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A clothier, Chambers was mayor (see PA17/67/1) in 1654 and 1675 (see BA/H/Q/F8/1/44); in the latter year he walked St. Michael's parish bounds. Chambers was warden of the Weavers' Company in 1641 (see PA100/8/29-35), master's fellow that year (PA100/8/38-53 passim), master (1642, 1658, 1662-63, 1666-68, 1675 - PA100/8/65-73 passim, 183-191, 213, 217, 232-236 passim, 255-259), and feoffee (fl.1644-60: PA100/8/24/7: PA244/30/10.I,II: PA55/8/1); see PA100/8/576; see also PA100/24/10 for his tenure of Weavers' Meadow, Spon End from the company in 1659. Chambers benefited from his father Thomas' will of 1657 (see PA371/8), eventually receiving property at Bascote (Warwickshire), which he executed. By his own will (proved, 1685), Joseph Chambers entrusted a moiety of the "George" inn to the corporation so that £7 p.a. rent might be used for St. Michael's parish poor, with preference for Jordan Well Ward (see PA96/71/19.XCIX; the corporation acquired the other moiety in 1689 but, despite a 1710 action against them (cf. PA96/41/1, dated 1714), the councillors did not fulfil their obligation until the Charity Commissioners forced them to do so in 1833 - cf. PA17/34/18 fols. 40,41); the bequest was added to the Consolidated Charities in 1924. The charity's borough archive fonds is BA/D/AX, although BA/D/AT/12/1 includes its 1699 - 1700 disbursements-lists. For his charity, see also PA54/308/1,2; PA54/354-359; PA54/362/1 (property, c.1834): PA500/70 (accounts, 1853-58) : PA1001 (land awarded when Foleshill was enclosed in 1775). Joseph Chambers was a feoffee of Wheatley's Charity (PA101/138/3: BA/D/H/7/3) and Thomas Jesson senior's Charity (PA101/140/12: BA/D/AT/5/3). His son and grandson were clergymen at Croft, Leicestershire (PA346/21). In 1683 Chambers swore the justices' oath under Charles II's charter (see PA263/3/22). He was a sheriff in 1648. Chambers was a corporation feoffee (PA87/22,23: PA90/29) and trustee (BA/D/A/19/9) generally. See PA55/28/1(aq): PA71/1fol.140: PA17/44; PA17/79/4: PA440/1/1: PA500/98: BA/A/D/114/1: BA/D/A/25/5: BA/H/Q/A79/242A,270A. He was a St. Michael's churchwarden, 1635 and 1674 (when also an overseer - see PA17/79/5). In 1655 he was prevented from becoming an alderman (PA22/4/2). He had an interest in Great Meadow, etc., Foleshill, 1657-59 (PA17/115/2,3). Chambers was also a feoffee of St. Michael's church (1671 - PA96/71/1), Norton's Charity (BA/A/B/20/19,21,22), Coxon's Charity (PA54/333/11-13), Thomas Jesson junior's Charity (1654 - PA194/34/7), Caludon tithes (BA/B/F/34/4), Keresley tithes (BA/B/F/37/1: PA56/12/8), guild lands (BA/B/P/220/1), Bond's Hospital (BA/D/D/26/6-8: PA54/18/1: PA500/5/3: PA56/58/18), Bablake School (BA/D/G/12/2; BA/D/G/16/6), Wheate's Exhibition (BA/D/N/2/2), Swillington's Charity (BA/D/BE/9/7), Pinley manor (BA/G/D/1/5,6) and Bedford's lands (BA/H/H/324/10; BA/H/H/330/7,8; BA/H/H/331/2; BA/H/H/332/5,9-10: PA96/9/1), and an administrator of Lane's Charity (BA/D/P/10/1: PA54/272/1,2). Chambers had property at Earl St. (1655 - BA/B/P/159/5-7, which latterly also relates to a Gosford St. house, for which see PA55/19/1.II), and a Hill St. Gate Close and a Fleet St. inn (1659:- BA/H/H/328/1-3). He was involved in Stoke's enclosure (1655 - BA/C/H/7/1: PA468/5/3/43/26). Active on city council, 1654-55, 1661-78, 1680-84. PA194/37/8 is his 1675 sacrament certificate. As demisee for Corley, Warwickshire property, 1663-70, see PA1484/26/15.XXX,XXXI. Chambers' great-grandson John sold Butcher Row premises in 1735 - see CCA/2/3/129/32. Qua corporation feoffee, see CCA/2/3/162/1-2. PA2583/1/13 include charity accounts, 1942-72 passim. Involved in Town Court litigation, 1658-61 (see BA/E/K/110/50,108,115).