Traditional English Woodwork

Traditional English Woodwork Sharing 40 years making and researching traditional furniture and woodwork. Inviting new projects.

This oak table was a real joy to make. The mitre-framed top, ogee shaped stretchers, and pronounced bulbous legs (we ca...
17/06/2026

This oak table was a real joy to make. The mitre-framed top, ogee shaped stretchers, and pronounced bulbous legs (we called them pumpkin legs in the workshop) were all delightful design features - fun to make but calling on a wide range of skills. Sadly it was one of those commissions that rushed out the workshop door before anything more than hasty snaps could be taken. So, it was lovely to run into these online shots of it recently thanks to the interior designer :-). It looks really at home in the stunning overall scheme. Quietly playing their part in the background are a pair of dresser bases and part enclosed chest of drawers that were also a delight to make.

Making bespoke furniture and woodwork requires a lot of different things coming together - skills, experience, the right tools, suitable materials, and somewhere suitable to turn all that into something special. None of that gets far though without good clients willing and able to take a chance on commissioning exciting projects - this was certainly one of those.

Photo credit for the shots in situ: Alison Henry Design Studio
https://www.alisonhenry.com/

Trees and Timber, Mahogany (6): Finding mahogany A couple of recent posts have been delving into some 19th century image...
13/06/2026

Trees and Timber, Mahogany (6): Finding mahogany

A couple of recent posts have been delving into some 19th century images of mahogany being harvested. Here is another.

Mahogany trees do not tend to mature in dense clusters. In the old growth forests being opened up over the eighteenth century, large trees could be distributed as thinly as one per square mile. Such trees needed seeking out in terrain that was often difficult and inhospitable - one of the largest areas harvested early on, around modern Belize, was named the mosquito shore for a reason. Logging crews included 'hunters' tasked with locating suitable trees for the felling and extracting teams of up to 30 or 40 that would follow. Sadly, often, these teams were enslaved.

A helpful time for finding trees was during leaf change. Mahogany is not technically deciduous but does shed and renew its leaves over a short period around March to May when hunters could climb tall trees to spot the noticeably yellowing leaves standing out in the dense green forest canopy.

Given all the above, John McGahey's illustration with three large trees right next to each other seems an unlikely sight. Apart from being an unusual growing pattern it would have required an outstanding feat to have landed the fallen trunk shown neatly between the two standing trees with the inevitable tangle of crossing of branches there would have been above. If there was not a tangle before, the scene shows one approaching. The second tree about to drop from right to left looks likely to fall over the first, shortly to be followed by the third falling left to right over them both. All the while the all-important cauldron and its attendant sit right in the firing line.

It is possible McGahey painted what he saw in front of him but it seems more likely a degree of artistic licence has been used to create a balanced composition with the three trees neatly framed between the pair of axmen and the smoking cauldron the centre.

Trees and Timber: Mahogany (5) Springboards and Axes: Old images are a great source of information and there are some fa...
11/06/2026

Trees and Timber: Mahogany (5) Springboards and Axes:

Old images are a great source of information and there are some fascinating nineteenth century images of the early mahogany trade that we shared in a recent post. They give some insights into the difficulties and sheer effort harvesting the timber required and deserve more unpacking, so here we go. Like all historic sources this requires caution – people pose for pictures, and artists paint and draw for reasons, including to create a pleasing image that someone might pay for, and/or to make a particular point. With that in mind, lets start with a closer look at this J. McGahey 1850 lithograph ‘Felling Mahogany’.

Like many large mature trees, mahogany forms huge buttresses as the trunk transitions into the ground and roots. They form a large footprint – its how they support the hundred or more feet and tons of weight above. They generally flare out a lot more than McGahey shows. You would need a pretty good reason to try and cut through the additional feet of convoluted grain at ground level so cutters generally worked 8’ or so up the trunk where it narrows and things settle. McGahey captures this in detail. Interestingly he shows the axmen having built a platform or stage, supported at one end by the tree and with upright poles at the other. The trend elsewhere, particularly felling old growth trees in north America seems to have favoured the use of springboards – literally a narrow board with an iron capped tapered end that was driven into a notch cut into the tree. It is a practice captured in many images and old growth stumps with notches for springboards can still be found.

Simplistically, there are two basic cuts to felling trees. A notch on the side the tree is to fall and a back or felling cut coming from the other side to meet it. It might sound simple, but it takes a huge amount of skill to get it right. The notch is cut horizontally at the bottom and at an angle from the top. The angle is to provide space to clear the stump below as the tree falls. As the felling cut is made from behind, a narrow ‘hinge’ is left between it and the notch to control and guide the fall. McGahey, and other images, show both notch and felling cut often being made with axes on mahogany. Later, and elsewhere, the practice was to saw the felling cut with a long two handled saw. Sawing allows wedges to be driven into the sawcut as it progresses to prevent the blade pinching under the substantial weight of the tree above, and to offer an element of control in encouraging the tree to fall in the intended direction. Wide felling cuts made with axes, as shown by McGahey, would not have provided the same level of control and resulted in much more timber ending up as chips on the ground. Several reasons have been suggested for the double axe cut approach seemingly used on mahogany, including the difficulty of carrying long saws through dense tropical undergrowth and of maintaining them in damp humid conditions. They seem unconvincing. The problem of access seems unlikely given the plan was shortly to be shifting huge sections of mahogany back out, and there are examples of large saws being used to cut mahogany felled trees to length.

It would be good to hear any more convincing thoughts on why the double axe cut seems to have been the favoured approach for mahogany. Likewise for any merits of staging over springboards.

That is enough for now, but there is more to be teased out from McGahey’s lithograph, stay tuned.

Trees and Timber: Mahogany (4): Uncomfortable truths - SlaveryThere is a dark side to the early mahogany trade. As with...
05/06/2026

Trees and Timber: Mahogany (4): Uncomfortable truths - Slavery

There is a dark side to the early mahogany trade. As with many other commodities that headed east across the Atlantic to Europe, like cotton, to***co, and sugar, the mahogany trade exploited the horrors of slavery and forced labour. Huge numbers of those working in the logging camps were forcibly carried west from Africa in the infamous ‘triangular’ trade that saw ships then returning to Britain with plantation produce. Initially, mahogany was a small part of that, often simply added as ballast for more profitable goods, but as tariffs were withdrawn and its popularity grew, it increasingly became a viable cargo in its own right. The African connection can be seen in the English name ‘mahogany’ which stems from ‘Oganwo’, the Nigerian name for similar trees found there. In Spain it is known as Caoba, which is thought to have been what the indigenous Arawak called it.

Felling, extracting, and processing large trees is hard work – and mahogany trees can be very large – up to one hundred feet tall with the diameter at the base sometimes as much as twelve feet. Records talk of single logs weighing over fifteen tons. The more accessible coastal trees were soon cleared and as the wood teams had to work further inland the task became increasingly harder. Several nineteenth century images show teams felling and moving mahogany. They are worth revisiting in detail in another post, but for now, an initial look makes it hard to imagine that the work and conditions were either pleasant, easy, or safe. However, some contemporary evidence argues otherwise. A report into the health of Belieze woodcutters in 1836 by Dr, John Young states “a more vigorous and fine looking lot of men is no where to be met with . . . which I am of the opinion is the natural consequence of salubrity of climate, a healthy occupation, and kind treatment.” On the other hand, Young's report contrasts with the observations on mahogany and slavery noted by Charles Dickens in his 1842 American Notes, which state ‘… in the depths of its grain, through all its polish, the hue of wretched slaves.’ Maybe slaves in some situations were treated better than others, or maybe, with it coinciding with the unfolding Abolition of Slavery Act, Dr. Young’s report was trying to present a rose-tinted perspective to counter the abolitionists. What is without doubt is that the extraction of mahogany was hard and dangerous work that relied heavily on slave labour, with slaves outnumbering non-slaves by around six to one in Belieze in 1779.

Loads more information on all the above in the research work of Daniel Finamore and Adam Bowett. There is a link to Finamore's paper in American Furniture 2008 in the comments.

Trees and Timber, Mahogany 3: John Wesley's bed - commission for John Wesley's House and The Museum of Methodism in Lond...
29/05/2026

Trees and Timber, Mahogany 3: John Wesley's bed - commission for John Wesley's House and The Museum of Methodism in London.

By the time John Wesley was building his house in London in 1779, Mahogany was widely available to joiners and cabinet makers. At the time of his birth in 1703 it was commercially non-existent, though not unknown. Sir Walter Raleigh was reputedly one of the first Englishmen to recognise is quality back in the 1590s after his ship's carpenter used it to make repairs in Trinidad. It impressed him enough to bring some back on his return and legend has it that he commissioned a table to be made from it as a gift for Queen Elizabeth I (wouldn't that be a great thing to see!). For the next one hundred and thirty years or so mahogany would remain an 'exotic' wood in England, and generally unavailable. There are a few rare cases of it being used which we will share in another post, but broadly, over Wesley's life, it went from being virtually unavailable to becoming one of the primary choices for fine furniture and joinery.

Four centuries or so on from Walter Raleigh, the house John Wesley built was being refurbished and furnished for public display. Many of the contents on show date from Wesley’s time, but we were delighted to be commissioned to make a couple of items that were hard to find, including this bed. It displays some of mahogany’s great characteristics. From memory, ‘neat but plain’ was a guiding factor in choosing a bed to base the design on, values that Wesley held. It might not look plain to modern eyes, but in 18th century terms it probably is. We just supplied the wooden frame, and were bowled over the first time it was seen ‘dressed’.
You can see it virtually in the bedroom here: https://share.google/DGh5Iyhlcw30BzP3e

25/05/2026

Over recent weeks have been looking back at some of the many tables we have made, and the original period ones that inspired them. Long ones, heavy ones, round ones, ..... Here is a taster, which would you choose? Loads of information on all of them in the posts.

Trees and Timber, Mahogany 2: John Wesley' sidetable.When John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, was born i...
22/05/2026

Trees and Timber, Mahogany 2: John Wesley' sidetable.

When John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, was born in 1703, mahogany was virtually unknown as a commercial timber in England. By the time he died in 1793 it was one of the most popular. Prior to the 1721 Navy Stores Act which ended tariffs on the tansatlantic timber trade, mahogany barely registers in import records. In 1723 imports valued £695, by 1750 it reached £30,000, a significant sum at the time. Mahogany's rise was spectacular. It is no surprise then, that mahogany was the timber requested for this sidetable commisioned for Wesley's house in London when it was re-furbished. Mahogany was well established when Wesley built the house in 1779.

The rapid rise of mahogany's popularity is understandable. It is a beautiful timber and sometimes truly spectacular. It can be highly figured, 'flame' and 'curl' boards or veneers from the crotches around branches particularly so, and yet it is generally quite stable, forgiving to work, finishes well, and takes on a fantastic polish. It also carves crisply, is reasonably durable and resistant to worm, and grows to a huge size. As it became increasingly available in a country where prime native timbers had not been abundant for centuries, joiners, cabinet makers, and their fashion following clients must have been delighted. Whilst mahogany's rise in popularity was fast, it did not arrive straight into the spotlight, and it did go on to have a devastating impact on the environment. We will pick up on that in another post.

Back to John Wesley's side table. It was commissioned for the dining room of his London house whilst being refurbished and interpreted for visitors. Much of the furniture is original, but we were proud to be asked to make this table and a bed that were not easily available. The top came from a stunning board found in a London timber yard. It was looking weathered and forlorn on top of a huge stack, as if abandoned there for years to keep the weather off the clean joinery stock underneath. We gave it a chance and never regreted it.

The table was a delight to make. Apologies for the ropey photos hastily taken on delivery. Fortunately you can also veiw it virtually through an online tour of Wesley's house, unfortunately its a bit hidden behind an open door that the technology can't close for you 🙂. Of course, if you are in London at all, it is also possible to see it in the flesh.

Virtual tour - The Museum of Methodism & John Wesley's House https://share.google/DGh5Iyhlcw30BzP3e

Table Talk 14 (and Trees and Timber, Mahogany 1): Then along came mahogany (a tale of tariffs, deals, defence spending, ...
16/05/2026

Table Talk 14 (and Trees and Timber, Mahogany 1): Then along came mahogany (a tale of tariffs, deals, defence spending, global trade, and controlling waterways, three centuries before Donald Trump).

All the tables shared to date in this series of posts on tables commissioned in the past have been made from European timbers. Most of it locally grown, sawn, and seasoned, plus the occasional boards from across the English Channel or North Sea. The Bazilian Mahogany for this 18th century inspired pedestal dining table had a much longer journey to get to the workshop. It seems fitting make it the last 'table talk' post for now because in it kind of captures a moment in the pattern of timber use in British furniture. From the early 18th century, a whole host of 'exotic' timbers joined the woodworking cast, and centre stage in starring role has to be Mahogany. Mahogany's impact was such that furniture history, in seeking tidy generalisations, has traditionally seen the 18th century as heralding the rise of 'The Age of Mahogany' (a bit simplistically, perhaps? 🤔).

Britain was an importer of timber from surprisingly early times. Back at least as far as the 13th century, imported 'wainscot' oak and softwood 'deals' from mainland Europe were commonly used where they could easily be carried. Easily carrying timber, until the middle of the 18th century involved boats. As a result, in London, and ports along the southern and eastern coasts facing Norway, the Netherlands, the Baltic, and France, imported timber was well known. It could often be cheaper than harder to access homegrown wood, and without too much trouble it found its way up the many navigable British rivers that flow west to east. Adam Bowett has penned some great research on all this.

The arrival of Mahogany on the workbenches of British woodworkers is a fascinating story. It involved all the factors mentioned above: tariffs, deals, defence spending, global trade, and controlling waterways. Its a tale that warrants more than can be shared here and we will try and touch on some of it through sharing a few more mahogany commissions over the next couple of weeks. But for now, in a nutshell, the 1721 Navy Stores Act was a pivotal moment. Designed to stimulate trans-Atlantic trade and protect vital naval supplies, it removed tariffs and offered various sweeteners. Check out Adam Bowett's work for loads more on that.

As for the table commission that all the above ramblings started with, there is plenty more on that here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CrMGf58qD/

Table Talk 13: Big and round.The top for this circular table on a square cut baluster pedestal base was made from a sing...
07/05/2026

Table Talk 13: Big and round.

The top for this circular table on a square cut baluster pedestal base was made from a single plank of a huge oak that grew in Ockley, Surrey. At over three feet wide and three inches thick it contains hundreds of years growth. We know it was felled in the 1980s but have never got round to counting the growth rings – a task for another day as the remaining boards from the tree are currently buried at the bottom of a stack and not the sort of thing you want to move too often! Some of the remaining boards are around three feet wide and eight feet long - so if you know anyone who would like a truly exceptional table complete with the story of the tree it came from, it would be great to hear!

The two bearers under the top of this table run right across the width of the board in a dovetail housing joint helping to keep the top flat. They are not glued or fixed other than by the dovetail joint, allowing the top to expand and contract with changes in humidity. A top of this width can move quite an alarming amount with the changing seasons. The design was based on a rectangular one in the kitchens at Hampton Court that also inspired private commission for a large rectangular table around 10’ long, 4’ wide, and a hefty 4” thick. You can check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AMZPtjjnd/

Table Talk 12: Long and taperingThe heaviest table commissioned to date went to one based on a table in the kitchens at ...
05/05/2026

Table Talk 12: Long and tapering

The heaviest table commissioned to date went to one based on a table in the kitchens at Hampton Court – there is a link to it in the comments. The longest one is this one, based on a copy of tables from the Great Hall there, but clocking in at nearly 20’ in length, about 50% longer. A private commission for a client that loved the base design, a distinctive feature that appears on both the Hampton Court Tables and one in the library at St Paul’s Cathedral. There is a link to more on that in the comments too.

The top was formed from three planks running the full length ‘coffin-boarded’ – a technique used on many of the tables we have made that makes the most of the tapering way that trees grow. Rather than cutting parallel sided boards from the log, which is almost always wider at the foot of the tree than higher up, it is cut to the greatest possible width each end and the direction of the boards alternated – the wide end of one next to the narrow of the next. It is a technique that yields much more timber from each board and an attractive asymmetry to the top. It would have taken at least one more board, possibly two, if this top had been made from parallel sided boards.

Address

Dorking
RH55JH

Telephone

+447771596654

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Traditional English Woodwork posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Traditional English Woodwork:

Shortcuts

Share

Category