The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          Gillow & Co.                           

Title:               Business papers

Dates:             1731-1905

Call No.:         Mic. 1424-1525, Mic. 2728

Acc. No.:         [none]

Quantity:        102 microfilm reels

Location:        microfilm cabinet

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Gillow and Co. was a provincial English furniture making firm based in Lancaster from approximately 1730 to at least 1931; the firm was also active in London.  It grew from a small cabinet shop to a large national furniture firm during the 18th century.  The firm responded to fashionable demand, suggesting that much labeled "Sheraton" or "Hepplewhite" is in fact the product of Gillow.  The firm also engaged in architectural joinery and repair work.  They exported their goods to both the West Indies and parts of Northern Europe.  In 1785 the Lancaster branch was extended to include upholstery services.  Gillow was one of the few firms of furniture makers that was prominent in both the 18th and 19th centuries.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

These papers include account and cash books, letter books, daybooks, salary books, drawings, sketchbooks, estimate books, etc. dealing with the furniture and upholstery trades.  Gillow & Co.’s archive is the most complete to survive of any leading English furniture manufacture; it provides evidence of the range and detail of the firm's huge output.  One reel shows drawings (in color) of furniture offered by the company.

           

 

ORGANIZATION

 

The items are grouped by form: waste books, day books, journals, cash books, ledgers, order books, estimate sketch books, cabinet maker’s drawing books, accounts, letter books, memorandum books, and packing books, with a few miscellaneous items are found scattered throughout.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

           

 

PROVENANCE

 

Originals in: Westminster City Libraries, London, England.

           

 

RELATED MATERIALS

 

Drawings of Gillow furniture also available at this repository, Doc. 257.  The drawings in this group have been scanned, and researchers must view the scans before being granted permission to use the originals.

 

Nichols, Sarah C.  "The Gillow Company of Lancaster, England : An Eighteenth Century Business History."  University of Delaware MA thesis, 1982.

 

Also look under the subject heading Gillow & Co.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Cape of Good Hope (Colony).  Parliament.

            Furniture - Drawings.

            Furniture design.

            Furniture - England - Lancaster.

            Interior decoration.

            Upholstery - England.

            Cape Town (South Africa) - Buildings, structures, etc.

            Drawings.

            Pattern books.

            Furniture designers.

Cabinetmakers.

           

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: microfilm cabinet

 

 

Mic. 1424       Waste book, 1731-1743 (item 1);

                        Waste book, 1742-1754 (item 2);

                        Waste book, 1771-1772 (item 3)

Mic. 1425       Waste book, 1773-1774 (item 4);

                        Waste book, 1775-1776 (item 5)

Mic. 1426       Waste book, 1777-1778 (item 6)

Mic. 1427       Waste book, 1779-1780 (item 7);

                        Waste book, 1781-1783 (item 8)

Mic. 1428       Waste book, 1784-1785 (item 9);

                        Waste book, 1786 (item 10)

Mic. 1429       Waste book, 1787 (item 11);

                        Waste book, 1788-1789 (item 12)

Mic. 1430       Waste book, 1789-1790 (item 13);

                        Waste book, 1790-1791 (item 14)

Mic. 1431       Waste book, 1792 (item 15);

                        Waste book, 1793 (item 16)

Mic. 1432       Waste book, 1794 (item 17);

                        Waste book, 1795 (item 18)

Mic. 1433.1    Waste book, 1796-1797 (item 19);

 

Mic. 1433.2    Day book, 1756-1762 (item 20)

Mic. 1434.1    Day book, 1763-1768 (item 21)

 

Mic. 1434.2    Journal, 1769-1774 (item 22)

Mic. 1435       Journal, 1775 (item 23);

                        Journal, 1780-1784 (item 24)

Mic. 1436       Journal, 1785-1788 (item 25);

                        Journal, 1802-1815 (item 26)

Mic. 1437       Journal, 1911-1919 (item 27);

                        Journal: showrooms, 1897-1905 (item 28)

 

Mic. 1438.1-.2            Bill book, 1775-1778 (item 29);

                        Bill book, 1778-1788 (item 30)

Mic. 1438.3    Cash book, 1757-1763 (item 31)

Mic. 1439       Cash book, 1764-1769, also invoices and letters relating to shipped merchandise, 1773-1774 (item 32);

                        Cash book, 1769-1775 (item 33)

Mic. 1440       Cash book, 1776-1781 (item 34);

                        Cash book, 1782-1789 (item 35)

Mic. 1441       Cash book, 1790-1794 (item 36);

                        Cash book, 1795-1798 (item 37)

Mic. 1442       Cash book, 1799-1802 (item 38);

                        Cash book, 1802-1809 (item 39)

Mic. 1443       Cash book, 1813-1826 (item 40);

                        Cash book, 1826-1846 (item 41)

Mic. 1444       Cash book, 1834-1847 (item 42);

                        Cash book, 1839-1856 (item 43)

Mic. 1445       Cash book, 1856-1874 (item 44);

                        Cash book, 1862-1874 (item 45)

Mic. 1446       Cash book, 1874-1881 (item 46);

                        Cash book, 1885-1890 (item 47)

Mic. 1447       Cash book, 1890-1896 (item 48);

                        Cash book, 1903-1914 (item 49)

 

Mic. 1448       Ledger, 1763-1768 (item 50);

                        Ledger, 1769-1775, with index (item 51)

Mic. 1449       Ledger, 1776-1780, with index (item 52)

Mic. 1450       Ledger, 1781-1790, with index (item 53)

Mic. 1451       Ledger, 1790-1797, with index (item 54)

Mic. 1452       Ledger, 1797-1806, with index (item 55)

Mic. 1453       Ledger, 1806-1821 (item 56)

Mic. 1454       Ledger, 1813-1840, with index (item 57);

                        Ledger, 1834-1861, with index (item 58)

Mic. 1455       Ledger, 1839-1862, with index (item 59)

Mic. 1456       Ledger, 1862-1882, with index (item 60);

                        Ledger, 1882-1897 (item 61)

 

Mic. 1457.1    Sales Ledger, 1898-1906, with index (item 62);

Mic. 1457.2    Private Ledger, 1885-1897, with index (item 63)

Mic. 1457.3    Ledger, 1914-1932 (item 64)

Mic. 1457.4    Accounts from ledger, 1802-1827, with index (item 65)

Mic. 1457.5    Sundry accounts from ledger, 1812-1814, with index (item 66)

 

Mic. 1457.6    Book for the regulation of the journeymen’s wages.  Indexes of furniture (no date) (item 67)

 

Mic. 1457.7    Petty cash book, 1773-1774 (item 68)

Mic. 1458.1-.2            Petty cash book, 1789- (incomplete) (item 69);

                        Petty cash book, 1798 (incomplete) (item 70)

 

Mic. 1458.3-.4            Petty ledger1769-1773, with index (item 71);

                        Petty ledger1773-1777, with index (item 72)

Mic. 1459       Petty ledger1780-1782, with index (item 73);

                        Petty ledger1783-1785, with index (item 74)

Mic. 1460       Petty ledger1790-1791, with index (item 75);

                        Petty ledger1792-1793 (item 76);

                        Petty ledger1794-1796, with index (item 77)

Mic. 1461       Petty ledger1802-1804, with index (item 78);

                        Petty ledger1834-1839, with index (item 79)

 

Mic. 1462.1    Mill book, 1886-1898 (item 80)

 

Mic. 1462.2-.3            Waring and Gillow Works salaries book, 1911-1922 (item 81);

                                    Waring and Gillow Works salaries book, 1922-1931 (item 82)

 

Mic. 1463.1    Order book, 1758-1762, and building estimates, 1759-1762 (item 83)

Mic. 1463.2-.4            Order book, 1778-1781 (item 84);

                                    Order book, 1800 (incomplete) (item 85);

                                    Order book, 1822-1825, with index (item 86)

 

Mic. 1464       Lancaster Order book, 1895-1897, with index (item 87)

Mic. 1465.1    Lancaster Order book, 1900-1902, with index (item 88)

 

Mic. 1465.2    estimate and memorandum book, 1759-1762, and

                        Petty ledger, 1760-1762 (item 89)

Mic. 1466.1    estimate book, 1766-1769, and

                        Petty ledger, 1766-1769 (item 90)

Mic. 1466.2    estimate book, 1787-1795, with index (item 91);

Mic. 1466.3    estimate book, 1816-1825, with index (item 92)

 

Mic. 1467       estimate sketch book, 1784-1787, with index of furniture (item 93);

                        estimate sketch book, 1787-1788, no. 1-464, with index of furniture (item 94)

Mic. 1468       estimate sketch book, 1789-1791, no. 467-812, with index of furniture (item 95);

                        estimate sketch book, 1792-1794, no. 813-1140, with index of furniture (item 96)

Mic. 1469       estimate sketch book, 1795-1798, no. 1141-1461, with index of furniture (item 97);

estimate sketch book, 1798-1803, no. 1462-1724, with incomplete index of furniture (item 98)

Mic. 1470       estimate sketch book, 1803-1815, no. 1725-2001, with index of furniture (item 99);

                        estimate sketch book, 1815-1822, no.2002-3173, with index of furniture (item 100)

Mic. 1471       estimate sketch book, 1822-1825, no. 3174-3450, with index of furniture (item 101);

                        estimate sketch book, 1825-1830, no.3471-3771, with index of furniture (item 102)

Mic. 1472       estimate sketch book, 1830-1837, no. 3772-5187, with index of furniture (item 103)

Mic. 1473       estimate sketch book, 1837-1849, no. 5188-5621, with incomplete index of furniture (item 104);

                        estimate sketch book, 1849-1855, no.5622-6058, with index of furniture (item 105)

Mic. 1474       estimate sketch book, 1855-1861, no. 6059-6503, with index of furniture (item 106)

Mic. 1475       estimate sketch book, 1861-1865, no.6504-6935, with index of furniture (item 107)

Mic. 1476       estimate sketch book, 1865-1867, no. 6936-7372, with index of furniture (item 108)

Mic. 1477       estimate sketch book, 1867-1870, no.7373-7819, with index of furniture (item 109)

Mic. 1478       estimate sketch book, 1870-1872, no.7820-8221, with index of furniture (item 110);

                        estimate sketch book, 1872-1874, no.8222-8627, with index of furniture (item 111)

Mic. 1479.1    estimate sketch book, 1874-1875, no. 8628-9029, with index of furniture (item 112)

Mic. 1479.2    estimate sketch book, architectural, 1875-1880, no.9030-9430, with index of furniture (item 113)

Mic. 1480.1    estimate sketch book, bedroom, 1874-1878, no.9431-9831, with index of furniture (item 114)

Mic. 1480.2    estimate sketch book, general, 1875-1877, no.9832-10231, with index of furniture (item 115)

Mic. 1481.1    estimate sketch book, general, 1877-1879, no.10232-10630, with index of furniture

Mic. 1481.2    estimate sketch book, bedroom, 1879-1881, no.10633-11033, with index of furniture (item 116)

Mic. 1482       estimate sketch book, general, 1879-1881, no.11035-11439, with index of furniture (item 117)

Mic. 1483       estimate sketch book, architectural, 1880-1887, no.11841-12240, with index of furniture (item 118)

Mic. 1484       estimate sketch book, general, 1881-1882, no.12241-12640, with index of furniture (item 119)

Mic. 1485       estimate sketch book, bedroom, 1881-1884, no.12641-13040, with index of furniture (item 120)

Mic. 1486       estimate sketch book, general, 1882-1884, no.13041-13440, with index of furniture (item 121)

Mic. 1487       estimate sketch book, bedroom, 1884-1887, no.13441-13847, with index of furniture (item 122)

Mic. 1488       estimate sketch book, general, 1884-1885, no.13850-14248, with index of furniture (item 123)

Mic. 1489       estimate sketch book, general, 1885-1887, no.14249-14666, with index of furniture (item 124)

Mic. 1490       estimate sketch book, bedroom, 1887-1891, no.14668-15086, with index of furniture (item 125)

Mic. 1491       estimate sketch book, architectural, 1887-1894, no.15087-15499, with index of furniture (item 126)

Mic. 1492       estimate sketch book, general, 1887-1889, no.15501-15909, with index of furniture (item 127)

Mic. 1493       estimate sketch book, general, 1890-1891, no.15910-16263, with index of furniture (item 128)

Mic. 1494       estimate sketch book, bedroom, 1891-1896, no.16264-16698, with index of furniture (item 129)

Mic. 1495       estimate sketch book, general, 1891-1894, no.16699-17089, with index of furniture (item 130)

Mic. 1496       estimate sketch book, architectural, 1894-1903, no.17090-17508, with index of furniture (item 131)

Mic. 1497       estimate sketch book, general, 1894-1897, no.17509-17930, with index of furniture (item 132)

Mic. 1498       estimate sketch book, bedroom, 1896-1900, no.17931-18249, with index of furniture (item 133)

Mic. 1499       estimate sketch book, general, 1897-1900, no.18251-18545, with index of furniture (item 134)

Mic. 1500       estimate sketch book, bedroom, 1900-1905, no.18672-18760, with index of furniture (item 135)

Mic. 1501       estimate sketch book, chair, 1835-1878, no.7-278 (item 136);

                        estimate sketch book, chair, 1878-1883, no.279-578, with index of chairs (item 137)

Mic. 1502       estimate sketch book, chair, 1883-1892, no.580-978, with index of chairs (item 138)

Mic. 1503       estimate sketch book, chair, 1892-1899, no.980-1156, with index of chairs (item 140)

 

Mic. 1504       upholstery estimate book, 1785-1791 (item 141)

Mic. 1505.1    upholstery and decorating estimate book, 1817-1824 (item 142)

 

Mic. 1505.2    specification for the furniture and fittings for the Houses of Parliament, Cape Town, Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, 1883 (item 143)

 

Mic. 1505.3    The cabinet maker’s general sketch book, [1810] (item 144)

Mic. 1505.4    sketch book, [1823] (item 145)

Mic. 1505.5    sketch book, chairs [no date] (item 146)

 

Mic. 1506       Cabinet maker’s drawing book, no. 1: William Masheder, 1879-1882 (item 147);

                        Cabinet maker’s drawing book, no. 2: James Gibson and James Douglas Alston, 1879-1882 (item 148);

                        Cabinet maker’s drawing book, no. 3: Christopher Henry Homer, 1879-1881 (item 149);

                        Cabinet maker’s drawing book, no. 4: James Gardner, 1881-1883 (item 150)

Mic. 1507.1-.2            Cabinet maker’s drawing book, no. 5: Christopher Henry Homer, 1881-1884, 1886 (item 151);

                        Cabinet maker’s drawing book, no. 6: James Douglas Alston, James Gardner, and John Hutton, 1882-1883 (item 152)

 

Mic. 1507.3    Stock book, 1892-1899 (item 153)

 

Mic. 1508       Accounts and letters, 1774-1789 (item 154);

                        Account book, 1790-1812, with index (item 155);

                        Account book, 1811-1821 (item 156)

Mic. 1509       Account book, 1846-1857 (item 157);

                        Accounts about new wood yard, 1764-1765, and

                        Building accounts, 1767-1770, and

                        Memoranda, 1771 (item 158);

                        Rental, 1794-1800 (item 159);

                        Accounts with Redmayne and Ferguson, 1835-1857 (item 160)

 

Mic. 1510       accounts of disbursements for outfitting ships, 1742-1743, and;

                        Invoices and letters relating to shipped merchandise, 1744-1772 (item 161)

Mic. 1511.1    Invoices and letters relating to shipped merchandise, 1775-1789 (item 162)

 

Mic. 1511.2-.4            Letter book, 1746-1759 (item 163);

                                    Letter book, 1759-1764 (item 164);

                                    Letter book, 1764-1769, and

memorandum book and accounts, 1766-1769 (item 165)

 

Mic. 1512       Letter book, 1769-1772 (item 166)

                        Letter book, 1772-1775 (item 167)

                        Letter book, 1775-1778 (item 168)

Mic. 1513       Letter book, 1778-1781 (item 169)

                        Letter book, 1782-1786 (item 170)

Mic. 1514       Letter book, 1786-1789 (item 171)

Mic. 1515       Letter book, 1789-1791 (item 172);

                        Letter book, 1796-1797 (item 173)

Mic. 1516       Letter book, 1800-1801, with index (item 174);

                        Letter book, 1801-1803, with incomplete index (item 175);

                        Letter book, 1829-1842, with index (item 176)

 

Mic. 1517       Memorandum and account book, 1741-1748 (item 177);

                        Memorandum book, 1749-1752 (item 178);

                        Memorandum book, 1773-1778 (item 179);

                        Memorandum book, 1778-1784 (item 180)

Mic. 1518       Memorandum book, 1784-1790 (item 181);

                        Memorandum book, 1883-1886 (item 182)

Mic. 1519       Memorandum book, 1886-1891 (item 183)

 

Mic. 1520       Packing book, 1788-1794 (item 184);

                        Packing book, 1794-1814 (item 185)

Mic. 1521       Packing book, 1809-1814, with index (item 186);

                        Packing book, 1816-1819, with incomplete index (item 187)

[Mic. 1522 – number not used]

Mic. 1523       Packing book, 1827-1836, with index of furniture (item 188)

Mic. 1524       Lancaster packing book, 1883-1889, with index (item 189)

Mic. 1525       Lancaster packing book, 1889-1895, with index (item 190)

 

Mic. 2728       Pattern book, ca.1770-1800.

Jobbing book, 1812-1814.

Pattern book, late 19th century.

[note: these items are in color]