GILLOW, ROBERT (d. 1773), the founder at Lancaster of a distinguished firm of English cabinet-makers and furniture de signers whose books begin in 1731. He was succeeded by his eldest son Richard (1734-1811), who was taken into partnership about 1757, when the firm became Gillow and Barton, and his younger sons Robert and Thomas, and the business was continued by his grandson Richard (1778-1866). The firm were architects as well as cabinet-makers, and the first Richard Gillow designed the classical custom house at Lancaster. About 1761 premises were opened in Oxford street, London. For a long period the Gil lows were the best known makers of English furniture; Sheraton, Hepplewhite and Robert Adam designed for them. Between 1760 and 177o they invented the original form of the billiard-table ; they were the patentees (about 1800) of the telescopic dining table; for a Captain Davenport they made, if they did not invent, the first writing-table of that name.
See Gillow's, a Record of a Furnishing Firm during two Centuries (1goi).