John Gumley

Mirror by John Gumley,1703, in Chatsworth House

John Gumley (c. 1670 – 19 December 1728) was an English furniture-maker, army contractor and MP.

Life

Gumley was the eldest son of Peter Gumley, a cabinet maker, and Elizabeth Davis. In 1692 he married Susannah White, sister-in-law to Sir John Wittewrong, 3rd Baronet.[1] By 1694 he was advertising "all sorts of cabinet work", but his most successful enterprises were in glass-making. In 1703 he supplied large mirrors to Chatsworth House, and in 1705 opened a glass-house at Lambeth. In 1712 his work was praised by Richard Steele in The Spectator.[2]

Gumley's daughter married William Pulteney, the future Earl of Bath in 1714. Gumley and James Moore succeeded Gerrit Jensen as royal cabinet-makers in 1715,[2] and in 1716 Pulteney appointed Gumley Deputy Commissioner of Musters. After unsuccessfully contesting Bramber (UK Parliament constituency) in 1722, he became MP for Steyning. In 1724 he was appointed Commissioner General of Musters. Retiring as an MP in 1727, he died 19 December 1728.[1]

After Gumley's death his son James Gumley (died 1734) continued the business.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 GUMLEY, John (c.1670-1728), of Isleworth, Mdx., The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754, ed. Romney Sedgwick, 1970.
  2. 1 2 3 John Fleming; Hugh Honour (1977). "Gumley, John". The Penguin Dictionary of Decorative Arts. Allen Lane. p. 360.

Further reading

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