25th March 1761 Bout. 1 Spanish dollar five shillings


Here is a Spanish coin of the right sort of date. I hope Thomas's purchase was in better condition!


26th Came on Thursday the Election for the City of London for Members of Parliament. Ladbrook Glyn Beckford Fludyer & Harley. I got Drunk Bout this day a wedding Ring of Edward Salter in Cannon Street over against St Swithins Church for Elizabeth & Thos Tye to be married in .....8/-

The City returned 4 members. Thomas would have had a vote as a Freeman, as well as a vote as a landowner in Pinxton, though, with no postal voting, he could only really vote in one place in each election.

The MPs mentioned....

Sir Robert Ladbroke - a previous Lord Mayor of London who founded a bank, now part of RBS. He is commemorated with a memorial in Christ Church Spitalfields

Sir Richard Glyn - a banker who married rather well but doesn't seem to have had a portrait painted (or, if he did, no-one has put it on the web!).

William Beckford became wealthy from plantations in Jamaica.


Sir Samuel Fludyer - He was MP for Chippenham so I'm a bit puzzled that Thomas should mention him. However, he was to be Lord Mayor of London for 1761.

Thomas Harley - the younger son of the Earl of Oxford

And politics has rather distracted me.. Thomas is engaged! This is his first mention of it. One wonders whether buying the ring and being drunk are in any way related! The Jeweller's shop was close to the St Swithin's church



This Wren church was destroyed in 1941.

I haven't found anything about Edward Salter.. yet!

19th March 1761 This Day Thursday the Parliament was Disolved

Election campaigns were short in the 18th century. The actual election took place between 25th March and 5th May with different constituencies voting on different days. Lots more about this election can be found on wikipedia.

22 Went to see Mr Bladon at Tottenham High Cross went ay Hogsdon Newington Butts spt 9d


Tottenham High Cross was given a Gothic makeover in 1809 but the picture below shows it as Thomas would have seen it. Newington Butts was already built on by the time Thomas went there.. it is totally unromantic today (Use Google Maps to see the rather dull housing that is there now).

2nd Sept 1761 Bout a pint Rum 15d 6th Bout a Spieing Glass 5/- 1 Vol Tattlersle a song book 3d

Here is a telescope of about the right date. I can't make any sense of the book he bought. Can you?


Went to Covent Garden Play House to See an oratorio of Samson Organ Mr Hanley Violin Signor Giardini the King & all the Royal Family was their 5/-

Giardini, pictured below, was an Italian violinist and composer who settled in England.


The King was the soon to be crowned George III


He was not married so there was no Queen (yet) but perhaps his mother, Augusta, Princess of Wales, accompanied him?


He also had brothers & sisters. He would, of course have had the usual quota of hangers on and flunkies!

The Archbishop Preaches

1 March 1761 went to Hear the ArchBishop Canterbury Preach at Lambeth. Text 126 Luke 5 7 vs Spt 6

The Archbishop was Thomas Secker.


So far I can't be quite sure which church Thomas visited but it seems likely to be St Mary's Lambeth


It's now the Museum of Garden History (John Tradescant and his son who were famous plant collectors were buried in the churchyard which makes that appropriate).


The text is hardly clearly stated, but I think it must be Luke chapter 12 v5-7. What is certain is the version which will have been in use - the King James. So those verses in that translation read.

"But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows."

Drury Lane again.

26 February 1761 went to Drury Lane to see Jealous Wife. Mrs Pritchard, Garick Offley 2/-

The Jealous wife is another play by George Colman the Elder, based on the story of Tom Jones. Once again, you can read the whole play online here. Garrick Played Oakly and Mrs Pritchard was his wife, Mrs Oakly. It was a new play in 1761. The link to the text tells us not only the cast for the first production at Drury Lane but describes the costumes worn. Unfortunately, this production doesn't seem to have been recorded by any painter. The picture below shows Garrick and Hannah Pritchard playing opposite each other in an earlier play, the Suspicious Husband.



Offley? David Garrick was a pupil of Dr Johnson. One of the others was a Mr Offley. But the cast list doesn't include the name and it is quite clearly "Offley" and not "Oakley" that Thomas has written here.

Thomas settles in

3 Feby 1761 Paid Mr Hall Two Pounds Eleven Shilings in full for six weeks Bord & Lodgeing Due ys Day

It's the thorn again - "ys" represents "this".

4 Paid Mr Hall for 6 Cups & 6 Sausers and Two China Basons 8/6

11 Went to Drury Lane to See much ador abt. Nothing with Edgar and Emmelia 2/-

Well, Much Ado needs no explanation but the second piece is an opera called Edgar and Emmeline composed by Michael Arne. The libretto is available here but to save you reading PAGES of impenetrable verse, I'll tell you that the hero is the Earl of Kent, disguised as a woman, the heroine is the daughter of the Earl of Northumberland, disguised as a man and most of the rest of the cast are fairies! Thomas was seeing this production early in its run as the premier was only on the 31st January.

Emmeline was played by Mary Ann Yates who was most famous as a tragedian (but nothing with a fairy called "Grotilla" in it can be a tragedy!). This is a portrait of Mrs Yates.


She played opposite a Mr O'Brien - I think this is him

Thomas Goes to Town

23rd Dec 1760 got to London abt Eight at night cost in Expences 12s
24th Paid Mr Hall Portridge of my Box and Lettr 12d

No mention at all of Christmas. The huge celebration does seem to have been a Victorian invention!
And he did not leave Richard Dale with bad feeling because...

12 Jan 1761 Sent Three Barrills of Oysters to my three Friends E Newton, Geo. Ayscough Richd Dale.

19 Jan 1761 Went to Drury Lane playhouse to see the Miner with Polly HoneyComb 2/9

The main piece that evening was "The Minor" by Samuel Foote, a piece which sought to satirise the Methodist movement. The text is available here.


Polly Honeycomb is a one act play by George Colman and you can download the whole script here. The playwright is usually referred to as "the elder" to distinguish him from his son, also called George.

This portrait is by Sir Joshua Reynolds (while he was successful as a playwright, he was also independently wealthy which probably explains a portrait by such a fashionable artist).

Thomas gets a new Landlady and makes a Journey

18th December 1760 Richd Dale was married to Miss Dolly Drury

This was at St Peter's Nottingham, which I found using the magic of the internet - this website. Of course, the bride's proper name is Dorothy.

But the situation didn't last

20th December Paid Mr Richd Dale for two months Board and Lodging and all Demands by his Receipt and left him on this Day £2.0.0

21st December Gave Mr Newtons maid 2/6 Stay at Mr Newtons 2 Nights

22nd December Sett Forward to London in Coach and paid Coach Hire to London £1.8s

A New Meeting House in Nottingham

15 Aprill Tuesday
Dr Eatons son Layd the first Brick of New Meeting House in Mr Dales yard



Sunday 17 August
Dr Eatons New meeting House was opened for the first Time up Mr Richd Dales Yard

Richard Dale was a Councillor and a druggist and by 1784 he had died. He was also Thomas's landlord at this date. I'm trying to find something more about this, presumably Society of Friends Meeting house. I'll edit this when I do.

But isn't that quick work? 4 months for a whole new building!