Behind Closed Doors

I grabbed a copy of this book as soon as it came out. Amanda Vickery's Behind Closed Doors, about private life in the 18th century. The Times has a great review. Review here.

Amanda Vickery also read parts of the book on BBC 4 and there's a good page about her here.

I wish it was still running on the web so you could listen to it.

Of course the Georgian period is the time of my Malloren novels, and the book has given me one story idea already. Next out in the series is the final part of the "secrets" trilogy, The Secret Duke, in April. Alas, the cover isn't nearly as good as the other two in period feel, but I assure you the book is! You can sign up for an on-sale reminder by following the link.

You can also sign up for my occasional newsletter at the bottom of the page.

Hope the wind up to Christmas is going smoothly, and the season brings you joy.

Jo

Flotation devices

I'm currently writing the last book of my rakes trilogy (The Secret Wedding, shown left, is the second, and will be out in April) and in researching, I found this in the Annual Register, Vol 7, Dec 1764, page 99. It's a description of a test of various devices for keeping people afloat in the water. The test took place in the Thames, with the people going through under the bridge, where the water was notoriously swift and turbulent.

"...then two men and a woman in a mob cap and red ribbons with through likewise in air jackets; these were followed by two men in the marine collar and belt. Thus secured, they danced in the eddy a considerable time, to the no small diversion of thousands of spectators, whom one of the men in air jackets presented with apples at the same time that he regaled himself with bread and cheese; after which he fired a pistol: these things were contained in his cap, which was made on purpose. On the whole it was a droll and not indecent sight, they all being dressed in flannel shifts and linen breeches."

Any number of questions and comments come to mind. Was the woman also wearing breeches? One supposes so. But isn't it delightful that a woman was included?

What cheerful fun they all seem to have had with it. Splendid.

Now the big question. What happened to these devices? In accounts of maritime disasters in the 18th and early 19th centuries I've never heard a mention of them. This came to the attention of the Gentleman's Magazine of 1869.
You can read it here.

"In the year 1761, when this Magazine was a mere stripling, having attained only to its thirty-first volume, we inserted amongst our items of incidental news, the following (p. 426):

" Was found, near the Spaniard, below the Nore, a fisherman who had been cast away seven hours, and saved his life by means of a cork jacket."

Antiquarian research is no doubt yet competent to find out what was meant by " the Spaniard below the Nore ; " but not competent, we fear, to say where that lucky fisherman bought his cork jacket . If, however, Mr. Greenwood should happily discover that it was made by anyone whose descendants still carry on the business, he will doubtless make known the address.

In 1764 we recorded, again (vol. xxxiv. p. 448), that—

" Several new inventions to preserve men's lives in shipwrecks near shore were tried at London Bridge, namely, the cork jacket, the air jacket, and the marine collar and belt; and all of them seemed to answer the intent. The persons employed to make the experiments played a number of tricks in the water to the no small diversion of the spectators."

In the first fifty years of our existence these two notices comprised all we had to say on the subject of appliances for saving life at sea.

There is not wanting, in fact, abundant evidence of a general concurrence of public opinion that the dangers of the sea were fixed beyond all human power of diminution, and that any attempt to battle with the watery forces savoured of impiety. It might be allowable to put up a few dim lights along the coast by which the shipwrecked mariner could make a rough guess as to where it was that he was being drowned. But when that was done, all was done. And, moreover, as the greatness of England depended to no small extent upon her marine, it would be well to keep the whole subject of loss of life at sea as quiet as possible, lest a check should be given to the supply of sailors."

Very interesting, but how odd that such a useful technology be ignored. Even if the devices weren't provided, you'd think some prudent seafarers would take one along.

Of course they weren't much use far from shore, as the chances of being rescued were tiny, and close to shore many wrecks were caused by the sort of wild weather and harsh shoreline which would mean a lifejacket would be of little use, but still, I know what I'd have squashed into my luggage somehow.

In poking around this subject, I came up with these tidbits from 1764.
"A Gentleman, well known at Newmarket, has engaged, we hear, for a considerable Wager, to ride one Horse from Hyde-Park-Corner to Oxford, and back again, within seven Hours; upon which several large Bets are depending."

That's about 50 miles each way, so about 14 miles an hour without allowing for stops for the horse. Of course, the attempt might have failed. I found not record of that.

"A Noble Lord has laid a Wager of One Thousand Guineas, that he causes a Boat to go Twenty-five Miles in one Hour; the Experiment will be tried one Day this Week on the River near Chelsea."

Again, no report on this.

But such things remind us that the past is full of surprises.

The above are from transcripts of a Worcester newspaper, available here.

Jo :)

People in Sheffield in 1781

My MIP involves industrial Sheffield in 1764 (not too much, don't worry!) and I was looking for a likely street for my heroine's family to have lived on.

Wonderfully, I found a list from 1781 on an Australian genealogy site. Not only does it give me likely streets, it gives a snapshot of the occupations and industries of the time. Note, for example, the ink pot maker. That was a business that would eventually die out. Sheffield, of course, was mostly known for making items from iron and steel and then for silver plate, especially knives and such.(a cutler, hence cutlery)

Isn't there something ominous about the address Truelove's-gutter?

The available list is only the beginning.

Abbot Eli, silk dyer, Westbar-green
Abdy John, cutler, Howard-street
Addy William, cutler, Westbar-green
Alcard James, grocer, Scotland-street
Alcock John, and Co. inkpot makers, Bailey Field
Aldham William, grocer, Change-alley
Allen George, and Robert, linendrapers and tea dealers, New-street
Allen Widow, lantern light, & comb maker, Scargill Croft
Allen Thomas, snuffer maker, Bailey Field
Allen Thomas, master of the charity school, Church-yard
Almond James, manufacturer of plated goods, Westbar
Almond John, victualler, Townhead Cross
Almond Roger, victualler, Blind-lane
Alsop George, victualler, Ponds
Alsop Luke, cutler, Coalpit-lane
Alsop Samuel, founder and anvil maker, Sheffield Moor Amory
Amory George, roper, flaxdresser, and linendraper, Hartshead
Amory Widow, victualler, High-street
Anderton John, dealer in flour, Pea Croft
Antt Joseph, and Son, factors, Lambert Croft
Ant James, dealer in cloaths, & c. Burgess-street
Appleby, Scholfield and Co. founders, Gibralter
Ardron John, grocer, Truelove's-gutter
Armfield William, linendraper, King-street
Ash Richard, cutler, Young-street
Ashforth, Ellis, Wilson, and Hawksley's, manufacturers of silver and plated goods, Angel-street
Ashforth Samuel, cutler, Park
Ashmore John, victualler, Park
Ashton Adam, carpenter, and overseer of the water-works, Brinsworth's Orchard
Aslin Widow, victualler, Bullstake
Atherton John, whitesmith, Millsands
Bacon Thomas, dealer in milk, Silver-street
Badger Joseph, carpenter & joiner, Brinsworth's Orchard
Bagnall John, dyer, Ponds
Bailey and Eadon, scissorsmiths, ironmongers, and factors, Westbar
Banks William, button maker, Porto Bello
Barber and Genn, saw and fender makers, Spring-street
Bardwell John, auctioneer, Norfolk-street
Barker Joseph, baker, Scotland-street
Barlow, and Co. scissorsmiths, Meadow-street
Barlow, Longden, and Co. scissorsmiths, Scotland-street
Barlow William, baker, Truelove's-gutter
Barlow John, cutler, Campo-lane
Bardsley James, pawnbroker, Westbar
Bamsley George, victualler, Truelove's-gutter Barnes
Barnes Isaac, cutler, Campo-lane
Barnes Thomas, cutler, Smithfield
Bartram James, horn turner, Scotland-street
Bateman George, cutler, Smithfield
Bates Samuel and George, filesmiths, Spring-street
Bates James, malt and cheese factor, Truelove's-gutter
Batty Widow, cooper, Townhead Well
Battie James, watchmaker, Wain-gate
Bayley Robert, and Richard, ironmongers, and hardwaremen, High-street
Bayliffe Rev. George, curate of Ecclesall, New-street
Bayliffe Rev. Wm. assistant curate of the New Church, do.
Beal Richard, shopkeeper, Coalpit-lane
Beard Samuel, victualler, Furnace-hill
Beard James, victualler, Coalpit-lane
Beardshaw William, cutler, Silver-street
Beardshaw John, victualler, HolIes Croft
Beardsall Francis, Hotel Inn, top of Wain-gate
Beatson Thomas, victualler, Coalpit-lane
Beatson Benjamin, sheather, Park
Beely Thomas, cutler, Ponds .
Beely John, victualler, Smithfield
Beet and Senyer's, cutlers, Pea Croft
Beet Widow, and Sons, cutlers, Broad-lane
Beet John, cutler, Norfolk-street
Beet Edward, cutler, Lambert Croft
Beet Jeremiah, victualler, Norfolk-street
Beldon, Hoyland, and Co. silver cutlers, Burgess-street
Bell's and Shepherd, scissorsmiths, Gibralter
Bell Benjamin, victualler, Back-lane
Bell Widow, victualler, Copper-street
Bellamy John, innkeeper, King-street
Bennet Edward, sugar baker, Union-street
Bennet Thomas, factor, Pinston-lane
Bennet George, plumber and glazier, Far-gate
Berry Joseph, vigo button maker, Pond-lane
Berry Noah, dye-sinker and button maker, Scargill Croft
Bincks William, porter and brandy merchant, Pea Croft
Bingley John, currier, Jehu-lane .
Binney Joseph, cutler, Broad-lane End
Birks William, and John, cutlers, Union-street
Birks Isaac, butcher and victualler, Truelove's-gutter
Birkinshaw Francis, cutler, Silver-street
Birtles Abraham, bricklayer, Young-street
Birtles Abraham, victualler, Burgess-street
Bishop George, fon. edgetool maker, Brinsworth's Orchard
Bishop Samuel, blacksmith, Bailey Field
Bishop George, jun. do. do.
Bishop Thomas, cutler, China-square
Blackburn Joseph, dyer, Bonds
Blain John, surgeon and man-midwife, York-street
Blake Thomas, filesmith, Green-lane
Bland Thomas, factor, Queen-street
Bland James, cafe maker, Queen-street
Bland John, victualler, Snig-hill ,-
Blonk, and Son, scissorsmiths, Norfolk-street
Booth, Binck's, Hartop, and Co. founders.
Bower George, victualler, Silver-street
Bowker William, barber, High-street
Bowker Jonathan, hatter, Wain-gate
Bradbury Thomas, baker, Wain-gate
Bradbury Daniel, assay-master, Pond-lane
Bradwell Thomas, flaxdresser, Far-gate -
Brailsford William, upholsterer, Norfolk-street :
Brailsford Thomas, do. High-street
Brammall Nicholas, cutler, White Croft
Brammall George, scissorsmith, Pinston-lane.
Bramhall James, cutler, Porto Bello
Brammall John, filesmith, Westbar-green.
Briddock Martin, cutler, Lambert Croft.
Bright Thomas, gent. Hawley Croft
Bright James, barber, Westbar
Bright Widow, cutler, HolIes Croft
Bright Widow, victualler, top of Silver-street
Brittain, Wilkinson, and Brownell, factors, and manufacturers of cutlery wares, Arundel-street
Brittain Benjamin, cutler, Hawley Croft
Brittlebank Abraham, Hermitage bowling-green
Broadbent Thomas, and Joseph, merchants, Brinsworth's Orchard
Broadbent Samuel, factor, and agent to the Lombard-street Fire-Office, Castle-green-head
Broadbent Dennis, scissorsmith, Brinsworth's Orchard
Broadbent Roger, butcher, Norfolk-street
Broadhead Joseph, grocer and malster, Snig-hill
Broadhead William, cutler, Bailey Field
Broadhead Jonathan, victualler, Bullstake
Brookes John, and Son, factors, Far-gate
Brookes Francis, cutler, New-street
Brookes James, turner, Far-gate
Brookfield John, attorney,
Brookfield William, scissorsmith, Trinity-street
Brookfield John, victualler, Church-lane
Brookfield George, victualler, Campo-lane
Broomhead Benjamin, and Joseph, factors, and manufacturers of cutlery wares, Far-gate
Broomhead, Hinchsliffe, and Co. merchants, and manufacturers of cutlery wares, Brinsworth's Orchard
Broomhead and Ward, cutlers, Eyre-street
Broomhead Joseph, cutler, Lambert Croft
Broomhead John, victualler, Park
Broomhead Richard, butcher, Westbar
Brown, Wheat and Co. manufacturers of white and red lead, Pond-lane
Brown Revel, inkpot maker, Truelove's-gutter
Brown Cornelius, dealer in toys, hardware, & c. Market-place
Brown Mrs. milliner, Change-alley
Brown George, cutler, Coalpit-lane
Brown Joseph, shoemaker, Coalpit-lane
Brownell John, ironmonger and factor, Westbar-green
Brunt Jonathan, printer, King-street
Bryant Rev. Thomas, minister of the dissenting chapel, in Scotland-street
Bullhouse William, victualler, Park
Bullock John, anvil maker, Smithfield
Burch George, cutler, Spring-street
Burditt John, clasp and collar maker, Pond-lane
Burgen Thomas, vigo button maker, Hawley Croft
Burnand Robert, linendraper, and dealer in furniture and cloaths, Market-place
Burton Michael, attorney, Paradise-square
Burton William, surgeon and man-midwife,
Butler William, cutler, Trinity-street
Butler John, dealer in flour, & c. Townhead Well
Butler Stephen, cutler, Townhead Well
Butterworth John, edgetool maker, Pea Croft
Cadman Peter, and Co. cutlers, Norfolk-street
Cadman Luke, cutler, Norfolk-street
Cadman David, cutler, Longstone-lane
Cadman Benjamin, filesmith, Lambert Croft
Cadman George, cutler, Bank
Calack William, butcher and victualler, Campo-Ian
Cam James, filesmith, Norfolk-street
Cam Widow; victualler, Far-gate