Richard Bitmead

Richard Bitmead is known as the author of practical craft manuals including French Polishing and Enamelling: A Practical Work of Instruction. The editions available today present him as a writer focused on workshop methods, with straightforward guidance on finishing wood and related decorative processes.

His writing is especially tied to traditional furniture work. Published editions of French Polishing and Enamelling also describe him as the author of The Cabinet-Maker's Guide and The Upholsterer's Guide, suggesting a broader interest in useful, skill-based instruction for tradespeople and serious amateurs.

Very little biographical information about his personal life could be confirmed from the sources reviewed here. What does come through clearly is his practical approach: he wrote to explain craft techniques in a usable, step-by-step way, and that has helped his work stay readable long after its original publication.