to find a workshop that made both rush-seated and  Windsor chairs.

© Photos William Sergeant 2020 Text Julian Parker 2020

Low bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped G Wilson Grantham with 3-piercing fleur de lys upper splat, single pierced lower splat, 6 long spindles, 6 short, turned underarms, straight seat sides, 2 ring legs with vase feet, H stretcher with darts,

Low bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped G Wilson Grantham WS 27 

No doubt where this chair was made: G WILSON GRANTHAM is impressed at the rear of the seat and for good measure very similar to NE 69 on p. 126 of Dr B D Cotton’s The English Regional Chair (1990), though that chair has 4 short spindles either side rather than three.  Where Manthorpe Road stops at the traffic lights next to King's School Grantham there is a fuel station; this where the building stood in which this chair was made: the row of cottages opposite is where the men employed by Wilson lived. It was a big concern which made many chairs of various shapes and sizes, which explains why Wilson chairs are the most common of all Grantham chairs.

© William Sergeant 2020

30

Arm chair on rockers of the same pattern as No. 31, assumed to have been made in Caistor by the combination of William Shirley and John Shadford. 1840-1890.

31

 

Free standing arm chair with spindles in the back support. This pattern of chair is shown in the drawing book of John Shadford of Caistor, which is kept in the Lincoln Archives.  Some of the pages from that notebook are reproduced in this article  Shadford Shirley & the Caistor Workshop by Bernard Cotton.