Thomas Turner

My late servant Mary Martin came to see me in the morning and breakfasted with me. She, myself and servant were at church in the morning… My late servant dined with me on a lamb’s head, liver, lights, mint etc. boiled, a piece of pork and carrots. Myself, late and present servants at church in the afternoon… My late servant and Mr Shoesmith drank tea with me.

After tea I walked up to Mr Joseph Fuller’s, where I smoked a few pipes and came home.

…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day, but not very busy. In the evening wrote my London letters.

I think I never in my life knew any place so much is gone off for trade as is this place since I have lived in it. Most of the principal inhabitants, as we esteemed them, being dead and the remaining reduced, trade is got to be very trifling.

The occasion of poverty’s being so frequent proceeds from luxury and imprudence, I fear, too often. For custom has brought tea and spiritous liquors so much in fashion that I dare be bold to say they often, too often, prove our ruin. For by the frequent and continual use of them we increase our expenses, bring on idleness and render ourselves less capable to struggle with the world and above all hurt our health and I doubt often, by the too frequent use of both, entail a weakness upon our progeny.

…I dined on part of a loin of mutton roasted in the oven and a batter pudding under it. Dame Seaman, buying some things in the shop, drank tea with me. At home all day and pretty busy. In the evening Thomas Davy sat with me some time, as did Mr Gilbert.

…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day. In the evening Charles Diggens sat with me some time, and I received of him 0.16.10 in full.

In the afternoon wrote out Mr Coates’s bill. Not at all busy today. My spirits quite low, though I know not for what, unless it be for want of company, hardly ever seeing anyone but those who come to and from the shop.

…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of part of a loin of mutton boiled. Delivered Mr Coates’s bill per Henry Bray, amounting to 7.2.2 ½ when his wool is outset.

At home all day, but not very busy. Rec’d of Richard Towner per Will Novice’s wife 2/- in full. In the afternoon busy a-sawing of wood.

Dame Akehurst a-brewing for me all day and dined with me on a shin of beef stewed and some turnips. Paid her 9d for a day’s work… Paid Mr Thomas Carman in cash and a bank bill 184.19.4, which is in full for the several bills I received of him the 9th and 16th of August, and accordingly took up my notes of hand that I then gave him. I now received of him the following bills; a true copy of each as follows:

S^r Brackley June y^e 10^th. 1763

Three months after date pleas to pay M^r Thos Carman or order the Some of Sixteen pounds

One aComt of your Humber Serv^t.

To Sam^l. Day

M^r John Tomson

at the White Hart Inn Southwark

London

£16.0.0

Endors’d Tho. Green

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No. 292   £60                 Salisbury Augst, 23 1763

Forty days after date pay to the Order of M^r Jn^o Staite Sixty pounds Value Reced a [per] advice from y^r. Humb. Ser^t.

To Benjⁿ. Collins

Messrs. Amyand, Staples & Mercer. Bankers in London

Endorsd Jn^o Staite

Edw^d. Aiskell

Tho^s. Carman,

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£20.. Sterling [sohiedam], 23^d Aug. 1763

Att Two Usance pay this my first [per] Exchange To Mrs.

the Widow Revily or order Twenty Pounds Sterling value

in Account and place itt to Account, as pr. advice by next

John Amalry

To Messrs. Pat & Robt. Macky in London

Endors’d Mary Reevly

Edw^d. Aiskell

Tho. Carman

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Dordracht                30 Aug. 1763 £40. Sterl.

At two Usance pay this our first pr. exchange to Mr. Jesse de

Heer. or Order Fourty Pounds Sterlings Value in Account.

x the Widw. Andr: de Bruyn & Sons,

To Mr. Welliam, Isaac Hops in London

Endors’d

Pay to Mr John Hogg or order Value in Acct. [per] ordr.

ye. 30 Augst. 1763

Jesse de heere

John Hogg

Edw’d Aiskell

Tho. Carman.

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[The word per as used above replaces an elaborate symbol which it has not been thought necessary to print].

For these respective bills of £16, 60, 20, 40 together £136, I gave Mr Thomas Carman my receipt with a promissory note thereon to pay him or his order on demand as soon as I shall have received the cash for the said bills.

Mr Carman and Joseph Fuller smoked a pipe with me in the evening. Fanny Weller took part of my servant’s bed. At home all day and thank God very busy. A vastly fine seed time.

                                  

Fanny Weller breakfasted with me. In the forenoon walked down to Halland with some goods. I dined on a beef pudding and turnips… At home all day and very busy.

In the afternoon signed, sealed etc. two bonds in which Robert Hook and myself were obligers. The obligation in each bond £200, the condition the good fidelity etc. of Samuel Jenner and John Long, both employed as hop-assistants. I also signed, sealed etc. two bonds wherein myself and Joseph Durrant were obligers. The obligation the same as before, the condition the good fidelity etc. of Thomas Durrant and Thomas Davy, now employed as hop-assistants. The witnesses to each bond: Thomas Pepper, supervisor, and George Bannister, officer.
 

Myself at church in the morning… When I came home, I found my friend Sam Jenner at my house, who came during churchtime. He stayed and dined with me on part of a sirloin of beef roasted, a plain suet pudding and horse radish. After dinner he smoked a pipe with me and then went away.

Myself and servant at church in the afternoon… Sent Mr David Guy enclosed in a letter by Marsh the news-carrier one bill…value £3… In afternoon I walked down to Joseph Fuller’s, where I smoked several pipes. In the evening my brother Moses and sister Sally came to see me. They both stayed and supped with me, and then my brother went away. My sister stayed all night.

Rec’d of my brother one bill value 13.3.0 in order to send to Mr Stephen Fletcher, servant to Mr Sam Ridings, and now at Lewes.

Sent Mr: Stephen Fletcher… one bill on Mr Will Margesson [and]…enclosed my brother Moses’s bill… My sister dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Dame Vallow and her daughter and Mrs Porter’s maid drank tea with me. At home all day and very busy. In the evening wrote my London letters.

…My sister and John Watford, who was gathering of apples for me, dined with me on a piece of beef boiled, raisin suet pudding and turnips. In the afternoon my cousin Molly Hill came to see me, and she, her servant and my sister drank tea with me… At home all day and thank God very busy.