Wednesday, 22 July 2009

8th June 1758 Went to our Tenants at Pinkston
10th
Went to Alfreton and Dined with George Moorwood Esqr. Gave Man 12d Maid 12d


Presumably tradesmen are "Mr" and landowners "Esqr"? That's about a 3 mile walk for his meal (short for Thomas, though I haven't been mentioning his walking recently)

11th Dined at Mr Clayes at Higham gave maid 12d

That's 5 miles, assuming that Thomas is staying with his tenant, which he usually does in Pinxton. The cottage below is Elizabethan and still standing in Higham - Thomas must have seen it.


13th Supt. at John Lilliman's Esqr. at Brookwall 12d

I can't find where Brookwall is/was. Can anyone help?

Pinkston Church was new Builded and New Pewed. theirs two seats that belongs to mine and sisters Farme House one for the men and the other for ye Women one is of the Right Hand goeing in and the other is on the Left. they are the Third seats from the Chancell.

I had no idea that the sexes sat ever separately in Church of England Churches. I wonder if it was usual.

Gave our Tenants Daughter 2/6 and spent there from 2nd June to 14th June 2/6

Tuesday, 21 July 2009

The first two are not very interesting unless you have the people mentioned in your family tree, but I'm posting them just on the off-chance that someone is searching for these events.

Monday 12th September 1757
Old Seagrave Town Clark Dyed 11 o'clock at night


Well, Thomas disagrees with the official history... according to J. Holland Walker, An itinerary of Nottingham, Transactions of the Thoroton Society, 29-35 (1925-1935), Mr Seagrave died in 1790.

I'd back Thomas as he was there and Mr Holland Walker was writing over 100 years later.

27th October
Thos Lamb was married to Miss Harborn of Northampton


Can't find anything more about that.

9 November
Bout of Mr Molton Cabinett Maker a Tikett for his Goods to be drawn by way of Lottery as he is going to London mine came up Blanck according to Costom. 19/6


Oh, dear,Thomas isn't very pleased about his lack of good fortune in this lottery. I assume that this was a clever sort of closing down sale? 19/6 is a huge amount of money for Thomas to hazard - he pays £1 per month board & lodging to put it in perspective.

Monday, 20 July 2009

17th August 1757
Paid Brother Bright for his apprentice Fomenting my Legg 5 times 5/-


"Brother Bright" is Joseph Bright, an apothecary, who married Thomas's sister Dorothy.

Fomenting is placing hot flannels onto the affected part of the body. Thomas has not mentioned why he had this done.

However, either Fomenting was efficacious or Thomas had nothing much wrong with his leg as he paid his debts in Retford, including 24/- to his sisters for one month Board and Lodging (that's Ann & Mary) - and walked back to Nottingham on 19th August.

Friday, 17 July 2009

6 August 1757
Spent at the White Hart with Messrs Moody & Hurst 4/-


Thomas is in Retford at the moment and this Inn is still in the main Square. It does seem to be the only pub in England which no-one has photographed and uploaded the picture to the web (If you spot one, let me know, please?)

Here is one taken in 1914 (!)


That's the White Hart on the Left.


9 August 1757
Tuesday Pegey Cox was married to Solomon Woodroofe of Stamford


Once again I can check this on FamilySearch.org and it tells me that this took place in Thomas's parish church, St Peter's. Of course, the parish registers call the bride by her given name of Margaret.

Tuesday, 14 July 2009



24th May 1757
Tuesday Mr Mettam was married to Miss Frances Thompson Nottingham

IGI tells me that Mr Mettam's name was Thomas and they were married at St Mary's Church





20th June 1757
Monday Charles Drury was married to Miss Bettison Nottingham


Once again I must resort to IGI. The bride's name was Sarah and the wedding took place in St Nicholas Church





This story has a sad ending. Thomas has added later

News Came 26th December 1766 Chas. Drury was Drownded near Dublin Left a widow and 4 children and she bigg with child.

And, just to show you that Thomas continues with his meticulous record of spending...

1st July
Bout a bottle of Limical Drops for Scurvy. 3/6

(I've always said that Thomas doesn't eat enough fruit and veg!)

Tuesday, 7 July 2009

3rd Jan 1757
Miss Drury married the Revd Mr Pennell Schoolmaster at Rotherham Yorkshire 3 Jan 1757


I need to sign up to one of the genealogy sites to find out more about this couple


9th Jan
Dined and Supt at Mr Ayscoughs and gave his maid and man as I give them nothin the year besides and am at his house almost everyday 5/-

Thomas usually tips the maid 1/- when he dines out so he has scarcely paid his debts!!! However, 1/- does seem a lot for the time.

Thomas has also left his landlord to live with Mr Richard Dale but I don't know why.

14th March
Admiral Bing was shot at Portsmouth for not fighting the French Fleet at Portmahon


This is just a note in the margin (Thomas is doing more of those). It refers to the famous incident which caused Voltaire comment in Candide "
Dans ce pays-ci, il est bon de tuer de temps en temps un amiral pour encourager les autres". Here is a picture of Admiral Byng.



28th March
Gave our Tenant Warning to Leave our Farm at Pinkston Monday


Thomas means that the 28th March is a Monday, not that he gave him less than a week's notice.

Sunday, 5 July 2009

Lawyers were expensive in 1756, too!

2nd April 1756 Paid Mr Robt. Evans Attorney at Nottingham for pasing fine & Recovery Hilary Term 1756 for passing a fine and Recovery on my Late Brothers Estate Lyeing at Retford & Lands in the parish of Clarbrough all in the County of Nottingham £16.16s

Paid Agent for Signing of Deeds 6s8d


Carriage of Writings & Coach 2s 6d Deeds of Lease & Release to make a Tennant to the Precipe £1/15s6d

Paid Mr Evans before his wife Eighteen Guineas in full for the above and all Demands. Sir Thos Perkins of Bunney Bar. was high Sheariff for Nottinghamshire when the fine & Recovery was past.


Most of this is double dutch to me but "Precipe" is a variation on precept - a written order addressed to the clerk of the court requesting that a writ be issued and specifying its contents. "Bunney Bar" is not a place. Thomas means that Sir Thomas Perkins lived in Bunny, which is between Nottingham and Loughborough and that he was a Baronet!

It seems to be a while since I could find a picture to illustrate this blog so here is a picture of Sir Thomas's home, Bunny Hall