17th July 1765

Two pounds of parmivity Candles half burnt 2/-

5 bottles of Kedleston Water 10d

How frugal of Thomas to buy part used candles.  He is really rather wealthy for such thrift! I've no idea what "parmivity" means or whether that is actually the word Thomas means.

Kedleston Water is mentioned in

The history of the county of Derby, Part 1

 By Stephen Glover, published in 1829

which has this to say about the stuff

"The most in repute of the sulphureous waters of Derbyshire rises in the park of Lord Scarsdale, at Kedleston. In a glass it looks very clear and transparent; but in the well, it appears of a blackish blue colour, tinged with purple; and any substance thrown into it, assumes the same appearance. That it is impregnated with sulphur, in some state or form, is not only evident from its strong taste and smell, but likewise from its changing silver to a dark copper colour : and in its passage from the well, a whitish sediment is deposited, which has the appearance of sulphur. That it is also impregnated with other substances, is proved by the experiments of Dr. Short, who observes, that eight pints evaporated, left two scruples of sediment, twenty-one grains of which were a dark brownish earth, and the rest salt : in these respects it appears similar to the water at Harrogate. Kedleston water is principally valued for its anti-scorbutic qualities. When taken inwardly, it acts as a diuretic, and has given relief to persons afflicted with the gravel. It has also been found efficacious, from external application, in various cutaneous diseases, but more especially in ulcerous complaints. In the summer it is frequently used by the inhabitants of Derby as a substitute for malt liquor, at their meals : the charge of car riage (one penny per quart) affording sustenance to a few poor people of the neighbourhood. The temperature of the spring is about forty-seven degrees. Several other sulphureous springs rise in different parts of the county, but have hitherto undergone very little examination."

"Anti-scorbutic" means that it cures/prevents scurvy.  I can't see how it would!

3rd June 1765

Monday.  Miss Biggsby was married to Mr Thos Smith Notts

Not a fascinating entry unless you are descended from Miss Biggsby & Mr Smith

I've put it in for that family historian who will find it with joy!

6th March 1765

A Quire of Paper 10d
2 Boxes Scotch Pills  which Mr William Newton Bot. me in London 2/-

A Quire has been totally overtaken by Continental paper sizing (foolscap was so much more romantic than a4!)

But it was somewhere around 24 sheets...

Scotch Pills are much more fun!

They were a "patent medicine"  - According to a paper published by the Reading university - Most such medicines were only secret, not actually patented and  Dr Patrick Anderson's Scotch Pills first appeared in the 1630s (don't click the link unless you want the whole 33 page pdf downloaded).

Everyone was not convinced of their efficacy. The Country Housewife's Family Companion  of 1750 contains the information
"Too much Physick does Harm.--A physician said, It washes off the mucus of the guts, and then the meat passes too quick through them, because they are deprived of their retentive quality. I am credibly informed, that a gentlewoman in Staffordshire took the Scotch pills so frequently, that they occasioned this misfortune and killed her."

And Thomas Rowlandson credited his dentist with selling Scotch Pills

the Poster on the wall reads 

"BARNABY FACTOTUM. Draws Teeth, Bleeds & Shaves. WIGS made here, also Sausages, Wash Balls, black Puddings, Scotch Pills, Powder for the Itch, Red Herrings, Breeches Balls, and small Beer by the maker. IN UTRUMQUE PARATUS."

5th December 1764

Went to see the Microcosmer Musical Clock 2/-


I had a bit of trouble deciphering this bit but Google told me it was "Microcosm"

and Wikipedia told me that the clock was made by Henry Bridges somewhere around 1733. That is the first year it was advertised for exhibition.  Bridges died in 1754 and the clock was sold. It continued to tour until it vanished in 1775. It reappeared in Paris in 1920 but the original case with a moving picture scene and organ was not with it.

Now the movement and dials are in the British Museum so it won't cost you 2/- to see it!!!

 

More about the clock here

19th September 1764 et seq.

19th Bought of Alleyne & Roe Mercers. Nottm.
5¼yds Blue Lambskin yd.wd. at 6/6 ....£1.14s1½d
1½ yds Blue Shalloon..................................2s6d
Fustion 10½ Glazed Linen 12 thread 3.........2s1½d
3/8 oz silk 10½ 3/8 oz silk twist 10½...........1s9d
3 doz Baskett Town made buttons 14...........3s6d
½ doz small baskitts 2d 3½ Tape 1d................4½d
Buckram & Canvas..........................................6d
½yds more Shalloon  .......................................10d


20th Paid Mr Samuel Nightingale Taylor for makeing a Strait Blue Great Coat as by his Receipt ...6s

You can be sure that Thomas was not cheated by Alleyne & Roe as his own trade was Mercer.

Alleyne & Roe were a high class establishment as the only other reference I can find is that they supplied Lord Middleton with everything a mercer might supply for a funeral (pall, shroud, gloves etc) in 1774 (the document is held by Nottingham University archive.

I wonder whether Baskett Buttons is another name for Dorset Wheel buttons?

Here is a great coat of the right sort of date. Thomas is unlikely to have been described as a Macaroni as he is distinctly middle-aged by now and lives in the provinces.

Lambskin must be the body of the coat, Shalloon is a fine worsted used as lining. 

In this case "Receipt" means "Design".

24th August 1764

Spt. 6d & this day came on the Election for Corroner for the County of Nottingham betwixt Mr Allin of Ollerton and Mr Hodgkinson of Southwell o& the pole Ended this morning Saturday 25 Aug at 10 o'clock in the favour of Hodgkinson  and Mr Lowther of Retford & Mrs William Chapell took the poll. Spt. wth Mr Lowther 12d.

Did you know that County Coroners were elected?  I certainly didn't.  There is a brief mention of it here.

Presumably, Mr Lowther was Deputy Coroner?  Anyway, Thomas and he went out to celebrate!

3rd June 1764

Went to Belton at Lord Tryconnells and See the House. the Libery Room the Grand Dining Room & the Picture Room which was very Grand.
Gave the maid 12d the man 12d Gardner 12.

We can all follow in Thomas's footsteps and visit Belton House

Thomas's payment of 3/-, adjusted for inflation this is about £21.  Today you can vist the house for £11.50. It belongs to the National Trust.

10th May 1764

Went to Grantham to Mr Edward Newton's Funerall who was Buried this Day in Grantham Church he dyed Tuesday 8 May of a mortification in his Legg

(this must have been a first outing for the "Crape Hatt Band" Thomas bought in the previous post).

Then there is a note in the margin

Saturday 5 May my wife Returned from SumerHill and the 8 May my wife went to Grantham

Mr Edward Newton Left my wife a 50 pound in the Grantham Turnpike and 20 pounds to be paid her in one year after his Desease.

So Edward Newton is definitely a close relative but I know he is not her father.  An Uncle perhaps?

The Grantham Turnpike could refer to several Turnpike Trusts.  These maintained roads before government did. Of course, this was not out of charity and Toll gates  were placed across the roads to collect the fees (just like the M6 Toll). 

I can't find where this Trust's roads ran but here is a toll house from quite another place

P.S.  A quick Google tells me that Edward Newton's will was the business of the Lincoln Consistory Court and a copy of it is stored in the Lincolnshire Archives.  The index, which I can access online, tells me that he was a gunmaker.


P.P.S.  Edward Newton appears to have been an Irishman - one of his apprentices was John Fox Twigg . That link is particularly worthwhile as it shows guns made by Mr Twigg.  Another was Robert Wogdon.


P.P.S. From The Field 3rd April 2012
"Founding father, Joseph Manton, was born in April 1766, the son of a farmer and corn miller in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Manton was brought up in rural isolation, his family unsophisticated, his life unpromising and his future uncertain. Manton's one advantage was that he grew up in what firearms scholar Keith R Dill has labelled the Grantham Genesis.

Four great British gunmakers of the Georgian era, John Twigg, Robert Wogdon, Joseph Manton and his equally talented brother John Manton, all appear to have learnt something in Grantham. All were influenced in varying degrees by communing with the shadowy figure of Edward Newton, a provincial gunmaker whose only legacy appears to have been the workmen he trained who subsequently took his high standards with them to London."

New Clothes for Thomas 1764 (and some other stuff)

5th April Mr Hesketh Dyed & my wife went to Summerhill in Staffordshire 

This must be John Hesketh mentioned here as marrying Ann Newton. I still don't know what relation Ann is to Thomas's Elizabeth. 

10th April Bot. of Alleyne & Rose Mercesr Nottm 4 yds fine narrow Grey Cloth @7/6 - £1.10s 
4 yds fine Black Shalloon 20 - 6/8 
1 5/8 yds Fuston 22d, Buckram Canvas 12d - 2/10 
Thread 3d Silk 14d Twist 10d Tape 2d - 2/5 
a sdhand Crape Hatt Band 18d Apr Bla Gloves 14d - 2/8 
2 pair Black Stockings 7/- 
12th Spt 4 Black Ribbon 4d - 1/-

(Thomas's sums are off there - 4 times 4d is 1s4d!) 

13 Paid Mr Samuel Nightingale Taylor for makeing Coat & Waistcoat 9/-

1st April 1764

The Great aClipps in the Sun it being Sunday abt. 10 oClock in the Morning we did not goe to Church till half an hour past 11 oClock

The Eclipse itself is somewhat eclipsed by a racehorse born on that day and called Eclipse

 

He was a singularly successful horse and 80% of all Thoroughbreds  today can trace their ancestry back to him.  The portrait is by Stubbs.

This small map was published in the February 1764 edition of the "Gentleman's Magazine". It predicts the path of the solar eclipse that happend April 1st that year as it passes across south-east England and north-west France. Three diagrams show the change in the detailed aspect of the eclipse as would be seen at Boulogne, at Orleans and at London.

13th March 1764 Tuesday

Mr Williamson married Miss Pope  he 67 & she 20

(I don't think Thomas approves!)

March 19


The Bridge by the Lane was begun to be pulled down in order for a New one at the expense of the County

A book called "Old Nottingham: its streets, people & etc, by James Granger pub 1902 mentions this bridge

"In 1764-65 the old Leen Bridge was taken down, the county
magistrates having met and accepted a tender for its
demolition and re-erection, when it was expected to have
three additional arches and also to be of much greater width,
which was much needed- A Mr. Thompson, of Lichfield, is
understood to have been the contractor. Whilst this important
work was in hand advantage was taken of it to straighten the
northern end of the bridge by bringing it more eastwardly
and nearer tne centre of the open space, once called
"Bridge Foot" or "Bridge End " (now styled Plumptre-square)."