4th August 1754
Bout. a bottle of Daffees Eliexir 15d


Google comes up trumps again! I put the name of the patent medicine into the search box and used Thomas's spelling of the name (not of Elixir, I can spell that!).

"Do you mean Daffy's Elixir?"

Well, of course I do! It was a very famous patent medicine created by the Rev. Thomas Daffy, Vicar of Redmile, which is between Nottingham and Grantham. The first date of marketing the cure-all, which seems to have been mostly a laxative for the cure of "stones and gravel", is not recorded but by 1673 it had a considerable reputation. The name went on to become a generic for quack medicines and was sold well into the 19th century with some sources suggesting that it was sold right up until the 1950s! Older Bottles bearing the name are worth £90-£140! This one is a design used from the late 18th century. Thomas's bottle may have looked like this.

You will find more about this nostrum and its creator here.

2nd August 1754
Bout. a Brown Wigg of Mr Josh. Deverall over against the Blackamoors Head and Paid him for it as by his Receipt 18s

3rd August
Paid Mr Ellis next Door to the Windmill for a pair of new doe Leather Breeches in Exchange for a pair of old Doe Leather Breeches as by his Receipt 16s

28th May 1754
Gave Miss Bett Newton a Concert Tickett 2/6

What concert, Thomas? Tell!!!

12 June Gave Miss Bett Newton a pr. Silk Muffetees 4/6

Would I comment on these presents to Miss Newton if I didn't know that they later married? I wonder.

20 June Dined and Supt. at Mr Newtons gave maid 12d

Saturday 13th April 1754
Proclaimed to Choose the members for this Town on Thursday 18th of this Aprill 20 Aprill Saturday the Poole Ended . for Lord How 980 for Sir Willoughby Aston 924 for John Plumptree Esqr. 915

1 May Lord Robert Sutton & John Thornough was chared for members for Nottinghamshire
Dined on the Occaison with Bror. Bright and Several other Gentm. from Retford.

This was a General Election. Polling was not all on the same day throughout the country or even all on one day in each constituency. The Returning Officer decided the dates.



Sir Willoughby Aston was the 5th Baronet, born about 1715, died 1772

Lord Robert Sutton was a son of the Duke of Rutland - more about him here
Here he is in his military uniform painted by Joseph Wright of Derby.

2nd February 1754
Bout. Mr Thos. Mettam & Paid him
2 Red & White Printed Handkerchiefs 3/10
2 Blue and White Printed Ditto 3/4
1 Silk Large Handkerchief 4/2

I think those are rather expensive for the time


23 February
Spent Mr Cripps at Gundimones 8d

Is it a place? a gambling game? I can't find anything and I've even tried the OED. The handwriting is quite clear and I can't work out any other possible spelling which makes any sense.

25 February
Sent Mr Pearce of London for two volumes Telimacus 4/-
Paradise Lost with Cutts 4/6

What did he do with the last copy of Telemachus? "Cutts" means woodcuts or other illustrations rather than censorship. I can't find any images which are old enough to possibly be from an edition which Thomas might have bought.

23rd August 1753
Dined at Mr Newtons on Venison gave made 12d

Thomas has never mentioned what he ate while eating out before so venison must have been a treat.

In the same month Thomas spends a lot of money on searching various court records for fines levied on his brother John, for being a Catholic I assume. It cost him nearly £5 in the one month.

1 December 1753
bout of Mr Charles Redish half of a Irish Tickett n17812 paid him for it 21/2

Ireland was not an independent country in 1753. Perhaps "Irish Ticket" is a generic term for a lottery ticket. There was a lottery in Britain in 1753, to raise funds for the founding of the British Museum.

25th December
Gave Barbers Taylers Shooemakers Xmas Box 18d
26 Gave Mr Tutins Maid for Xmas Box 5/-

That is the extent of Thomas's Christmas celebrations. He does seem to be fairly generous with his tips. He is still lodging with Mr Tutin, paying him £12 per year, in half yearly instalments. Unlike Mr Gibson, Mr Tutin is scrupulous about giving Thomas receipts.

15 Febry Bout. of Mr Barnett a pair of new Boots and allowed me for a pair of old ones not half wore out but Rather too little in Exchange I paid him 14s 6d

24th June 1753
Letter from Sister Ann 3d
to Lett me know that my Aunt Nichols my mothers sister Dyed at Retford 16 June between the hours of Twelve & one o'Clock Pray god Rest her soul thou She had used all of us very Ill shall say no more.

That entry raises more questions than answers!

Part Exchange in the 18th Century

1 November 1752 Exchanged a Silver Watch with Mr John Colton in Turncalf Aley for a pinch Beack watch Double Gilt with Gold a new one he brote with him from London No.8990 makers name Kover London gave in Exchange as by his receipt for the same £3.0s 0d


I'm not sure I would have swapped a silver watch for a pinchbeck one. The alloy is an 18th century invention by Christopher Pinchbeck. It was copper and zinc and closely resembles gold. I have found online references to the watchmaker Kover. A watch made by him was stolen in 1761 and came to court, as described here. Should Thomas's watch have survived, we could identify it as we have the serial number. Another reference tells us that a watch by the same maker was sold at auction in 2005. Without an appropriate subscription, I can't tell you where, apart from the fact that it was in UK, or how much it fetched.

21 December
Paid Mr Robt. Evans Two Guineas for asking Mr Yardley Willmot Counclers Opinion of my great great Uncle Richd. Tyes Will & my Fathers John Tyes Will and my Bror. John Tyes Will all Deceased. £2.2s


I have a copy of John Tye senior's will. It is odd in one way in that it leaves nothing to his eldest child, who I believe to be his daughter Elizabeth. She died in 1726 not that long after her father (1719) so perhaps she was ill/disabled already by the time he made his will? When John Tye senior died none of his children were even teenagers. His eldest son, John, was to receive what his mother had as a life interest. Otherwise, all is left divided equally, held in trust until they are each 21 and "theirs equally share and share alike".

I will come back to this post and edit it if I find more about these wills.