20th October 1761

Bout. in Crooked Lane a Baggam Table wth. Men & Boxes & a pair of Second Hand Dyes 17/-
a Mother of Pearl Mustard Spoon 12d
Tea Tongs 9d
a Fishing Rod 4 Lengths 3/9
a Box & Lynes & Hooks 3/-


"Baggam" is Backgammon, which was very popular in the 18th century. History here.

This board, counters, dice & cups all date from the eighteenth century.

There is no date given for this spoon, but mother-of-pearl spoons seem to look much the same today as they did when Thomas bought his.


I haven't found a good picture of a contemporary fishing rod, but this page will tell you something about the subject. However, Crooked Lane was an interesting shopping place. This picture is a little later.

23rd June 1761 Spt at White Conduit House Mr Willson 6d

This Pleasure Garden was named after a stone conduit which supplied Charter House. There is a picture of the place in 1749 and a short description from 1754 here.

It was in Islington and only disappeared in 1831. It seems that there was a pub on the site until much more recently. It's a Sushi bar right now.

There is a poem, written in 1760 about the White Conduit House quoted here. It is by William Woty (bap 1732 - died 1791) who, among other publications under at least two names, was a contributor to The New Foundling Hospital for Wit and the Shrubs of Parnassus which he published as J Copywell (a rather Dickensian surname!)

On a more personal note "Mr Willson" seems to have been a visitor from Retford.