An 18th Century Housekeeper's Book

[Bayleaf]

This article first appeared in the transactions of Hunter Archaeological Society and is reproduced here by kind permission of the Society.

Notes in [] appear at the end. All spellings are as in the original.

AN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY HOUSEKEEPER'S BOOK.

BY THOMAS WINDER, Assoc.M.Inst.C.E.

I am indebted to Mrs. J. B. Mitchell-Withers for the loan of this vellum-covered book containing household accounts and recipes. The pages are 7 1/8 inches in height and 4 1/2 inches in width; the paper is handmade and bears a watermark consisting of a crown beneath which is suspended, by scrolls and a Maltese cross, an oblong label containing the word-ICONARD.

Thanks to the kindly assistance of the late Mr. R. E. Leader who was ever ready to assist less well informed antiquarians - it has been possible to recover the following facts concerning the original owner of the book.

It was first used as a day-book by Richard Hodgson of whom Hunter wrote in his Familiae Minorum Gentium "Richard Hodgson of Ossett, Nantwich and Doncaster V.D.M. died at Doncaster 18 Jan. 1816, aged 80."[1] Mr. Leader informed me that "V.D.M. (Vertii Dei Minister) with Hunter always indicated a Unitarian Minister (or as Hunter called it - Presbyterian Parson). They were often also schoolmasters."

Richard Hodgson was the father of three sons, John, Thomas Smith and William, and of two daughters, Sarah and Mary. Hunter, in his account of this family, says that John Hodgson of Sheffield, surgeon, built a house on Crookes Moor, in which he was residing in 1821, and which he called "Western Bank."' Mr. Leader supplemented this information by "late the residence of Alderman W. A. Matthews; taken down when the University buildings were erected."

"Western Bank" was a beautiful, square, stone mansion, built of a fine grained sandstone varied in colour by many markings. Some of the stone from this house was used by Mr. Gibbs in lining the entrance and staircase of the University. The stone is said to have been quarried from the site of the pond in Weston Park. The same stone was also used in the erection of a row of villas opposite the university, at the School of Music in Glossop Road, and in the grocer's shop of G. Sharman in the lower part of the same road.[2]

John Hodgson built the Bell Hagg Inn which, from its remarkable site, was long known as "Hodgson's Folly"; it bears his initials and a date, now much weathered.

As is common in old account books, the entries in this volume have been made from both ends, many blank pages occur and the dates are not always consecutive.

Beginning with the accounts, we learn that, as Mr. Leader surmised, Richard Hodgson combined the profession of schoolmaster with his ministerial duties. He records that "Tommy Martin came with us to Nantwich, June 26th, 1773,” and the first item in his account "for cash laid out" for this boy is 5s. "To a Horse to Nantwich" followed by one of 5s 6d. “Expenses returning it."

6d. was spent upon an "Ink Stand" and 2½d. upon “`A Peg Top:"

"An Exercise Book" cost 2d., but double this amount was paid for "A Copy Book" and 2s.2d. for "Stirling's Phedrus Fables."

Amongst the numerous items relating to this boy's clothing is one of 6s. for a "Suit of Cloaths making."

On July 19th, 1773, Richard Hodgson records that "Mrs. York begun to wash for Mastr Boats's at 7/6 pr Quartr each."

He appears to have taken charge of the pocket money of his pupils for the "Master Boats" are credited with 14s. "on their return from "Taperly' in November 1773.

Of this amount 3s.4d. was expended in the purchase of "Prayer Books"-poor little beggars!-6d. was given back to them;

1s. was given to "Jack Smith for XMs Box," 2s. was expended upon "Breaking up," a further 2s. was given to “Bob Cross”,

1s. was spent upon "2 Whips," 2d. upon "Writing Paper," and the balance of 4s. was "Given them at Warrington" on Christmas Eve.

From "Mastr Boats's Account for Cash laid out," it appears that each boy was allowed 2d. a week for spending money, knives were bought for them at 4d. each, and shoe buckles at 6d. a pair.

Numerous items, from 2d. upwards, occur for "mending" boots, and new pairs were purchased at 2s.8d. and 3s. each, "2 Course Hatts" were bought for 3s. and "2 Pair of Leather Breeches" for 16s.

In January 2s. was paid "To Buckley for cutting Hair, &c.," and in April a “pair of Pumps" were purchased for each boy and 21s. were paid for "Entrance at Dancing School both."

The charge for "Board" for each boy for the half-year, July to December 1773, was 7 guineas.

"Mastr Mather's Account," which begins in February 1774 contains many similar items to those given above. His weekly pocket money was 1d., but he received an extra 2d. "for the Wakes,” and also "For the Fair," and in June there is the entry "To the Races' 2d. A “new Hatt" cost 9/- and he too had "A pair of Pumps” and entered the "Dancing School."

The detailed scholastic entries cover about thirteen months in the years 1773 and1774. In 1778 there is an item "By Bill for Mast Jos : Lee's Board, Tuition &c £22 4s. 1d.”, and a further one for the same boy in the following year, no details are given nor are there any other items of this nature. These entries, meagre as they are, give an interesting glimpse into the cost of a middle-class education a hundred and fifty years ago.

Between the years 1772 and 1778 Richard Hodgson paid upwards of £67 for books. These were purchased from J. Johnson, apparently a London bookseller, but no details are given beyond an item of 3s. 6d. in 1774, "To binding 6 Private Tutors."

In 1800, under the heading, "To Goods sold upon our leaving Nantwich," is an item "From Mr. Craig for Books £25-0-0."

Richard Hodgson settled as minister in Nantwich in 1773, and notes that he bought fruit trees from Mr. Mullock at ls. each, which were "planted Decemr 16th," "In the little Garden,"' "In the Border in the Yard," and "The Chapel side." The trees, six in number, were pear, "pippins," "plumb," nectarine, and "The bleeding Heart Cherry" which died and was replaced by "Smith's Newington Nectarine".

In 1773, and the two following years, there are entries of "Cash laid out in Repairs," probably at his parsonage. Lime cost 2s.6d. a load, deal laths 1s.2d. a hundred, a new hearthstone 7s.6d. and "Mark Topping & Jem" received 13s 4d. for "5 days Wages."

From 1788 onwards numerous purchases of linen and other fabrics were made. Sometimes these were for members of his family as "1 ps Coleraine Linen 23 yds at 2s.10d. for son John." Linen varied from 1s. 4d. to 2s.10d. per yard and in one case, where the price was 2s. per yard, an odd shilling was "deducted for a fault."

Plain muslin was 3s.2d. and 4s. per yard, "Check'd" muslin 2s.6d., white calico 11d., silk 8s.6d., dimity 2s. and cambric 11s. "2 pr of new Gloves" cost 4s., and 2s.1d. was paid for "Gloves Dying." "Pattens" were 10d. a pair, and "Cotton for 2 pr Stockins" cost 3s.

In 1797 " A Gallon of Salt" cost 1s.6d. Vegetables and fruit were bought by the peck in 1802 at the following rates--potatoes 6d. To 1s., apples and pears 4s., peas l0d. and 1s., beans 4d., onions 1s.4d., currants 4s. 6d., gooseberries 4s.4d. Carrots were 1s. a stone, cabbages 1d. each, and a pint of "prussian blue peas" cost 3d. Herrings were also purchased at 1d. each.

Between 1802 and 1814 drink was purchased at the following rates per gallon. Ale 10d. To 1s.4d., beer l0d., brandy 15s. and 22s., Hollands, 20s., Geneva 15s.. An unspecified quantity of "Black Beer" cost 19s. In the case of the spirits there was an extra charge for bottles, but the amounts purchased were small.

Coal was bought by the "Wagon load" at 21s. and by the "dozen corves" from 15s. to 18s. In 1802 some of this is described as "Park Gate Coals." Richard Hodgson, at this time, was living in Doncaster.

The book throws no light upon Richard Hodgson's income. There are only a few items of money received, one of 10s.6d. in 1800 is stated to be "From Mr. Wm. Martin for baptizing his Daughr Mary." There are also entries of "Rent recd from the Houses at Lincoln since my Father's Death."[3] These run from 1773 to 1790 and the total is only £37 12s. 9d.

From 1780 to 1805 he received a series of payments, the earlier ones from Mr. Robert Hibbert in sums of £4 "for Presbyterian Fund," the later ones, "By Cash pd pr son Thos," of £3 3s. 0d.

From the amounts so received he made yearly payments of three guineas to "ye Widow's Fund," and also accounted for the balances which arose.

In 1783 Richard Hodgson's second son, Thomas, was bound apprentice.[4] Under the heading "To the Revd Jos : Evans Dr," is the following entry, "May 1st To Cash for Tommy's Apprentice Fee" £10 10s. 0d. Other payments on behalf of "son Thomas" follow, and in 1786 is one "To Cash lent son John as pr Bill." £18 18s. 0d. This sum also passed through the hands of Mr. Evans.[5]

On August 16th 1804, Richard Hodgson "Borrd of Saml Shore Esqr on Chapel Acct." the sum of £60. On December 31st half was repaid "by Mr. W. Smith's Check on Messrs Shore's Bank Sheffield" and the "Balls. returned" is entered at £30.

The book passed from Richard Hodgson to his daughter Sarah, whose name, "Sarah Hodgson," appears twice within its covers. She married Samuel Kirkby of Sheffield and was left a widow by her husband being thrown from his gig when driving from service at Upper Chapel.

Sarah used the book as a repertory for recipes for the compounding of cakes, jams, conserves and drinks. These are remarkable for the time and care they would entail and for the large amount of rose-water used therein. Perhaps one of the most, interesting is the following-

A FINE PERFUME.

Take an ounce of Benjamin and an ounce of Storacks powder them in a mortar take half an ounce. of Orrice powder 6 drops of oyle of Cloves of Musk and Amber-grease of each 6 grains a quarter of an ounce of the wood of juniper or Cipress in powder as much Lignum Aloes and white sanders of each a quarter of an ounce then take a little Gum-dra-ga-gant steped in rose-water and beat all these to a perfect past in a mortar of brass or jron the bottom of the pestle must be as hot as the bottom of the mortar when you have beaten it take it out roul it in a long roul as little as a small arrow then cut them in little peeces and flat them in your fingers between 2 rose leaves, put them in a paper bag hang them up to dry then keep them for a perfect perfume.

The use of the small-arrow as a measure shews that this must be a perfume of some antiquity.

John Hodgson, the eldest son of Richard, was the father of Louisa who in 1834 married William Brightmore Mitchell, through whom the book came into the hands of the late John Brightmore Mitchell-Withers.

Richard Hodgson's younger sons, Thomas and William, became merchants in Sheffield. The latter joined the Quakers and married a daughter of one of the Fairbanks to whose beautiful maps we of the present day owe so much of our knowledge of the old town of Sheffield.

[1] Familae Minorum Gentium, p: 187

[2] This shop has been rebuilt.

[3] John Hodgson, described by Hunter as of " Selby and Lincoln, V.D.M."

[4] In the History of The Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, R, E. Leader, vol. ii p. 252, the List of Apprentices and Freemen contains ' Hodgson Thomas, son of Thomas (or Richard), Nampwich, clerk; to Hunter Michael, C.; 7, 1783, F. 1794."

[5] The Rev. Joseph Evans was minister of Upper Chapel, 1758 to 1798. He and his wife adopted Joseph Hunter, who, in his Gens Sylvestrina recalled with gratitude "his care, which was more than paternal, and her love, which was more than a mother's love."

[SteveHB]

I am indebted to Mrs. J. B. Mitchell-Withers for the loan of this vellum-covered book containing household accounts and recipes. The pages are 78 inches in height and 41 inches in width; the paper is handmade and bears a watermark consisting of a crown beneath which is suspended, by scrolls and a Maltese cross, an oblong label containing the word-ICONARD.

The pages are 78 inches in height and 41 inches in width !

wonder if it gave him a hernia reading it

Oops! Sorry Steve, my OCR software doesn't like fractions. Duly corrected. Thanks for the warning!

[RichardB]

That is one Monster Book of Fun ! Thank you, once again to you and HAS.

These may be John Hodgson :

John Hodgson, Surgeon and man midwife, Waingate (1787)

John Hodgson, Apothecary, no address (1791)

this is him :

John Hodgson, Surgeon, Western Bank (1822)

which would suggest this is his wife

Mrs Isabella Hodgson, Gentlewoman & Clery (1822, 1833, 1841 & 1849)

[RichardB]

...

"Western Bank" was a beautiful, square, stone mansion, built of a fine grained sandstone varied in colour by many markings. Some of the stone from this house was used by Mr. Gibbs in lining the entrance and staircase of the University. The stone is said to have been quarried from the site of the pond in Weston Park. The same stone was also used in the erection of a row of villas opposite the university, at the School of Music in Glossop Road, and in the grocer's shop of G. Sharman in the lower part of the same road.[2]

George Sharman, Family Grocer and Wine and Spirit Merchant

231-237 Glossop Road 1893, 1911, 1919 and 1925