λ A pair of William IV rosewood candlestands by Gillows of Lancaster

λ A pair of William IV rosewood candlestands by Gillows of Lancaster, each with a fixed circular top with a moulded edge on ring turned baluster stem and tripod supports, slight differences to height and mouldings and with adaptations, 78.1cm high, 42cm diameter, max. (2)

Provenance:

William Henry Hornby (1805-1884) of Brookhouse Lodge, Blackburn,

Sir William Henry Hornby, (1841-1928) 1st Baronet of Brookhouse, born at Raikes Hall, Blackpool,

Sir Henry Russell Hornby, (1888-1971), 2nd Baronet of Brookhouse, of Barraclough, Clitheroe, Lancashire and thence by descent.

William Henry Hornby: a commission by Gillows

On 19th May 1831 William Henry Hornby (1805-1884) married Margaret Susannah Birley. They were to live at Brookhouse Lodge in Blackburn and just over two weeks before they were married they placed an order with Gillow & Co. to furnish the principal rooms. William Hornby was the son of John Hornby who originally had come to Blackburn to learn the business of cotton merchant from his brother in-law Richard Birley. They then purchased a share in a spinning mill and eventually they built their own spinning mill at Brookhouse. In 1841 when John Hornby died his estate was valued at £200,000. His son who succeeded his father in the family cotton business was later to become Mayor of Blackburn and its Member of Parliament from 1857 to 1865

We are extremely fortunate to know the full details of the commission by Hornby as the original bill issued by Gillow to Hornby has survived and retained by a direct descendant and the vendor of the following four lots.

On the 3rd May 1831 the order was placed and included 'a set of handsome Mahogany Imperial dining tables' for £45.0.0., 'a pair of handsome Rosewood Card tables' for £22.00, '2 handsome Mahogany four post Bedsteads 7ft long 6ft wide double screw and lathe bottoms, foot pillars 8ft high...mahogany moulded cornices' for £28.8.0 (one of which is lot 302). The entire order was delivered to Brookhouse Lodge by canal as outlined in the invoice 'To paid Carriage of the above by Canal to Preston' even the foreman's time was detailed on the invoice 'To our Foreman's journey & time at Blackburn unpacking & fixing furniture, Window curtains..3 days..To paid his Coach fare & expenses'.  The final bill came to £475 and was paid on the 7th July 1831. 

Lots 302 and 304 feature on the bill, however the bookcases (lot 303) and the clothes horse (lot 305) do not but were presumably ordered at a similar time. The bookcases each have a handwritten label inscribed 'Bookcase to Brookhouse Mills to be treated with great care L.G.H.' Brookhouse Mill was one of only a few combined spinning and weaving mills in Lancashire and was established by John Hornby in 1828. The initials on the labels are those of Letitia Grace Hornby the wife of Sir William Henry Hornby the first baronet, who was born at Raikes Hall in 1841. Presumably the bookcases were moved to Brookhouse Mill from Raikes Hall at the end of the 19th century.