John Gumley
John Gumley | |
|---|---|
| Member of the British House of Commons for Steyning | |
| In office c. 1720–1727 | |
| Preceded by | William Wallis |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Bladen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1670 |
| Died | 19 December 1728 (aged c. 58) |
| Spouse |
Susannah White (m. 1692) |
| Children | John, George, Gerard, 1 other son and 4 daughters |
| Parent(s) | Peter Gumley Elizabeth Davis |
| Relatives |
|
John Gumley (c. 1670 – 19 December 1728) was an English furniture-maker, army contractor and MP.
Life[edit]
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.[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 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 in 1722, he became MP for Steyning. In 1724, he was appointed Commissioner General of Musters. He built Gumley House in Isleworth which was left to his daughter Anna Maria. Retiring as an MP in 1727, he died on 19 December 1728.[1]
Family legacy[edit]
After Gumley's death, his wife Susan Gumley continued the business.[2]
He had four sons and four daughters.[3] Gumley's daughter, Anna Maria married William Pulteney, the future Earl of Bath in 1714.[3] Gumley's daughter Susanna married Christopher Lockman and died from childbirth complications upon delivering their son, Rev. Dr. John Lockman, Canon of Windsor. Gumley's daughter Mary married Francis Colman and their son George Colman was a playwright.[4][5] Gumley's daughter Laetitia married Launcelot Charles Lake and their son Gerard was a general.[6][7]
He plainly thought very little of his eldest son, George who was to all intents and purposes disinherited being given a stipend of £150 a year on condition that he did not get in contact with his mother.[3] His other son, John succeeded him as a partner in the glass manufactory of Richard Hughes & Co. of Vauxhall[3] and went out to India where he was first Chief of Dacca. His third son, Samuel was an army officer.[3][8]
References[edit]
- ^ a b GUMLEY, John (c.1670-1728), of Isleworth, Mdx., The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754, ed. Romney Sedgwick, 1970.
- ^ a b c John Fleming; Hugh Honour (1977). "Gumley, John". The Penguin Dictionary of Decorative Arts. Allen Lane. p. 360.
- ^ a b c d e "Gumley, John (1691-1727)". bifmo.history.ac.uk. BIFMO. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ "George Colman the Elder". npg.org.uk. National Portrait Gallery.
- ^ "George Colman the Elder". britannica.com. Britannica.
- ^ "Gerard Lake, 1st Viscount Lake". npg.org.uk. National Portrait Gallery.
- ^ "Lake, Gerard". dib.ie. Dictionary of Irish Biography.
- ^ "GUMLEY, Samuel (c.1698-1763), of St James's, Westminster". historyofparliamentonline.org. The History of Parliament.
Further reading[edit]
- Ralph Edwards; Margaret Jourdain (1955). Georgian Cabinet-makers: c. 1700-1800. London: Country Life Ltd. pp. 40–1.
- Bowett, 2002, English Furniture from Charles II to Queen Anne
- Bird, 2014, The Furniture and Furnishing of St James's Palace