13th October 1767

Tuesday 13 October
Miss Beaumont was married to ye Revd Mr Walter of Bingham
17 September Thursday
Duke of York Dyed at Moria Iterley. It was said he was stabd by a nobleman for crimonial consideration with his wife who was in mourning.

Fake news is nothing new! The wikipedia version is less melodramatic. The Duke died of illness in Monaco.

12 September 1767

9th September 1767 Letter from Jos Bright 3d

12th September the Revd Mr Chapill died of Cancer
Mr Lander married Miss Collins 8th September

Receiving a letter cost money in the 18th century - one of the reasons for not prepaying was to ensure that the postboys had an incentive to actually deliver the post!

"Mr Chapill" is Edward Chapell the vicar of St Peter's Nottingham from 1725-1767 wikipedia entry for St Peter's and there is a monument to him in the S Chancel (no20 on linked page Page showing monument to Edward Chappell and his sister. He married Thomas & ElizabethThomas tells us this in his entry for his wedding day

16th July 1767

Thomas is still busy buying things for his home but nothing seems very interesting.

In the Margin

16th July Mr Inch was married to Miss Richards

1767

Bout. of Mr Rigley Pottman Nottingham
1 dozn Blue & white plates New fashn Delf ....5/-
8 Small Blue & white plates ..............................2/-
1 Large Soop Dish...............................................12d
2 Small Soop Dishs...............................................18d
1 Small Soop Dish..................................................9d
2 Small Dishes.......................................................12d
1 Stone Dish for a pye...........................................3d

Total 11.6 

Sunday 1st March at 10 at night Dyed my wifes mother Mrs Elizabeth Newton aged 77

This is just a sample of Thomas's extensive household shopping
And a bit of sad family news.  The spelling is all original!

26th January 1766

Revd. Mr Dinsdale was married to Widow Twistleton

another post for family historians.

17th October 1766

Paid Mrs Elizabeth Newton Six Pounds in Full for a half Year's Board and Lodgeing due the 14 of this Instant December and by the Receipt for the use of her husband, Samuel Newton

These are Thomas's in-laws. Samuel is a gun maker.

4th Nov 1766 et seq.

Tuesday Mr Needham was married to Miss Lee - Nottingham

(just for family historians)

Tuesday 18 Nov The Revd Mr Trall (Frall?) and Widow Newsam was married he 25 she 49 years old

(think she might have been wealthy?)

27th October 1766

My Wife went to Stourbridge to See her Sister Who is very Ill and gave her in money 4:4:0

Fryday 24th Oct Dyed Mrs Hesketh and on Sunday Night Dyed her Sister Tayler.


Poor Elizabeth - both her sisters died in the same week.

Thursday 23rd October 1766

Mistress Patt Sherwin married Frank Longden, Hosier

I've just put this in for the benefit of any family historians who are researching these people

Thursday 6th March 1766

Dorothy Oates Dyed 5 in y morning. my wife went the same day


9th Went to Miss Oates Funerall at Bingham in a Post Chaise and cost 5/- Staid at Mrs Oates until 13th March and spent 12d Gave the maid 2/-


Presumably Mrs Tye was a good friend of the late Dorothy?  

There - a picture of the church where the funeral took place not long afterwards.  There is a history of the church in the town of Bingham.

Google estimates that Thomas's journey would take 11 minutes today!

Dorothy Oates was expected to die because Thomas has a marginal note on the previous page

15 Feb Saturday Mrs Oates Daughter made her will & signed to Cutt of the Entail of their Estates at Crich in Derbyshire.

I can find a record of a Mr Oates of Crich being rich enough to be liable for "Ship Money" in the 17th century but otherwise I've drawn a blank

29th December 1765

Dyed Prince Frederick Wm 15 year of his age. Went into mourning 5 Jany.


Frederick William was the fifth son of the then Prince of Wales, Frederick Louis.  Frederick and his father, George II, were at (metaphorical) daggers drawn (I'm not sure that is relevant, but I know it, so I'm telling you anyway). 

This is the only portrait I can find of him - it is before he was breeched - Google doesn't like that spelling but it is to do with being put into breeches not being broken.

15th October 1765

Billey's Feast at Grantham

I can't find anything about this feast on the web.

Grantham had a Festival  - it still has but the current one doesn't seem to be a continuation of an old tradition.

29th August 1765

Cousin Levett was married to Rev. John Deacle

I've included this for family historians. Maybe it will be useful.  
A John Deacle was at Lincoln College Oxford at the right sort of date to be this man.

I've found him!

He's recorded as married to Elizabeth Levett which fits.

Thomas's grandmother was a Miss Levett.

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.