The early history of this famous cabinet-maker has been the subject of considerable controversy. The discovery of an entry in the Register of Otley parish church, recording the baptism of Thomas Chippendale, son of John Chippendale of that town; the presence of Chippendale's name in a legal document, dated April 30, 1770, concerning property in Otley, in which three persons of the same name, probably relatives, are mentioned, all of Otley and all described as carpenters; and the entry in the sexton's book which Mr. J. P. Blake mentions in " Chippendale and his School " recording the age of Chippendale as sixty-two when he was buried at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields on November 13, 1779, are facts which tend to disprove accounts previously received. Samuel Redgrave, who was born in 1802, and therefore not far removed from the events and distinguished people of the last half of the eighteenth century, tells us in his noted " Dictionary of Artists," that Chippendale was a native of Worcestershire, came to London, where he first found employment as a joiner, and by his industry and taste was in the reign of George I. most eminent as a carver and cabinet-maker. This account apparently applies to Chippendale's father also named Thomas, a carver of considerable eminence in Worcester, who came to London with his young son and founded the business which afterwards the son continued on his own account in Long Acre in 1749. It will be seen that the two accounts are quite irreconcilable. If we sweep away the old account, how are we to deal with the Early Georgian furniture produced by Chippendale ? Under the new chronology he would be but a youth when it was made and not out of his apprenticeship. And there is not the slightest evidence that John Chippendale of Otley ever came to London or worked in mahogany. On the contrary, it is stated that he and his son worked together at Otley and made furniture from oak grown on the Harewood estate. Further discoveries will no doubt set these difficulties at rest. Towards the middle of the century Chippendale's history proceeds on firmer ground. Having made his reputation and collected around him a large number of wealthy patrons, in 1753 he removed his workshop from Long Acre to larger premises at 60, St. Martin's Lane, where he employed twenty or more workmen, and in 1754 published his famous book, "The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director," to which 312 persons subscribed at £2 8s. Other editions were published in 1759 at £3 3s., and in 1762 at £3 13s. 6d. He was in partnership with Mr. Rannie who died in. 1766, after which date he continued the business on his own account again. His fame rests on the beauty and versatility of his designs and upon the excellent output of his workshop, including work in the Decorated Queen Anne, Gothic, Chinese and French tastes. There seems to be no doubt that he was helped in his designs and literary work by his friend Mathias Darly, who also engraved the plates for the "Director." His contemporaries, H. Copeland, W. Ince, T. Johnson, M. Lock, R. Manwaring, T. Mayhew, and others, form a group often referred to as the Chippendale School. The influence of this school to a considerable extent died out towards the end of the century, but recovered itself in the fourth quarter of the last century. It is difficult now to distinguish some of Chippendale's work from that produced by other cabinet-makers from his designs. He was married in 1748 to Catherine Redshaw, who died in 1772, and in 1777 to Elizabeth Davis who survived him. He died of consumption and was buried at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields on November 13, 1779, but there is no trace of his grave. He left a large family and was succeeded by his eldest son, Thomas (1789-1820), who is spoken of as a man of taste and ability like his father and carried on the business until 1796 in partnership with Mr. Haig first at the old premises, then at 42, Jermyn Street, and afterwards at 19, Haymarket. Early in the nineteenth century he allowed his father's business to dwindle and come to an end.