March 13 1741/2
Spent at the Inn in Smithfield 1/2
Gave a porter to Carry my Box to my Lodgeings in Charles Street Westminster

(Now there's an address Thomas couldn't afford today!!!)

March 14
Bout a Loaf 3d, a Cheese 2/6 Butter 6d
March 15
3 pound Rost Veal 12d Barrill Bear 2/6

Thomas spends nothing more for 5 days so I assume he made that lot last rather than having a party.

March 28
Dined at Mr. Paynes & gave maid 12d
and Stayed to Help him in the Shop.

The accounts continue with food - meat, bread, butter and beer but no fruit or vegetables at all. March is an expensive time for them.

8 April
Bout a Candle Stick & Steel 2/6

24 April
Left my Lodgeings this day and went to Lodge in King Street Covent Garden and paid a porter for takeing my Things their. 2/-

This time Thomas tells us which King Street and here is an contemporary picture of that Street.

27th April 1742
Spent wn went to see the King Review the Soldiers on Hounsley Heath the Prince of Wales, Duke Cumberland General Wade and a great many other nobility there and they marcht of for Germany as soon as it was over about 8000 some said more spent 18p

The date fits with the sending of an army to bring Britain's support to the Austrians (well, the French were on the other side and Britain always likes to balance things). The King, George II, was the last British monarch to appear in person on a Battlefield, at the battle of Dettingen in 1743. In 1745, General Wade was an important figure in the suppression of the Jacobite rebellion

Out and About

16 April 1740 Went to Covent Garden Playhouse to see the Orphin with the rehearsall 2/-

This play by Thomas Otway (1652-85), more conventionally "the Orphan", is out of fashion but was a standard from its first production in 1680 until the nineteenth century. For a Restoration play it is uncommonly domestic, dealing with jealousy between brothers in love with the same woman. It was produced at Covent Garden between 1721 & 1741 (more research may let me tell you who was acting that night!!!). While I do that you will have to make do with this picture of the playwright....
The Rehearsal was the second play. A typical 18th Century evening at the theatre consisted of 5 acts. The first play would be a tragedy with the evening ending with a comedy.
17 April 170 Bout a pair of sissers 2/6

21 April 1740 Paid Mr Davis Limner in King Street for drawing my Picture in half length and paid him for it before Mr Walker £4.4s

According to my dictionary, a Limner was a painter of miniatures though Nicholas Hilliard called himself a Limner, regarding the word painter as referring to those who put the paint on walls.

Oh, I've spent hours googling and I can't find anything about Mr Davis who charged Thomas this princely sum for a portrait. There are even several King Streets but we shall assume it was this one.....