Lincolnshire bow back spindle back armchair stamped WILSON GRANTHAM, with 8 long spindles, 6 short, turned underarms, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts

Lincolnshire bow back spindle back armchair stamped Wilson Grantham, with 8 long spindles, 6 short, turned underarms, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts, 3/4 view

Lincolnshire bow back spindle back armchair stamped Wilson Grantham, with 8 long spindles, 6 short, turned underarms, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts, view from above

Lincolnshire bow back spindle back armchair stamped Wilson Grantham, with 8 long spindles, 6 short, turned underarms, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts, detail of arm turning 

Lincolnshire bow back spindle back armchair stamped Wilson Grantham, with 8 long spindles, 6 short, turned underarms, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts, side view

Lincolnshire bow back spindle back armchair stamped Wilson Grantham, with 8 long spindles, 6 short, turned underarms, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts, rear view

Lincolnshire bow back spindle back armchair stamped Wilson Grantham, with 8 long spindles, 6 short, turned underarms, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts, stamp

For a short piece about John Wilson (1779 - 1837) see this post.

© Julian Parker 2021

Lincolnshire comb back armchair by Marsh Sleaford, with curved crest rail, with 8 long spindles, the outer of which are turned stiles above the arm bow, which is chamfered at its ends, 6 short spindles, turned underarms, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 208

Lincolnshire comb back armchair by Marsh Sleaford, with curved crest rail, with 8 long spindles, the outer of which are turned stiles above the arm bow, which is chamfered at its ends, 6 short spindles, turned underarms straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 208

This comb back Lincolnshire armchair is from the wonderful collection of former Regional Furniture Society member, James Drake. I was delighted when he said that I could include it here, as it's so important and you all will be able to appreciate it. It has an impressed name stamp towards the rear of the upper surface of the seat which reads MARSH, so from the workshop of father and son, Thomas and James Marsh of Sleaford. The legs and underarm turned supports are typical of their patterns but the chair is of overall compact proportions, the like of which I have never seen before. The particular pleasing feature are the two outside long back support spindles (stiles), which start at the seat level and pass through the armbow the continue with the decorative turning up to the back comb, an elegant touch. This could easily become my favorite Lincolnshire armchair.

© William Sergeant 2019

Lincolnshire hoop back Windsor side chair, Marsh of Sleaford, with 7 long spindles, bell-shaped seat, ring and cove front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 106

Lincolnshire hoop back Windsor side chair, Marsh of Sleaford, with 7 long spindles, bell-shaped seat, ring and cove front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 106

See chair WS 92 - I just knew that I would find one of these chairs with a stamp of the maker on it . This one turned up on eBay along with 3 other chairs at the very northern edge of the county of Lincolnshire. I won the bidding and was delighted to find on collection that this one was clearly stamped MARSH SLEAFORD. A bit of polishing restored this fine chair to its full glory.

© William Sergeant 2018 and 2020

Lincolnshire hoop back Windsor side chair, probably by Marsh of Sleaford, with 7 long spindles, bell-shaped seat, ring and cove front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 92

Lincolnshire hoop back Windsor side chair, probably by Marsh of Sleaford, with 7 long spindles, bell-shaped seat, ring and cove front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 92

This chair was consigned to a regular house clearance sale in Grantham and didn't even get considered for the better antiques sale.  Although there is no maker's stamp to be found on it, there are however tell-tale signs all over it which makes me believe that it was made by Thomas or James Marsh in Sleaford. There are a whole load of features that they used: darts at the either end of the cross stretcher; scratch markers on the side stretchers for the drilling of holes; thicker front leg ; thicker seats which sweep out at the front; carefully selected wood for the legs with no wild grain; tiny square sprigs driven into the back of the bow to secure the middle and two outside back spindles and finally the distance between the upper and lower rings on the front legs are always identical. Everything about their chairs was just that bit better than anything produced in the neighbouring town of Grantham. PS: after a recent visit from Bill Cotton, I can confirm what I had thought for a while: that the seats of Marsh chairs are usually made out of ash wood, as is the case here.

© William Sergeant 2018 and 2020

Lincolnshire hoop back Windsor side chair, with 3-piercing fleur de lys and teardrop piercing splat, 4 long spindles, straight seat sides, ball and cove front leg turning with 1 lower ring and vase-shaped feet, 2 ring back leg turning with vase-shaped feet, H stretcher with darts WS 122

Lincolnshire hoop back Windsor side chair, with 3-piercing fleur de lys and teardrop piercing splat, 4 long spindles, straight seat sides, ball and cove front leg turning with 1 lower ring and vase-shaped feet, 2 ring back leg turning with vase-shaped feet, H stretcher with darts WS 122

This chair was part of the estate of an antique dealer that was offered for sale at the auction house in Grantham in early 2014. Description : the seat is made from ash as are the back legs. The front legs, stretchers and back support are all made from yew wood. All parts appear contemporary with each other and there is no sign of alteration.

There is no maker's stamp but much of this chair design would point to it having been made in Grantham. However the back legs are typical of what would be expected as front legs on a Grantham side chair; just compare with the front legs on WS 96, WS 49 & WS 17. The back hoop, spindles and splat are very similar to a chair which appears at figure NE41 on p. 121 of Der B D Cotton's The English Regional Chair (1990), which is stamped Taylor Grantham. The real enigma is the design of the front legs with their large ball and small cove turnery, the like of which can be seen on WS 72, a chair stamped by Shirley.

© William Sergeant 2018 and 2020

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Medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor spindle back armchair stamped AMOS GRANTHAM, with 9 long spindles, 8 short, crook underarms, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings, with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 190 & WS 189

Medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor spindle back armchair stamped AMOS GRANTHAM, with 9 long spindles, 8 short, crook underarms, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings, with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 190

This is a typical early Lincolnshire windsor armchair. Plain back legs with the front ones having the design of a thin ring above an exaggerated shallow cove, an all-spindle back support and curved underarm supports. This one has an ash seat with yew for the other components. I believe that this is the very essence of a chair that was made in the first period of Windsor chairmaking in the county, namely 1800-1812. 

The name stamp on the edge of the seat is AMOS GRANTHAM, so we know exactly in whose workshop it was made. It came from a house just outside Newark and it had been in the family for many years. It was in a slightly distressed state when I brought it at auction but I got a restorer to make it usable again.

John Amos was a wheelwright and as such ran a business for the first 15 years of his working life making wagons and carts for farmers and merchants as well as servicing ones that were already in use. It was not until 1809 that the first advert by him was posted in the paper searching for journeymen chairmakers. All of the chairs that I have seen from his workshop are of the second period type, which I believe started to be produced in about 1812 but I was not surprised to seen this design by him. This leads me to think that this chair was probably made in the first 3 years of his manufacture, namely 1809-1812.

Bench holdfast marks on medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor spindle back armchair WS 190 stamped AMOS GRANTHAM WS 189

This picture shows part of the underside of the armbow of this AMOS chair. You can see quite clearly the small areas of cross-hatching that are impressed into the surface of the wood. This was caused by bench holdfasts. These have been used by woodworkers since ancient times and are used, as their name suggests, to hold a piece of wood firmly to the workbench. They are the shape of a swan's neck, with the neck part slipped down a hole in the bench and the crooked head part tapped with a mallet to spread the bend and hold the wood secure. They can easily be released with a sideways tap. 

For the holdfast to grip the wood better, there is cross-hatching filed into the end. This is what has left the marks above. The length of yew wood would be soften in the steam box and the placed against the profile form that it is to be moulded around and once bent, it is held firmly in place while it cools by a series of holdfasts. 

© William Sergeant 2017 and 2020

Medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped SHIRLEY GRANTHAM with 3-piercing fleur de lys upper splat, teardrop pierced lower splat 6 long spindles, 8 short, turned underarms supports, bell-shaped seat, 2 ring and cove legs with 2 lower rings x 4, H stretcher with darts WS 198

Medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped SHIRLEY GRANTHAM with 3-piercing fleur de lys upper splat, teardrop pierced lower splat 6 long spindles, 8 short, turned underarms supports, bell-shaped seat, 2 ring and cove legs with 2 lower rings x 4, H stretcher with darts WS 198

Signed chairs by William Shirley senior are so rare that in all the years that I have been searching for Lincolnshire chairs, this is the very first signed armchair that I have ever come across.  When it appeared at the local sale room in Grantham in June 2017, I decided that it should join my collection. You may have noticed that a side chair already exists on this blog, WS 84, and I have another signed SHIRLEY side chair in my collection which is remarkably similar to it. Beside those three, very few have been recorded. There's an armchair in the Geffrye Museum and I know of a couple more. The side chair at figure NE 53 at p. 123 Dr B D Cotton's The English Regional Chair (1990) may be an example but is merely stamped SHIRLEY. This minimal number of stamped Shirley Grantham chairs strikes me as slightly odd as he was a chair maker for some considerable time in Grantham.

William learnt his trade in the workshop of the Taylors, first with John during the years 1808-1811 and then with his younger brother William during the years 1811-1815 after which he became Freeman of Grantham. He advertises in the Stamford Mercury in April 1818, seeking an apprentice and a dish turner. He describes himself as a Turner, Windsor and Fancy and Spinning wheel maker of Westgate Grantham. He places a similar advert in June 1819, giving his address as No. 11 Westgate Grantham. This is of significance as it is the same address as William Taylor used when he advertised in the same paper in Dec 1811, which would indicate that he had moved into the premises once occupied by his second master. He marries in 1816 and at the birth of his son Frederick in 1824, he is described as a chairmaker of Southwark. Also, at the birth of his son George in 1828 he is noted as being a chairmaker of Old Kent Road. He advertises twice in 1834 using the address of Westgate Grantham again.

The chair pictured above is typical of a good quality Lincolnshire chair with underarm support pattern that is used by so many makers. The interesting feature is the design motif for the front legs, it has an extra ring above the usual ring and cove decoration as well as an extra lower ring. I wonder if this a nod to the Victorian trait of incorporating more detail into their furniture and getting away from the classical lines of the Georgian period? The middle parts of the H stretcher are fatter than many Grantham examples.

The seat and the stamp may be admired below.

Fine elm seat of medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped SHIRLEY GRANTHAM WS 198

 SHIRLEY GRANTHAM stamp on upper rear of seat of WS 198

© William Sergeant 2017

Medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped TAYLOR GRANTHAM, turned underarm supports, 8 long spindles, 2 x 3 underarm spindles, ring and cove front leg turnings with single lower ring & plain back legs, H stretcher with cross stretcher turned with darts WS 85

Medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped TAYLOR GRANTHAM, turned underarm supports, 9 long spindles, 2 x 4 underarm spindles, ring and cove front leg turnings with single lower ring & plain back legs, H stretcher with cross stretcher turned with darts WS 85

I happen to find this one at the Newark Antiques Fair and I was convinced it was made by Marsh of Sleaford but on close inspection there is a faint stamp on the rear of the seat which says TAYLOR GRANTHAM. Fortunately no one had noticed this maker's mark and it joined my collection for a very small fee. The underarm turnings are so similar to Marsh of Sleaford that only when they are stood next to each other can you spot the differences. Compare this chair with WS 29 and you will see what I mean.

Other differences are that Taylor has 8 long spindles and 6 short, whereas Marsh uses 9 long and 8 short; Marsh puts a slight chamfer on the underside of the end of the arm bow, absent from the Taylor chair. The ring on the front legs of the Taylor chair is slightly deeper than that on the Marsh.

© William Sergeant 2018 and Julian Parker 2020 

2 x Lincolnshire comb back Windsor side chairs by Marsh Sleaford with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 5 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with 6 bobbin turning, H stretcher with darts WS 176

2 x Lincolnshire comb back Windsor side chairs by Marsh Sleaford with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 5 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with 6 bobbin turning on left, H stretcher with darts on right, WS 176

Two complementary beautifully balanced Lincolnshire Windsor side chairs by Thomas or James Marsh of Sleaford. Their turning and proportions stand out amongst Lincolnshire makers.

Angled view of Lincolnshire comb back Windsor side chair by Marsh Sleaford with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 5 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with 6 bobbin turning 

© William Sergeant and Julian Parker 2020 

2 x Lincolnshire and a Beverley Windsor side chair, with curved crest rails, turned stiles, 6 , 7 and 5 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretchers, 2 with darts WS 124

2 x Lincolnshire and a Beverley Windsor side chair, with curved crest rails, turned stiles, 6 , 7 and 5 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretchers, 2 with darts WS 124

Take a good look at the three chairs above. Many of you will recognise the right-hand chair as a splendidly crafted chair from Sleaford and stamped by Marsh, with 5 spindles across the back. The left-hand unstamped chair is of a similar date and is what you may expect to have been made in Grantham, with 6 spindles across the back. Now study the middle chair: it is such a mystery!

I happened across this chair at the Newark Antique fair at the beginning of April 2014. From a distance it was instantly recognisable as a Lincolnshire side chair but on closer inspection there were many aspects that I had not seen before. The row of 7 spindles was a first for me and the design turnery of the two outside spindles (stiles) is quite different from anything previously recorded . The elm seat is wider and deeper than the standard small seat you would expect and although the chair had been well used it is quite evident it was made by a very competent workshop. It appears to have been reduced in height in the past (hence the ramekin plinths!) and the seat has twisted to give a slightly distorted appearance.

I quizzed the dealer as to the history of this chair and was told that it came from a house clearance in Beverley, Yorkshire, East Riding. It was then that I remembered that I had spoken to the same person last year when he had 3 other chairs of the same design. Foolishly I had not photographed them and he told me they had been purchased by an American dealer, so there is little chance of ever seeing those again. I secured the purchase of this single chair so I could record it here, calling it a Beverley chair for want of a better name or until I discover who made it. The dealer also told me that he had had other similar chairs through his business in the past . Any other information on this design would be welcome: it may well be that there is a previously unrecorded maker from the East Riding of Yorkshire who was responsible for these lookalike Lincolnshire side chairs.

© William Sergeant 2014 and 2020

3 x Lincolnshire Windsor side chairs by Marsh of Sleaford, with curved crest rail with turned stiles and 5 long spindles x 1, hoop back x 2 with 7 & 6 long spindles, 1 straight sided and 2 bell-shaped seats, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts x 2 H stretcher with 6 bobbin turning x 1 WS 116

3 x Lincolnshire Windsor side chairs by Marsh of Sleaford, with curved crest rail with turned stiles and 5 long spindles x 1, hoop back x 2 with 7 & 6 long spindles, 1 straight sided and 2 bell-shaped seats, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts x 2 H stretcher with 6 bobbin turning x 1 WS 116

All three chairs bear the maker's stamp on the rear of the upper seat: MARSH SLEAFORD. The middle chair is the same as WS 115. These chairs illustrate the beautiful balanced designs of side chairs that these father and son chair turners made. The earliest reference to Thomas Marsh being in Sleaford is 1810 (when his daughter Anne was baptised there) and his son James was still there making chairs in 1870 - a span of at least 60 years!

Right, I hope you are sitting comfortably as what you are about to read has never been published before: it's about Thomas Marsh. He was baptised in Bilborough, Nottinghamshire on 20th August 1779* to parents Hugh and Helen Marsh. I believe he had an older brother Joseph, who was baptised in Strelley, Notts in 1776 and another older brother Hugh who was baptised in 1771 at St. Michael's, Derby. He went on to marry in St Wulfram's, Grantham (which was quite usual for people from Little Gonerby) on 26th July 1802. His bride on that day was Helen Thompson who had been born at Londonthorpe (a tiny village about a mile northeast of Grantham) and on their marriage register they were both noted as living in Little Gonerby. At the time of their wedding Thomas was 22 and Helen 21. Their wedding must have been a slightly sad affair as his mother-in-law had died just the month before and had been buried in Grantham (as she had been a resident of Little Gonerby) on the 21st June 1802. Their union was soon blessed with a child as on 19th August 1803 James was baptised in St. Marys, Nottingham. The next reference that I found for them was at Little Gonerby again when the baptism of their daughter Jane was recorded on the 21st Feb 1808. At some stage they moved to Sleaford as they had a daughter Ann baptised on 11th July 1810 at Quarrington (which is often referred to as Old Sleaford).

This has left me wondering what he was doing living in Little Gonerby, marrying a local girl and then going back to Nottingham. It could be explained if he had gone to do an apprenticeship with a Master as there is a history of chairmakers there. He met and fell in love with Helen but as is usual, he was not allowed to marry until he had finished his time, and then went back to his former home with his new bride. The intrigue does not stop there as the marriage was witnessed by Richard Hubbard and his wife Elizabeth. Richard Hubbard was a chair maker in Grantham - it would be no great surprise if he turned out to have been Thomas Marsh's Master.

Thomas appears to have been a chair maker all his life, eventually being buried at Sleaford on 25th April 1844 at the age of 67.** James was died in September 1870.

Here is a short video on Marsh chairs.

© William Sergeant 2013 and 2020

* and ** This would indicate that he was born in 1777: the baptism at Bilborough in August 1779 is the only Thomas Marsh baptised in the vicinity of Nottingham at around the relevant time.

3 x Lincolnshire Windsor chairs by Marsh of Sleaford, one high back bow back, one hoop back side chair, and one medium bow back, with 9, 7 and 9 long spindles, bell shaped seats, turned underarms x 2, ring and cove turned front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 115

3 x Lincolnshire Windsor chairs by Marsh of Sleaford, one high back bow back, one hoop back side chair, and one medium bow back, with 9, 7 and 9 long spindles, bell-shaped seats, turned underarms x 2, ring and cove turned front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 115

All three chairs bear the maker's stamp on the rear upper part of the seat: MARSH SLEAFORD. This picture demonstrates the interchangeability of component parts: the legs are all identical (accepting that the chair on the left has been reduced in height some time ago). Thomas and James Marsh developed an elegant and balanced turned leg and they stuck by it faithfully through out many years and never went for the two ring motif on later chairs as other makers did.  The underarm turnings are consistent on the two armchairs and all three chairs have the same H stretcher with darts.

© William Sergeant 2013 and 2020

Lincolnshire hoop back side chair, 7 long spindles, bell-shaped seat, ring and cove front leg turnings, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 15

Lincolnshire hoop back side chair WS 15

Unsigned side chair showing striking similarities to chair at figure NE55 on p. 123 of Dr B D Cotton's The English Regional Chair (1990). On that basis this chair is likely to have been made in the workshop of James Marsh of Sleaford (1803 - 1870 or that of his father Thomas (1779 - 1844).

© William Sergeant 2012 and 2020

Comb back Lincolnshire side chair by Marsh of Sleaford with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 5 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove turnings on the front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs and H stretcher with darts WS 14

Comb back Lincolnshire side chair by Marsh of Sleaford WS 14

Side chair with MARSH SLEAFORD impressed on upper rear surface of seat - this may relate to James Marsh (baptised 19th August 1803) who lived and worked in Jermyn St. Sleaford as a chair maker for all his life. This chair is one of a set of three that were offered for sale in a Lincoln auction in March 2001 and no mention was made in the sale catalogue that all were signed to the rear of the seat. There equally a good chance that the father of James made these chairs: his name was Thomas . The parish register of St Denys Sleaford shows Thomas's burial aged 67 on 25 April 1844. No will has yet been tracked down.

As I have said elsewhere, Marsh made really good chairs and for a very good reason. On the front page of the newly started Sleaford Gazette in the summer of 1858 there was an advertisement by Mr Darlow's Upholstery Establishment which sold cottage furniture including Windsor chairs at 2 shillings each, on South Street, Sleaford. Also on Westgate, Sleaford there was Mr William Robinson selling London, Birmingham and Sheffield goods including Windsor chairs, wholesale and retail! Messrs. Marsh must have made really good chairs at competitive prices to compete with the shops in town.

© William Sergeant 2012 and 2020 

3 Lincolnshire bow back spindle back Windsor armchair by Taylor, Marsh and Hubbard with 8, 9 and 9 long spindles, 6, 8 and 6 short, turned underarm x 2 crook underarm x 1 straight seat sides x 2 bell shaped seat x 1, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher x 3 darts x 2 WS 114

3 Lincolnshire bow back spindle back Windsor armchairs by Taylor, Marsh and Hubbard with 8, 9 and 9 long spindles, 6, 8 and 6 short, turned underarm x 2 crook underarm x 1 straight seat sides x 2 bell shaped seat x 1, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher x 3 darts x 2 WS 114

These three chairs are all signed by their maker: left, Taylor of Grantham; middle, Marsh of Sleaford; right, Hubbard of Grantham. They just go to show how popular these spindle back chairs were in Lincolnshire. There are many similarities, namely: all have ring and cove front leg turnings and plain back legs, they are made out of ash except two outside ones which have elm for their seats.

© William Sergeant 2020

Lincolnshire medium bow back Windsor armchair stamped TAYLORS with quatrefoil and fleur de lys splat, 6 long spindles, 8 short, crook underarms, bell shaped seat, ring and cove front leg turnings, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 194

Lincolnshire medium bow back Windsor armchair stamped TAYLORS with quatrefoil and fleur de lys splat, 6 long spindles, 8 short, crook underarms, bell shaped seat, ring and cove front leg turnings, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 194

A long time ago, a fellow collector of Lincolnshire Windsor chairs had mentioned to me that he had a couple of stamped Taylor chairs in his collection. I had never seen them and wasn't overly interested as I have my own chairs signed by the same maker. However, on a recent visit to his house, I noticed this chair above - I knew that it was made by William Taylor who signed his chairs TAYLORS. I commented that this must be a new addition, whereon he replied that he had told me about it years ago. I had misinterpreted what he had said; I thought he meant Taylor not TAYLORS! The difference is subtle but so important.

I know that William Taylor signed chairs from his workshop as he states the same in an advert in the Stamford Mercury- WS 166 here - and that his signed chairs are very rare. My research has revealed that he left the security of his mother's workshop in December 1811 to set up his own business; at the same time he took on the apprentice William Shirley senior who was halfway through his 7-year tuition having started it under John Taylor.

This chair encapsulates so many features regarding my research. With the help of Chris Goodwin, who is a descendant of the Taylors of Grantham, I can reveal that William Taylor gave up chairmaking on the 7th October 1815 to work for the Post Office as a mail coach guard, something he did for the next 30 years. This means that this chair can be precisely dated to the 4 years before Oct 1815. The implications of this are profound - no other writer on this subject has been able to confirm when the backsplat and H stretcher were introduced into the design of Lincolnshire chairs but this is firm date evidence.

The chair itself is made entirely out of ash wood, having a thick seat and of robust construction, weighing in at an impressive 15 pounds - this chair was made to last. The backsplat has a particularly pleasing design motif. The seat is flared towards the front to give more room to the front legs which leads to an elegant well-balanced design.

But the most outstanding discovery for me was that this collector had been lucky to purchase two of these chairs, in the same lot, from an auction house in Cumbria.

© William Sergeant 2018 and 2020

Lincolnshire medium bow back Windsor armchair stamped TAYLORS GRANTHAM with fleur de lys splat and 3 teardrop piercings with 6 long spindles, 8 short, turned underarm supports bell-shaped seat, ring and cove front leg turnings, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 126

Lincolnshire medium bow back Windsor armchair with fleur de lys splat and 3 teardrop piercings with 6 long spindles, 8 short, turned underarm supports bell-shaped seat, ring and cove front leg turnings, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 126

This chair appeared online at an East Midlands auction in May 2014. The picture was of good quality and it took no time to realise that it was an early Lincolnshire chair. It had obviously been reduced in height but everything looked original. I was not able to get to the viewing so followed the auction on the internet; I was convinced that I knew who the maker was. When the lot came up there was very little interest and soon the chair was knocked down to me for not very much. A couple of days later I travelled over to collect the chair and had the chance to view it for the first time. It was my lucky day! Not only was it in good condition but the maker was clearly stamped on the seat; either the auctioneer had failed to see the impressed name or he saw no reason to mention it in the sale description. But what totally amazed me was it had been made by a different maker in a different town from the one that I had expected. TAYLORS GRANTHAM means that the chair was made in the workshop of William Taylor, whose remarkable 1813 advertisement in the Stamford Mercury is discussed here.

WS 127 - TAYLORS GRANTHAM stamp on WS 126

© William Sergeant 2014 and 2020

Lincolnshire high comb back Windsor armchair, stamped 'I TODD 1844', painted black and gold, with curved crest rail, 8 long spindles, 4 short, turned underarm supports, bell shaped seat, 2 ring front and back leg turnings with a lower ring, H stretcher with darts, side stretcher with darts

Lincolnshire high comb back Windsor armchair, elm and ash with black and gold paint stamped 'I TODD 1844' WS 109

John Todd is mentioned in two books on vernacular furniture and is supposed to have brought to Caistor the tradition of Windsor chair making. This is largely based on one chair stamped with his name and dated 1844. A picture of this chair appears at Plate 26 on p151 of Dr B D Cotton's The English Regional Chair (1990). Nothing else seems to have been written about him but research at the Lincoln Archives has discovered new and interesting information about him.

He was baptised into a Caistor family on 20th October 1782, the youngest of 4 children. His parents were married in Caistor on 18th May 1773 and were John Todd and Damaris Curtis. On the entry in the marriage register the profession of John senior is given as chair maker. It appears that John Todd junior's grandparents were also married in Caistor: Bartholomew Todd and Mary Pinder in 1746.

There are some references to John Todd junior being a juror also owning and renting small parcels of land in his early years. At the age of 37 he married Martha Green, a dress maker from Keelby and ten years older than him. There is a note of this event in the Lincolnshire Chronicle in 1819.  She died unexpectedly in March 1840 again there is a notice in the Lincoln paper. So in the census of 1841 Todd is recorded as a widower and has his niece Ann Sanderson (15) living with him. In 1851 he is living in the Horsemarket in Caistor with his nephew John Sanderson (37 and a joiner) and his niece Ann. By the time the 1861 census he is an old man of 78 still living with his unmarried nephew and niece. He lived till he was 80 and was buried in Caistor in November 1862.

In every reference to him in the papers or censuses, his occupation is always given as chair turner (the same is true of the Ashtons and Greens of Louth, Alford and Spilsby) and nowhere is there a reference to Windsor chair making . If he had been making chairs all his working life, which must have covered at least 45 years, it is quite conceivable that he made thousands of chairs. Where have all these chairs gone and why has only one ever been found with his name on it?

His will in the Lincolnshire Archives makes fascinating reading. It was made six years before he died. In it he leaves his own house, shop and garden in Caistor to his nephew John and goes on to list a further 8 properties that he bequeaths to his nephew and nieces; each one is denoted by the tenant at the time. A list is given below:


2. Tenant, Ann Grantham. To Joseph Sanderson.

3. Tenants, George Porter and Elizabeth Ringrose. To Benjanim Sanderson.

4.        "      , Joseph Wrack and William Keyworth. To William Sanderson.

5.        "      , Charles Mundy and Jane Gord. To Charles Sanderson.

6.        "      , George Moody and William Mundy. To Damaris Bilton, wife of Robert.

7.        "      , James Parke. To Sarah Sanderson.

8.        "     , Thomas Moore and Mary Frow. To Ann Sanderson.

9.        "     , James Harrison and John Dewick (?). To Mary Sanderson.

The riddle of the missing chairs from Todd could easily be explained if he had made only one Windsor style chair in 1844 and all the other chairs that he made were of the rush seated ladder back variety that were made in north-east Lincolnshire. None has ever been found with a maker's name on it.

© William Sergeant 2013 and 2020

William Sergeant with some of his collection of Lincolnshire Windsor and rush-seated chairs

William Sergeant with some of his collection WS 107

I was invited by the Lincolnshire Wood Turners to give an exhibition at their annual display in August 2013 . The response was most encouragin . I had a lot of interest from members of the public: many were unaware that there was a tradition of chairmaking in Lincolnshire! Several asked if the chairs were for sale and seemed disappointed when I said that I only collected chairs for academic and educational purposes.

On the display behind William: suspended in mid-air: a Marsh bow back side chair and a Marsh comb back side chair; on the dais: a Shirley/Shadford workshop Caistor rocking chair, a Lincolnshire comb back and two cabriole leg Lincolnshire rush-seated ladder back chairs; on the floor: a Lincolnshire ladder back missing its rush seat and a Grantham bow back side chair.

© William Sergeant 2013 and 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