31 July 1755
Sent this Day as a present to Sister Bright a pound of Churchmans Chocolate 5/-
4yds printed Linen for her little Daughter 10/-

Here is an undated advert for Churchman's chocolate - it is a variety of drinking chocolate - a great delicacy in the eighteenth century. Many of the so-called coffee pots which survive from this time were actually for chocolate.


This piece does not have a date on it, but Walter Churchman made chocolate starting in about 1728. This business was carried on by Joseph Fry and there is more about him and the history of chocolate in England here. By 1776, a pound of Churchman's chocolate cost 7/6

Dorothy's daughter was also called Dorothy. She was about 3 years old when her uncle sent this fabric as a present. It is through her that Thomas's book has come to me.

Thomas's Brother, John, then came to visit and his sisters moved their lodgings to St James's House in St James's Street. The round of sight seeing continues but mostly to places Thomas has already visited so we have already found out what we can about them.

Aug 1 1743
Went to Dr Tayler for advice of my Eyes he Cutt a vain or two in my Temples and gave me Two Bottles & gave him 10/6

(this is beyond comment!)

And, at last, an outing to a new place

Aug 15 1743
Dined with Sisters & Mr Longdon and Mr Fox went to Chelsea to See Sir Robert Walpooles Grotto & Gardens & The Physick Gardens & Don Salteras Rariteys and Cost us a Pieces 2/6

Sir Robert Walpole, famous as the first Prime Minister of Britain, had a house in Chelsea, close to the Royal Hospital.The house was extensively remodelled, into part of the Royal Hospital. Here is a portrait of the man himself.


And this is the only picture I can find which seems to be of the original house (It's the Vanbrugh Orangery). It became the Infirmary and was destroyed in World War II. I had to resorted to paper research to find that piece of information (Pevsner's Buildings of England, no less).


"Don Salteras" was known as Don Saltero but was really James Salter (a glamourous name never did any harm, it seems). His Coffee house and museum were in Cheyne Walk and Benjamin Franklin records visiting to see the curiosities in his autobiography. James Salter had worked for Sir Hans Sloane, whose collections form the basis of the British Museum, and at least some of his exhibits came from his former master's collections. It seems that he added some items of uncertain provenance such as the almost inevitable piece of the true Cross and.... "Pontius Pilate's wife's chambermaid's sister's hat" !

The Family come Visiting

1st Aprill 1743
Spent Mr Bingley 6d He blooded me nothing

(even for free I don't fancy that treatment!)

2nd
My Sisters Dorothy & Mary Tye Come to London & Lodged at the House I doe
3rd Spent with Sisters at Home 6d
4th Mutton 6d
5th Spent 6d
6th Spent 6d Sister Ann Tye come this day
7th went with Sisters to See the Dutchess of Buckingham Lye in Stait & was Buried this day & was drawn in a State Bed. She Lay in waxwork on the Coffin with all her Coronation Close on and all her Jewells & a woman Kneeled at the Head and another at her feet their was a great many mourning Coaches be Sides Number of noblemens Coaches in the Procesion which was the greater buring thats been seen for many years and spent at a Coffee House 18d



Now this was a really great event. Catherine, Duchess of Buckingham(that's her, painted by Rubens above), was an illegitimate daughter of James II and she never let anyone forget her royal blood, especially not at her funeral. Both Walpole and Pope made waspish comments about her pride and the extravagance of her funeral. The Wax figure survived to be photographed.


It is said that she supervised the dressing of the figure herself. Proud and extravagant she may have been, but poor Catherine buried all her four children. That is the funeral effigy of one of them in the picture. She and two of her sons were buried in Westminster Abbey.

This description is the longest I've found so far in Thomas's book of any event. He must have been mightily impressed.

A Family Argument?

Thomas seems to be unhappy about his sister Dorothy's marriage settlement.

"14 May 1749 White Sunday My Sister Dorothy Tye was married to Mr Joseph Bright Surgeon both of East Retford. John Bright Attorney brother of the said Joseph Bright and Thomas Tye Brother of the said Dorothy Tye was in trust for her in her marriage settlement. John Bright signed the marriage settlements. I, Thos Tye did not signe her marriage settlement or any other writing whatever concerning the same either before her marriage or after as witness my hand the 10 day of September 1764 Thos Tye.

I wrote this that my wife and everyone might know it."

(White sunday is what we now call Whit Sunday)