Introduction: This is the 51st volume in the series of St Helena Records, which summarises the proceedings of official meetings held by the island’s Governor and Council, during which matters of government, defence, supplies, justice and discipline were discussed and recorded.
Source: Images of the original records can be viewed on the British Library’s website:
Referencing Text Locations: A dual numbering system has been adopted, combining the British Library film number with the manuscript’s original page number. These are presented in the format: British Library Film No. / Document Page No. https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP1364-1-1-51.
Text Inaccuracy: This transcription was produced by AI from handwritten document images held on the British Library's website, at about thirty pages per hour. Given the limitations described below, the text should be regarded as unreliable and used only as a search-and-find shortcut: once a relevant section has been located, it must always be checked against the source image via the hyperlinked Film Numbers listed in the main transcription table below.
Three specific problems affected the work. First, AI tends to prioritise meaning and readability at the expense of fidelity to the original, with a strong disposition to normalise spellings, expand abbreviations, and adjust grammar. It is particularly weak with unfamiliar surnames, and scrawled signatures often resist accurate transcription entirely. Transcriptions by eye of documents spanning four centuries have also shown that a single surname could be written in a wide variety of ways: the Crowie family name appears under six different spellings, and the Isaacs family name under sixteen. Searches for surnames are therefore hindered both by genuine variations in the originals and by mistranscriptions introduced by AI, and for this reason are best run phonetically. Second, the AI struggled with the late secretary hand, the script commonly used from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, in which the letter S appears in a form closely resembling a trailing L. Third, occasional passages in these volumes are written in a hand so obscure or poorly formed as to be difficult to read even by eye, sometimes compounded by heavy ink bleed-through from the reverse side or by the loss of sections of pages.
To mitigate these difficulties, a strict protocol was applied to each image, requiring the AI to rely solely on clearly visible ink strokes and to flag any uncertain reading, thereby reducing the risk of inferred or invented text. Two conventions are used. [...] marks text that could not be read with confidence; this may represent a single unreadable word, a full sentence, or occasionally an entire paragraph. Square brackets around letters or words indicate a conjectural reading supplied by the transcriber: brackets around a whole word, for example [Bazett], mean the entire word was unclear and a probable reading has been supplied, while brackets around individual letters within an otherwise readable word, for example B[a]z[e]tt, mean only those specific letters were unclear in the source and the unbracketed letters were legibly present.
Pagination: The pages are not numbered. Therefore, for reference purposes, the first page of the records on Film No. 6 is designated as page 1 (location 6/1), with numbering continuing sequentially through the end of the volume.
Dates: The Council's first meeting took place on 1 July 1771, with the final meeting occurring on 18 July 1772. All the sessions were convened during the administration of John Skottowe (1764-1782).
AI Generated Summary
Introduction
The records run from 1 July 1771 to 18 July 1772. They comprise the quarterly accounts of the paymaster William Wrangham and the storekeeper James Pavell, the inventory of stores of 30 September 1771, the monthly cash, artillery, table and stock accounts, and the Council's consultations at the Castle from 21 October 1771. Governor John Skottowe, Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling formed the Council, joined by Matthew Bazett from 16 April 1772. [Film No. 6–446]
Governance and Administration
In the quarter ending 30 September 1771 the Governor drew £150 0s 0d with £31 14s 9d for servants, and Corneille £62 10s 0d with £25 0s 0d diet money. Purling's four items came to £70 0s 0d, though the clerk entered £80 0s 0d; the December list gave him £80 0s 0d, including £17 10s 0d as accountant against £7 10s 0d entered in September. Officers held several posts: Wrangham was paymaster and Governor's assistant, Bulkeley (or Britannicus) Wright factor and collector of customs, and John Congreve judge advocate and schoolmaster. The chaplain, William Beancroft or Bearcroft, drew £55 0s 0d. Spellings varied between lists, which named the superintendent of slaves Hugh Ivie and Hugh Jones, the Fourth Company's captain John Steward and John Howard, and the pensioners Nathan Campbell or Inshall and Mary Beale or Peak. Salaries were unchanged in the quarter ending 31 March 1772, when the steward Robert Leech drew £8 10s 0d against £7 10s 0d. [Film No. 23–25, 201–203, 328–331, 344, 352]
The Bazett family held five places in 1771: Matthew was Secretary, George a writer and clerk of the works, Thomas superintendent of the works and a Third Company lieutenant, Henry captain of the Second Company and John his lieutenant. The Secretary's papers of 21 October, 4 November and 16 December 1771 were signed C. Bazett. Two Dovetons also sat on the civil list. The gunner Thomas Yates was probably also parish clerk and the bombardier William Crabb groom. [Film No. 20, 24–25, 139, 153, 202–203, 208, 212, 221, 249]
Officials drew much of their living from the stores. Charges general came to £121 4s 0d between July and September 1771, when the Castle took 255 lb of the 461 lb of candles issued and the Council, chaplain and Deputy Governor's lodgings the rest. The Governor's and Deputy Governor's private fishermen received Company hooks, lines, twine and shot, and soap, starch, indigo and smalt whitened official linen. In the quarter to 31 December 1771 candles went to the Castle (232 lb), Council (150 lb), chaplain (30 lb) and doctor's shop (25 lb), with £95 11s 10d charged to general expenses and £27 18s 11d to repairs of the Castle, Plantation House, the Deputy Governor's house and a storehouse cellar that took 115 deals. In the quarter to 31 March 1772 general charges were £93 15s 9d, including 393 lb of candles and more than £9 of china for the Castle, and repairs only 2s 8d. Tecklenburg linen wrapped the packets for the Court throughout. [Film No. 80–83, 182, 184–186, 314–317]
The Council met each Monday at the Castle from 28 October 1771 and on other days when ships required, including Friday 10 April, Thursday 16 April and Saturdays 13 June, 27 June and 18 July 1772. Purling was lame at the meeting of 23 December 1771 and, having sprained his ankle, could not muster the British King on 2 March 1772, when Wrangham was appointed in his place. On 4 November 1771 Purling reported the general books balanced to 30 September and the Board ordered them copied for London. [Film No. 125, 138, 156, 256, 283, 296, 418, 426, 445]
The Lord Camden brought a packet from the Court on 15 April 1772. Next day Bazett took his seat as fourth member, swearing the oath on 20 April, and the Council told Bearcroft, Tippet and Pavell of orders concerning each of them, which the minutes do not record. On 27 April Bazett exchanged the secretaryship for Purling's post of accountant, Britannicus Wright became Secretary and John Goodwin became Bazett's assistant and collector of customs; Bazett also took over the musters. A further packet arrived in the Earl of Sandwich on 2 July 1772, and each gentleman named in it was told of the Court's decision. [Film No. 296, 302, 370, 379, 406, 428]
On 6 July 1772 Pavell protested that the Court had passed him over for Bazett. He had entered the service as a writer in about 1741, became a factor after five years, assistant storekeeper in 1748 and storekeeper in 1756; Bazett had been his assistant for about four years before becoming Secretary. Pavell blamed the former paymaster John Clark for placing Bazett above him on the pay list, where Bazett's name appears in the lists for late 1771 and early 1772, and asked that his letter and the Council's opinion go to the Court. The Council confirmed only his length of service. Bazett answered in the same minute that Clark had placed him where his predecessor Wrangham had stood, that Pavell had never claimed seniority in 12 years or objected when a junior captain sat on the Board, and that appointments belonged to the Court alone; every member, Bazett included, signed it. [Film No. 429–432]
Military Affairs and Defence
An order of 22 May 1765 required every officer's report on garrison duty to go to the Deputy Governor as well as the Governor. An order of 13 November 1769 kept the captain of the week reporting to both and made the officer of the guard sleep in the Castle, with the gate shut from 10 pm until reveille. Article 24 of the Court's general letter of 23 November 1770 had censured the Governor and Council, which Corneille cited in his defence. [Film No. 6, 10, 12–13]
A consultation of 13 June 1770 put Captain James Tippet, engineer and commander of the Artillery Company, on the captains' weekly roster wearing the sash of the officer of the week. On a Council visit, to Thompson's Valley in Tippet's account and Lemon Valley in Skottowe's, he raised the matter improperly and was cautioned. He blamed Corneille for citing his father as a precedent; Tippet understood an artillery captain and engineer in Ireland, whereas Corneille said on 23 October 1771 that his father was second engineer in Ireland and a captain in the 5th Regiment who did infantry duty, and denied any artillery claim. [Film No. 8–9, 15–16, 126, 133]
An order of 23 October 1770, left with Corneille while the Governor was in the country, directed a 21-gun salute at noon on Thursday 26 October 1770 for the King's accession; 25 October 1770 was the Thursday. Every gun on the island fired, starting from Banks's, because Tippet, reporting that the guns needed scaling, had obtained the change from the Governor without telling Corneille, and the Governor made him apologise. In about November 1770 Corneille ordered Tippet back from an absence while captain of the week. Corneille said Captain Richard Beale told him at 7 pm on a Friday that Tippet had gone to Sandy Bay leaving Beale the sash, and wrote at 8 pm; Tippet said he had the Governor's leave, given at dinner on a Monday, to go to Mitchell's Line, and that the order came next morning, unsealed through the adjutant, by a soldier with a slung bayonet. Tippet delayed half an hour before answering Corneille's summons and was told he did not know his duty. [Film No. 10–12, 14–15, 129, 133]
The Governor ordered on 22 September 1771 that the Artillery Company be kept at 80 privates on muster days, and Tippet drafted three men from the infantry, one from Corneille's First Company, whom Corneille demanded back about a week later. The pay list records William Saunders, John Corbet and Robert Harmer moving to the artillery on 13 August 1771. On 28 October 1771 Captains Henry Bazett and John Steward testified that the artillery had taken men without telling their captains under Captain Mitchell; Bazett had once sent a man in artillery uniform back to his barracks, and Steward recalled a troublesome drunkard passed into his company in May 1769 and one man taken without notice in July 1770, after Tippet's arrival. Both said Tippet had asked properly since. [Film No. 16, 30, 37, 42, 46–48, 130–131]
On Tuesday 1 October 1771 Tippet reported to Skottowe that a second search towards Lemon Valley had found no trace of deserters, and the Governor praised him. Corneille arrived, complained that he had not been told and, in Skottowe's account, said he would “take other measures” with Tippet; he afterwards told the officer of the guard he had given Tippet a dressing-down. Tippet complained in writing on 14 October and, in Council, said only the Governor could rebuke him and that Corneille would turn them all out if he could; Purling replied that the Governor and Council held the same right. On 21 October Corneille admitted the rebuke but denied the threat, citing Lieutenant Thomas Bazett, whom he had corrected without offence, while Tippet said Corneille kept notes on everything he did. Corneille replied on 23 October that he kept notes only for his defence, denied that the word “presume” appeared in his recall letter, and cited 17 years in the King's army; Tippet answered on 24 October that two of Corneille's orders predated his arrival and the third, of 23 October 1770, had been overridden by the Governor. [Film No. 7–9, 13–14, 16–17, 125–129, 132]
On 28 October 1771 Skottowe ruled that a garrison had only one commanding officer, that reports to the Deputy Governor covered routine duty alone, that the President alone conveyed the Board's decisions to an officer, and that Corneille's rebuke in his presence was unmilitary and an insult to himself; he admitted failing to inform his deputy and said he would have raised Tippet's absence privately. Purling held that Tippet deserved approval, that reporting to the Deputy Governor was the captain of the day's duty and that Tippet's outburst before the Board was improper, and he declined to reopen old grievances. Both referred the case to the Court, and Corneille signed the last three consultations with a protest against Tippet's “ungentlemanly” attack. [Film No. 132–135, 137]
The garrison comprised four infantry companies and the Artillery Company. In the quarter ending 30 September 1771 the infantry captains Corneille, Henry Bazett, Beale and Steward drew £59 6s 3d each and Tippet £50 6s 3d, making Corneille's quarter £146 16s 3d and Tippet's £102 16s 3d with their other posts; the Fourth Company's lieutenants were De Fountain, Greentree and Gurling. In the quarter ending 31 December 1771 John Howard commanded the Fourth Company, and each lieutenant drew £36 14s 4½d including £2 10s 0d house rent. Infantry privates earned 10d a day, £3 16s 8d a quarter, and sergeants £7 13s 4d; artillery matrosses earned 1s a day, £4 12s 0d a quarter, gunners £6 2s 8d, corporals and bombardiers £6 18s 0d and sergeants £9 4s 0d. The 91-day quarter to 31 March 1772 cut a private's pay to £3 15s 10d, while officers' fixed pay was unchanged and Tippet drew £59 6s 3d. Sergeant James Goudy of the Third Company received £12 5s 4d and £12 2s 8d in those quarters without explanation. [Film No. 23–24, 26–27, 31, 35, 39–40, 44–46, 208, 212–214, 216, 220–222, 331–332, 336, 348]
Rank changed by the day. In 1771 Thomas Nash served 58 days as corporal before reduction and John Morrell was promoted on 23 August; William Smith joined the artillery on 2 October; Samuel Warren was promoted and Robert Greening reduced in the Second Company; and Sergeant Thomas Kilock of the Fourth Company was reduced on 9 December, when Benjamin Garrard was advanced. James York drew £4 4s 0d as a Fourth Company private and £5 7s 4d as a Third Company corporal, together exceeding a quarter's pay. In the quarter to 31 March 1772 Garrard was reduced after 81 days, Corporal William Tucker followed, Corporal George Short was reduced on 13 March, and William Sharpe, John Stockdale and George Germain were promoted. The artillery grew from four sergeants and four corporals to five and seven, all four bombardiers becoming corporals, four gunners bombardiers and five matrosses gunners. A drum major and a fife major were paid to teach the young drummers and fifers, the fife major £2 6s 0d in the quarter ending 31 December 1771. [Film No. 26, 29–30, 36, 38–39, 208, 212, 216–217, 220–221, 228, 340, 343–345, 347–350]
On 30 September 1771 John Anderson, John Taylor and James McGuire received £3 0s 0d bounties for five years' service under the Articles of War, and Maynard Hayes, Reuben Osborne, James Richardson and John Dove £10 0s 0d each for re-enlisting; William Brown, J. Newport and Benjamin Barclay received £2 0s 0d for agreeing to re-enlist, although Brown had died and the others had been discharged. Re-enlistment bounties of £10 0s 0d went to John Forbes from 21 October, John Davis from 22 October, William Hurst from 10 November, David Scott from 11 December and John Harper from 16 December 1771, Hurst on the recommendation of Colonel Campbell. John Christian Stoffe and Frederick Schaffer were probably German. In the quarter to 31 March 1772, 22 discharged men re-enlisted for £220 0s 0d, seven on 13 February and 11 on 23 March. [Film No. 56, 64, 140, 211, 223, 236, 238, 356, 358]
Recruits came from passing ships in 1772. Robert Wood, left by the Ponsborne, enlisted from 12 March for £5 0s 0d, though a Robert Wood also appears on the Morse's roll; John Waters, left behind by the British King and probably her seaman John Walters, enlisted from 16 March for £8 0s 0d because he had lost everything. The Lord Camden landed 29 recruits, for whom her surgeon George Davidson was paid 5s a head, £7 5s 0d, on 6 May. Quinwright Querney, left by the Asia, received £5 0s 0d on 6 May; John Powers of the Calcutta, recommended by Captains Russell and Thomson, £10 0s 0d on 11 May; and Joseph Cayley, left by the York, £10 0s 0d on 21 May. On 20 April Captain Richard Dayton recommended Joseph Seager, armourer of the Glatton, who was engaged for five years at £60 a year; smiths had cleaned small arms for 77½ days in the quarter to 30 September 1771, 73½ in the following quarter and 77 days at £5 15s 6d in the quarter to 31 March 1772. [Film No. 56, 222, 265, 268, 272, 356, 358, 360, 362, 367, 377, 391, 397, 407]
Several men were discharged on 7 September 1771, and seven invalids went home in the Prime on 22 August at £5 0s 0d each. In 1772 a group was discharged on 11 March and others on 9, 23 and 30 March, including the matross William Jenkins on 9 March, Edward Steventon and Henry Eanstear, fed for 26 days at 2d a day while awaiting passage, and Joseph West. Five more left on 13 April, the gunner William Rowsing on 2 May by the Company's order before his term expired, William Hill on 9 May, John Oswald on 15 June and James Wilson in July 1772. Captain Daniel Griffiths Hoare of the British King was paid £60 0s 0d for 12 men's passages. On 18 May Lieutenant Thomas Lambert, after more than seven years' service, asked to go home through age, deafness and failing sight, and the Council recommended him to the Military Fund founded by Lord Clive in 1770. [Film No. 50, 54, 264, 275–276, 295, 332–339, 342, 348, 354, 358, 384, 393, 402, 419, 439]
Seven soldiers died between 20 August and 27 September 1771, and the sexton was paid for 10 soldiers' graves that quarter. Robert Johnson died on 1 October and Thomas Hollock on 19 October 1771, the privates Samuel Steele and Stephen Peer on 9 and 14 December and the matross William Gray on 26 December 1771, when the sexton was paid for only four graves. The privates Richard Johnson, William Livingston and John Robinson died on 8, 16 and 20 January 1772, George Littleton on 25 January, Thomas Christian on 11 February, the matrosses John Miller and William Saunders on 18 and 22 February and Thomas Alsworth on 26 February; the sexton was paid for nine graves that quarter. James Miller, private and coxswain, died on 27 March, the matross William Durham on 2 April, John Pratt on 5 April, Thomas Hales on 11 April, William Harris on 21 April, Robert Brown on 22 April, Thomas Biffin on 29 April, John Hartland on 2 May, Thomas Coleman on 15 May and Robert Hurst on 5 July 1772. William Snell received two quarters' pay in March 1772, having been omitted in December. [Film No. 54, 62, 138, 148, 151, 162, 164, 168, 209, 214, 222, 240, 250, 252, 331, 334–335, 337, 339, 342–343, 345, 350–352, 356, 368, 371, 379, 400, 429]
The artillery fired 40 guns with 436 lb 9 oz of powder in October 1771, including alarms at Lemon Valley on 2 October and Prosperous Bay on 13 October, an 11-gun salute for the Duke of Portland and 21 guns on 25 October for the accession; nine guns and 369 lb 7 oz in November; and 385 lb 14 oz in January 1772. February brought 61 guns and 326 lb 8 oz, with alarms on 2, 7, 15 and 28 February and 15 guns for the King's frigate Stagg on arrival and on leaving on 4 February. March brought 151 guns and 539 lb 10 oz, with an alarm for six ships passing on 31 March and alarms passed to Turk's Cap and Purling's Battery on 13 and 14 March. April brought 271 guns and 614 lb, with a 13-gun alarm for four ships thought French on 23 April. May brought 186 guns and 528 lb 15 oz, with a 27-gun salute on 8 May for three ships sailing together and the first issue of 22 howitzer fuses, four howitzer shells and grapeshot of 32 lb; its total lists two 24-pounders that no entry records. June brought 206 guns and 380 lb 14 oz, including 21 guns for the King's birthday on 4 June. Lead ball was issued for shooting goats in most months. [Film No. 140, 148, 166, 245, 259, 292, 368, 371, 379, 398, 411, 438]
Express messengers on alarms were paid £1 5s 0d between July and September 1771 and £3 7s 6d between January and March 1772. Fishing lines served as halyards on the flagstaff at Munden's Point, and the matross James Gilmore made two flags at 7s 6d each for the signal posts on Ladder Hill and the Sugar Loaf. The Falkland Islands crisis had brought Britain near war with Spain until January 1771. [Film No. 56, 96, 100, 195–196, 226, 354]
Public Works
Between July and September 1771 the Company built batteries and walls in the leeward valleys, spending £104 1s 9d at Friar's Valley, including 1,635⅝ labourers' days, £114 6s 2d at Old Woman's Valley, £60 12s 3d at Thompson's Valley and £6 10s 0d at Sharks Valley; at Old Woman's Valley 173½ days were charged £87 3s 6d, probably for 1,743½ days. Labourers earned about 1s a day and masons 1s 6d. In Jamestown the East Demi Bastion cost £39 0s 0d, and the glacis, magazine and old barracks £5 1s 9d, £10 8s 6d and £21 7s 8d. The fortifications drew stores worth £110 10s 3d, including 20 chaldrons of coal for the lime kilns at £46 10s 0d, copper plates for the magazine and elm and oak for a drawbridge and gun carriages, and the barracks £106 16s 0d, including £58 5s 0d of Riga pine. [Film No. 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 95–99]
George Leech oversaw the new Ladder Hill road from 3 August 1771, and by 22 September the Company had paid £23 8s 0d for 156 stonelayers' days and 371 days' blasting. Powder used on the road was 174 lb 4 oz in October 1771, 86 lb in November, 54 lb in December, 60 lb in January 1772, 126 lb 8 oz in February, 126 lb in March, 150 lb in April, 117 lb in May and 70 lb in June. The road cost £151 6s 3d in the quarter to 31 December 1771, with masons at 3s a day and labourers at 1s 6d, and £179 0s 11d in the quarter to 31 March 1772, when labourers' days rose from 892 to 1,930. [Film No. 26, 50, 54, 60, 140, 148, 166, 230, 245, 259, 292, 360, 368, 411, 438]
Tippet reported on 6 January 1772 that in the last quarter of 1771 his men had advanced the officers' new barracks, repaired the old, begun preparing for a new church and finished works at Young's Gully and Friar's Gully, with Breakneck Gully well advanced. The paymaster's account of 31 December 1771 charged £142 1s 0d and 2,189½ labourers' days to the officers' barracks, £80 0s 3d to Friar's Valley, £72 1s 9d to Breakneck Valley, £28 14s 0d to Young's Valley and £31 4s 3d, mostly 301 days' stone blasting, to the church. The stores issued £32 13s 9d to the barracks, £7 0s 11d, chiefly 18 stone saws, to the church, £71 9s 6d to the fortifications, including £43 8s 4d of canvas for lime bags, and smaller sums to the portcullis at Banks's, Munden's Point and Sandy Bay Ridge. [Film No. 163, 182, 195–200, 228, 230, 232, 234, 236]
On 10 February 1772 Tippet reported that the salt- and nitre-laden earth in the merlons at Munden's Point was crumbling and proposed stone facings as at Purling's Half Moon Battery; work at Munden's Battery cost £20 14s 0d in the quarter to 31 March 1772. That quarter the officers' barracks took £236 6s 9d and 2,935¼ labourers' days in wages and £110 14s 8d in stores, including 424 double deals against 40 in the previous quarter. Labourers spent 57 days moving Purbeck stones from the wharf, and 172 lb of stone-coloured paint went on the gun carriages. Tippet reported on 6 April that the next quarter's work would be the barracks, the church and repairs after a flood in James's Valley, and on 6 July that it would be the barracks, the church and a landing place in James's Valley. [Film No. 247, 282, 324–328, 360, 362, 364, 429–430]
The Company paid £10 7s 9d in the quarter to 31 December 1771 for Corneille's new house at Longwood, including 234 loads of stone and 221 bushels of lime, and a further 372 loads of stone and 41 of earth in the quarter to 31 March 1772. On 27 April 1772 Corneille wrote that his family could not fit into the two rooms at Longwood and had been confined to James's Valley throughout 1771, to the harm of their health, and that no house would be ready for three years; the Council charged to the Company the conversion of a kitchen into a bedroom and a small cookhouse. [Film No. 228, 230, 234, 362, 364, 369–370]
Land and Agriculture
The Company's plantation at Plantation House drew stores worth £41 0s 0d between July and September 1771, including 5,615 lb of paddy, yokes, ox bows, cart wheels, ox shoes, fleams and oak for a corn mill post; Thomas Jordan worked at Longwood and a Company hog was redeemed from the pound for 5s on 13 July 1771. Plantation stores cost £30 4s 3d in the quarter to 31 December 1771 and £26 11s 4d in the quarter to 31 March 1772, when 7,396 lb of paddy and a 39 lb pot for boiling yams were issued and Jordan was paid for 76 days at Longwood. Corneille managed the plantation and its Longwood farm and was paid £3 0s 0d for mutton in both 1771 quarters. [Film No. 26, 56, 58, 69, 72, 91–92, 104, 171, 175, 191–192, 228, 230, 234, 239, 321, 354]
Leases required the Council's consent. On 25 November 1771 Purling had two expired leases renewed, signed on 16 December, in the East Division at 1s and 5s an acre, and on 16 December he passed nearly 40 acres in Sharks Valley, Sandy Bay Ridge and Fisher's Valley to Matthew Bazett, William Wrangham, John Robinson and William Hayes, signing each grant himself. Lieutenant John Bazett sold two valley leases to James Desfontaine on 2 December, and Robert Leech and Jane Wilson were allowed on 9 December to auction a plot 26 feet square. John Robinson sold 8 acres in the South Division on 23 December 1771, and Simon Whaley received leave on 6 January 1772 to sell 40¾ acres in the West Division, matching the 40¾ acres at Francis Hill that the overseer John Worrall was allowed to sell on 27 January. [Film No. 146–147, 150–151, 155–156, 162, 240]
On 27 January 1772 a man named Smith was allowed to sell his leasehold house, and John Price's request for a plot beside his house was referred for inspection and let to him on 10 February at 10s a year, when John Robinson was also allowed to cut a path through the main ridge at Sandy Bay. On 2 March Price received a lease in James's Valley 40 feet by 50 feet at 10s a year. John Bagley senior sold about 8 acres in the South Division to William Jenkins on 4 May, Samuel Knipe junior four leases of 41½ acres in the East Division to William Hayes senior on 11 May, Jonathan Doveton a plot 15 feet by 13 feet in James's Valley to Sergeant John Whitchurch of the artillery on 1 June, and Desfontaine seven acres called Yams in the East Division to Matthew Bazett, who signed the grant, on 29 June 1772. [Film No. 240–241, 246, 248, 256, 388, 397, 409, 427]
A notice of 16 December 1771 required each planter to declare by 28 December the cattle he would supply for slaughter in 1772, to report any loss within three days or supply another beast, and to return his horses, sheep and goats and the sheep he meant to sell. On 17 February 1772 the Council admitted that the Company's ships had been very poorly provisioned for two years, found cattle killed and sold outside the slaughtering list, and forbade killing without leave on pain of £2 a beast. [Film No. 153, 250]
The Company's herd fell from 226 to 218 cattle in the quarter to 31 December 1771, with eight killed, while 55 sheep were killed and the flock fell from 330 to 279, goats held at about 180, hogs rose from 10 to 25 and 26 of 58 turkeys died. Between January and March 1772 cattle rose to 247 with 17 births and 21 Cape cattle from the Morse, only four being killed; sheep rose to 284 with 12 Cape wethers, goats fell to 174, hogs stood at 26, horses at 13, and 49 fowls died against 15 killed. Between April and June cattle reached 258 with 39 births and five received, 22 being killed; sheep reached 303 with 86 Cape wethers; goats fell to 162, horses to 12 and fowls from 78 to 45, both geese died and a mule was sold for £2 4s 0d. The stock ate 8,900, 11,745 and 9,300 yams in the three quarters. [Film No. 165, 291, 437]
Captain John Watson of the Morse, lacking cash at the Cape, drew a bill on his own credit for 40 young bullocks at 9 Spanish dollars each from Petrus van der Poel, with straw, boats and porters, 463 rix-dollars in all, and on 19 March 1772 asked for a receipt; the Council acknowledged 21 head landed. Cape sheep were bought from Captain Samuel Hough (12 at £6 0s 0d), Captain John Milford of the Northumberland (15 at 10s each, with 50 bushels of Cape wheat at 3s 9d), Captain Henry Rice of the Dutton (36 at 15s each on 16 April) and Captain Burnet Abercromby of the Grenville (28 at 9s each on 11 June). [Film No. 272–273, 302, 321, 354, 356, 413, 437]
Supply and Provisioning
The inventory of 30 September 1771, signed by Corneille, valued the stores at £18,833 13s 4d, European goods at £17,076 4s 9d and India goods at £1,757 8s 7d. Salt beef and pork, mostly Irish, accounted for £8,943 9s 6d and flour for £1,463 11s 6d in 581 casks. India goods included 223 cwt of sugar candy worth £468 9s 9d, candles over 36 cwt worth £468 15s 2d, 533 cwt of rice worth £313 6s 8d, 1,125 gallons of arrack and Chinese porcelain including 327 octagon soup plates. The stores also held about 58,700 fish hooks, 1,781 pairs of men's shoes worth £413 18s 2d, uniforms for 221 privates with 251 hats, 458 shirts and 144 hair stocks, over 11 tons of bar iron, 7 tons of sheet lead, 5 tons of pig lead, 53,960 Tower halfpence worth £112 8s 4d, four corn mills, three roasting jacks, a pewter still and 43 spring rat traps. The clerk entered haberdashery at £104 11s 3d against items of £111 11s 3d, and other page totals differ from their items by up to £5. [Film No. 76, 86, 89–90, 98, 100–123]
The Company's table consumed stores worth £62 1s 1d between July and September 1771, including 108 gallons of arrack, and bought tamarinds, mangoes, sweetmeats, Japan waiters and a firkin of butter at £4 0s 0d. Monthly costs were £36 3s 11¼d in October and £31 7s 11¼d in November 1771, £31 4s 9¾d in December, £32 5s 5¾d in January 1772, £30 0s 6½d in February, £40 19s 4¾d in March, £36 17s 9½d in April, £34 13s 7¼d in May and £38 13s 7¼d in June. Madeira ran from 30 to 76 bottles a month, priced at 3s 4d a bottle in October and January but 2s in November and December. The table bought beef from planters every month, all 263¼ lb in November 1771; it bought 525 lemons and 75 oranges in December, 146 lb of turtle in March 1772 and porter for the first time in May. Bought-in food cost £48 10s 10d in the quarter to 31 March 1772 against less than £12 in the previous quarter. [Film No. 50, 52, 54, 84–85, 143, 149, 166–168, 226, 228, 245–246, 260, 293, 356, 399, 412, 439]
William Jenkins was paid £14 1s 8d for baking 169 batches for the garrison in each 1771 quarter, and the bakehouse £14 8s 4d for 173 batches at 20d a batch in the quarter to 31 March 1772. Flour issued as baked bread came to 442 cwt 2 qr 24 lb, worth £413 4s 0d, in that quarter. [Film No. 50, 226, 303, 358]
The surgeon Robert Barclay received £8 0s 0d for fresh provisions for the sick and £33 18s 0d for provisions and necessaries for the year on 31 December 1771, with £6 11s 5d more for necessaries. The hospital drew £16 19s 3d of stores in the quarter to 31 December 1771, including 425 lb each of sugar, flour and rice, and £17 2s 11d in the quarter to 31 March 1772, with 447 lb of each. James Campbell, an invalid from India left by the Lord Mansfield, was kept in hospital for 127 days at 7d a day, £3 14s 1d, and again to 10 March 1772. [Film No. 193–194, 228, 230, 322–324, 354]
Garrison stores cost £137 2s 8d between July and September 1771, £172 16s 9d in the quarter to 31 December 1771, including 440 pieces of pork found short in the casks, written off at £67 7s 6d, and £95 12s 3d in the quarter to 31 March 1772, when 296 pieces worth £45 6s 6d were short. Barracks and guards drew 76 blankets worth £93 2s 4d and deals and canvas for cots between July and September 1771, and 95 gallons of train oil, 115½ lb of Bohea and 36 cockades between January and March 1772. To meet the shortages the Company bought 123 pieces of salt meat from Captain Eglinton of the Prime for £123 6s 0d on 22 August 1771, 265 pieces from Captain Rice at 2s a piece on 20 April 1772, 1,200 pieces from the Calcutta and Pacific for £120 0s 0d on 9 May and 429 pieces from the Grenville on 11 June 1772. [Film No. 50, 187–189, 318–319, 366, 393, 413]
Bengal supplied rice, paddy, wax candles and arrack in standard consignments of 60 bags of fine rice, 15 of paddy, four chests of candles and two leaguers of Batavia arrack. The Ponsborne invoice, made at Calcutta and signed by J. Darell junior, cost 1,509 rupees 2 annas 3 pies with charges of 216 rupees 10 annas 6 pies; the Morse's cost 1,478 rupees 15 annas 9 pies, including 135 rupees for sloop hire down the Hooghly. The Sykes and Asia each brought the same at about 1,430 rupees, rice costing about 259 rupees against 324. The Dutton brought 45 bags of rice and 96 parahs of batty from Bombay for 538 rupees 0 quarters 30 reas. The Lord Holland and Lord North brought rice, paddy and arrack from Madras in July 1772 for 175 pagodas 33 fanams 22 cash and 203 pagodas 20 fanams 25 cash, the arrack costing 50 pagodas a leaguer for 292 gallons and 65 pagodas for 237 gallons. [Film No. 257–258, 266–267, 297, 369, 372–374, 384–385, 433–435]
China supplied sugar, tea and porcelain. The Northumberland, Bute, Stafford and Glatton each brought 21 numbered chests of sugar, about 22,200 lb net in all at 4 taels 5 mace a picul, under invoices of 24 December 1771 and 4 January 1772, and the Sea Horse chests 85 to 105, 5,545 lb net, under an invoice of 12 January 1772. The Cruttenden brought 4,201 lb of sugar candy at 6 taels a picul and the Thames 3,168 lb of candy and 955 lb of Chinchew candy at 9 taels 5 mace. The British King brought five boxes of porcelain for 77 taels 5 mace 2 candareens less 2 per cent for breakage, with Bohea, Singlo, Congou and Hyson tea, the invoice totalling 327 taels 9 mace 3 candareens. The Earl of Elgin brought boxes 6 to 10 and a similar tea consignment, including 1,605 lb of Bohea at 12 taels a picul and Hyson at 60 taels, for 324 taels 6 mace 5 candareens 4 cash under an invoice of 6 December 1771. The Canton supercargoes, among them Matthew Raper junior, John Bradley Blake and William Henry Pigou, certified each invoice. [Film No. 253–255, 276, 279–280, 283–285, 289, 369, 372–374]
The storekeeper recorded every shortfall on landing. The Duke of Portland's arrack lacked 13½ gallons of 274½ in October 1771; in 1772 the Ponsborne's arrack was 11 gallons short, the Morse's 12, the Speke's 8, the Asia's 20, the Lord North's 15 and the Lord Holland's 18½. Of the china, 16 pieces of the British King's and 35 of the Earl of Elgin's were broken in sound packages. On 6 May 1772 Pavell sorted the Lord Camden's losses by cause: 103 panes broken, salt, soap, steel and iron wasted, teapots, milk pans and chair bottoms short packed in London and timber short delivered by the ship. From 15 July Jonathan Doveton, the assistant storekeeper, made the reports because Pavell was ill. Pavell's account for the year to 30 September 1771 charged £82 13s 6d for leakage and short weight, mostly rice, which the Board accepted on 28 October. [Film No. 21–22, 135–136, 263–264, 269, 290, 301, 389–390, 393, 443, 445]
The boats drew stores worth £95 2s 3d between July and September 1771, including 2,893 lb of cordage, and the paymaster spent £14 3s 6d on repairs; an anchor on the West Rocks for warping ships cost £13 7s 11d. Boat stores cost £27 5s 9d in the quarter to 31 December 1771, when longboat repairs took £26 10s 0d and 450½ labourers' days, and £28 7s 4d in the quarter to 31 March 1772, including an iron chain for the longboat at £2 6s 7½d. On 11 June 1772 the Council bought a longboat with mast and sails for £30 0s 0d and 29 bolts of English canvas from the Grenville. [Film No. 58, 60, 82, 93–95, 183, 193, 234, 322–324, 413]
Economy
The Company priced its stores by buyer. Servants paid 10 per cent above cost and bought £2,197 2s 1d between July and September 1771, including £558 14s 0d of salt meat at 2s a piece, 443 gallons of Madeira worth £160 11s 9d, more than 750 lb of tea and long cloth worth £241 17s 8d; planters paid 25 per cent on cloth and leather and 40 per cent on sugar, rice, flour, oil and tea, and bought £164 16s 5d. Servants bought £2,433 17s 3d in the quarter to 31 December 1771, including 55,216 lb of flour, 2,572 pieces of beef, 5,184 of pork, 518 pairs of shoes and £196 10s 4d of wine; sales at 40 per cent came to £84 5s 10d. In the quarter to 31 March 1772 servants bought £1,774 12s 0d, with no wine, 143 gallons of arrack against 5⅜, 7,872 lb of candy against 11,266 lb and 127 lb of tea, while planters' purchases at 40 and 50 per cent came to £80 12s 6d. Coal sold at £5 5s 0d a chaldron at 40 per cent and under £2 2s 0d at 50 per cent. A notice of 16 April 1772 published the Court's order that all inhabitants pay 10 per cent above cost. [Film No. 65–66, 70, 74–78, 168–180, 301, 303–305, 309–313]
Company ships bought stores worth £244 1s 6d between July and September 1771 and £244 2s 3d in the next quarter, including tierces of salt meat, flour, pitch, tar and coal, charged to the ships and settled in London, but only £13 9s 11d in the quarter to 31 March 1772. The inventory of 30 September 1771 held anchors worth £423 18s 9d, 553 cwt of cordage worth £978 16s 10d, five topmasts 56 feet long and 99 oars as spares for passing ships. Licences on Jamestown's punch houses and shops brought £11 10s 0d a quarter. Customs on spirits rose from 3d a gallon in 1771 to 2s 6d in the quarter to 31 March 1772, when 306¼ gallons paid £38 6s 0d. [Film No. 78–80, 100, 103, 115, 117, 124, 180–181, 239, 251, 313, 365]
Trade and Shipping
The Prime, Northington, Egmont, Lord Mansfield, Lord Clive, Pigot and True Briton called between July and September 1771. The Duke of Portland arrived from Madras in October 1771 under Captain John Hasell, who reported on 19 October that rats had eaten the addresses of the Madras packets, which the Secretary resealed, and on 21 October that Fort St George had put 32 invalids aboard and that India faced a great dearth. The Council allowed salt provisions and flour, half the rice he had delivered, fresh beef as the slaughter list allowed, and advised him to sell his paddy to inhabitants. His passengers included the cadet Donald Campbell and men named Pompey, Castor and Paoli. On 24 October he landed saltpetre bales damaged by water, the Board urged him on 4 November to sail with the dispatches, and he sailed on 11 November 1771. [Film No. 18–22, 50, 52, 54, 124, 137–140]
No ship called in January 1772. HMS Stagg came from the Cape on 2 February and sailed for England on 4 February, a ship passed on 8 February and one under French colours on 15 February. The British King landed her boat at Banks's on 28 February and anchored from China on 29 February. The Ponsborne arrived from Bengal on 4 March and sailed on 15 March, though the artillery account dates her departure salute to 11 March; the British King sailed on 13 March and the Morse, arriving the same day, on 20 March. The Danish Queen Sophia Magdalena, Captain Krog, of about 1,100 tons, 26 guns and 160 men, called from 10 to 14 March bound for Copenhagen, and the Swedish Adolph Frederick, of about 1,300 tons, 20 guns and 140 men, from 14 to 17 March bound for Gothenburg. [Film No. 242, 244, 250–252, 257, 264, 266, 274, 292]
The Northumberland arrived from China on 28 March 1772 and sailed on 6 April, the Bute on 2 and 11 April, the Stafford on 5 and 13 April; the Earl of Elgin arrived on 8 April, the Glatton on 10 April, the Dutton from Bombay and the Lord Camden from England on 15 April. The Cruttenden, Sea Horse and Thames from China and the Sykes and Asia from Bengal arrived between 25 April and 1 May; the Calcutta arrived on 3 May and the Pacific on 5 May. The Sea Horse and Cruttenden sailed on 3 May, the Thames, Asia and Speke on 8 May, the Lord Camden for China on 9 May, the Calcutta and Pacific on 11 May, the Horsendon (13 to 17 May) and the York (14 to 21 May). Three Dutch ships passed on 28 April and another on 1 May. [Film No. 275, 277, 283, 289, 296, 368, 371, 379, 389, 392, 395, 398, 400, 402, 408, 411]
Late China ships followed in June 1772: the Grenville (5 to 13 June), the Queen and Salisbury (6 and 7 June to 16 June), the Duke of Richmond (16 to 25 June), the Grosvenor (16 to 23 June) and the Talbot (19 to 28 June). The Danish Kingdom's Wish, Captain Sunderin, of 600 tons, 18 guns and 75 men, called from Bengal on 16 June and sailed for Copenhagen on 23 June. A French ship from Mauritius under the Baron de Clugny, named the Ange in the minutes and the warship Le Sage in the gunners' account, arrived on 20 June, received 13 guns on 22 June and sailed for Brest on 28 June. The Earl of Sandwich arrived from England on 2 July, the Lord Holland from Madras on 11 July and the Lord North on 12 July, sailing on 16 July. [Film No. 408, 410, 418, 422, 426–428, 433, 438, 445]
Each ship's boat landed at Banks's before the ship anchored, and a councillor mustered every Company ship and searched for deserters, finding none. The Ponsborne's crew included Sebastian Florentine, Baptist Mariano, Peter Ancona and Emanuel Gomez, the Asia's Manuel Salvee and Pierre Cordelette, and the Queen's Claude De Voisey and Barnet Dalmonte; the Morse, Dutton and others carried poulterers. The York's roll names George Hughes as commander but was signed by George Hayter. [Film No. 260–263, 267–269, 277–278, 285–288, 297–300, 383, 387, 401, 406–407, 414–417, 422–425, 440–442]
Passengers included Captain James Burnet in the British King; Robert Colville, George Hadley and Mrs Elizabeth Williams in the Ponsborne; John May with his wife and daughter and 11 servants in the Morse; the French supercargo Monsieur Costarde with a brigadier general and his servant in the Northumberland; two lieutenant colonels, one named Hay, in the Dutton; a major and two captains in the Asia; Black Sam, a surgeon's servant, in the Thames; Christopher and Isabella D'Castro with servants Michael and Mary in the Horsendon; and Mrs Stone, Miss Stone, Mrs Taylor and Sylvanna in the Salisbury. The Lord North carried more than 30, among them Captains Aldrich and Burghall with their wives and the commander George Haget, and the Lord Holland Charles Floyer and his wife, three black servants and six invalids. [Film No. 262–263, 269, 278, 298, 383, 387, 392, 401, 417, 441–442]
Charter parties allowed 10 working days for unloading. When these expired on 29 April 1772 the Council gave Captain John Bedall of the Lord Camden his sailing orders, and when they expired on 15 July it ordered Captain Charles Deare of the Earl of Sandwich to Fort Marlborough on Sumatra with a letter to its President, Richard Wyatt, her manifest, charter party and victualling bill, a list of ships called and duplicates of letters to the Indian presidencies. On 20 March 1772 Skottowe ordered Captain Watson to carry Thomas Rowland, left at the Cape by the Ponsborne, on to England as unfit to remain. [Film No. 274, 375, 443–444]
On 29 April 1772 the Council sent its annual orders east by the Lord Camden through Canton. It asked Bengal for six pipes of Madeira a year, eight maunds of the best wax candles and the usual rice and arrack in each ship, with paddy raised to 40 bags, Fort St George under Josias Du Pré for 240 pieces of long cloth in six grades from 12 pagodas down to 2½, Bombay under William Hornby for 100 pieces of Surat chelloes, and Canton for 350 cwt of sugar, 200 cwt of sugar candy, 54 piculs of tea and 40 sets of oblong dishes and plates. [Film No. 375–378]
Finance and Currency
The pay list for the quarter ending 30 September 1771 totalled £4,325 12s 8½d. Wrangham's account showed £5,196 16s ½d received against payments of £5,169 16s ½d, the sum the cash account records as advanced to him. Pensions went to Nathan Campbell and Michael Frost at £13 15s 11d and Mary Beale and Elizabeth Kennedy at £7 10s 0d, and two unnamed men drew £6 11s 0d for salt provisions and house rent. A third-company sergeants' total of £50 12s 0d stood against entries worth £46 0s 0d. The pay list for the quarter ending 31 December 1771 was £4,261 19s 9½d and other payments £775 10s 3d, together £5,037 10s 0½d; that for the quarter ending 31 March 1772 was £4,201 1s 9½d with other payments of £1,018 14s 6d, £5,219 16s 3½d, entered in the cash account as £5,219 15s 3½d. [Film No. 23, 35, 47–49, 57, 63–64, 124, 224–225, 228, 237–239, 352–353, 355, 364–365]
The cash account for September 1771 opened at £10,578 17s 1½d and received £2,361 18s 6d from store sales, £625 0s 3d in rents, £395 16s 8d in bills on 7 September for the Reverend Elias Thackeray, Henry Broadley and Robert Child, £25 12s 10d from the True Briton, £2 17s 6d from the Pigot and small sums from licences, customs, lime and the plantation; it closed at £8,852 7s 11½d. Bills of £700 for John Purling and John Caillaud raised it to £9,552 7s 11½d on 31 October, and a bill of £400 for Colonel Donald Campbell, payable to his order, and £246 19s 9d from the Duke of Portland to £10,199 7s 8½d on 30 November. In December store sales of £2,518 3s 1d, licences of £11 10s 0d and duty of 11s 1½d on 44½ gallons of arrack came in, and £7,714 9s 6d remained after the pay was drawn, including £7,174 14s 6d in coin. Nothing moved in January 1772. [Film No. 124, 145, 152, 239, 251]
Purling paid £1,600 for bills to John Purling on 3 February 1772, raising the treasury to £9,314 9s 6d. In March bills of £1,300 for Captain Hoare and £100 for James Farrell, dated 12 March and minuted on 16 March, store sales of £1,855 10s 6d, licences of £11 10s 0d and £6 10s 1d from the plantation left £7,421 5s 11½d after the pay. In April coin rose to £9,019 9s 8½d with nothing paid out: ships paid from £2 17s 6d to £78 15s 2d for the Earl of Elgin, James Hogg's estate £53 4s 4d, bills on 10 April £195 16s 0d against the £205 16s 0d of Wrangham's £50 0s 0d to John May and Bearcroft's £155 16s 0d to Captain Milford, and bills on 20 April £1,760 0s 0d for Purling, Captain Dayton, Captain Rice and John Browne, purser of the Dutton. [Film No. 244, 265, 271, 288, 364–365, 367, 403–404]
In May 1772 the treasury received bills of £147 15s 0d from Jonathan Doveton to Captain Dayton on 2 May; £1,108 2s 6d on 6 May, of which £130 0s 0d was Matthew Bazett's to Miss Mary Bazett, £140 12s 6d Barclay's to Captain Robert Preston of the Asia, £500 0s 0d Captain Bedall's and £337 10s 0d for John Hall; £1,207 12s 0d on 9 May, including £1,100 for Captain William Thomson of the Calcutta and £107 12s 0d for Captain Charles Barkley; £100 from Lieutenant Thomas Bazett to Thomson on 15 May; £412 17s 0d from Purling to John Purling on 18 May; and £69 0s 0d from Captain Hayter on 21 May. It closed on 31 May at £12,673 3s 0½d, of which £12,133 8s 0½d was coin. The cash notes stood at £539 15s 0d from September 1771 to May 1772. [Film No. 384, 391, 394, 400, 407, 420–421]
On 21 October 1771 Corneille had sent £100 to John Cartland and Purling £600 to John Purling. Corneille paid £27 17s 0d to Staniforth, Gibson and Staniforth, the house of the Queen's commander George Staniforth, on 11 June; Skottowe £600 to Captain Nicholas Skottowe on 13 June; Purling £100 to Captain Thomas Hindman and Wrangham £152 16s 3d to Robert Collet, commander and first mate of the Duke of Richmond, on 27 June; and Captain George Burghall £120 on 15 July. On 18 July Purling sent £800 and Doveton £408 14s 0d to Captain Alexander Jameson of the Horsendon, Corneille £150 to John Caillaud, Bazett £40 to Miss Mary Bazett, Skottowe £39 0s 2d to Captain Digby Dent, Charles Floyer £500 and Captain Nathan Nason of the Lord Holland £300. All bills were payable 90 days after presentation in London. [Film No. 23, 413, 418, 426, 444, 446]
Small change came as cargo: 3,122 copper halfpence were sold at face value for £6 10s 1d in the quarter to 31 December 1771 and 2,330 Irish halfpence for £4 17s 11d in the quarter to 31 March 1772. Invoices were priced in Calcutta rupees of 16 annas of 12 pies, Bombay rupees of four quarters of 100 reas, Madras pagodas, fanams and cash, Canton taels of 10 mace of 10 candareens, and Cape rix-dollars and Spanish dollars. [Film No. 170, 257, 273, 297, 304, 433]
Judiciary, Crime and Punishment
The clerk of the peace was paid £2 7s 2d on 13 July 1771 for the trial of the soldiers Andrew Fodrick and Stephen Swanson, a matross of that name drawing full pay for the quarter, and the clerk of arraignments 12s 6d in each 1771 quarter. John Price, marshal, gaoler and sexton, was paid 10s for punishments and imprisonments in the quarter to 30 September 1771 and 16s 3d in the next, with 2s 6d a grave. [Film No. 26, 48, 50, 56, 228, 230, 238]
Sergeant Moore and a man named Paisley planned to seize the Company's longboat and desert on the night of 30 September 1771. Lieutenant Thomas Bazett passed the first report to Tippet rather than the Governor, and Skottowe sent Tippet and Bazett with a party, who secured the boat. Tippet searched from daylight and fired two guns from Lemon Valley, which Corneille said warned the men; 62 lb 8 oz of lead ball was lost there on 2 October, and flour, rice and arrack still went to men searching for deserters in the quarter to 31 December 1771. On 20 October the paymaster paid £4 0s 0d to the private Stephen Vanderhorst and the matross John Easton for exposing the plot, both still serving in March 1772. [Film No. 7, 9, 13, 16, 132, 134, 140, 187–189, 226, 331, 348]
At 10 to 11 pm on Friday 20 December 1771 Captain Beale reported to Corneille that Lieutenant William Caldwell, commanding the main guard, was drunk, and Corneille had him relieved by Lieutenant Keeling and arrested. On 23 December Skottowe and Corneille heard the charge instead of convening a court martial. Sergeant Thomas Williams testified that Caldwell was absent at 9.30 pm and twice sent four men to Corneille's house for the key of the Line Gate, which Corneille said was needed only if heavy rain threatened a flood; Beale, Lieutenant Robert Gilson and the adjutant William Roberts confirmed the drunkenness, Roberts finding his sword drawn on the bed. Caldwell pleaded illness and regret, and in view of his family he was suspended for one month, his pay stopping from 23 December and his quarter's pay to 31 March 1772 coming to £27 8s 0d. [Film No. 156–161, 204, 208, 216–217, 220, 332]
On 2 March 1772 the Council dismissed William Jenkins from the bakehouse for putting too much water into the dough and baking it short, and appointed an inspector of bread at £12 a year; Jenkins, discharged as a matross on 9 March, stayed on as a planter. On 24 February 1772 a slave named Stormont received 5s for discovering who had taken young pheasants. [Film No. 256, 264, 354, 388]
The Governor and Council proved wills on the witnesses' oaths. On 11 November 1771 they proved the will of Joseph Chamberlain, made with his mark on 1 June 1770, which left a third of his estate to his wife Ann and two thirds to his sons William and Joseph at 21, with Ann and his brother-in-law Lieutenant John Shatley, of the artillery, as executors and Philip Mahoney among the witnesses. On 16 December 1771 Mary Seale proved the will of her son William Seale junior, made with his mark on 11 August 1771, which gave her a life interest in his land and stock, the land to pass to his brother George and the stock to George and their niece Mary Yates, together with his share of the estate of his late brother John Seale in Bengal after £10 0s 0d to each of two nieces. [Film No. 138, 140–141, 153–155]
On 3 February 1772 the Council proved the will of the widow Mary Harper, who died on 26 January, made on 17 October 1771 before Philip Mahony and James Pritchard. It left her house to her god-daughter Charlotte Price, passing to John Legg and James Price if Charlotte died young or unmarried, her slave Peggy to Charlotte, £5 0s 0d to £10 0s 0d each to James Price, John Legg, Thomas Leech, Henry and James Easthope and Mary Payne, and £10 0s 0d to Sarah Pledger, to be invested beyond the control of her father Benjamin, with John Robinson and John Price as executors. On 11 May 1772 the Council proved the will of Mary Seale, who died on 14 April, made with her mark on 3 March; it left £10 0s 0d each to her grandchildren William Peddon and Mary Yates if in need and to Frances Bland in England, the residue to George Seale, and her house in James's Valley to be auctioned, with George and Benjamin Seale as executors. The witnesses James Pritchard, John Sanfall and John Terry noted that no stamped paper could be had on the island. [Film No. 240, 242–243, 296, 395–396]
On 13 April 1772 William Roberts accounted for the estate of James Hogg, carpenter's mate, who had died intestate. His goods fetched £28 8s 1d at auction, with £6 9s 5d of salary, £22 15s 0d for a slave woman, £4 15s 0d found in his chest and 8s 0d rent; after debts of £7 19s 8d and Roberts's fee of £1 11s 6d, £53 4s 4d was paid into the treasury and written to the London account for his relatives. On 13 July Bazett registered two bills of sale and two assignments. [Film No. 293–295, 436]
Social Order, Religion and Education
Civilian deaths included Ann, daughter of Sergeant James Goudy, on 29 October 1771; Joseph Chamberlain on 3 November; George, son of the planter Isaac Doveton, on 7 December; Elizabeth, wife of Captain Beale, on 29 December 1771; George, son of John Price, and Margaret, daughter of the planter John Seale, on 8 April; and Charles, son of Benjamin Seale, on 14 June 1772. [Film No. 138, 148, 162, 240, 283, 419]
Store sales between July and September 1771 included brushes for mahogany tables, punch ladles, decanters, porcelain at 7s 4d for a tureen and dish, 210 panes of window glass, buckling combs and over 4,000 fish hooks, and the inventory held 80 dozen pairs of shoe buckles and staircase fittings and sash windows shipped from England. About 335 pairs of shoes were sold at about 6s a pair in that quarter, 514 pairs with 225 soldiers' shirts in the quarter to 31 March 1772, when candle shades, logwood and alum and parson's grey broadcloth were also sold. [Film No. 67–68, 71, 73–74, 101, 104, 119, 121, 306, 308–310]
The inventory of 30 September 1771 held 19 large and four small Bibles, nine prayer books, seven primers and seven horn books and 57½ pieces of church timber worth £161 10s 2d. One Bible, one primer and one prayer book were sold in the quarter to 31 December 1771, when Thomas Yates was paid as parish clerk and Congreve as schoolmaster. A notice of 13 April 1772 called the inhabitants to the chapel in James's Valley on 20 April to choose parish officers, nominating three men for sheriff from whom the Council chose. The Council took the first name each time: Benjamin Mason became sheriff, Orlando Bagley and Richard Beale churchwardens, John Desfontaine, Gabriel Leache and John Bagley overseers of the East, West and South Divisions and James Pritchard constable, passing over the Company servants Charles Ross Stewart and William Wrangham; the officers were sworn on 18 May. The constable was paid £5 4s 3d on 31 December 1771 for rats and mice destroyed. On 13 July 1772 Bearcroft gave notice that he would leave the service in April 1773 or when his successor arrived. [Film No. 81–83, 102, 105, 176, 203, 238, 295, 366, 402, 436]
William Gossip, carpenter's mate, petitioned in about March 1772 that a longboat had fallen on him on the beach more than 14 months before, leaving a swelling in his groin that stopped him working, and was given leave to seek a cure in England; his passage in the Northumberland was paid to Captain Milford at £5 0s 0d. On 6 April Simon Whaley, trained by the Company's carpenter John Robinson, replaced him at £12 10s 0d a quarter. The surgeon's mate John Pritchard, on £26 5s 0d a quarter, died on 10 July 1772, and on 13 July the surgeon Barclay resigned because the Court had appointed Thomas Seward in his place, whom the Council admitted. The mason Edward Daniels or Daniells drew £30 0s 0d a quarter and £5 0s 0d house rent. [Film No. 26, 58, 64, 203, 270, 281, 364, 433, 435–436]
Slavery and Coerced Labour
Hugh Ivie or Jones, superintendent of the blacks, drew £10 0s 0d a quarter. Slaves received stores worth £464 8s 8d between July and September 1771, including 14,181 lb of rice, 1,762 pieces of salt meat, 237½ gallons of arrack and 51 pairs of men's and 15 of women's shoes, with long cloth for a woman in childbirth. They received £647 13s 7d in the next quarter, including 19,494 lb of rice, 2,590 pieces of meat, 400½ gallons of arrack and 126 pairs of shoes, and £506 16s 8d in the quarter to 31 March 1772, including 14,007 lb of rice and four pairs of shoes. Twelve lines for punishing slaves were issued in each of those two quarters, and soap for the Governor's and Deputy Governor's servants was charged to the slaves. Free Moses was paid 2s 6d a day for 19 days on 22 September 1771. [Film No. 26, 54, 86–87, 187, 189–190, 203, 319–320]
The plantation accounts listed slaves among the stock. Between October and December 1771 Katharine Frank and Fanny Ally were born and Harry Tanner and January died, and the slaves ate 64,740 yams. Between January and March 1772 Patt and Dick were born and Christian and a girl named Patt died, and 67,390 yams were used. Between April and June 1772 Jack Wordens and Tom Blake were born and Jack Daniel, Nero, Tom Blake and Tilla died, and 15,540 yams were used. [Film No. 165, 291, 437]
Under a notice of 9 September 1768 the Company and parish paid a reward for slaves caught after a fortnight at large. Samuel Knipe received £1 5s 0d on 13 July 1771, J. Weeden and Jack 25s each and Anthony £1 5s 0d for two in the quarter to 31 December 1771, and Will £1 5s 0d early in 1772. On 10 February 1772 the Council declared the order shamefully abused and ended public rewards, leaving owners to pay catchers. [Film No. 50, 226, 230, 248–249, 354]
Negueda, Paolam and Massinge received £3 15s 0d for arrack delivered short and £6 11s 0d for allowances, salt provisions and house rent in 1771. A separate account headed Mattay, worth £41 4s 1d between July and September 1771, supplied rations, cloth, china, tea, coffee, wine glasses, pumps, oars and fishing gear. The Malays, kept on their own account, drew £19 3s 7d in the quarter to 31 December 1771, including coffee, soap, candles, knives and forks and fine shoes, and £10 3s 3d in the next, including fishing tackle. The Court gave Nakhoda Pocolam, a Malay ship's master, leave to go home, but in July 1772 he refused a passage to Fort Marlborough in the Earl of Sandwich. [Film No. 50, 54, 56, 58, 88–90, 190–191, 320, 443]
Private slaves passed by will and sale. Mary Harper's slave Peggy went to Charlotte Price; Mary Seale left George Seale the men Mountain and Peter and left a boy, Jack, to serve George for life and then be free and never sold; and John Preston, the mason's mate, bought James Hogg's slave woman, unnamed, for £22 15s 0d. [Film No. 243, 294, 395–396]
Personalities
Tippet claimed the thanks of an unnamed Duke under whom he had fought. Pavell wrote on 6 July 1772 that he had often attended his office while very unwell. Caldwell pleaded on 23 December 1771 that he had a wife and family. [Film No. 11, 160–161, 430]
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1 | Island of St. Helena§ | On Monday 21 October 1771 the Council met at the Castle. Governor John Skottowe, Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Mr Matthew Purling were present. The minutes of the last consultation, dated 14 October 1771, were read, approved and signed. Thomas Hollock had died on Saturday 19 October 1771. The Deputy Governor laid a letter before the Board, addressed to the Governor and Council. He said he was very reluctant to bring the matter before them, but he had to put on record his answer to the unfounded charge made against him. He wanted his answer sent to the Court of Directors. Captain Tippet had laid the charge in a letter to the Board on Monday 14 October 1771. It concerned the reprimand the Deputy Governor had given him before the Governor on the previous Tuesday morning after the [...]. Captain Tippet had also declared, on his honour, that he had suffered so many slights from the Deputy Governor since coming to the island that he now felt bound to lay his complaint before the Board. The Deputy Governor then turned to the first part of the charge. Interpretations The Deputy Governor asked for his answer to go to the Court of Directors instead of having the Council settle the quarrel. Captain Tippet had complained to the Board, and the Governor could have dealt with the matter on the island. The Deputy Governor was the second man in the island's government. A charge from a junior officer, entered in the Council's records, would reach London with the consultations whether or not he replied. Writing his defence into the same record made sure the Court read his side alongside Tippet's complaint. A quarrel over a reprimand thus became a matter for the Company's directors to judge. | |
2 | 21st. October§ | The Deputy Governor admitted the first part of the charge. When he met the Governor that morning at the appointed hour, Captain Tippet came into the room. He had been carrying out the Governor's orders to search again for the deserter, which he had done since daylight. The Deputy Governor then learned the details, including whom the first report had gone to, and was somewhat annoyed. He told Captain Tippet that, after informing the Governor, he should have come to the Deputy Governor as well. The Deputy Governor ought to be told of everything that happened in the garrison, especially matters of such importance. To the best of his knowledge, however, he firmly denied using the words Captain Tippet attributed to him, that he would "take other methods" with him. That was his answer to the first part of the charge. He then turned to the second part. On the previous Monday, after Captain Tippet's letter had been read in Council, Captain Tippet was called in. The Governor told him that his letter was before the Board and would be sent home as he had asked, if he still wished it. Captain Tippet said that he did. The Deputy Governor then spoke to him before the Board. He said he was always as ready to admit his own mistakes as to find fault with officers he thought had done wrong. His rebuke before the Governor had not been planned. It had come from his not being informed, since he understood that Captain Tippet had received the first report of the desertion. As for the letter of complaint, it had greatly surprised him. He was not aware of ever having slighted Captain Tippet, beyond correcting him on two or three points of duty where he thought the captain had been disrespectful to him as Deputy Governor of the island. Captain Tippet then grew very heated, and the other members of the Board seemed to think so too, for they cut short what he was saying to the Deputy Governor. He had told the Deputy Governor that he had no right to rebuke him in the Governor's presence, and that the Governor was the only person entitled to find fault with him. At this, Mr Purling remarked that he supposed Captain Tippet would accept that the Governor [...]. The missing word on the previous page is "desertion": the Deputy Governor's rebuke was given on the Tuesday morning after the desertion. Interpretations The dispute was about who commanded the garrison. Captain Tippet had reported a soldier's desertion to the Governor and searched for him on the Governor's orders, without telling the Deputy Governor. He held that only the Governor could rebuke him. The Deputy Governor held that every matter in the garrison should pass through him. At bottom it was a question of the chain of command on a small fortified island, where the Governor was also commander-in-chief and the Deputy Governor's military authority was not clearly defined. Captain Tippet asked for his complaint to go to London because neither man could settle the question of rank on the spot. | |
3 | 1771§ | Mr Purling had remarked that Captain Tippet would surely accept that the Governor and Council had the same right. Captain Tippet then turned on the Deputy Governor again with great anger, though he had given no provocation. He said he believed the Deputy Governor would turn them all out if he had the power. The Deputy Governor called this language absurd and most unbecoming in a member of the Board sitting in Council. The charge was also so contrary to his whole conduct towards both civilians and the military since he became Deputy Governor that he could fairly appeal to the Board as a body against Captain Tippet's private opinion. He had never looked for chances to find fault with anyone. On the contrary, when omissions or mistakes by individuals came to his notice, as they sometimes did in any community, he had always raised them gently and as a friend with the person concerned. To confirm this, he asked that Lieutenant Thomas Bazett be questioned about how the Deputy Governor had spoken to him on learning that Bazett had received the first report and had failed to pass it on. The Deputy Governor then answered the second paragraph of Captain Tippet's letter. There the captain had said, with evident pleasure, that the Governor and Mr Purling had never once thought it necessary to rebuke him since he came to the island. The Deputy Governor said Captain Tippet should be careful in making such claims, since they forced him in self-defence to remind the Board of something that would never have been made public had the captain not invited it. Captain Tippet must well remember his conduct towards the Governor, Mr Purling and Mr Corneille on the first day they went to see Thompson's Valley. It had been so improper that they unanimously decided to rebuke him in Council for it, and this was done at the next Council meeting. The Deputy Governor also reminded Captain Tippet why he had earned that rebuke. He had attacked the Governor and Council for making him take his turn of duty with the other captains and wear the sash for the week of his duty. The Deputy Governor supposed this was the real reason the captain imagined he had suffered so many slights, having often complained of it. Interpretations The Deputy Governor turned Captain Tippet's own claim against him. Tippet had boasted that the Governor and Mr Purling had never found fault with him. The Deputy Governor recalled that the whole Council had in fact rebuked him, and over the same issue that lay behind the present quarrel. Tippet resented being put on the duty roster with the other captains and wearing the sash that marked the officer of the week. He seems to have believed his position on the Council placed him above routine garrison duty. The Deputy Governor's case was that the slights Tippet complained of were in reality the ordinary demands of military discipline, which Tippet refused to accept as applying to him. | |
4 | 21st. October§ | The Deputy Governor said Captain Tippet regarded that duty as a hardship and blamed him for having proposed it. In fact it followed the view of the Governor and Council recorded in the consultation of 13 June 1770 on that subject. Captain Tippet had also spoken of pointing a gun more accurately by day, when the target was in plain sight, than at midnight in almost total darkness and [...]. The Deputy Governor did not quite follow this. Everyone would agree that night and day are alike only to the blind. He could not see what Captain Tippet meant, unless it referred to his earlier minute disapproving of the two guns the captain had fired from Lemon Valley. The Deputy Governor had thought that firing them only warned the deserters. It would have been wiser to leave them unaware they had been discovered. They might then have tried to seize the longboat in the roads, as the report of their planned escape had suggested, and been easily caught. The Deputy Governor then addressed the Board directly. He had laid his defence before them as the Court of Directors' representatives on the island, and through them before the Court itself. The first part of the affair had taken place before the Governor and the second in full Council. The members must know that he had described events exactly as they happened. He believed his readiness to admit before them that he had spoken improperly to Captain Tippet ought to have been apology enough to any gentleman not bent on stirring up trouble. He trusted it would appear in that light to the Court as well as to them. It only remained to consider the last part of Captain Tippet's charge. He believed it would be found that he, the Deputy Governor, had far more reason to complain of the captain's conduct, and that any slights the captain might have met with [...]. Interpretations The guns fired from Lemon Valley show how the garrison handled desertion. Deserters on St Helena could escape only by sea, by slipping aboard a passing ship or seizing a boat. Captain Tippet fired signal guns to raise the alarm. The Deputy Governor thought this only warned the men that their plan was known. Had they been left unaware, they might have tried for the longboat in the roads and been caught in the act. The disagreement was partly about tactics, but it fed the personal quarrel. Tippet's remark about aiming guns at night was a jibe at the Deputy Governor's criticism. | |
5 | 1771§ | The Deputy Governor held that any slights Captain Tippet had met with from him were of the captain's own making. He would rather not look back over past events. But he had to consider the censure the Court of Directors passed on the Governor and Council in article 24 of its general letter of 23 November 1770. He also had to consider the failures of duty he believed Captain Tippet had deliberately committed against him. The captain had not told him at once about the Governor's orders, which contradicted those the Governor had left with the Deputy Governor. He had also left the garrison while on duty for the week without telling the Deputy Governor, who was then the commanding officer, the Governor being away in the country. When called to account, the captain defended himself by saying the Governor had told him there was no need to inform the Deputy Governor when he had the Governor's leave, or words to that effect. The captain must have known that this was against the standing orders of the garrison. The Deputy Governor would always regard it as his duty to obey those orders and to see that the officers under him did the same. Captain Tippet disliked this, and it had led to his wholly undeserved attack. The Deputy Governor was therefore obliged to set out in more detail the points on which Captain Tippet had failed in his duty to him, and to submit the whole matter to the Court of Directors and to the Board for decision. When the Governor went to the country the previous year, he left the Deputy Governor the paroles for October with the following order. 23 October 1770 Twenty-one guns of powder to be fired from the saluting battery at 12 o'clock noon on Thursday 26 October 1770, to mark His present Majesty's accession to the throne of Great Britain The Deputy Governor published this in the town orders. He was greatly surprised on that day to hear all the guns on the island fired, starting from Banks's. He asked Captain Tippet why he had not told him, supposing that the change to the Governor's orders had come from the captain's [...]. Interpretations A parole was the password and countersign issued to the garrison each night. The Governor left a month's paroles with the Deputy Governor, along with the orders for the royal salute. Holding them made the Deputy Governor the acting commander while the Governor was in the country. When guns fired all round the island, not just the 21 from the saluting battery, the orders had plainly been changed without his knowledge. Firing every battery on the island was the kind of order only the commander could give. The episode showed the Deputy Governor being bypassed in the one period when he was formally in charge. The Deputy Governor tied his complaint to article 24 of the Court's general letter of 23 November 1770, which had censured the Governor and Council. The text does not say what the censure concerned. He evidently feared that disorder in the garrison's chain of command would bring further reproof from London. Casting Tippet's conduct as defiance of standing orders put the captain on the wrong side of the Company's own discipline. | |
6 | 21st. October§ | The Deputy Governor supposed the change had come from Captain Tippet's report that the guns needed scaling. He knew the captain should certainly have told him at once, on the spot, as commanding officer of the garrison. The Governor had not thought fit to tell him of the change. The Deputy Governor was sure Mr Skottowe would have done so had he remembered his earlier order. The Governor thought Captain Tippet so much at fault that he ordered him to apologise for neglecting his duty. Some time after this, Captain Beale came to the Deputy Governor at about 7 o'clock one Friday evening. He reported that Captain Tippet had gone that morning to visit Sandy Bay while on duty as captain of the week. Beale believed Tippet did not mean to return to the valley before Sunday. Tippet had asked Beale to take the sash for him, and Beale thought it his duty to tell the Deputy Governor. The Deputy Governor told Captain Beale that he had acted very properly. There was no other captain to go the rounds, so Beale could take the sash that night, since Captain Tippet could not return in time. The Deputy Governor thought, however, that Tippet had behaved very badly as an officer in not telling him of his plans. He decided to order him back to his duty the next day and wrote him the following letter. The letter was dated from James Valley at 8 o'clock on Friday evening and addressed to Captain Tippet at Mr Mason's. Captain Beale had told the Deputy Governor an hour earlier that Tippet did not mean to return to the valley until Sunday and had asked Beale to take the sash for him. The Deputy Governor was more than a little surprised at such a step. Tippet must have known that the Deputy Governor was on the spot and that he should certainly have applied to him. The Deputy Governor therefore wanted Tippet, on receiving the letter, to return to his duty as captain of the week. Daniel Corneille signed it. Interpretations Scaling a gun meant firing a small charge to clean the bore of rust and dirt before it was used in earnest. Captain Tippet seems to have used the need to scale the guns as his reason for firing every battery on the island, not just the 21 for the royal salute. That was a sensible purpose. The fault the Governor found was that Tippet had changed the orders without telling the Deputy Governor, who was then in command. The Governor ordered Tippet to apologise, which supports the Deputy Governor's account that the slights came from Tippet's own neglect of the chain of command. The captain of the week had to stay in Jamestown to go the rounds and command the guard. Tippet went off to Sandy Bay and arranged privately for Captain Beale to cover for him. The arrangement itself was workable. What the Deputy Governor objected to was being left out. Each incident in his account turned on the same point. Tippet dealt directly with the Governor or with fellow captains and passed over the Deputy Governor, whose authority he plainly did not recognise. | |
7 | 1771§ | On receiving the letter, Captain Tippet returned to the valley the next day. The Deputy Governor then asked to speak to him. He told the captain he was very surprised that he had behaved in such a way. As an officer who had served in the King's army, he must surely have known that he should not leave his duty without the leave of the commanding officer on the spot. It set a bad example to the young gentlemen in the military. The Deputy Governor said he would let such mistakes pass unnoticed and hoped Captain Tippet would be more careful in future. Instead of the apology he felt entitled to expect, the captain seemed to think he had done nothing wrong. He defended himself on the ground that he had the Governor's leave. He added that the Deputy Governor had treated him very badly by ordering him back, and that he could only regard the tone of the letter as very angry. The Deputy Governor told the Board that he had now set out the various incidents and points of duty on which he believed he had the right to rebuke Captain Tippet. If noticing such breaches of duty exposed him to the charge of slighting officers, and to unfounded charges like Captain Tippet's, he feared it must end in the overthrow of all discipline and order. It would make it entirely impossible for him to do his duty to the Company in the post it had honoured him with, that of second in command. So that the Company and the Board could judge more fully how far Captain Tippet's conduct towards him had departed from the garrison's standing orders, the Deputy Governor copied out the following two orders. The first, of 22 May 1765, stated that it was the Governor's order that all reports the officers made about the duty of the garrison were also to be made to the Deputy Governor. The second, of 13 November 1769, began by noting that the Governor was going into the country the next day. Interpretations The Deputy Governor rested his case on written standing orders, not on rank alone. The order of 22 May 1765 required every report on garrison duty to go to him as well as to the Governor. That was exactly what Tippet had failed to do over the desertion, the firing of the guns and his absence at Sandy Bay. By quoting the orders, the Deputy Governor showed that his authority was not a personal claim but a rule the Governor himself had laid down. Tippet's defence, that he had the Governor's leave, did not answer it, because the Governor's own orders had made the Deputy Governor a channel that could not be bypassed. | |
8 | 21st. October§ | The order of 13 November 1769 went on to say that the captain of the week was to continue and to report anything out of the ordinary to the Governor and the Deputy Governor as usual. The officer of the guard was to sleep in the Castle and to keep the gate shut from 10 o'clock at night until reveille. The Deputy Governor closed by saying he was sorry to have had to go back over past events. He wished to live at peace with everyone and had always tried to do so for his own happiness, as far as it fitted with his duty to the Company, which he would always put first. He therefore left the decision on this undeserved attack to the Board's judgement and fairness. Daniel Corneille signed the letter on 21 October 1771. The Deputy Governor asked that Lieutenant Thomas Bazett be sent for. He wanted Bazett asked how the Deputy Governor had spoken to him about his failure to report the planned desertion of the soldiers on Monday 30 September 1771. The Board put the question to Lieutenant Thomas Bazett. He replied that Mr Corneille had told him he should have informed the Governor first, and not the engineer. Bazett had answered that his duty required him to inform the engineer of everything that fell under his department. Asked whether he took this as a rebuke from Mr Corneille, he said he did not see it that way. The Board then turned to the orders Captain Tippet had received from it the previous Monday, to be more precise in [...]. Interpretations Bazett's evidence supported the Deputy Governor's claim that he raised faults gently and as a friend. Corneille had pointed out Bazett's mistake in reporting to the engineer instead of the Governor, and Bazett had not felt rebuked. The Deputy Governor called this witness to show that he did not slight officers. Tippet's grievance, by implication, came from Tippet's own sensitivity, not from Corneille's manner. The episode also showed a second chain of command. Bazett reported the planned desertion to the engineer because, as he saw it, the matter fell under the engineer's department. The garrison's soldiers worked on fortifications under the engineer, so a desertion among them went to him. Lines of authority overlapped among the Governor, the Deputy Governor, the engineer and the captains. That confusion lay at the root of the whole quarrel. | |
9 | 1771§ | The Board had ordered Captain Tippet the previous Monday to give more detail on his charge against the Deputy Governor. That day he presented a letter addressed to Governor John Skottowe and the Council. Since the Board had asked for a fuller explanation of his last letter, Captain Tippet began with a letter Mr Corneille had written to him about eleven months earlier, while he was in the country. At that time he happened to be captain of the week. On the Monday of that week he had dined with the Governor. That evening he told the Governor he intended to visit Mitchell's Line the next day for some very particular reasons. He had done a week's duty for Captain Beale and would count it a favour if the Governor allowed Captain Beale to stand in for him for the two days he was away. The Governor agreed. The next morning, at about 7 o'clock, Captain Tippet set out on his journey and spent the night at Mr Mason's house. To his astonishment, between 7 and 8 o'clock the next morning, he saw a man of the infantry coming towards him with his bayonet slung, carrying a letter addressed to him from Mr Corneille. It said Mr Corneille was greatly surprised that Captain Tippet had dared to leave the valley without his permission, and it insisted that on receiving it he return to his duty as captain of the week. Captain Tippet obeyed. On reaching the valley, he sent Mr Corneille a card to say he had complied. On receiving the card, Mr Corneille sent the orderly sergeant to say he wished to speak to him. Captain Tippet did not go at once, but he believed it was about half an hour [...]. Interpretations Captain Tippet's account differed from the Deputy Governor's on the decisive point. Tippet said he had asked the Governor directly, over dinner, and been given leave, with Beale to stand in for him. The Deputy Governor had described the same events as Tippet leaving his post and quietly arranging cover with Beale. Both accounts agreed that Tippet had the Governor's consent and did not ask the Deputy Governor. The quarrel came down to whether the Governor's leave was enough, or whether the 1765 order also required notice to the Deputy Governor. Tippet's grievance was the manner of the recall: a soldier sent after him with a bayonet and an order to return, which he took as a public humiliation. Tippet's admission that he waited half an hour before answering the Deputy Governor's summons was itself a small act of defiance. It confirms the picture in Corneille's letter of an officer who did not accept the Deputy Governor as his superior. | |
10 | 21st. October§ | About half an hour later Captain Tippet went to Mr Corneille's house. Mr Corneille attacked him in so arrogant a manner that he was stunned. He was truly astonished to hear Mr Corneille say that he did not know his duty, that this was not the way things were done on the island, and that Mr Corneille would take measures with him that he would not like. It had been his duty, Mr Corneille said, to come and ask him, and Mr Corneille was greatly surprised to see Captain Beale wearing the sash. When the storm had somewhat died down and he had partly recovered from his astonishment at this unexpected reception, Captain Tippet told Mr Corneille that he had the Governor's orders. He added that he had been more than a little surprised to receive Mr Corneille's ungentlemanly letter. It had been sent through the adjutant unsealed, so that all the officers might know what a man of importance Mr Corneille was. Captain Tippet next set out the strange way in which this turn of duty had been imposed on him, which he thought any thinking person would find remarkable once it was properly traced. Mr Corneille had told the Governor and Mr Purling in Council that, as a precedent, his own father had been a captain in the artillery and an engineer in the Kingdom of Ireland and had taken his turn of duty with the captains of the infantry. Captain Tippet had never been in Ireland and knew nothing of the rules of that part of the army stationed there. He was therefore obliged to accept the force of this statement. A few days later, however, he made enquiries of a gentleman who knew Mr Corneille's family. He was told that Mr Corneille's father had been only a captain-lieutenant of infantry and second in command of the engineers. Captain Tippet left others to judge how inconsistent Mr Corneille's statement had been. He told Mr Corneille what he had heard and said he was surprised that Mr Corneille should claim his father had been an artillery captain, unless it was to get his way in making Tippet take turns of duty with the infantry captains. Mr Corneille replied that if he had said his father was in the artillery, he begged Tippet's pardon, as he had not meant to say so. Captain Tippet suggested that this claim had perhaps influenced the other gentlemen to order [...]. Interpretations Captain Tippet's real grievance now came out. He was an artillery officer, and in the British army the artillery regarded itself as a separate and superior service. Its officers did not take turns of duty with infantry captains. Being put on the week's roster with the infantry captains and made to wear the sash lowered him in his own eyes. The Council had imposed it after Corneille cited his father's example in Ireland as an artillery captain who did the same. Tippet claimed the example was false, since the father had been an infantry officer. If he was right, the precedent that put him on the roster rested on a misstatement. That explains why he resented the duty and blamed Corneille for it. Tippet's complaint about the unsealed letter is telling. Sent open through the adjutant, the order recalling him could be read by every officer, which made his rebuke public. On a small station where rank and reputation were closely watched, he took the open letter as a deliberate insult. | |
11 | 1771§ | Captain Tippet suggested that Corneille's claim about his father had led the others to order him to that duty, which he still carried out. It was a duty never known to be done by any engineer in the English army, or in any other army he had known or heard of in all his years of service. He also had to mention that on every trivial occasion Mr Corneille sent for him and told him it was his duty to come and inform him, just as if there were no Governor on the island at all. What had happened about the recent deserters was already known to the Board, so he would pass over it, apart from one point. When Mr Corneille left the Council on 1 October 1771, he told the officer of the guard that he had given Captain Tippet a dressing-down. Captain Tippet asked only that, in fairness to him, the Governor and Mr Purling record in the consultation their view of how he had carried out the Governor's orders in that emergency. On 22 September 1771 the Governor had ordered that the artillery company be brought up to a full strength of 80 privates on every muster day. Three men were needed that day to complete the company. Obeying the Governor's order, Captain Tippet chose three men from the four companies once the muster was over and the Governor and Mr Corneille had left the parade. By chance, one of them came from Mr Corneille's own company. About a week later Mr Corneille sent for him. He asked why Tippet had not come to tell him that he had taken a man from his company, and said he would insist on having the man back. He added that Tippet took such liberties that there was no bearing with him. Captain Tippet replied that he had acted on the Governor's orders. Mr Corneille's own officers, who were on the spot, were certainly the proper people to have told him. Captain Tippet hoped he would never disobey the Governor's orders while he remained on the island. He had no doubt the Governor would rebuke him if he did, as he had said in Council the previous Monday: the Governor was the proper person to rebuke him when on the spot. He still held that view. He was extremely surprised to hear Mr Corneille state before the Council that he had kept notes of every [...]. Interpretations Captain Tippet was the island's engineer as well as an artillery officer. In the British army both belonged to the Ordnance, a service separate from the infantry with its own officers and customs. Ordnance officers did not take turns of infantry duty. Putting the engineer on the infantry captains' roster was, in his view, unheard of in any army. Part of his quarrel with Corneille was a clash between two military services and their customs, played out on a small station where the Company combined them under one command. The dispute over the three men shows Corneille also had a company of his own. When Tippet took one of its men to fill the artillery, Corneille treated it as an affront. Tippet saw it as obeying the Governor. Each incident Tippet described followed the same pattern as Corneille's account, but from the other side. Tippet acted on the Governor's orders, and Corneille insisted on being told and consulted. Tippet's remark that Corneille acted "as if there were no Governor at all" summed up his view that the Deputy Governor was overstepping his place. | |
12 | 21st. October§ | Mr Corneille's statement that he had kept notes of everything Captain Tippet did on the island strongly confirmed what Tippet had told the Council. Tippet had no doubt that if Mr Corneille could have found anything to use against him, he would certainly have used it and had him removed from the island. The same applied to any other gentleman or officer Mr Corneille happened to dislike. Captain Tippet had seen a great deal of service and had always done his duty as an officer. Without wishing to boast, he had been thanked by the Duke under whom he fought for his conduct in the Duke's own presence. He therefore challenged anyone to accuse him of a mean or contemptible act. As long as he stayed in the Company's service, he sincerely hoped never to fall short of the character of an honest and brave man. He did not doubt he would satisfy most of the members of the Council in doing his duty, though he found it impossible to please Mr Corneille. It was fortunate for the island that the Governor and Mr Purling were of very different temper. They governed with a fairness and impartiality free of any leaning towards arbitrary rule, which did them credit on every occasion. James Tippet signed the letter at St Helena on 21 October 1771. Captain Hasell then presented the following letter to the Board. Interpretations Captain Tippet ended by turning the quarrel into a charge of arbitrary government. He praised the fairness of the Governor and Mr Purling and set it against Corneille's conduct. That divided the Council, casting the Deputy Governor as the one member who ruled by personal will. His point that Corneille kept notes on him suggested that the Deputy Governor was gathering material to have officers he disliked removed. On a remote station, removal and a report to the Court could end a career. Tippet's appeal to his war service and the Duke's thanks was meant to set his record against Corneille's notes. The case was being prepared for the Court of Directors to decide, with each side writing for that audience. | |
13 | 1771§ | Captain J. Hasell wrote to Governor Skottowe on 19 October 1771. On examining the packets addressed to the Court of Directors from the Presidency of Madras, he had found that rats had eaten away the addresses on all the boxes. He reported this so that the Governor could fix the Company's seal on a new address. That would stop the customs officers seizing the packets at the first port in Great Britain where the ship arrived. He also asked the Governor to tell the Court or its secretary what had happened. A second letter was addressed to the Governor and Council as President and Governor of St Helena. The Governor and Council of Fort St George had ordered the writer to take on board the ship he commanded 32 invalids without telling him in advance, so he had not been able to provide for them in time. He therefore had to ask the Governor to supply him from the stores with enough salt provisions and rice. He also asked the Board to consider how [...]. Interpretations Rats on board had eaten the address labels from the Company's packets from Madras. Without an address and the Company's seal, the customs officers in Britain would treat the boxes as goods to be checked or seized. They would not pass them as official dispatches. Re-addressing them under the Company's seal at St Helena restored their protected status. The incident shows one of the island's routine functions as a Company station. Ships homeward bound from India called there, and the Governor could set right problems with the Company's mail and stores before the last leg of the voyage. Fort St George at Madras had put 32 invalid soldiers aboard without warning the captain, so he had no food for them. St Helena's stores were expected to make up the shortfall. The island served as the Company's victualling station for the India fleets. It supplied salt meat and rice from its own magazines to ships whose provisions had run short or been misjudged in India. | |
14 | 21st. October§ | Captain Hasell also asked the Board to consider how much his men needed more fresh beef, because of the extra people on board while the ship stayed at the island. He knew well how small the island's own stocks of grain and other food were. Despite the great dearth in India, he had brought a good quantity of paddy, which he would sell at cost. In return he hoped the planters would let him have a supply of fresh stock for his voyage. He had meant to refresh his men at the Cape of Good Hope and bring wheat and other supplies for the island. He had been disappointed when he opened his instructions from the Presidency of Madras. J. Hasell signed the letter at St Helena on 21 October 1771. In answer to these letters, the Board directed the secretary to reply to Captain John Hasell, commander of the Duke of Portland. The Governor and Council told him he could have whatever salt provisions and flour he needed from the Company's stores. They would also spare him half the quantity of rice he [...]. Interpretations Hasell offered to sell his paddy at cost in exchange for fresh stock from the planters. Paddy was rice still in its husk, as harvested, which kept better on a long voyage than husked rice. India was in the middle of a severe famine, the great Bengal famine of 1770, yet Hasell had still brought a cargo. Selling it at cost was a bargain. St Helena grew little grain, and rice was a staple for its slaves and garrison. Hasell's price was access to the island's cattle and sheep, which only the planters could supply. The exchange shows the island trading its fresh meat for the grain it could not grow. The Board gave Hasell salt provisions and flour freely but only half the rice he asked for. Rice was scarce on the island and needed for its own people, especially with the famine cutting supplies from India. The Board could spare its salt meat and flour more easily. It rationed the one food the island most depended on and could least replace. | |
15 | 1771§ §John Hasell Commander§ §Wm. Woodruff Surgeon§ §Wm. Hardcastle Midshipn.§ | The Board would also let Captain Hasell have half the rice he had delivered at the island on the Company's account. As for fresh beef, the Governor and Council would let him have as much as the slaughter list could spare. The Company did not need paddy, but the inhabitants might find a supply useful. The Board therefore recommended that he sell it to them, which might help him obtain stock. The secretary was also to tell him that he had been ordered by the Governor and Council to go on board his ship with him to reseal and re-address his packets for the Court of Directors. C. Bazett signed the letter as secretary at St Helena on 21 October 1771. Mr Matthew Purling reported that he had been on board the Duke of Portland to muster her crew and search for deserters, but had found none. The ship's muster roll began as follows. John Hasell, commander Matthew Powe, 1st mate Robert Noble, 2nd mate Edward Coxwell, 3rd mate William Bradley, 4th mate John Marshall, 5th mate William Woodruff, surgeon [...] Thomas, purser Joseph Powis, gunner [...] Ulmer, boatswain John Baker, carpenter George Jackson, midshipman and coxswain William Hardcastle, midshipman George Hay, midshipman William Pemberton, midshipman Thomas Rickspuch, ship's [...] George Hargues, [...] master William Townsend, [...] Interpretations Purling mustered the Duke of Portland's crew to search for deserters before she sailed. That links directly to the Tippet quarrel. Soldiers who deserted from St Helena could escape only by stowing away or signing on with a passing ship. Calling every man on board by name against the ship's roll was the garrison's main defence against desertion. Anyone found aboard who was not on the roll could be taken off. The muster was routine for every Company ship that called, and the roll was entered in the consultation as proof that it had been done. The Board steered Hasell's paddy towards the inhabitants because the Company had enough rice in store. Selling to the planters let them buy grain they could not grow. It also gave Hasell credit with them for the fresh stock his crew needed. The Company stood aside so the inhabitants could deal with the ship directly. | |
16 | 21st. October§ §Geo. Gibson Qr. Master§ §Robt. Chambers Seaman§ §Thos. Lodge Seaman§ §Passengers§ §Donald Campbell Lieut.§ §Jno. Foley§ §Henry Savage§ | The muster roll of the Duke of Portland continued as follows. George Gibson, [...] master Michael Conner, [...] master Robert Boyer, boatswain's 1st mate Gilbert Nicholls, boatswain's 2nd mate Richard Saul, carpenter's 1st mate James Benson, carpenter's 2nd mate Robert Josh, caulker William Davis, sailmaker James Lane, armourer Edward Murphy, cooper John Duffield, cooper's mate John Drew, ship's cook John Nixon, captain's steward Edward Whaley, captain's cook John Poynter, captain's cook Richard Black, [...] cook Joseph Vignes, chief mate's servant Martin Mauldrop, 2nd mate's servant John Vandjorgens, [...] servant John Merriweather, gunner's servant Fred Ellison, carpenter's servant Charles Pinchback, seaman John Swan, seaman William Gibson, seaman George Thomas, seaman Thomas Everett, seaman Robert Robertson, seaman Richard Crisp, seaman Robert Chambers, seaman Matthew Overhouse, seaman John Woodside, seaman John Thompson, seaman Barry Sarsfield, seaman John Dennis, seaman James Tidd, seaman John Barrett, seaman Francis Upcourt, seaman Charles Gray, seaman John Dawson, seaman Roger Endworth, seaman William Fortman, seaman John Thomas, seaman John Knight, seaman William Essex, seaman Joseph Parent, seaman John Shepherd, seaman John Morrison, seaman Robert Dunn, seaman Michael Collins, seaman John Taylor, seaman John Mills, seaman Joseph Augustine, seaman George Stott, seaman John Wallmer, seaman Samuel Hollingsworth, seaman Thomas Ledger, seaman John Grinstead, seaman Shadrach Evers, seaman Peter Palmer, seaman Richard Talbot, seaman William Taylor, seaman William Stones, seaman William Hall, seaman Archibald McLaughlan, seaman Thomas Hutchinson, seaman John Findlay, seaman John Rogers, seaman Andrew McCann, seaman Michael Quick, seaman Michael Tyrrell, seaman William Sims, seaman William Fletcher, seaman George Smith, seaman Anthony Clinton, seaman William Crane, seaman James Black, seaman Phil Tabor, seaman John Griggs, seaman Thomas Willis, seaman William Hurst, seaman William Gardener, seaman John Ashmore, seaman Francis Peter, seaman Passengers Donald Campbell, cadet John McNamara Thomas Bagott John Foley Edward Smith John Snow Henry Savage John Logan John Jones Interpretations The roll listed every man by rank, from the commander and five mates down to the officers' servants and some 60 seamen. Purling checked each name against the men actually on board. A deserter from the garrison could hide among the seamen only if one of them was missing or a stranger was found. The officers' servants were often boys. They counted among the ship's company and drew pay and rations like everyone else. The passengers, beginning with a cadet bound for or returning from India, were checked as well. Anyone on board but not on the list could be a soldier trying to leave the island. | |
17 | 1771§ §Stephen Willson§ §Edward Hatfield§ §John Gray§ §(signed)§ §Rice§ §Paddy§ §Arrack§ §1 Leag. Gages 132 Gall. wants to fill 7 Gall.§ §13½§ §Recd. 261 Galls.§ §signed§ | The passenger list of the Duke of Portland continued as follows. Stephen Willson George Simpson Thomas Willson Thomas Smith Peter Le Clane Thomas Harris David Hughs John Chapman John Hanly Andrew Hurst William Elliott Edward Hatfield William Hawkins William Henton John Hyde Matthew Harrison James Emmins George Baillie George Arens John Off Robert Scott John Smith John Gray John Ashmore Edward Escott Thomas Pritchard Samuel St Anne John Pine George Whelps Alexander Batary Pompey Castor Paoli J. Hasell signed the roll. The storekeeper delivered the following account that day of stores received short from the Duke of Portland. Rice short, 2 cwt 1 qr 7 lb Paddy short, 2 cwt 2 qr 4 lb Arrack, 1 leaguer gauged at 132 gallons, wanting 7 gallons to fill Arrack, 1 leaguer gauged at 136½ gallons, wanting 6½ gallons to fill Arrack, total gauged 274½ gallons, wanting 13½ gallons Arrack received, 261 gallons James Pavell signed as storekeeper. Interpretations The passenger list ended with three men known by single names: Pompey, Castor and Paoli. Classical and adopted single names of this kind were usually given to slaves or servants. They were probably servants travelling with officers, or slaves being carried from India. The roll does not say. Most of the other passengers were probably the 32 invalid soldiers sent home from Madras. Arrack was a strong spirit distilled in India and the East Indies from palm sap, rice or sugar. The Company shipped it in large casks called leaguers to supply its garrisons. On St Helena it was issued as part of the soldiers' rations. The storekeeper gauged each leaguer, measuring its capacity and how far it fell short of full. Leakage and pilfering on the voyage meant casks often arrived part-empty. Recording the shortfall let the Company charge the loss to the ship's commander instead of bearing it itself. The rice and paddy that arrived short were likewise noted against the ship. | |
18 | 21st. October§ §John Skottowe Esqr. Governor§ §Do. Allowance for Servants§ §181 . 14 . 9§ §Dan. Corneille Esqr. Lieut. Governor§ §Do. Diet Money§ §87 . 10§ §Matt. Purling Esqr. of Council§ §Do. Accountant§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. Gratuity§ §80§ §Carried Over£§ | The Council granted the following sets of bills of exchange that day, drawn on the Court of Directors and payable at 90 days' sight. To Daniel Corneille, payable to John Cartland or order, £100 0s 0d To Mr Matthew Purling, payable to John Purling or order, £600 0s 0d The paymaster brought in his accounts, and the storekeeper his collections, for the quarter from 1 July to 30 September 1771. The Council examined and approved them as follows. The list of the Company's officers and servants on St Helena gave their salaries, diet money and other allowances for the quarter ending 30 September 1771. John Skottowe, Governor, salary, £150 0s 0d John Skottowe, allowance for servants, £31 14s 9d John Skottowe in all, £181 14s 9d Daniel Corneille, Deputy Governor, salary, £62 10s 0d Daniel Corneille, diet money, £25 0s 0d Daniel Corneille in all, £87 10s 0d Matthew Purling, of Council, salary, £32 10s 0d Matthew Purling, as accountant, £7 10s 0d Matthew Purling, diet money, £15 0s 0d Matthew Purling, gratuity, £15 0s 0d Matthew Purling in all, £70 0s 0d Carried over, £349 4s 9d The total for Matthew Purling is entered in the manuscript as £80 0s 0d, although his four items come to £70 0s 0d. Interpretations Bills of exchange drawn on the Court of Directors were how Company servants on St Helena sent money home. A councillor paid cash into the island's treasury. The Council then gave him a bill ordering the Court in London to pay the same sum to his named agent or family 90 days after the bill was presented. The Company used the cash to meet its costs on the island, and the servant's money reached England without the risk of shipping coin. Purling's bill for £600 0s 0d, payable to John Purling, was far larger than his yearly salary. It shows that Council members had income beyond their pay, probably from private trade with passing ships or from land and stock. The pay list shows the gap between the Governor and his Council. The Governor drew £150 0s 0d a quarter plus an allowance for servants, about £725 a year. The Deputy Governor drew less than half that, and Purling less again, though Purling's extra pay as accountant and his gratuity made up the difference. Corneille's quarrel with Tippet took place among men whose standing was set by this scale. The Deputy Governor held a clear second rank, which helps explain how firmly he insisted on being treated as second in command. | |
19 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §William Beacroft Chaplain§ §Do. Diet Money§ §55§ §Matthew Bazett Secretary§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §45§ §James Pavell Storekeeper§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §45§ §Willm. Wrangham Paymaster§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §Do. Assistant to the Governor§ §55§ §James Tippet Engineer§ §Do. House Rent§ §52 . 10§ §Jonathan Doveton Factor§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §Do. Assistant Storekeeper§ §30§ §Bulkanneus Wright Factor§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §Do. Collector of the Customs§ §37 . 10§ §John Goodwin Factor§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §25§ §Carried over£§ | The list of the Company's officers and servants continued as follows. Brought over, £349 4s 9d William Beancroft, chaplain, salary, £40 0s 0d William Beancroft, diet money, £15 0s 0d William Beancroft in all, £55 0s 0d Matthew Bazett, secretary, salary, £27 10s 0d Matthew Bazett, diet money, £15 0s 0d Matthew Bazett, house rent, £2 10s 0d Matthew Bazett in all, £45 0s 0d James Pavell, storekeeper, salary, £27 10s 0d James Pavell, diet money, £15 0s 0d James Pavell, house rent, £2 10s 0d James Pavell in all, £45 0s 0d William Wrangham, paymaster, salary, £27 10s 0d William Wrangham, diet money, £15 0s 0d William Wrangham, house rent, £2 10s 0d William Wrangham, as assistant to the Governor, £10 0s 0d William Wrangham in all, £55 0s 0d James Tippet, engineer, salary, £50 0s 0d James Tippet, house rent, £2 10s 0d James Tippet in all, £52 10s 0d Jonathan Doveton, factor, salary, £12 10s 0d Jonathan Doveton, diet money, £10 0s 0d Jonathan Doveton, house rent, £2 10s 0d Jonathan Doveton, as assistant storekeeper, £5 0s 0d Jonathan Doveton in all, £30 0s 0d Bulkeley Wright, factor, salary, £12 10s 0d Bulkeley Wright, diet money, £10 0s 0d Bulkeley Wright, house rent, £2 10s 0d Bulkeley Wright, as collector of the customs, £12 10s 0d Bulkeley Wright in all, £37 10s 0d John Goodwin, factor, salary, £12 10s 0d John Goodwin, diet money, £10 0s 0d John Goodwin, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Goodwin in all, £25 0s 0d Carried over, £694 4s 9d Interpretations Captain Tippet's quarterly pay of £50 0s 0d as engineer was far above any other officer below the Council, and second only to the Deputy Governor's salary. Tippet drew no diet money, which suggests he was not a covenanted civil servant who dined at the Company's table but a military specialist hired on a fixed salary. His pay reflected his standing as a trained engineer, which he was quick to defend in his quarrel with Corneille. It also helps explain his resentment at being put on the infantry captains' roster. His salary placed him well above them, yet the duty treated him as their equal. Most officers combined a post with extra duties for extra pay. Wrangham was paymaster and the Governor's assistant. Doveton was a factor and assistant storekeeper. Wright was a factor and collector of customs. On a small station the Company spread its work among a few men, each adding a second allowance to a modest salary. The junior factors' £12 10s 0d a quarter was the entry level of the Company's civil service. | |
20 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §George Bazett Writer§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §Do. Clerk of the Works§ §26 . 16 . 10½§ §James Desfountain Writer§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §20§ §William Webber Doveton Writer§ §Do. Diet Money§ §17 . 10§ §Robt. Barclay Surgeon§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §32 . 5§ §John Pritchard Do. Mate§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §26 . 5§ §John Congreve Judge Advocate§ §Do. Schoolmaster§ §Do. House Rent§ §22 . 10§ §Thos. Bazett Superintendt. of Works§ §Philip Mahoney Clerk of the Peace§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §Solomon F. Maurice Master at Arms§ §Carried over£§ | The list of the Company's officers and servants continued as follows. Brought over, £694 4s 9d George Bazett, writer, salary, £7 10s 0d George Bazett, diet money, £10 0s 0d George Bazett, house rent, £2 10s 0d George Bazett, as clerk of the works, £6 16s 10½d George Bazett in all, £26 16s 10½d James Oppenheim, writer, salary, £7 10s 0d James Oppenheim, diet money, £10 0s 0d James Oppenheim, house rent, £2 10s 0d James Oppenheim in all, £20 0s 0d William Webber Doveton, writer, salary, £7 10s 0d William Webber Doveton, diet money, £10 0s 0d William Webber Doveton in all, £17 10s 0d Robert Barclay, surgeon, salary, £19 15s 0d Robert Barclay, diet money, £10 0s 0d Robert Barclay, house rent, £2 10s 0d Robert Barclay in all, £32 5s 0d John Pritchard, surgeon's mate, salary, £13 15s 0d John Pritchard, diet money, £10 0s 0d John Pritchard, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Pritchard in all, £26 5s 0d John Congreve, judge advocate, £12 10s 0d John Congreve, as schoolmaster, £7 10s 0d John Congreve, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Congreve in all, £22 10s 0d Thomas Bazett, superintendent of the works, £25 0s 0d Philip Mahoney, clerk of the peace, salary, £27 7s 6d Philip Mahoney, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Philip Mahoney, house rent, £2 10s 0d Philip Mahoney in all, £36 14s 4½d Solomon F. Maurice, master at arms, £6 5s 0d Carried over, £907 11s 0d The total for Philip Mahoney is entered as £36 14s 4½d, although his three items come to £36 14s 4½d only if his salary is read as £27 7s 6d, as given. Interpretations John Congreve combined the posts of judge advocate and schoolmaster. On a small island the man trained in law also ran the Company's school. Writers were the most junior covenanted servants, the starting rank of the Company's civil service. Their pay was mostly diet money, with a token salary. The Bazett family held three places on the list, as secretary, writer and superintendent of the works. That shows how a few island families filled the Company's local posts generation after generation. | |
21 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Saml. Alexander§ §John Robinson Carpenter§ §William Greenup Do. Mate§ §Joseph Griffiths Cooper§ §John Robins Armourer to the 29th. July§ §Hugh Jones Superintendt. of the Blacks§ §Edward Daniels Mason§ §John Daniels Do. Apprentice§ §John Preston Do. Mate§ §Robert Leech Steward§ §Thos. Yates Clerk of the Church§ §John Joyce Clerk & Instrumt. Cleaner§ §William Crabb Groom§ §James Miller Patroon of the Long Boats§ §John Price Marshall & Goaler§ §James Carmichel Gardener§ §Drum Major for instructg. the Young Drummers§ §First Company vizt.§ §Danl. Corneille Captain§ §Sol. F. Maurice Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §34 . 4 . 4½§ §Charles Ross Stewart Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. Adjutant§ §52 . 9 . 4½§ §William Caldwell Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §Carried over£§ | The list of the Company's officers and servants continued as follows. Brought over, £907 11s 0d Samuel Alexander, overseer, £7 10s 0d John Worrall, overseer, £15 0s 0d John Robinson, carpenter, £25 0s 0d William Greenup, carpenter's mate, £12 10s 0d Joseph Griffiths, cooper, £15 0s 0d John Robins, armourer, to 29 July 1771, £4 15s 4d Hugh Ivie, superintendent of the blacks, £10 0s 0d Edward Daniels, mason, £30 0s 0d John Daniels, mason's apprentice, £5 0s 0d John Preston, mason's mate, £20 0s 0d Robert Leech, steward, £7 10s 0d Thomas Yates, clerk of the church, £5 0s 0d John Joya, clerk and instrument cleaner, £1 5s 0d William Crabb, groom, £2 0s 0d James Miller, patron of the Long Boats, £7 10s 0d John Price, marshal and gaoler, £7 10s 0d James Carmichael, gardener, £10 0s 0d Drum major, for teaching the young drummers, £1 0s 0d First company Daniel Corneille, captain, £59 6s 3d Solomon F. Maurice, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d Solomon F. Maurice, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Solomon F. Maurice in all, £34 4s 4½d Charles Ross Stewart, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d Charles Ross Stewart, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Charles Ross Stewart, as adjutant, £18 5s 0d Charles Ross Stewart in all, £52 9s 4½d William Caldwell, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d William Caldwell, diet money, £6 16s 10½d William Caldwell, house rent, £2 10s 0d William Caldwell in all, £36 14s 4½d Carried over, £1,276 15s 8½d Interpretations Daniel Corneille drew a second salary of £59 6s 3d as captain of the first company, on top of his £87 10s 0d as Deputy Governor. He was both a member of the civil government and a serving company commander. That dual role explains his quarrel with Tippet over taking a man from his company. Corneille insisted on being consulted as Deputy Governor while also defending his own company as its captain. The Company employed a superintendent of the blacks, Hugh Ivie, at £10 0s 0d a quarter. The Company owned slaves of its own, who worked on its farms, fortifications and public works. The superintendent oversaw them. Its master mason earned £30 0s 0d a quarter, more than many covenanted servants. Skilled tradesmen were scarce on the island and well paid, and the Company's building works depended on them. | |
22 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §William Roberts Adjutant§ §Richard Powell Cadet§ §Sergeants vizt.§ §Henry Hewett§ §John Allman§ §George Seale§ §Thos. Mears§ §James Moraton§ §Thos. Pearce§ §46§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Abraham James§ §Timothy Walters§ §Andrew Alexander§ §Thos. Roades§ §21 . 9 . 4§ §Drummers vizt.§ §John Swales§ §Richard Phillpot§ §George Watts§ §16 . 2§ §Private vizt.§ §Richd. Alden§ §John Atwood§ §John Buchmans to 7th. Septr.§ §Moses Basson§ §John Bell§ §Timothy Bryant§ §Emanuel Banner§ §Private Carrd. over£§ §Carried over£§ | The list of the Company's officers and servants continued with the military establishment. Brought over, £1,276 15s 8½d William Roberts, adjutant, £32 3s 1½d Richard Powell, cadet, £7 13s 4d Sergeants Henry Hezell, £7 13s 4d John Allman, £7 13s 4d George Seale, £7 13s 4d Thomas Mears, £7 13s 4d James Moraton, £7 13s 4d Thomas Peara, £7 13s 4d Sergeants in all, £46 0s 0d Corporals Abraham Jones, £5 7s 4d Timothy Rollers, £5 7s 4d Andrew Alexander, £5 7s 4d Thomas Roades, £5 7s 4d Corporals in all, £21 9s 4d Drummers John Swales, £5 7s 4d Richard Plaisford, £5 7s 4d George Watts, £5 7s 4d Drummers in all, £16 2s 0d Privates Archibald Polden, £3 16s 8d John Atwood, £3 16s 8d John Buchmans, to 7 September 1771, £2 17s 6d Moses Boffen, £3 16s 8d John Bell, £3 16s 8d Timothy Bryant, £3 16s 8d Emanuel Bonner, £3 16s 8d Privates carried over, £25 17s 6d Carried over, £1,400 3s 6d | |
23 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Private Brought over£§ §Willm. Benson§ §Richd. Brown§ §Thos. Berwick§ §Mark Balls§ §Joseph Beelman§ §Stephen Barrett§ §Joseph Battersham§ §Patrick Conner§ §John Charlton§ §Willm. Coppin§ §Arundel Carnes§ §Anthony Clark§ §John Coulson§ §John Concher§ §John Coleman§ §Ralph Cheesing§ §Wm. Catton§ §Richd. Craggs§ §John Davis§ §John Dove§ §James Drake§ §Adam Evans§ §Henry Dansbie§ §John Ellis§ §William French§ §Wm. Fowler§ §Robert Frost§ §William Greenwood§ §John Grainger§ §Private Carried over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The list of privates continued as follows. Brought over, £1,400 3s 6d Privates brought over, £25 17s 6d William Benson, £3 16s 8d Richard Brown, £3 16s 8d Thomas Berwick, £3 16s 8d Mark Balls, £3 16s 8d Joseph Beecham, £3 16s 8d Stephen Barrett, £3 16s 8d Joseph Batterham, £3 16s 8d Patrick Conner, £3 16s 8d John Charlton, £3 16s 8d William Coppin, £3 16s 8d Arundel Curnes, £3 16s 8d Anthony Clark, £3 16s 8d John Coulson, £3 16s 8d John Coucher, £3 16s 8d John Coleman, £3 16s 8d Ralph Chevening, £3 16s 8d William Catton, £3 16s 8d Richard Craggs, £3 16s 8d John Davis, £3 16s 8d John Dove, £3 16s 8d James Drake, £3 16s 8d Adam Evans, £3 16s 8d Henry Earnshaw, £3 16s 8d John Ellis, £3 16s 8d William French, £3 16s 8d William Fowler, £3 16s 8d Robert Frost, £3 16s 8d William Greenwood, £3 16s 8d John Grainger, £3 16s 8d Privates carried over, £137 0s 10d Carried over, £1,400 3s 6d | |
24 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Private brought over£§ §John Griffiths§ §John Houston§ §Philip Hayes§ §Thos. Hutching§ §Wm. Harrison§ §Edward Hayes§ §Wm. Hardie§ §Fras. Hemock§ §Wm. Johnson§ §John Jones§ §Thos. Love§ §Thos. Lanston to 7th. Septr.§ §Patrick Lynch§ §Duncan McLaren§ §Wm. Mumford§ §John McAllister decd. 7th. Septr.§ §James Miller§ §Wm. Mudge§ §Willm. Page§ §Willm. Mackey§ §Chas. Potter§ §Wm. Phillips§ §Richd. Palmer§ §John Pots§ §Wm. Robinson§ §Thos. Rogers§ §Anthony Reynolds§ §Stephen Redding§ §George Rice§ §Private Carrd. over£§ §Carrd. over£§ | The list of privates continued as follows. Brought over, £1,400 3s 6d Privates brought over, £137 0s 10d John Griffiths, £3 16s 8d John Houston, £3 16s 8d Philip Hayes, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hutching, £3 16s 8d William Harrison, £3 16s 8d Edward Hayes, £3 16s 8d William Hardie, £3 16s 8d Francis Hewick, £3 16s 8d William Johnson, £3 16s 8d John Jones, £3 16s 8d Thomas Lea, £3 16s 8d Thomas Lanston, to 7 September 1771, £2 17s 6d Patrick Lynch, £3 16s 8d Duncan McLaren, £3 16s 8d William Mumford, £3 16s 8d John McAllister, died 7 September 1771, £2 17s 6d James Miller, £3 16s 8d William Mudge, £3 16s 8d William Page, £3 16s 8d William Mackey, £3 16s 8d Charles Polter, £3 16s 8d William Phillips, £3 16s 8d Archibald Palmer, £3 16s 8d John Pitts, £3 16s 8d William Robinson, £3 16s 8d Thomas Rogers, £3 16s 8d Anthony Reynolds, £3 16s 8d Stephen Redding, £3 16s 8d George Rice, £3 16s 8d Privates carried over, £246 5s 10d Carried over, £1,400 3s 6d | |
25 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Private Brought over£§ §William Swaby§ §Jno. Stewart§ §Edward Steinston§ §Joseph Story§ §James Snell§ §William Smelt§ §Gregory Sutherwood§ §Wm. Saunders transfd. to Artily. Co. 13 August§ §Charles Smith appointed Corpl. 17 July§ §Carolous Siebert§ §Wm. Tipper Died 10th. Septr.§ §John Santon§ §Thos. Townsend§ §John Thistlewood§ §Wm. Thomas§ §John Taylor Entd. 1st. July§ §Joseph Valentine§ §John Whittingdale disch. 7th. Septr.§ §Benj. Wise§ §Thos. Windall§ §George Wall§ §Bartholomew Welch§ §John Walters§ §Henry Wood§ §John Whyle§ §John Waterfield§ §Edwd. Wickenden§ §Wm. Westbury§ §W. Warren§ §Thos. Wellington§ §Willm. Jones§ §362 . 13 . 8§ §Carried over£§ | The list of privates in the first company ended as follows. Brought over, £1,400 3s 6d Privates brought over, £246 5s 10d William Swaby, £3 16s 8d John Stuart, £3 16s 8d Edward Steinston, £3 16s 8d Joseph Stacey, £3 16s 8d James Snell, £3 16s 8d William Smelt, £3 16s 8d Gregory Sutherwood, £3 16s 8d William Saunders, transferred to the artillery company on 13 August 1771, £1 18s 4d Charles Smith, appointed corporal on 17 July 1771, £5 2s 0d Carolus Sibert, £3 16s 8d William Tipper, died 10 September 1771, £3 0s 0d John Tanton, £3 16s 8d Thomas Townsend, £3 16s 8d John Thistlewood, £3 16s 8d William Thomas, £3 16s 8d John Taylor, enlisted 1 July 1771, £3 16s 8d Joseph Valentine, £3 16s 8d John Whittingdale, discharged 7 September 1771, £2 17s 6d Benjamin Wise, £3 16s 8d Thomas Windall, £3 16s 8d George Wells, £3 16s 8d Bartholomew Welch, £3 16s 8d John Walters, £3 16s 8d Henry Wood, £3 16s 8d John Whyte, £3 16s 8d John Waterfield, £3 16s 8d Edward Wickenden, £3 16s 8d William Westbury, £3 16s 8d William Warren, £3 16s 8d Thomas Wallington, £3 16s 8d William Jones, £3 16s 8d Privates of the first company in all, £362 13s 8d Carried over, £1,762 17s 2d | |
26 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Second Company vizt.§ §Henry Bazett Captain§ §Thos. Lambert Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §John Bazett Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §Lauchlen Leslie Lieut. from 26 Augt.§ §Do. Diet Money to do.§ §Do. House Rent do.§ §14 . 9 . 9§ §Sergeants vizt.§ §Wm. Melrick§ §Fras. Seale§ §Joseph Whaley§ §James Flynn§ §William Wells§ §38 . 6 . 8§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Joseph McCartney§ §William Harris§ §Robt. Grosvenor§ §Jacob Hiram§ §John Sheens promoted§ §26 . 11 . 4§ §Drummers vizt.§ §Benj. Seale§ §John Wyzell§ §10 . 14 . 8§ §Carried over£§ | The list continued with the second company. Brought over, £1,762 17s 2d Second company Henry Bazett, captain, £59 6s 3d Thomas Lambert, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d Thomas Lambert, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Thomas Lambert, house rent, £2 10s 0d Thomas Lambert in all, £36 14s 4½d John Bazett, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d John Bazett, diet money, £6 16s 10½d John Bazett, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Bazett in all, £36 14s 4½d Lauchlan Leslie, lieutenant from 26 August 1771, salary, £10 16s 0d Lauchlan Leslie, diet money from the same date, £2 14s 0d Lauchlan Leslie, house rent from the same date, £0 19s 9d Lauchlan Leslie in all, £14 9s 9d Sergeants William Hebrick, £7 13s 4d Francis Seale, £7 13s 4d Joseph Whaley, £7 13s 4d James Flynn, £7 13s 4d William Wells, £7 13s 4d Sergeants in all, £38 6s 8d Corporals Joseph McCartney, £5 7s 4d William Harris, £5 7s 4d Robert Grosvenor, £5 7s 4d Jacob Hiram, £5 7s 4d John Sheens, promoted, £5 2s 0d Corporals in all, £26 11s 4d Drummers Benjamin Seale, £5 7s 4d John Wyzell, £5 7s 4d Drummers in all, £10 14s 8d The total carried over at the foot of the page was not entered. | |
27 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Private vizt.§ §Thos. Alesworth§ §Timothy Atherton§ §Wm. Birch 19 Days§ §Wm. Brooks§ §Danl. Bye§ §Henry Batchelor§ §John Blavin§ §James Beard§ §Charles Brewer§ §Thos. Bevan§ §Wm. Carter§ §John Cunningham§ §James Callis§ §John Coffie§ §Ferrin Clamp§ §Wm. Dennan§ §John Darby§ §Nichs. Dennis§ §Willm. Daniels§ §Danl. Dyce§ §Peter Ellam§ §David Evans§ §Wm. England 69 Days§ §James Every§ §John Evans§ §Joseph Edwards§ §John Forbes§ §Willm. Fullwood§ §John Goodsell§ §Private Carrd. over£§ §Carried over£§ | The privates of the second company were listed as follows. Brought over, £1,985 14s 7d Thomas Aldsworth, £3 16s 8d Timothy Atherton, £3 16s 8d William Birch, 19 days, £0 15s 10d William Brooks, £3 16s 8d Daniel Bye, £3 16s 8d Henry Batchelor, £3 16s 8d John Blavier, £3 16s 8d James Beard, £3 16s 8d Charles Brewer, £3 16s 8d Thomas Bevan, £3 16s 8d William Carter, £3 16s 8d John Cunningham, £3 16s 8d James Callis, £3 16s 8d John Coffee, £3 16s 8d Ferrin Clamp, £3 16s 8d William Dunnan, £3 16s 8d John Darby, £3 16s 8d Nicholas Dennis, £3 16s 8d William Daniels, £3 16s 8d Daniel Dyce, £3 16s 8d Peter Ellans, £3 16s 8d David Evans, £3 16s 8d William England, 69 days, £2 17s 6d James Every, £3 16s 8d John Evans, £3 16s 8d Jenneth Edwards, £3 16s 8d John Forbes, £3 16s 8d William Fullwood, £3 16s 8d John Goodsell, £3 16s 8d Privates carried over, £107 3s 4d Carried over, £1,985 14s 7d The total brought over here, £1,985 14s 7d, covers the second company's officers, sergeants, corporals and drummers, for which no total was entered on the previous page. | |
28 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Private Brought over£§ §John Gray§ §Rob. Green§ §Philip Gleeson§ §Richd. Godfrey§ §Daniel Grant§ §Thos. Griffiths§ §Willm. Harris§ §Saml. Hiles§ §John Holbrook§ §James Hudson§ §Thos. Hughes§ §John Ham§ §Augustine Hitchcock§ §Thos. Hart§ §Robt. Hardy§ §John Hayage§ §Chs. Holloway§ §Thos. Harrison§ §Geo. Hatch§ §Edw. Hughes§ §Saml. Instone§ §Wm. Johnson§ §John James§ §John Jacob§ §John Ince§ §Gaspar Ingerman§ §Richd. Jarram§ §Saml. Hebson§ §Henry Herdman§ §Private Carrd. over£§ §Carrd. over£§ | The privates of the second company continued as follows. Brought over, £1,985 14s 7d Privates brought over, £107 3s 4d John Gray, £3 16s 8d Robert Green, £3 16s 8d Philip Gleeson, £3 16s 8d Nicholas Godfrey, £3 16s 8d Daniel Grant, £3 16s 8d Thomas Griffiths, £3 16s 8d William Harris, £3 16s 8d Samuel Hiles, £3 16s 8d John Holbrook, £3 16s 8d James Hudson, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hayles, £3 16s 8d John Ham, £3 16s 8d Augustine Hitchcock, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hart, £3 16s 8d Robert Hardy, £3 16s 8d John Hayinge, £3 16s 8d Charles Holloway, £3 16s 8d Thomas Harrison, £3 16s 8d George Hatch, £3 16s 8d Edward Hughes, £3 16s 8d Samuel Instone, £3 16s 8d William Johnson, £3 16s 8d John James, £3 16s 8d John Jacob, £3 16s 8d John Ives, £3 16s 8d Gaspar Ackermen, £3 16s 8d Richard Jarram, £3 16s 8d Samuel Hobson, £3 16s 8d Henry Hardham, £3 16s 8d Privates carried over, £218 6s 8d Carried over, £1,985 14s 7d | |
29 | 1771§ §Brought Over£§ §Private Brought over£§ §John King§ §Wm. Kingscot§ §Thos. Little§ §John Lockhart§ §Thos. Lee§ §Henry Millard 70 Days§ §John Mears§ §John McCullent§ §Wm. McBeth§ §Thos. Morgan§ §Fras. Mears§ §Peter Mahan§ §Joseph Miller§ §Reeves Osborne§ §George Oliver 69 Days§ §John Povey§ §Stephen Prew§ §Jacob Peters§ §Saml. Parker§ §Thos. Palmer§ §Thos. Pendry§ §Wm. Paddam§ §Richd. Page§ §John Pratt§ §John Roberts§ §John Christian Ruse§ §Frederick Shaffer§ §John Sabourin§ §Saml. Steele§ §Private Carrd. over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The privates of the second company continued as follows. Brought over, £1,985 14s 7d Privates brought over, £218 6s 8d John King, £3 16s 8d William Kingscot, £3 16s 8d Thomas Little, £3 16s 8d John Lockhart, £3 16s 8d Thomas Lee, £3 16s 8d Henry Millerd, 70 days, £2 12s 9d John Mears, £3 16s 8d John McCullent, £3 16s 8d William McBeth, £3 16s 8d Thomas Morgan, £3 16s 8d Frederick Mars, £3 16s 8d Peter Mahan, £3 16s 8d Joseph Miller, £3 16s 8d Reuben Osborne, £3 16s 8d George Oliver, 69 days, £2 17s 6d John Penny, £3 16s 8d Stephen Prew, £3 16s 8d Jacob Peters, £3 16s 8d Samuel Parker, £3 16s 8d Thomas Palmer, £3 16s 8d Thomas Purdy, £3 16s 8d William Pardam, £3 16s 8d Richard Page, £3 16s 8d John Pratt, £3 16s 8d John Roberts, £3 16s 8d John Christian Arist, £3 16s 8d Frederick Shaffer, £3 16s 8d John Salmon, £3 16s 8d Samuel Steele, £3 16s 8d Privates carried over, £327 12s 6d Carried over, £1,985 14s 7d | |
30 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Private Brought over£§ §John Salisbury§ §Benj. Thomas§ §Mark Freeman§ §John Vaughan§ §Fras. Vinnelle§ §Saml. Warren§ §John Wilkinson 46 Days§ §Richd. Wite§ §356 . 7 . 6§ §Third Company vizt.§ §Richard Beale Captain§ §Thos. Bazett Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §Thos. Statham Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §Richd. Mason Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §Sergeants vizt.§ §Willm. Clifford§ §James Goudy§ §David Scott§ §Thos. Hughes§ §Wm. Wells§ §Thos. Blake§ §50 . 12§ §Carried Over£§ | The privates of the second company ended and the list went on with the third company. Brought over, £1,985 14s 7d Privates brought over, £327 12s 6d John Salisbury, £3 16s 8d Benjamin Thomas, £3 16s 8d Mark Freeman, £3 16s 8d John Vaughan, £3 16s 8d Francis Vinnille, £3 16s 8d Samuel Warren, £3 16s 8d John Wilkinson, 46 days, £1 18s 4d Richard Wels, £3 16s 8d Privates of the second company in all, £356 7s 6d Third company Richard Beale, captain, £59 6s 3d Thomas Bazett, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d Thomas Bazett, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Thomas Bazett, house rent, £2 10s 0d Thomas Bazett in all, £36 14s 4½d Thomas Statham, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d Thomas Statham, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Thomas Statham, house rent, £2 10s 0d Thomas Statham in all, £36 14s 4½d Richard Mason, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d Richard Mason, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Richard Mason, house rent, £2 10s 0d Richard Mason in all, £36 14s 4½d Sergeants William Clifford, £7 13s 4d James Goudy, £7 13s 4d David Scott, £7 13s 4d Thomas Hughes, £7 13s 4d William Wells, £7 13s 4d Thomas Blake, £7 13s 4d Sergeants in all, £50 12s 0d Carried over, £2,562 3s 5½d The sergeants' total is entered as £50 12s 0d, although the six entries come to £46 0s 0d. Six figures stand in the column against five names, so one sergeant's name may have been left out. | |
31 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Geo. Short§ §Matthew Walker§ §James York 76 Days§ §David Patten§ §Thos. Nash reduced 58 Days§ §John Merrill 29 Do.§ §25 . 18§ §Drummers vizt.§ §George Varrey§ §John Martin§ §10 . 14 . 8§ §Private vizt.§ §James Anderson§ §Richd. Ashford§ §John Arden§ §Jacob Bull§ §John Blinkorn§ §Fredk. Willm. Beard§ §James Brome§ §Rob. Bass§ §Joseph Barber§ §Joseph Burtonne§ §Thos. Brade§ §Willm. Bula§ §Rob. Brome§ §John Cork§ §Philip Cook§ §Thos. Connell§ §Rob. Coombs§ §Private Carrd. over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The list for the third company continued as follows. Brought over, £2,562 3s 5½d Corporals George Short, £5 7s 4d Matthew Walker, £5 7s 4d James York, 76 days, £4 8s 8d David Patten, £5 7s 4d Thomas Nash, reduced, 58 days, £3 7s 8d John Morrell, 39 days, £1 19s 8d Corporals in all, £25 18s 0d Drummers George Varney, £5 7s 4d John Martin, £5 7s 4d Drummers in all, £10 14s 8d Privates James Anderson, £3 16s 8d Richard Ashford, £3 16s 8d John Arden, £3 16s 8d Jacob Bull, £3 16s 8d John Blinkhorn, £3 16s 8d Frederick William Beard, £3 16s 8d James Brown, £3 16s 8d Robert Barff, £3 16s 8d Joseph Barber, £3 16s 8d Joseph Bustone, £3 16s 8d Thomas Brook, £3 16s 8d William Bula, £3 16s 8d Robert Brown, £3 16s 8d John Cork, £3 16s 8d Philip Cook, £3 16s 8d Thomas Connell, £3 16s 8d Robert Combs, £3 16s 8d Privates carried over, £65 3s 4d Carried over, £2,598 16s 1½d | |
32 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Private Brought over£§ §Jno. Corbet transfd. to Artily. 13th. August§ §Geo. Charrett§ §James Castle§ §Benj. Courtney§ §Morris Denny§ §Robt. Downe§ §Petr. Dolly§ §Thos. Deery§ §Willm. Edwards§ §Chas. Edgille§ §Thos. Elliott§ §John Ferguson§ §Thos. Ford§ §Owen Griffiths§ §Chas. Gunson§ §Felix Hyder§ §Willm. Hopkins§ §Thos. Hellock§ §Joseph Holloway§ §Peter Higgins§ §Edwd. Hassell§ §John Hilliard§ §Thos. Hayes§ §Saml. Harsant§ §John Hew§ §James Hadley§ §Richd. Hunter§ §William Hamilton§ §Robt. Johnson§ §Private Carrd. over£§ §Carried over£§ | The privates of the third company continued as follows. Brought over, £2,598 16s 1½d Privates brought over, £65 3s 4d John Corbet, transferred to the artillery company on 13 August 1771, £1 18s 4d George Charrett, £3 16s 8d James Castle, £3 16s 8d Benjamin Courtney, £3 16s 8d Morris Denny, £3 16s 8d Robert Downe, £3 16s 8d Peter Dolly, £3 16s 8d Thomas Derry, £3 16s 8d William Edwards, £3 16s 8d Charles Edgille, £3 16s 8d Thomas Elliott, £3 16s 8d John Ferguson, £3 16s 8d Thomas Ford, £3 16s 8d Owen Griffiths, £3 16s 8d Charles Gunson, £3 16s 8d Peter Hyder, £3 16s 8d William Hopkins, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hillock, £3 16s 8d Joseph Holloway, £3 16s 8d Peter Higgins, £3 16s 8d Edward Hasell, £3 16s 8d John Hilliard, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hayes, £3 16s 8d Samuel Harsant, £3 16s 8d John Hew, £3 16s 8d James Hadley, £3 16s 8d Richard Hunter, £3 16s 8d William Hamilton, £3 16s 8d Robert Johnson, £3 16s 8d Privates carried over, £174 8s 4d Carried over, £2,598 16s 1½d | |
33 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Private Brought Over£§ §Richd. Johnson§ §Willm. Johnson§ §Saml. Johnson§ §John Johnson§ §John Jacks§ §Willm. Jameson§ §Joseph Jones§ §James Kemp§ §Edw. Lambeson§ §Bryan Lynch§ §Geo. Littleton§ §John Lane§ §Willm. Lovingston§ §John Merrill prefered the 28th. August§ §Richd. Mayo§ §Thos. Morris§ §Willm. Major§ §Joseph Marlow§ §Thos. Matthews§ §Willm. Medcalf§ §Charles Morris§ §Abraham Miller§ §Thos. Nash 34 Days§ §Thos. Owens§ §Thos. Perry§ §Willm. Perkes§ §James Proctor§ §Richd. Penny§ §Willm. Powell§ §Private Carrd. over£§ §Carried over£§ | The privates of the third company continued as follows. Brought over, £2,598 16s 1½d Privates brought over, £174 8s 4d Richard Johnson, £3 16s 8d William Johnson, £3 16s 8d Samuel Johnson, £3 16s 8d John Johnson, £3 16s 8d John Jacks, £3 16s 8d William Jameson, £3 16s 8d Joseph Jones, £3 16s 8d James Kemp, £3 16s 8d Edward Lambourn, £3 16s 8d Bryan Lynch, £3 16s 8d George Littleton, £3 16s 8d John Lane, £3 16s 8d William Lovingston, £3 16s 8d John Morrell, promoted 23 August 1771, £2 8s 4d Richard Mayo, £3 16s 8d Thomas Morris, £3 16s 8d William Major, £3 16s 8d Joseph Marlow, £3 16s 8d Thomas Matthews, £3 16s 8d William Medcalf, £3 16s 8d Charles Morris, £3 16s 8d Abraham Miller, £3 16s 8d Thomas Nash, 34 days, £1 8s 4d Thomas Owens, £3 16s 8d Thomas Perry, £3 16s 8d William Parker, £3 16s 8d James Proctor, £3 16s 8d Richard Penny, £3 16s 8d William Powell, £3 16s 8d Privates carried over, £281 15s 0d Carried over, £2,598 16s 1½d Interpretations Thomas Nash appeared twice in the third company's roll. He was a corporal for 58 days and then "reduced". He was paid as a private for the remaining 34 days of the quarter. John Morrell moved the other way. He was paid as a private until his promotion on 23 August 1771, and then as a corporal for 39 days. The paymaster divided each man's quarter by the days he served in each rank, so promotion and demotion showed directly in his pay. | |
34 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Private Brought over£§ §Richd. Parker§ §Saml. Redding§ §Adam Scott§ §Willm. Smith§ §Robert Stack Died the 28th. August§ §Evan Nowland do. the 3 Sept.§ §Arthur Shell§ §John Sherland§ §Richd. Slaughter§ §Richd. Spits§ §Stephen Seymore§ §Thos. Smith§ §John Saunders§ §Richd. Stone§ §John Thompson Junr.§ §Thos. Taylor§ §John Thompson Senr.§ §George Toms§ §John Thorp disch. 7th. Septr.§ §Jacob Thompson§ §Richd. Vincent§ §Thos. Ward§ §Willm. Walker§ §Richd. White§ §Francis Wainwright§ §James York preferred the 17 July§ §374 . 15 . 10§ §Fourth Company vizt.§ §John Steward Captain§ §Carried Over£§ | The privates of the third company ended, and the list went on with the fourth company. Brought over, £2,598 16s 1½d Privates brought over, £281 15s 0d Richard Parker, £3 16s 8d Samuel Redding, £3 16s 8d Adam Scott, £3 16s 8d William Smith, £3 16s 8d Robert Stack, died 28 August 1771, £2 9s 2d Evan Nowland, died 3 September 1771, £2 14s 2d Arthur Hall, £3 16s 8d John Sherland, £3 16s 8d Richard Slaughter, £3 16s 8d Richard Spiles, £3 16s 8d Stephen Seymore, £3 16s 8d Thomas Smith, £3 16s 8d John Saunders, £3 16s 8d Richard Stone, £3 16s 8d John Thompson junior, £3 16s 8d Thomas Taylor, £3 16s 8d John Thompson senior, £3 16s 8d George Timms, £3 16s 8d John Thorp, discharged 7 September 1771, £2 17s 6d Jacob Thompson, £3 16s 8d Richard Vincent, £3 16s 8d Thomas Ward, £3 16s 8d William Walker, £3 16s 8d Richard White, £3 16s 8d Francis Wainwright, £3 16s 8d James York, promoted 17 July 1771, £0 13s 4d Privates of the third company in all, £374 15s 10d Fourth company John Steward, captain, £59 6s 3d Carried over, £3,032 18s 2½d | |
35 | 1771§ §Brought Over£§ §Saml. Desfountain Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §James Greentree Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §Robt. Gurling Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §Sergeants vizt.§ §John Moore§ §John Peak§ §John Sorey§ §Thos. Williams§ §Thos. Aylock§ §38 . 6 . 8§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Geo. Wood§ §Benj. Garrard§ §Willm. Sharpe§ §Geo. Smith§ §Willm. Tucker§ §26 . 16 . 8§ §Drummers vizt.§ §James Moyce§ §John Harper§ §10 . 14 . 8§ §Carried Over£§ | The list for the fourth company continued as follows. Brought over, £3,032 18s 2½d Samuel De Fountain, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d Samuel De Fountain, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Samuel De Fountain, house rent, £2 10s 0d Samuel De Fountain in all, £36 14s 4½d James Greentree, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d James Greentree, diet money, £6 16s 10½d James Greentree, house rent, £2 10s 0d James Greentree in all, £36 14s 4½d Robert Gurling, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d Robert Gurling, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Robert Gurling, house rent, £2 10s 0d Robert Gurling in all, £36 14s 4½d Sergeants John Moore, £7 13s 4d John Peak, £7 13s 4d John Seery, £7 13s 4d Thomas Williams, £7 13s 4d Thomas Hylock, £7 13s 4d Sergeants in all, £38 6s 8d Corporals George Wood, £5 7s 4d Benjamin Garrard, £5 7s 4d William Sharpe, £5 7s 4d George Smith, £5 7s 4d William Tucker, £5 7s 4d Corporals in all, £26 16s 8d Drummers James Mayce, £5 7s 4d John Sharper, £5 7s 4d Drummers in all, £10 14s 8d Carried over, £3,218 19s 4d Interpretations The fourth company's lieutenants came from three of the island's settler families: De Fountain, Greentree and Gurling. All three names appear decades later in the vestry book as landholders, churchwardens and payers of the poll tax. The Company's island regiment recruited its officers from the planter families, while most of its privates were soldiers sent out from Britain. That pattern helps explain why the same few families dominated both the military and the civil life of St Helena for generations. | |
36 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Private vizt.§ §John Allen§ §John Anderson§ §Henry Bayfield§ §Geo. Bennet§ §Joseph Blackwell§ §John Bowler§ §Richd. Bickerstaff§ §Thos. Bailey§ §Willm. Blackman§ §Willm. Caleb Baldwin§ §James Boyce§ §Jacob Berg§ §John Boles§ §Rob. Burkis§ §John Bread§ §Jos. Butcher§ §Willm. Cocksey§ §Duncan Camron died 27 Septr.§ §Richd. Close§ §Josiah Cummings§ §John Clemen§ §Thos. Christian§ §Saml. Claire§ §John Campion§ §John Collins§ §Thos. Dawson§ §John Dennis§ §John Dean§ §Private Carrd. over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The privates of the fourth company were listed as follows. Brought over, £3,218 19s 4d John Allen, £3 16s 8d John Anderson, £3 16s 8d Henry Byfield, £3 16s 8d George Bennet, £3 16s 8d Joseph Blackwell, £3 16s 8d John Bowler, £3 16s 8d Richard Bickerstaff, £3 16s 8d Thomas Bailey, £3 16s 8d William Blackman, £3 16s 8d William Caleb Baldwin, £3 16s 8d James Boyce, £3 16s 8d Jacob Berg, £3 16s 8d John Bates, £3 16s 8d Robert Burke, £3 16s 8d John Broad, £3 16s 8d Joseph Butcher, £3 16s 8d William Cobsey, £3 16s 8d Duncan Cameron, died 27 September 1771, £3 14s 2d Richard Close, £3 16s 8d Josiah Cummings, £3 16s 8d John Chapman, £3 16s 8d Thomas Christian, £3 16s 8d Samuel Claire, £3 16s 8d John Campion, £3 16s 8d John Collins, £3 16s 8d Thomas Dawson, £3 16s 8d John Dennis, £3 16s 8d John Dean, £3 16s 8d Privates carried over, £107 4s 2d Carried over, £3,218 19s 4d | |
37 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Private Brought over£§ §John Eastman§ §Charles Field§ §Henry Friendly§ §Thos. Ferris§ §Willm. Faircliff§ §Fras. Flynn§ §Geo. Green§ §John Gilmore§ §Edwd. German§ §Rob. Goodfellow§ §Fredk. Gollaset§ §Willm. Goulding§ §Edward Groves§ §Henry Havenberg§ §Roger Hayden§ §Henry Hamilton§ §Thos. Hilliard§ §Rob. Harmer transfd. to Artily. 13th. Augt.§ §Willm. Hayles§ §Christian Johnson§ §Thos. Johnson§ §John Johnson§ §John Joyce§ §James Jordan§ §John Jones§ §Geo. German§ §Richd. Kempton§ §Michael Leary§ §Thos. Lyne§ §Private Carrd. over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The privates of the fourth company continued as follows. Brought over, £3,218 19s 4d Privates brought over, £107 4s 2d John Eastman, £3 16s 8d Charles Field, £3 16s 8d Henry Friendly, £3 16s 8d Thomas Jones, £3 16s 8d William Fairclift, £3 16s 8d Francis Flynn, £3 16s 8d George Green, £3 16s 8d John Gilmore, £3 16s 8d Edward German, £3 16s 8d Robert Goodfellow, £3 16s 8d Frederick Gollasel, £3 16s 8d William Golding, £3 16s 8d Edward Groves, £3 16s 8d Henry Ravenberg, £3 16s 8d Roger Hayden, £3 16s 8d Henry Hamilton, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hilliard, £3 16s 8d Robert Harmer, transferred to the artillery company on 13 August 1771, £1 18s 4d William Hayles, £3 16s 8d Christian Johnson, £3 16s 8d Thomas Johnson, £3 16s 8d John Johnson, £3 16s 8d John Joyce, £3 16s 8d James Jordan, £3 16s 8d John Jones, £3 16s 8d George German, £3 16s 8d Richard Kempton, £3 16s 8d Michael Leary, £3 16s 8d Thomas Lyne, £3 16s 8d Privates carried over, £216 9s 2d Carried over, £3,218 19s 4d Interpretations Robert Harmer was one of three privates moved to the artillery company on 13 August 1771, along with William Saunders and John Corbet. Each came from a different infantry company. That fits Captain Tippet's account of being ordered to bring the artillery company up to full strength by drafting men from all four companies. Taking one of those men from Corneille's own company was the incident that led to their quarrel over the drafting. | |
38 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Private Brought over£§ §Charles Lewellen§ §Timothy Lacy disch. 7th. Septr.§ §John Moyce§ §Rob. May§ §Willm. Morgan§ §Murdock McLeod§ §Thos. McDinman§ §John Marsh§ §John Newton§ §John Oswald§ §Daniel Patrick§ §Willm. Parker§ §John Pritchard§ §John Peck§ §Stephen Phere§ §Willm. Powell§ §Michael Pierson§ §James Richardson§ §Willm. Sedman§ §Willm. Sedman§ §James Sax§ §Charles Smith§ §James Sheppard§ §John Stockdale§ §Thos. Stephens§ §Willm. Taylor§ §Thos. Sedman died 26 August§ §John Turner§ §Stephen Vanderhorst§ §Private Carrd. over£§ §Carried over£§ | The privates of the fourth company continued as follows. Brought over, £3,218 19s 4d Privates brought over, £216 9s 2d Charles Lewellen, £3 16s 8d Timothy Lacy, discharged 7 September 1771, £2 17s 6d John Moyce, £3 16s 8d Robert May, £3 16s 8d William Morgan, £3 16s 8d Murdoch McLeod, £3 16s 8d Thomas McDinman, £3 16s 8d John Marsh, £3 16s 8d John Newton, £3 16s 8d John Oswald, £3 16s 8d Daniel Patrick, £3 16s 8d William Parker, £3 16s 8d John Pritchard, £3 16s 8d John Peck, £3 16s 8d Stephen Phew, £3 16s 8d William Powell, £3 16s 8d Michael Pearson, £3 16s 8d James Richardson, £3 16s 8d William Seaman, £3 16s 8d William Stedman, £3 16s 8d James Sax, £3 16s 8d Charles Smith, £3 16s 8d James Sheppard, £3 16s 8d John Stockdale, £3 16s 8d Thomas Stephens, £3 16s 8d William Taylor, £3 16s 8d Thomas Tidman, died 26 August 1771, £2 7s 6d John Turner, £3 16s 8d Stephen Vanderhorst, £3 16s 8d Privates carried over, £325 4s 2d Carried over, £3,218 19s 4d | |
39 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Private Brought over£§ §Willm. Ward§ §Thos. Walls§ §James Willson§ §John Wood§ §John West§ §John Windall§ §John Wilkinson§ §Robert Woody§ §Peter White§ §Samuel Willson§ §James Wells§ §367 . 7 . 6§ §Artillery Company vizt.§ §James Tippet Captain§ §Thos. Leech Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §John Hartley Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §Robert Gellson Lieut.§ §Do. Diet Money§ §Do. House Rent§ §36 . 14 . 4½§ §Sergeants vizt.§ §John Whitchurch§ §John Turner§ §James Pagett§ §Thos. Jones§ §36 . 16§ §Carried Over£§ | The privates of the fourth company ended, and the list went on with the artillery company. Brought over, £3,218 19s 4d Privates brought over, £325 4s 2d William Ward, £3 16s 8d Thomas Watts, £3 16s 8d James Wilson, £3 16s 8d John Wood, £3 16s 8d John West, £3 16s 8d John Windall, £3 16s 8d John Wilkinson, £3 16s 8d Robert Woody, £3 16s 8d Peter White, £3 16s 8d Samuel Wilson, £3 16s 8d James Wells, £3 16s 8d Privates of the fourth company in all, £367 7s 6d Artillery company James Tippet, captain, £50 6s 3d Thomas Leech, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d Thomas Leech, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Thomas Leech, house rent, £2 10s 0d Thomas Leech in all, £36 14s 4½d John Shatley, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d John Shatley, diet money, £6 16s 10½d John Shatley, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Shatley in all, £36 14s 4½d Robert Gillson, lieutenant, salary, £27 7s 6d Robert Gillson, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Robert Gillson, house rent, £2 10s 0d Robert Gillson in all, £36 14s 4½d Sergeants John Whitchurch, £9 4s 0d John Turner, £9 4s 0d James Parfitt, £9 4s 0d Thomas Jones, £9 4s 0d Sergeants in all, £36 16s 0d Carried over, £3,792 12s 2½d Interpretations The artillery paid more than the infantry at every rank shown. Its sergeants drew £9 4s 0d a quarter against £7 13s 4d for an infantry sergeant. Gunners needed technical skill in handling powder and laying guns, and the Company paid accordingly. The difference supports Captain Tippet's view of the artillery as a separate and superior service. It also explains why he resented being put on the infantry captains' duty roster. Tippet drew £50 6s 3d as captain of the artillery company on top of his £52 10s 0d as engineer. With both posts, his pay for the quarter came to more than £100, well above the Deputy Governor's £87 10s 0d, though Corneille also drew £59 6s 3d as captain of the first company. The two men at the centre of the quarrel each held a civil or technical post and a company command. In practice they were nearly equal in pay and standing, which helps explain why neither would give way to the other. | |
40 | 21st. October§ §Brought Over£§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Sedgwick Witherall§ §Benj. Holmes§ §Saml. Ringrove§ §James Waller§ §27 . 12§ §Bombardiers vizt.§ §Willm. Crabb§ §John Fox§ §William Peak§ §William Stapleford§ §27 . 12§ §Gunners vizt.§ §John Smith§ §Thos. Yates§ §Philip Conway§ §Willm. Rankin§ §William Harper§ §John Tower§ §Charles Abraham§ §Willm. Downing§ §James Graham§ §55 . 4§ §Drummers vizt.§ §Joseph Purdey§ §Joseph Branston§ §10 . 14 . 8§ §William Gipping Fifer§ §Carried Over£§ | The list for the artillery company continued as follows. Brought over, £3,792 12s 2½d Corporals Sedgwick Witherall, £6 18s 0d Benjamin Holmes, £6 18s 0d Samuel Kingrove, £6 18s 0d James Walker, £6 18s 0d Corporals in all, £27 12s 0d Bombardiers William Crabb, £6 18s 0d John Fox, £6 18s 0d William Peak, £6 18s 0d William Stapleford, £6 18s 0d Bombardiers in all, £27 12s 0d Gunners John Smith, £6 2s 8d Thomas Yates, £6 2s 8d Philip Conway, £6 2s 8d William Rankin, £6 2s 8d William Harper, £6 2s 8d John Towers, £6 2s 8d Charles Abraham, £6 2s 8d William Dowing, £6 2s 8d James Graham, £6 2s 8d Gunners in all, £55 4s 0d Drummers Joseph Purdey, £5 7s 4d Joseph Branston, £5 7s 4d Drummers in all, £10 14s 8d William Gipping, fifer, £4 12s 0d Carried over, £3,918 6s 10½d Interpretations The artillery company had ranks the infantry lacked. Bombardiers were junior non-commissioned gunners who prepared shells, fuses and mortars, and they drew the same pay as corporals. Even an ordinary gunner earned £6 2s 8d a quarter, well above an infantry private's £3 16s 8d. The higher pay reflected the skill needed to work the island's batteries, which were its main defence against attack from the sea. The fifer marks the artillery's own music, separate from the infantry drummers. | |
41 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Matrosses vizt.§ §William Allen§ §Thos. Alesworth§ §John Anderson Entd. 1st. July§ §Benj. Burton do.§ §Willm. Bowen§ §Joseph Bowman§ §Thos. Brown§ §John Cope§ §Rob. Cunningham§ §Matt. Charlton§ §John Coleman§ §Matt. Cowen§ §Willm. Caldron§ §John Corbet Entd. 13th. August§ §Willm. Durham§ §James Dunn§ §James Dawson§ §John Dors§ §John Easton§ §Patrick Edrington§ §Joseph Fellows§ §Thos. Farr§ §Joseph Finlinson§ §Christian Greenawalt§ §Thos. Grall§ §Thos. Green Died 20 August§ §James Gillmore§ §Thos. Green Junr.§ §Matrosses Carrd. over£§ §Carried over£§ | The list of the artillery company continued with the matrosses. Brought over, £3,918 6s 10½d William Allen, £4 12s 0d Thomas Alesworth, £4 12s 0d John Anderson, enlisted 1 July 1771, £4 12s 0d Benjamin Burton, enlisted 1 July 1771, £4 12s 0d William Bowen, £4 12s 0d Joseph Bowman, £4 12s 0d Thomas Brown, £4 12s 0d John Cope, £4 12s 0d Robert Cunningham, £4 12s 0d Matthew Charlton, £4 12s 0d John Coleman, £4 12s 0d Matthew Craven, £4 12s 0d William Calderon, £4 12s 0d John Corbet, enlisted 13 August 1771, £2 6s 0d William Durham, £4 12s 0d James Dunn, £4 12s 0d James Dawson, £4 12s 0d John Dars, £4 12s 0d John Easton, £4 12s 0d Patrick Edrington, £4 12s 0d Joseph Fellows, £4 12s 0d Thomas Farr, £4 12s 0d Joseph Finlinson, £4 12s 0d Christian Greenawalt, £4 12s 0d Thomas Gimball, £4 12s 0d Thomas Green, died 20 August 1771, £2 11s 0d James Gilmore, £4 12s 0d Thomas Green junior, £4 12s 0d Matrosses carried over, £121 9s 0d Carried over, £3,918 6s 10½d Interpretations Matrosses were the lowest rank in the artillery, assistants to the gunners who hauled guns, carried powder and shot and sponged out the barrels. Even so, they drew £4 12s 0d a quarter, more than an infantry private. John Corbet appears here from 13 August 1771, the day he was transferred from the third company, and his pay was split between the two companies at that date. The artillery's higher pay explains why a transfer from the infantry counted as a step up. | |
42 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Matrosses Brought over£§ §James Griffiths§ §Willm. Gray§ §Owen Howard§ §Alexr. Henderson§ §Frances Harding§ §Mullus Hooper§ §Willm. Harrison§ §Maynard Hayes§ §Rob. Harmer Entd. 13th. August§ §Willm. Jenkins§ §Matt. Harman§ §John Lawson 90 Days§ §Geo. Marshall§ §John Moore§ §Richd. Morgan§ §John Mann§ §John Miller§ §Evan Martin§ §John Munnings§ §Jonathan Mallet§ §Jno. McGuire Entd. 1st. July disch. 7th. Septr.§ §Thos. Nimble§ §Robt. Nicholls§ §Willm. Philips§ §James Peacock§ §John Parker§ §Richd. Pearce§ §Thos. Price§ §Willm. Robinson§ §Charles Russell§ §Matrosses Carrd. over£§ §Carried over£§ | The list of matrosses continued as follows. Brought over, £3,918 6s 10½d Matrosses brought over, £124 9s 0d James Griffiths, £4 12s 0d William Gray, £4 12s 0d Owen Stewart, £4 12s 0d Alexander Henderson, £4 12s 0d Francis Harding, £4 12s 0d Mullins Hooper, £4 12s 0d William Harrison, £4 12s 0d Maynard Hayes, £4 12s 0d Robert Harmer, enlisted 13 August 1771, £2 6s 0d William Jenkins, £4 12s 0d Matthew Harman, £4 12s 0d John Lawson, 90 days, £4 10s 0d George Marshall, £4 12s 0d John Moore, £4 12s 0d Richard Morgan, £4 12s 0d John Mann, £4 12s 0d John Miller, £4 12s 0d Pierce Martin, £4 12s 0d John Munnings, £4 12s 0d Jonathan Mallet, £4 12s 0d John McGuire, enlisted 1 July 1771, discharged 7 September 1771, £3 9s 0d Thomas Nimble, £4 12s 0d Robert Nicholls, £4 12s 0d William Phillips, £4 12s 0d James Peacock, £4 12s 0d John Parker, £4 12s 0d Richard Pearce, £4 12s 0d Thomas Price, £4 12s 0d William Robinson, £4 12s 0d Charles Russell, £4 12s 0d Matrosses carried over, £253 18s 0d Carried over, £3,918 6s 10½d The matrosses' total carried over from the previous page should read £124 9s 0d, not £121 9s 0d. | |
43 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Matrosses Brought over£§ §Abraham Renew§ §Andrew Schorner§ §Godfrey Smith§ §Stephen Swanson§ §Willm. Shore§ §Geo. Scott§ §John Smith§ §John Howell§ §Thos. Sabery§ §Richd. Sentley§ §Willm. Smith§ §Willm. Saunders Entd. 13th. August§ §Richd. Waterhouse§ §John Willson Senr.§ §John White§ §Saml. Wood§ §Willm. Radin§ §John Wright§ §Edwd. Ware§ §Thos. Wade§ §Jno. Willson Junr.§ §John Wilkinson Entd. 13th. August§ §Rob. Riley§ §John Robinson§ §364 . 14§ §Pensioners vizt.§ §Nathan Campbell§ §Michael Frost§ §Mary Beale§ §Eliz. Kennedy§ §42 . 11 . 10§ §£4325 . 12 . 8½§ | The list of matrosses ended, and the pay list closed with the pensioners. Brought over, £3,918 6s 10½d Matrosses brought over, £258 18s 0d Abraham Renew, £4 12s 0d Andrew Schooner, £4 12s 0d Godfrey Smith, £4 12s 0d Stephen Swanson, £4 12s 0d William Shore, £4 12s 0d George Scott, £4 12s 0d John Smith, £4 12s 0d John Sowell, £4 12s 0d Thomas Sobery, £4 12s 0d Michael Scatley, £4 12s 0d William Smith, £4 12s 0d William Saunders, enlisted 13 August 1771, £2 6s 0d Richard Waterhouse, £4 12s 0d John Willson senior, £4 12s 0d John White, £4 12s 0d Samuel Wood, £4 12s 0d William Barden, £4 12s 0d John Bright, £4 12s 0d Edward Ware, £4 12s 0d Thomas Wade, £4 12s 0d John Willson junior, £4 12s 0d John Wilkinson, enlisted 13 August 1771, £2 6s 0d Robert Riley, £4 12s 0d John Robinson, £4 12s 0d Artillery matrosses in all, £364 14s 0d Pensioners Nathan Campbell, £13 15s 11d Michael Frost, £13 15s 11d Mary Beale, £7 10s 0d Elizabeth Kennedy, £7 10s 0d Pensioners in all, £42 11s 10d Total, £4,325 12s 8½d The matrosses brought over here, £258 18s 0d, differ from the £253 18s 0d carried forward at the foot of the previous page. Interpretations The Company's quarterly pay bill came to £4,325 12s 8½d, about £17,300 a year. The garrison of four infantry companies and an artillery company made up the great bulk of it. The civil establishment, from the Governor down to the gardener, cost far less. St Helena was above all a fortress and a victualling station, and the Company paid for it as such. The Company paid pensions to two men and two women. Mary Beale and Elizabeth Kennedy were probably widows of Company servants or officers. Nathan Campbell and Michael Frost were probably old soldiers, paid more than the widows. This small list was the Company's own provision for its dependants. It ran entirely separate from the parish's poor relief, which supported the island's other poor. | |
44 | 21st. October§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. To Cash£§ §Carried Over£§ | The debit side of the account of William Wrangham, the paymaster, recorded the following. 30 September 1771, cash, £5,196 16s ½d Carried over, £5,196 16s ½d Interpretations Wrangham's debit of £5,196 16s ½d was the cash he held to pay the Company's establishment for the quarter. It was about £870 more than the pay list of £4,325 12s 8½d. The difference probably covered other payments he made, which would appear on the credit side of his account. | |
45 | 1771§ §1771§ §July 13th. By Cash paid Saml. Knipe for taking a Runaway Black who had Absconded above a fortnight§ §By do. paid Nogueda Paolam & Massinga for their Allowance of Arrack short delivered in the two last Quarters§ §By do. paid the Clerk of Arraignments & Crier of the Court of Justice§ §By do. paid the Clerk of the Peace his Bill of Costs for the Trial of Andrew Ledrick and Stephen Swanson Soldiers§ §By do. paid for a Case of Pickles for the Honble. Company's Table§ §By do. paid for Redeeming a Hog belonging to the Honble. Company that was pounded§ §August 13th. By do. paid for the following for the Honble. Company's Table vizt.§ §1 Ham wt. 14 @ 4½d.§ §1 Jar Mangoes§ §174 Tamarind @ 9d.§ §1 Jar Ancahmeats§ §120 lb. Beef§ §12 . 2 . 1§ §22 By do. paid Captn. Eglenton of Ship Prince for 123 Pieces Salt Meat§ §By do. paid Robt. Barclay Surgeon for his Subsistance of Peter Liddington and Peter White two Charter party passengers left sick out of the Northington§ §Carried over£§ | The credit side of the paymaster's account recorded the following payments. 13 July 1771, Samuel Knipe, for taking a runaway black who had absconded about a fortnight, £1 5s 0d 13 July 1771, Negueda, Paolam and Massinge, for their allowance of arrack delivered short in the last two quarters, £3 15s 0d 13 July 1771, clerk of arraignments, for copies for the court of justice, £0 12s 6d 13 July 1771, clerk of the peace, his bill of costs for the trial of Andrew Fodrick and Stephen Swanson, soldiers, £2 7s 2d 13 July 1771, a case of pickles for the Company's table, £2 10s 0d 13 July 1771, redeeming a hog belonging to the Company that was impounded, £0 5s 0d 15 August 1771, for the Company's table, 1 ham weighing 14 lb at 1s 3d a pound, £0 17s 6d 15 August 1771, for the Company's table, 1 jar of mangoes, £1 5s 0d 15 August 1771, for the Company's table, 174 tamarinds at 9d, £6 10s 6d 15 August 1771, for the Company's table, 1 jar of sweetmeats, £0 15s 0d 15 August 1771, for the Company's table, 120 lb of beef, £2 14s 1d 15 August 1771, for the Company's table in all, £12 2s 1d 22 August 1771, Captain Eglinton of the *Prime*, for 123 pieces of salt meat, £123 6s 0d 22 August 1771, Robert Barclay, surgeon, for the keep of Peter Liddington and Peter White, two charter-party passengers left sick from the *Northington*, £2 12s 6d Carried over, £148 15s 3d Interpretations The Company paid Samuel Knipe a reward of £1 5s 0d for catching a runaway slave who had been at large for about a fortnight. Rewards for recapture gave settlers a reason to hunt down fugitives. The payment came from Company funds, so the Company itself enforced slavery on behalf of private owners. Negueda, Paolam and Massinge received compensation for arrack delivered short. Their names suggest they were Asian or Malagasy, perhaps Company slaves or lascars, who drew a ration of spirits as part of their keep. When casks arrived part-empty, as with the Duke of Portland's leaguers, the Company made up the shortfall in cash. The Company's table was the common mess where the Governor, Council and covenanted servants ate, paid for by the Company. Mangoes, tamarinds and sweetmeats were bought from passing India ships. Tamarind, a sour fruit pulp, and mangoes, usually pickled or preserved, were Indian delicacies. Buying them gave the island's officials a taste of the East at the Company's expense. | |
46 | 21st. October§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. To Cash Brought Over£§ §Carried over£§ | The debit side of William Wrangham's account carried the cash balance forward unchanged. 30 September 1771, cash brought over, £5,196 16s ½d Carried over, £5,196 16s ½d | |
47 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §1771§ §August 22 By Cash paid John Robins for 2 lb. Solder for the use of the Lieut. Govr. House§ §By do. paid for the following for the Honble. Company's Table vizt.§ §11 doz. Eggs£§ §1 Pig§ §7½ Pork§ §6 Fowls§ §100 Lemons§ §4 Japan Waiters§ §1 Pot Mince Meat§ §1 Firkin Butter§ §7 . 4 . 9§ §By do. paid Captn. Eglenton of Ship Prince £5 each for the Passage of the following Invalid Soldiers to England vizt.§ §James McGuire£§ §John Wittingdale§ §Thos. Langston§ §Willm. England§ §Geo. Oliver§ §John Thorp§ §Timothy Lacy§ §35§ §By do. paid Labourers Work in bringing Goods from the Crane received from Ships Egmont, Lord Mansfield, Lion, Britton & Pigot§ §Carried Over£§ | The paymaster's payments continued as follows. Brought over, £148 15s 3d 22 August 1771, John Robins, for 2 lb of solder for the Deputy Governor's house, £0 6s 0d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table, 11 dozen eggs, £0 16s 6d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table, 1 pig, £0 5s 0d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table, 7½ lb of pork, £0 3s 9d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table, 6 fowls, £0 9s 0d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table, 100 lemons, £0 2s 6d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table, 4 Japan waiters, £0 10s 0d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table, 1 pot of mincemeat, £0 18s 0d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table, 1 firkin of butter, £4 0s 0d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table in all, £7 4s 9d 22 August 1771, Captain Eglinton of the *Prime*, passage to England for invalid soldiers at £5 each, James McGuire, £5 0s 0d 22 August 1771, the same, John Whittingdale, £5 0s 0d 22 August 1771, the same, Thomas Langston, £5 0s 0d 22 August 1771, the same, William England, £5 0s 0d 22 August 1771, the same, George Oliver, £5 0s 0d 22 August 1771, the same, John Thorp, £5 0s 0d 22 August 1771, the same, Timothy Lacy, £5 0s 0d 22 August 1771, passages of invalid soldiers in all, £35 0s 0d 22 August 1771, labourers' work in bringing goods from the crane received from the ships *Egmont*, *Lord Mansfield*, *Lord Clive* and *Pigot*, £1 19s 6d Carried over, £210 12s 0d Interpretations The seven invalid soldiers sent home on the Prime included several men shown in the pay list as discharged on 7 September 1771, such as Whittingdale, Thorp and Lacy. A soldier too sick or worn out to serve was shipped back to England at the Company's cost rather than left on the island. The Company paid ships' captains £5 a head for the passage. That cost far less than keeping an unfit man on pay or as a pensioner. It also kept the island from carrying worn-out soldiers who might otherwise fall on its relief. Japan waiters were small trays coated in hard black lacquer, an Asian craft imitated in Europe. Like the pickles, mangoes and tamarinds, they were goods brought by the India ships that the Company's table could buy at the island. The firkin of butter, a small cask of about 56 lb, was the costliest single item at £4 0s 0d. Butter was scarce on St Helena and had to be imported or made in small quantities. | |
48 | 21st. October§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. To Cash Brought Over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The debit side of William Wrangham's account again carried the cash balance forward unchanged. 30 September 1771, cash brought over, £5,196 16s ½d Carried over, £5,196 16s ½d | |
49 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §1771§ §August 22d. By Cash paid for the following for the Honorable Company's Table vizt.§ §8 Hams @ 1/3 pr. lb.£§ §1 Cheese 27 @ 1/3§ §201 Beef§ §11 . 2 . 6§ §Septr. 22d. By Cash paid Geo. Leech for Overseeing the New Road up Ladder-Hill from the 3d. August§ §By do. pd. Free Moses for 12 lb. 19 Hills @ 3/6 pr. C.§ §By do. pd. the Lieut. Govr. his Allowance for Mutton§ §By do. pd. the Fife Major for teaching the Young Fifers§ §By do. pd. Thos. Jordan for Working in the Long Wood§ §By do. pd. 24 Days Subsistance of Sick Soldiers 6d. ea.§ §By do. pd. Willm. Jenkins for Baking 169 Batches Bread for the Garrison @ 20d. ea.§ §By do. pd. for the following for the Honble. Company's Table vizt.§ §4 Pigs£§ §1½ doz. Fowls§ §7 doz. Eggs§ §3 Ducks§ §200 Lemons§ §117½ Beef§ §5 . 16§ §By do. pd. 156 Days Stone layers Work in making a new Road up Ladder Hill§ §By do. pd. for 336 Days Lab. Work in taking an Inventory of the Stores & bring. Goods from the Crane recd. from Ship Pigot§ §Carried Over£§ | The paymaster's payments continued as follows. Brought over, £210 12s 0d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table, 8 hams at 1s 3d a pound, £5 5s 0d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table, 1 cheese of 27 lb at 1s 3d a pound, £1 13s 9d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table, 201 lb of beef, £4 3s 9d 22 August 1771, for the Company's table in all, £11 2s 6d 22 September 1771, George Leech, for overseeing the new road up Ladder Hill from 3 August 1771, £4 10s 8d 22 September 1771, Free Moses, for 19 days 14 hours [...] at 2s 6d a day, £2 14s 7d 22 September 1771, the Deputy Governor, his allowance for mutton, £3 0s 0d 22 September 1771, the fife major, for teaching the young fifers, £2 6s 0d 22 September 1771, Thomas Jordan, for working in the Long Wood, £3 16s 0d 22 September 1771, 24 days' keep of sick soldiers at 6d a day, £0 12s 0d 22 September 1771, William Jenkins, for baking 169 batches of bread for the garrison at 20d a batch, £14 1s 8d 22 September 1771, for the Company's table, 4 pigs, £1 0s 0d 22 September 1771, for the Company's table, 1½ dozen fowls, £1 7s 0d 22 September 1771, for the Company's table, 7 dozen eggs, £0 10s 6d 22 September 1771, for the Company's table, 3 ducks, £0 4s 6d 22 September 1771, for the Company's table, 200 lemons, £0 5s 0d 22 September 1771, for the Company's table, 117½ lb of beef, £2 9s 0d 22 September 1771, for the Company's table in all, £5 16s 0d 22 September 1771, 156 days' stonelayers' work in making a new road up Ladder Hill, £23 8s 0d 22 September 1771, 336 days' labourers' work in taking the general inventory of the stores and bringing goods from the crane received from the ship *Pigot*, £16 16s 0d Carried over, £298 15s 5d Interpretations The Company was building a new road up Ladder Hill, the steep cliff west of Jamestown, in 1771. It paid an overseer and 156 days of stonelayers' work in a single quarter. This road, cut into the cliff face, was the main route out of the town to the country and Plantation House. Fifty years later the vestry book records its repair and a proposed toll gate on it. Its making began under the Company here. Free Moses was paid 2s 6d a day for 19 days' work, which made him a hired labourer. The word "free" marked him as a freed black, distinct from the Company's slaves, who worked without wages. The Company employed free blacks for pay alongside its own slaves on public works. His daily rate matched that of a skilled tradesman, which suggests he was more than a common labourer. | |
50 | 21st. October§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. To Cash brought over£§ §Carried over£§ | The debit side of William Wrangham's account again carried the cash balance forward unchanged. 30 September 1771, cash brought over, £5,196 16s ½d Carried over, £5,196 16s ½d | |
51 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. By Cash pd. John Anderson, John Taylor & James McGuire £3 ea. for Enlisting to serve the Honble. Company five Years as Soldiers subject to the Articles of War from 1st. July 1771§ §By do. pd. the following Disch. Soldiers for Relisting to serve the Honble. Company 5 Years longer subject to the Articles of War their respective times to commence as follows vizt.§ §Maynard Hayes from 3d. July£§ §Reeves Osborne from 3d. July§ §James Richardson 3d. do.§ §John Dove 11 Septr.§ §40§ §By do. pd. for a Yawl§ §By do. pd. John Price Sexton for Funerals of ten Deceased Soldiers @ 2/6 ea.§ §By do. pd. do. as Marshall for Punishmts. & Imprisonments§ §By do. pd. Edw. Daniells Mason for House Rent§ §By do. pd. Nogueda Paolam & Massinga their customary allowance & for Salt Provisions and House Rent§ §By do. pd. for five Expresses upon Alarms§ §By do. pd. 171½ Days Smiths Work in cleaning Small Arms§ §By do. pd. 11 Days Carpent. Work at the Plantn. House§ §By do. pd. for the follow. Work at Old Womans Valley vizt.§ §173½ days Lab. Work£§ §30 do. Boatswains§ §160½ do. Masons§ §128½ do. Stone Hewers§ §32 do. Coopers§ §11 do. Smiths§ §114 . 6 . 2§ §Carried over£§ | The paymaster's payments continued as follows. Brought over, £298 15s 5d 30 September 1771, John Anderson, John Taylor and James McGuire, £3 each for enlisting to serve the Company 5 years as soldiers under the Articles of War from 1 July 1771, £9 0s 0d 30 September 1771, discharged soldiers re-enlisting for a further 5 years under the Articles of War, Maynard Hayes, from 3 July 1771, £10 0s 0d 30 September 1771, the same, Reuben Osborne, from 3 July 1771, £10 0s 0d 30 September 1771, the same, James Richardson, from 3 July 1771, £10 0s 0d 30 September 1771, the same, John Dove, from 11 September 1771, £10 0s 0d 30 September 1771, re-enlistments in all, £40 0s 0d 30 September 1771, a yawl, £8 0s 0d 30 September 1771, John Price, sexton, for the funerals of 10 deceased soldiers at 2s 6d each, £1 5s 0d 30 September 1771, John Price, as marshal, for punishments and imprisonments, £0 10s 0d 30 September 1771, Edward Daniels, mason, for house rent, £5 0s 0d 30 September 1771, Negueda, Paolam and Massinge, their customary allowance and salt provisions and house rent, £6 11s 0d 30 September 1771, 5 express messengers sent on alarms, £1 5s 0d 30 September 1771, 77½ days' smiths' work in cleaning small arms, £5 15s 10d 30 September 1771, 11 days' carpenters' work at Plantation House, £0 16s 6d 30 September 1771, Old Woman's Valley, 173½ days' labourers' work, £87 3s 6d 30 September 1771, Old Woman's Valley, 30 days' boatswains' work, £2 5s 0d 30 September 1771, Old Woman's Valley, 160½ days' masons' work, £12 0s 5d 30 September 1771, Old Woman's Valley, 128½ days' stone hewers' work, £9 12s 9d 30 September 1771, Old Woman's Valley, 32 days' [...] work, £2 8s 0d 30 September 1771, Old Woman's Valley, 11 days' smiths' work, £0 16s 6d 30 September 1771, Old Woman's Valley in all, £114 6s 2d Carried over, £491 4s 11d Interpretations The Company paid £10 to each discharged soldier who signed on for five more years, but only £3 to a new recruit. Trained men already acclimatised to the island were worth far more than raw recruits. A soldier sent from England cost a passage and months of training. He also had to survive the voyage. Paying a large bounty to keep a seasoned man cost less than replacing him. This was how the garrison held its strength on a station where every recruit had to come by sea. The large works at Old Woman's Valley used labourers, masons, stone hewers and smiths. That points to a fortification or landing defence, since the valley opened onto the coast. Express messengers sent on alarms carried warning across the island when a strange sail was sighted. The island was fortified and guarded against attack from the sea, and its defences were still being extended in 1771. | |
52 | 21st. October§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. To Cash brought over£§ §Carried over£§ | The debit side of William Wrangham's account again carried the cash balance forward unchanged. 30 September 1771, cash brought over, £5,196 16s ½d Carried over, £5,196 16s ½d | |
53 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. By Cash paid for the following Work at Thompsons Valley vizt.§ §934¾ Days Labr.£§ §85 do. Masons§ §72 do. Stoneblowers§ §18 do. Overseers§ §10 do. Smiths§ §60 . 12 . 3§ §By do. pd. for the following Work at Friars Valley vizt.§ §44 Days Carpenters£§ §124 do. Masons§ §29½ do. Overseers§ §91¾ do. Stoneblowers§ §19 do. Smiths§ §1635½ do. Laborers§ §104 . 17 . 9§ §By do. pd. for the following Work at Swans Valley vizt.§ §103 Days Laborers£§ §18 do. Stoneblowers§ §6 . 10§ §By do. pd. 24 Days Lab. Work at the Plantn. House§ §By do. pd. for the following Repairs to the Boats vizt.§ §40½ Days Carpentr.£§ §29½ do. Sailmakers§ §6½ do. Painters§ §11½ do. Smiths§ §151½ do. Lab. getting Ballast§ §14 . 3 . 6§ §Carried Over£§ | The paymaster's payments continued as follows. Brought over, £491 4s 11d 30 September 1771, Thompson's Valley, 934¾ days' labourers' work, £46 14s 9d 30 September 1771, Thompson's Valley, 85 days' masons' work, £6 7s 6d 30 September 1771, Thompson's Valley, 72 days' rock blasters' work, £5 8s 0d 30 September 1771, Thompson's Valley, 18 days' overseers' work, £1 7s 0d 30 September 1771, Thompson's Valley, 12 days' smiths' work, £0 15s 0d 30 September 1771, Thompson's Valley in all, £60 12s 3d 30 September 1771, Friar's Valley, 44 days' [...] work, £3 6s 0d 30 September 1771, Friar's Valley, 124 days' masons' work, £9 6s 0d 30 September 1771, Friar's Valley, 29½ days' overseers' work, £2 3s 10d 30 September 1771, Friar's Valley, 81¾ days' rock blasters' work, £6 1s 8d 30 September 1771, Friar's Valley, 19 days' smiths' work, £1 8s 6d 30 September 1771, Friar's Valley, 1,635⅝ days' labourers' work, £81 15s 9d 30 September 1771, Friar's Valley in all, £104 1s 9d 30 September 1771, Sharks Valley, 103 days' labourers' work, £5 3s 0d 30 September 1771, Sharks Valley, 18 days' rock blasters' work, £1 7s 0d 30 September 1771, Sharks Valley in all, £6 10s 0d 30 September 1771, 24 days' labourers' work at Plantation House, £1 4s 0d 30 September 1771, repairs to the boats, 40½ days' carpenters' work, £3 0s 9d 30 September 1771, repairs to the boats, 29½ days' sailmakers' work, £2 4s 3d 30 September 1771, repairs to the boats, 6½ days' painters' work, £0 9s 9d 30 September 1771, repairs to the boats, 11½ days' smiths' work, £0 17s 3d 30 September 1771, repairs to the boats, 151½ days' labourers' work getting ballast, £7 11s 6d 30 September 1771, repairs to the boats in all, £14 3s 6d Carried over, £678 12s 5d Interpretations The Company was carrying out heavy works in several coastal valleys at once: Thompson's Valley, Friar's Valley, Sharks Valley and Old Woman's Valley. Each used rock blasters, masons and large gangs of labourers. Friar's Valley alone took more than 1,600 days of labour in a quarter. These valleys ran down to small bays where an enemy might land. The works were probably batteries, lines and walls to close them off. Thompson's Valley was the site Captain Tippet and the Council had inspected on the day of his earlier quarrel, so the engineer's duties were at the heart of this building programme. Labour was paid at about 1s a day, far below a soldier's quarterly pay. Much of the work was probably done by the Company's slaves and soldiers on extra-duty pay, with free blacks such as Free Moses hired alongside them. The scale of the spending shows how much the Company was investing in the island's defences during Skottowe's government. | |
54 | 21st. October§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. To Cash brought over£§ §Carried over£§ | The debit side of William Wrangham's account again carried the cash balance forward unchanged. 30 September 1771, cash brought over, £5,196 16s ½d Carried over, £5,196 16s ½d | |
55 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. By Cash paid for the following Works at the East Demi Bastion in James's Valley vizt.§ §67 Days Masons£§ §6 do. Carpenters§ §37 do. Overseers§ §615 do. Labourers§ §39§ §By do. pd. for the following Work at Ladder Hill new Road vizt.§ §371 Days Stoneblowers£§ §30 do. Smiths§ §30 . 1 . 6§ §By do. pd. 31½ Days Lab. Work in clearing Ladder Hill Old Road§ §By do. pd. 22½ Days Work in Securing the Road to Bankss Battery§ §By do. pd. 42 Days Work in clearing the Side Path§ §By do. pd. 91 Days do. Lime Burning§ §By do. pd. 91 do. Overseers§ §By do. pd. 28 do. Smiths Repairg. Gun Carriages§ §By do. pd. 65 do. Carpentr. Repairing do.§ §By do. pd. 29½ do. Painting do.§ §By do. paid for the following Work at Bankss Battery§ §20 Days Masons£§ §14 Carpenters§ §116 do. Labourers§ §8 . 7§ §Carried over£§ | The paymaster's payments continued as follows. Brought over, £678 12s 5d 30 September 1771, East Demi Bastion in James Valley, 67 days' masons' work, £5 0s 6d 30 September 1771, East Demi Bastion, 6 days' carpenters' work, £0 9s 0d 30 September 1771, East Demi Bastion, 37 days' overseers' work, £2 15s 6d 30 September 1771, East Demi Bastion, 615 days' labourers' work, £30 15s 0d 30 September 1771, East Demi Bastion in all, £39 0s 0d 30 September 1771, Ladder Hill new road, 371 days' stone blasters' work, £27 16s 6d 30 September 1771, Ladder Hill new road, 30 days' smiths' work, £2 5s 0d 30 September 1771, Ladder Hill new road in all, £30 1s 6d 30 September 1771, 31½ days' labourers' work clearing the old Ladder Hill road, £1 11s 6d 30 September 1771, 22½ days' work securing the road to Banks's Battery, £1 2s 9d 30 September 1771, 42 days' work clearing the side path, £2 2s 0d 30 September 1771, 91 days' work burning lime, £6 16s 6d 30 September 1771, 91 days' overseers' work, £4 11s 0d 30 September 1771, 28 days' smiths' work repairing gun carriages, £2 2s 0d 30 September 1771, 65 days' carpenters' work repairing gun carriages, £4 17s 6d 30 September 1771, 29½ days' painting gun carriages, £2 4s 3d 30 September 1771, Banks's Battery, 20 days' masons' work, £1 10s 0d 30 September 1771, Banks's Battery, 14 days' coxswains' work, £1 1s 0d 30 September 1771, Banks's Battery, 116 days' labourers' work, £5 16s 0d 30 September 1771, Banks's Battery in all, £8 7s 0d Carried over, £781 8s 5d The trade left unread among the works at Friar's Valley, and given as boatswains at Old Woman's Valley, was probably also coxswains, the boatmen who carried men and materials round the coast. Interpretations Coxswains appear among the workers at the coastal batteries because many of these sites could be reached only by sea. Banks's Battery, Old Woman's Valley and Friar's Valley lay at the foot of cliffs. Men, stone and lime were landed by boat. That explains the steady spending on boat repairs and ballast. The Company's boats were working craft for the fortification works as much as for serving the shipping in the roads. The East Demi Bastion guarded the seafront of Jamestown itself. Together with the new Ladder Hill road, the repairs to gun carriages and the lime burnt for mortar, the quarter's accounts show a building programme across the whole island. Lime was made by burning local stone or shell in kilns. It was essential for every wall and battery. | |
56 | 21st. October§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. To Cash brought over£§ §Carried over£§ | The debit side of William Wrangham's account again carried the cash balance forward unchanged. 30 September 1771, cash brought over, £5,196 16s ½d Carried over, £5,196 16s ½d | |
57 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. By Cash paid for the following Work in making Cotts for the Garrison vizt.§ §12 Days Smiths£§ §77½ do. Carpentr. @ 1/3§ §53½ do. do. @ 1/6§ §37 do. Sawyers§ §12 . 11 . 9§ §By do. pd. for the following Work in repairing the Glacis vizt.§ §9½ Days Masons£§ §5 Overseers§ §80 do. Labourers§ §5 . 1 . 9§ §By do. pd. for the following Work in Repairing the Magazine vizt.§ §13 Days Smiths Work£§ §11 do. Masons§ §10 do. Overseers§ §30 do. Carpenters§ §105 do. Labourers§ §10 . 8 . 6§ §By do. pd. for the follow. Work in repairg. the old Barracks vizt.§ §277½ Days Labourers£§ §25½ do. Masons§ §26⅔ do. Overseers§ §10 do. Smiths§ §29 do. Carpenters§ §9 do. Sawyers§ §21 . 7 . 8§ §Carried Over£§ | The paymaster's payments continued as follows. Brought over, £781 8s 5d 30 September 1771, making cots for the garrison, 12 days' smiths' work, £0 18s 0d 30 September 1771, making cots, 77½ days' carpenters' work at 1s 3d, £4 17s 6d 30 September 1771, making cots, 53½ days' carpenters' work at 1s 6d, £4 0s 9d 30 September 1771, making cots, 37 days' sawyers' work, £2 15s 6d 30 September 1771, making cots in all, £12 11s 9d 30 September 1771, repairing the glacis, 9½ days' masons' work, £0 14s 3d 30 September 1771, repairing the glacis, 5 days' overseers' work, £0 7s 6d 30 September 1771, repairing the glacis, 80 days' labourers' work, £4 0s 0d 30 September 1771, repairing the glacis in all, £5 1s 9d 30 September 1771, repairing the magazine, 18 days' smiths' work, £1 7s 0d 30 September 1771, repairing the magazine, 11 days' masons' work, £0 16s 6d 30 September 1771, repairing the magazine, 10 days' overseers' work, £0 15s 0d 30 September 1771, repairing the magazine, 30 days' carpenters' work, £2 5s 0d 30 September 1771, repairing the magazine, 105 days' labourers' work, £5 5s 0d 30 September 1771, repairing the magazine in all, £10 8s 6d 30 September 1771, repairing the old barracks, 277¼ days' labourers' work, £13 17s 3d 30 September 1771, repairing the old barracks, 25½ days' masons' work, £1 18s 3d 30 September 1771, repairing the old barracks, 26⅔ days' overseers' work, £2 0s 2d 30 September 1771, repairing the old barracks, 10 days' smiths' work, £0 15s 0d 30 September 1771, repairing the old barracks, 29 days' carpenters' work, £2 3s 6d 30 September 1771, repairing the old barracks, 9 days' sawyers' work, £0 13s 6d 30 September 1771, repairing the old barracks in all, £21 7s 8d Carried over, £830 18s 1d Interpretations The Company was making cots for the garrison, probably wooden bunks for the soldiers' barracks. It paid carpenters at two rates, 1s 3d and 1s 6d a day, which suggests two grades of skill. The glacis was the sloping bank of earth outside a fortification's walls, cleared so attackers had no cover. The magazine, where the garrison's powder was stored, needed regular repair to keep it dry. Damp powder would not fire. Together with the old barracks, these entries show the Company keeping up the fabric of its forts as well as building new works. | |
58 | 21st. October§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. To Cash brought over£§ §£5196 . 16 . ½§ | The debit side of William Wrangham's account closed with the cash balance. 30 September 1771, cash brought over, £5,196 16s ½d Total, £5,196 16s ½d | |
59 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. By Cash paid 5 Days Carpent. Work making a Door to the Stores§ §By do. pd. 23 Days Labour. Work clearg. the Passage to do.§ §By do. pd. 34 do. Carpent. repairg. the Shed on the Line§ §By do. pd. 6 do. Sawyers do. do. do.§ §By do. pd. 22½ do. Carpent. do. repairing the Pump House§ §By do. pd. 2 do. Sawyers do. do. do.§ §By do. pd. 12 do. Carpent. Work repairing Sandy Bay Guard House§ §By do. pd. 3 Men for agreeing to enlist as Soldiers at the expiration of their contracted Times one of whom is since Dead and the other two Discharged§ §William Brown Dead£§ §J. Newport disch. as an Invalid§ §Benj. Barclay disch.§ §6§ §844 . 3 . 4§ §By Amount of the Pay Account§ §£5169 . 16 . ½§ §Island St. Helena§ | The paymaster's account closed with the following payments. Brought over, £830 18s 1d 30 September 1771, 5 days' carpenters' work making a door to the stores, £0 7s 6d 30 September 1771, 23 days' labourers' work clearing the passage to the stores, £1 3s 0d 30 September 1771, 34 days' carpenters' work repairing the shed on the Line, £2 11s 0d 30 September 1771, 6 days' sawyers' work on the shed on the Line, £0 9s 0d 30 September 1771, 22½ days' carpenters' work repairing the pump houses, £1 13s 9d 30 September 1771, 2 days' sawyers' work on the pump houses, £0 3s 0d 30 September 1771, 12 days' carpenters' work repairing Sandy Bay guard house, £0 18s 0d 30 September 1771, 3 men for agreeing to re-enlist as soldiers when their contracted time ran out, William Brown, since dead, £2 0s 0d 30 September 1771, the same, J. Newport, discharged as an invalid, £2 0s 0d 30 September 1771, the same, Benjamin Barclay, discharged, £2 0s 0d 30 September 1771, the 3 men in all, £6 0s 0d Payments in all, £844 3s 4d Amount of the pay account, £4,325 12s 8½d Total, £5,169 16s ½d William Wrangham signed the account as paymaster at St Helena on 30 September 1771, with the usual note that any errors were excepted. The paymaster's credit side totals £5,169 16s ½d, against £5,196 16s ½d on the debit side. Interpretations The Company paid £2 each to three men who had agreed to re-enlist when their terms ran out, even though none of them in fact served on. William Brown had died, and the other two had been discharged, one of them as an invalid. The Company honoured the promise of a bounty once a man agreed to stay, whatever happened to him afterwards. That gave other soldiers reason to trust its offers of re-enlistment. With every recruit having to come from England, holding on to trained men mattered more than saving a few pounds. | |
60 | 21st. October§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §10353 Sugar§ §3878 Candy§ §261 . 8 . 5§ §Flour vizt.§ §7455 lb. ground§ §366 . 12 . 24 Baked§ §404 . 7 . 10§ §Rice & Paddy vizt.§ §12919 lb. Rice§ §724 Paddy§ §69 . 6 . 8§ §Candles 526 lb.§ §Soap 720 lb.§ §Salt 24¼ Bushels§ §Pepper 42 lb.§ §Starch 85½§ §Chelloes 12 Pieces§ §Pease 2¼ Bushels§ §Oars 4 Small§ §Coffee 11 lb.§ §Cordage 216½§ §Blankets 27§ §Flannel 6¼ Yards§ §Carried over£§ | The collection recorded the goods sold and delivered from the Company's warehouses between 1 July and 30 September 1771. These were sold to the Company's servants at 10 per cent above cost. Sugar, 10,353 lb, £172 11s 0d Sugar candy, 3,878 lb, £88 17s 5d Sugar and candy in all, £261 8s 5d Flour, ground, 7,455 lb, £62 2s 6d Flour, baked, 366 [...], £342 5s 4d Flour in all, £404 7s 10d Rice, 12,913 lb, £67 15s 7d Paddy, 724 lb, £1 11s 1d Rice and paddy in all, £69 6s 8d Candles, 526½ lb, £66 18s 2d Soap, 720½ lb, £23 11s 5d Salt, 24¼ bushels, £4 0s 5d Pepper, 42 lb, £1 3s 7d Starch, 85½ lb, £2 15s 4d Chelloes, 12 pieces, £5 14s 6d Pease, 2¼ bushels, £1 0s 5d Oars, 4 small, £0 17s 0d Coffee, 11 lb, £0 14s 8d Cordage, 216¾ lb, £3 16s 9d Blankets, 27, £8 13s 3d Flannel, 6¾ yards, £0 16s 4d Carried over, £855 4s 9d Interpretations The Company's warehouses were the main shop for its servants and garrison. Almost everything that could not be grown on the island came in on Company ships and was sold from the stores at 10 per cent above cost. Sugar, flour, rice, candles and soap made up most of the sales. The mark-up was modest, which made the stores a cheaper source than private traders. It also tied the island's officials and soldiers to the Company as their supplier. Chelloes were cheap chequered or striped cotton cloth woven in India, shipped by the Company for clothing and furnishings. Sugar candy was crystallised sugar in large lumps, a common form of refined sugar in the Indian trade. The large sale of baked flour, most likely ship's biscuit or bread made in the Company's ovens, explains the payments to William Jenkins for baking 169 batches for the garrison. | |
61 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Oil vizt.§ §35⅝ Galls. Train§ §13 do. Linseed§ §1⅜ do. Oil Turpentine§ §32 Botts. Florence§ §23 . 12 . 3§ §Tea vizt.§ §276½ lb. Bohea§ §202½ Single§ §280½ Congo§ §55 . 14 . 3§ §Twine vizt.§ §20 lb. Twine§ §1½ lb. Cotton Wick§ §16 . 3§ §Shalloon vizt.§ §27 Yds. Scarlet§ §26¼ do. Coloured§ §6 . 8 . 10§ §Leather vizt.§ §164¾ Sole§ §1 Calf Skin§ §12 . 5 . 6§ §Lead 22 lb. Small Shott§ §Buckram 6½ Yds.§ §Hats 2 Mens Fine§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §14 lb. Pitch§ §44 Rozin§ §6 Turpentine§ §4½ Galls. Tar§ §15 . 4§ §Carried over£§ | The collection of goods sold continued as follows. Brought over, £855 4s 9d Train oil, 35⅝ gallons, £15 13s 11d Linseed oil, 13 gallons, £2 13s 6d Oil of turpentine, 1⅛ gallons, £0 6s 6d Florence oil, 32 bottles, £4 13s 4d Oil in all, £23 12s 3d Bohea tea, 276½ lb, £11 10s 5d Singlo tea, 202½ lb, £23 3s 1d Congo tea, 280½ lb, £21 0s 9d Tea in all, £55 14s 3d Twine, 21 lb, £0 12s 6d Cotton wick, 1½ lb, £0 3s 9d Twine and wick in all, £0 16s 3d Shalloon, scarlet, 27 yards, £3 15s 4d Shalloon, coloured, 26¾ yards, £2 13s 6d Shalloon in all, £6 8s 10d Sole leather, 164¾ lb, £11 13s 5d Calf skin, 1, £0 12s 1d Leather in all, £12 5s 6d Small shot of lead, 22 lb, £0 4s 7d Buckram, 6½ yards, £0 5s 11d Men's fine hats, 2, £1 18s 6d Pitch, 14 lb, £0 1s 9d Rosin, 44 lb, £0 8s 3d Turpentine, 6 lb, £0 1s 4d Tar, 4½ gallons, £0 4s 0d Pitch and tar in all, £0 15s 4d Carried over, £957 6s 2d Interpretations The servants bought three kinds of China tea from the Company's stores. Bohea was the cheapest black tea and the most widely drunk. Congo was a better black tea. Singlo was a green tea, which here cost more than twice as much per pound as Bohea. Between them they came to more than 750 lb in a quarter. The quantity shows how far the tea habit had spread among the island's officials and settlers by 1771. The Company held the monopoly of the China tea trade, so its own stores were the only lawful source. Train oil was oil rendered from whale or seal blubber, burnt in lamps and used for dressing leather. Florence oil was olive oil from Italy, shipped in long-necked flasks and used at table. Buckram was a stiffened linen used to give shape to hats and the linings of coats. Rosin, pitch and tar were used to waterproof boats and ropes, which explains their place in the stores of a port island with its own boats to keep. | |
62 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Corks vizt.§ §3 Gro. Corks§ §½ lb. Short do.§ §7 . 7§ §Saddles 1§ §Hooks & Lines vizt.§ §275 No. 9 Hooks§ §900 15 do.§ §100 6 do.§ §1525 14 do.§ §75 11 do.§ §575 7 do.§ §275 12 do.§ §25 10 do.§ §250 16 do.§ §3 Large do.§ §91 No. 2 Lines§ §199 3 do.§ §19 4 do.§ §11 Leg. do.§ §1 Deep Sea do.§ §12 Hambro' do.§ §11 . 6 . 2§ §Nails vizt.§ §11½ 2§ §16 3§ §77 4§ §158 6§ §40 10§ §18 20§ §27 40§ §4 Glazing Brads§ §11 . 3 . 3§ §Carried over£§ | The collection of goods sold continued as follows. Brought over, £957 6s 2d Corks, 3 gross, £0 7s 4d Sheet cork, ½ [...], £0 0s 3d Corks in all, £0 7s 7d Saddle, 1, £5 5s 2d Fish hooks, No 9, 275, £0 8s 8½d Fish hooks, No 15, 900, £0 6s 11½d Fish hooks, No 6, 100, £0 8s 10d Fish hooks, No 14, 1,525, £0 15s 7d Fish hooks, No 11, 75, £0 1s 3¾d Fish hooks, No 7, 575, £1 17s 9d Fish hooks, No 12, 275, £0 4s 7d Fish hooks, No 10, 25, £0 0s 5½d Fish hooks, No 16, 250, £0 1s 5½d Fish hooks, large, 3, £0 0s 9¾d Fishing lines, No 2, 91, £1 9s 3d Fishing lines, No 3, 199, £3 7s 8d Fishing lines, No 4, 14, £0 5s 3d Fishing lines, large, 11, £0 11s 5½d Deep-sea line, 1, £0 5s 5¾d Hambro lines, 13, £1 0s 7½d Hooks and lines in all, £11 6s 2d Nails, 2d, 11½ lb, £0 11s 0d Nails, 3d, 16 lb, £0 13s 4d Nails, 4d, 77 lb, £2 12s 11d Nails, 6d, 158 lb, £4 18s 9d Nails, 10d, 40 lb, £1 0s 10d Nails, 20d, 18 lb, £0 7s 10d Nails, 40d, 27 lb, £0 11s 3d Glazing brads, 4 lb, £0 7s 4d Nails in all, £11 3s 3d Carried over, £985 8s 4d Interpretations The stores sold more than 4,000 fish hooks in a single quarter, along with hundreds of lines. Fishing was a large part of how the islanders fed themselves. Since no hooks or lines were made on the island, the Company's stores were the fishermen's only source of gear. That gave the Company quiet control over the island's fishing, which later regulations on boats and the fish market would make explicit. A Hambro line was a light, three-strand cord, originally made in Hamburg, used for small fishing lines and lashings. Nails were sold by size in "pennies", from small 2d nails to large 40d spikes. The name originally referred to the price per hundred. The large sales of 4d and 6d nails, the common sizes for boarding and framing, point to steady private building alongside the Company's own works. | |
63 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Turners Ware vizt.§ §2 Lab. Baskets§ §7 Shoe Brushes§ §3 Hair Brooms§ §3 Birch do.§ §7 Punch Ladles§ §3 Plaistg. Brushes§ §3 Mops§ §4 Scrubg. Brushes§ §9 Paint do.§ §2 Cloth do.§ §1 Large Plate Bask. lined with Tin§ §1 Small do. do.§ §4 Brushes for Mahogany Tables§ §3 . 8 . 8§ §Camblet 2 Yds. Scarlet§ §Braziers ware vizt.§ §½ lb. Brass Wire§ §1 Pr. Steel Snuffers§ §3 . 11§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §2 Large Frying Pans§ §2 Small do.§ §½ lb. Brass Clout Nails§ §2 Dutt Springs§ §1 Spring Rat Trap§ §1 Iron Wire do.§ §3 Mouse do.§ §7 Files§ §Iron Ware Carried over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The collection of goods sold continued as follows. Brought over, £985 8s 4d Turnery and household goods, labourers' baskets, 2, £0 2s 8½d Turnery and household goods, shoe brushes, 7, £0 5s 10d Turnery and household goods, hair brooms, 3, £0 7s 8½d Turnery and household goods, birch brooms, 3, £0 1s 4½d Turnery and household goods, punch ladles, 7, £0 4s 4½d Turnery and household goods, plaster brushes, 3, £0 3s 3¾d Turnery and household goods, mops, 3, £0 4s 1½d Turnery and household goods, scrubbing brushes, 4, £0 11s 5d Turnery and household goods, paint brushes, 9, £0 4s 10½d Turnery and household goods, clothes brushes, 2, £0 4s 3d Turnery and household goods, large plate basket lined with tin, 1, £0 7s 9½d Turnery and household goods, small plate basket lined with tin, 1, £0 7s 3d Turnery and household goods, brushes for mahogany tables, 4, £0 3s 2d Turnery and household goods in all, £3 8s 8d Camlet, scarlet, 2 yards, £0 7s 11d Brassware, brass wire, ½ lb, £0 0s 10d Brassware, steel snuffers, 1 pair, £0 3s 1d Brassware in all, £0 3s 11d Ironware, large frying pans, 2, £0 10s 4d Ironware, small frying pans, 2, £0 4s 6d Ironware, brass-headed nails, ½ [...], £0 1s 4½d Ironware, drill strings, 2, £0 1s 2d Ironware, spring rat trap, 1, £0 1s 8½d Ironware, iron wire rat trap, 1, £0 6s 11½d Ironware, mouse traps, 3, £0 2s 0d Ironware, files, 7, £0 3s 11½d Carried over, £989 8s 10d The ironware was carried over without a subtotal. Interpretations Camlet was a fine woven cloth, originally of camel or goat hair and later of wool and silk, used for cloaks and coats. Scarlet camlet was the cloth of officers' coats and smart dress. Brushes for mahogany tables, punch ladles and tin-lined plate baskets point to well-furnished households among the Company's servants. Their homes had polished furniture and silver plate and served punch at the table. Several kinds of rat and mouse trap were also sold. Rats were a constant pest on the island, as the packets eaten aboard the Duke of Portland had shown. | |
64 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Iron Ware brought over£§ §8 Scythe Stones§ §1 Wood Ax§ §2 Pick Axes§ §5 Iron Shovels§ §5 Blank Keys§ §2 Pr. HL Hinges§ §2 Chest Locks§ §3 Splinter do.§ §½ lb. Flour Emery§ §2 Pad Locks§ §5 Stock do.§ §3 Claw Hammers§ §4 Pr. Sheep Shears§ §1 Plaistg. Sieve§ §1 Garden Rake§ §2 do. Hoes§ §¼ lb. Tinned Tacks§ §2 Brick Layers Trowels§ §1 Plaistr. do.§ §2 Spike Gimblets§ §7 Pr. Dove tail Hinges§ §1 Half Round Wood Rasp§ §2 File Hafts§ §7 Ash Hoes§ §7 . 7 . 3§ §Pewter vizt.§ §2 Basins§ §1 Close Stool Pan§ §11 . 11§ §Carried Over£§ | The collection of goods sold continued as follows. Brought over, £989 8s 10d Ironware, scythe stones, 8, £0 1s 10d Ironware, wood axe, 1, £0 3s 1½d Ironware, pickaxes, 2, £0 7s 9d Ironware, iron shovels, 5, £1 5s 0d Ironware, blank keys, 5, £0 3s 5¼d Ironware, HL hinges, 2 pairs, £0 6s 5d Ironware, chest locks, 2, £0 6s 9d Ironware, splinter locks, 3, £0 1s 6¾d Ironware, flour of emery, ½ lb, £0 0s 11½d Ironware, padlocks, 2, £0 3s 1d Ironware, stock locks, 5, £0 15s 5d Ironware, claw hammers, 3, £0 5s 3d Ironware, sheep shears, 4 pairs, £0 7s 8d Ironware, plasterer's sieve, 1, £0 5s 2½d Ironware, garden rake, 1, £0 2s 6¾d Ironware, garden hoes, 2, £0 2s 10½d Ironware, tinned tacks, ½ [...], £0 0s 6½d Ironware, brick layers' trowels, 2, £0 3s 0d Ironware, plasterer's trowel, 1, £0 1s 10d Ironware, spike gimlets, 2, £0 0s 10d Ironware, dovetail hinges, 7 pairs, £0 4s 9¾d Ironware, half-round wood rasp, 1, £0 0s 4¼d Ironware, file hafts, 2, £0 0s 2½d Ironware, ox shoes, 7, £0 4s 6d Ironware in all, £7 7s 3d Pewter, basins, 2, £0 6s 1d Pewter, close stool pan, 1, £0 5s 10d Pewter in all, £0 11s 11d Carried over, £997 8s 0d Interpretations The ironware list shows the trades and farming of the island in miniature. Sheep shears, scythe stones, hoes and rakes served the farms. Trowels, plasterer's sieves and hinges served building. Ox shoes were iron plates nailed to the hooves of draught oxen, which pulled carts and ploughs on St Helena's steep tracks where horses struggled. A close stool pan was the removable pewter bowl of a chamber commode, used in houses without privies. | |
65 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Tinware vizt.§ §2 Double Sheet Tin§ §6 Single do.§ §2 Gallon Sauce Pans with Covers§ §1 Dripping Pan§ §2 Watering Pots§ §2 Pudding Pans§ §1 Glass Lanthorn§ §1 Small Lamp§ §1 Horn Lanthorn§ §1 . 10 . 2§ §Thread vizt.§ §9 lb. Whited Brown§ §6 Coloured§ §19 oz. Nuns§ §5 . 15 . 3§ §Long Cloth vizt.§ §47½ Ps. No. 1§ §21 Ps. 4§ §3 Ps. 5§ §4½ Ps. L§ §3¼ Ps. U§ §3 Ps. T§ §7 Ps. 2d.§ §241 . 17 . 3§ §Shirts vizt.§ §48 Soldiers Shirts§ §16½ Yds. Brown Holland§ §3 Ps. Irish Linnen§ §1 Ps. Huckaback for Table Cloths§ §½ Ps. do. for Napkins§ §1 Ps. 6 Yds. Russia Diaper§ §26 . 16§ §Carried Over£§ | The collection of goods sold continued as follows. Brought over, £997 8s 0d Tinware, double sheets of tin, 2, £0 1s 6d Tinware, single sheets of tin, 6, £0 2s 3d Tinware, 2-gallon saucepans with covers, 2, £0 4s 11½d Tinware, dripping pan, 1, £0 2s 0½d Tinware, watering pots, 2, £0 6s 7½d Tinware, pudding pans, 2, £0 1s 10d Tinware, glass lantern, 1, £0 6s 1d Tinware, small lamp, 1, £0 0s 11¾d Tinware, horn lantern, 1, £0 3s 11d Tinware in all, £1 10s 2d Thread, whited brown, 9 [...], £3 7s 6d Thread, coloured, 6 [...], £1 0s 6d Thread, nuns', 19 oz, £1 7s 3d Thread in all, £5 15s 3d Long cloth, No 1, 47½ pieces, £143 17s 6d Long cloth, No 4, 21 pieces, £32 13s 0d Long cloth, No 5, 8 pieces, £10 2s 8d Long cloth, No L, 4½ pieces, £24 5s 3d Long cloth, No U, 3½ pieces, £4 5s 4d Long cloth, No T, 3 pieces, £4 16s 6d Long cloth, No 2 [...], 7 pieces, £21 12s 3d Long cloth in all, £241 17s 8d Soldiers' shirts, 48, £12 0s 0d Brown holland, 16½ yards, £1 13s 2d Irish linen, 3 pieces, £5 1s 3d Huckaback for tablecloths, 1 piece, £5 9s 0d Huckaback for napkins, ½ piece, £1 4s 2d Russia diaper, 1 piece of 6 yards, £1 3s 5d Shirts and linen in all, £26 16s 0d Carried over, £1,273 7s 6d Interpretations Long cloth was by far the costliest item sold in the quarter, at more than £240. It was a fine plain cotton woven in long pieces on the Coromandel coast of India, shipped home in bulk by the Company. On St Helena it was the staple material for shirts, shifts and household linen. Its grades were marked by numbers and letters. Islanders bought it straight from the India ships' cargoes landed at the Company's stores. The linens show the range of cloth for household use. Holland was a plain linen, originally from the Netherlands, and in its brown, unbleached form was used for aprons and linings. Huckaback was a coarse, textured linen used for towels and table linen. Diaper was a linen woven in small diamond patterns, and Russian diaper was a cheaper version from the Baltic trade. Nuns' thread was a fine white linen thread used for needlework. Soldiers' shirts were sold ready-made, which suggests the garrison bought its own shirts from the stores out of its pay. | |
66 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Serge vizt.§ §4⅞ Yds. Green Serge§ §2 do. Blue do.§ §2½ do. Fustian§ §3 do. Blue Duffle§ §7 . 17 . 5§ §Shoes vizt.§ §335 Ps. Mens Ordy. Shoes§ §6 Ps. do. fine do.§ §4 Ps. do. Pumps§ §14 Ps. Womens Calimanco Shoes§ §5 Ps. do. Calf Leather do.§ §3 Ps. Girls do. do.§ §4 Ps. Boys do.§ §5 Ps. Girls Calimanco do.§ §107 . 2 . 11§ §Haberdashery vizt.§ §16 Skn. Silk§ §22 do. Mohair§ §2½ doz. Mohl. Tw. Buttons§ §22½ do. do. Breast do.§ §2 do. Gilt Ct. do.§ §2 do. Br. do.§ §3½ Gro. Shirt do.§ §4¼ Gro. White Waistct. do.§ §4½ Yds. White Buckram§ §1 lb. Whale Bone§ §1½ doz. Horn Moulds§ §3 . 5 . 3§ §Carried Over£§ | The collection of goods sold continued as follows. Brought over, £1,273 7s 6d Serge, green, 4¾ yards, £1 1s 0d Serge, blue, 2 yards, £0 10s 8d Fustian, 2½ [...], £5 5s 5d Duffle, blue, 3 yards, £1 0s 4d Serge and other cloth in all, £7 17s 5d Men's ordinary shoes, 335 pairs, £98 13s 1d Men's fine shoes, 6 pairs, £1 16s 6d Men's pumps, 4 pairs, £1 2s 0d Women's calamanco shoes, 14 pairs, £2 10s 6d Women's calf leather shoes, 5 pairs, £0 14s 4d Girls' shoes, 3 pairs, £0 6s 9d Boys' shoes, 4 pairs, £0 14s 0d Girls' calamanco shoes, 5 pairs, £0 16s 9d Shoes in all, £107 2s 11d Haberdashery, silk, 16 skeins, £0 9s 4d Haberdashery, mohair, 22 skeins, £0 11s 0d Haberdashery, metal coat buttons, 2½ dozen, £0 1s 10½d Haberdashery, metal breast buttons, 22½ dozen, £0 3s 6d Haberdashery, gilt coat buttons, 2 dozen, £0 2s 11½d Haberdashery, gilt breast buttons, 2 dozen, £0 1s 6d Haberdashery, shirt buttons, 3½ gross, £0 6s 3d Haberdashery, white waistcoat buttons, 4¼ gross, £0 11s 4d Haberdashery, white buckram, 4½ yards, £0 5s 7d Haberdashery, whalebone, 1 lb, £0 6s 7d Haberdashery, horn moulds, 1½ dozen, £0 0s 5d Haberdashery in all, £3 5s 3d Carried over, £1,391 13s 1d Interpretations The stores sold 335 pairs of men's ordinary shoes in a single quarter, almost one pair for every soldier in the garrison. Soldiers wore out their shoes quickly on the island's steep, stony tracks and bought replacements from their pay. The price of about 6s a pair was a large share of a private's quarterly pay of £3 16s 8d. Calamanco was a glossy worsted wool cloth, often striped or patterned, used for women's and girls' shoe uppers as a cheaper, lighter alternative to leather. Fustian was a stout cloth of linen and cotton used for working clothes. Duffle was a thick, napped woollen used for coats and blankets. Whalebone, really the baleen plates of the whale, stiffened stays and bodices. Horn moulds were button blanks to be covered with cloth. The haberdashery points to clothes made and repaired at home on the island. | |
67 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Earthen-ware vizt.§ §2 Milk Pans§ §2 Close Stool Pans§ §2 Cream Colour'd Pots & Ewers§ §9 . 2§ §Bunting 2 Yards Red§ §Paint vizt.§ §19 lb. Blue Smalts§ §17 Indico§ §110 White Lead mixed§ §12 Paperd. Blacking§ §88 White Lead Dry§ §7 Yell. Oaker mixed§ §141 Whiting§ §62 Chalk§ §1 Copperas§ §16 Red Lead§ §2 Yell. Oaker dry§ §½ Umber§ §1 Olive Colour§ §9 . 1 . 10§ §Deals vizt.§ §45 Double Deals§ §10 Single do.§ §1½ Balks§ §7 Spars§ §1 Elm Board§ §11 Bundles Laths§ §12 . 13 . 4§ §Long Ells ¾ Yard Blue§ §Carried Over£§ | The collection of goods sold continued as follows. Brought over, £1,391 13s 1d Earthenware, milk pans, 2, £0 2s 9d Earthenware, close stool pans, 2, £0 3s 10d Earthenware, cream-coloured chamber pots, 2, £0 2s 7d Earthenware in all, £0 9s 2d Bunting, red, 2 yards, £0 1s 7d Paint, blue smalt, 19 lb, £1 16s 5d Paint, indigo, 17 lb, £1 12s 7d Paint, white lead mixed, 110 lb, £2 7s 1d Paint, Barcelona blacking, 12 lb, £0 10s 6d Paint, white lead dry, 88 lb, £1 13s 0d Paint, yellow ochre mixed, 7 lb, £0 5s 3d Paint, whiting, 141 lb, £0 5s 10½d Paint, chalk, 62 lb, £0 3s 10½d Paint, copperas, 1 lb, £0 1s 1d Paint, red lead, 16 lb, £0 3s 8d Paint, yellow ochre dry, 2 lb, £0 0s 5d Paint, umber, ½ lb, £0 0s 1½d Paint, olive colour, 1 lb, £0 1s 11½d Paint in all, £9 1s 10d Deals, double, 45, £8 10s 7d Deals, single, 10, £1 1s 3d Balks, 1½, £0 13s 3d Spars, 7, £1 9s 2d Elm board, 1, £0 4s 11d Laths, 11 bundles, £0 13s 9d Timber in all, £12 13s 4d Long ells, blue, ¾ yard, £0 1s 5d Carried over, £1,414 0s 5d Interpretations The island had to import almost all its timber. St Helena's native forests had been largely cut down within a century of settlement, much of them for fuel and building and through grazing by goats. Deals, which were sawn planks of pine or fir, balks of squared timber, spars and laths all came in on Company ships, mostly from northern Europe by way of England. That made wood an expensive commodity bought from the Company's stores. Smalt was a blue pigment made from ground cobalt glass, and indigo was a blue dye from India used here as paint. White lead was the base of most paints, and whiting and chalk were cheap fillers. Copperas, an iron sulphate, served as a dye and preservative. Long ells were a coarse, cheap woollen cloth, originally measured by an ell of 45 inches, used for soldiers' and servants' clothing. | |
68 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §China ware vizt.§ §5 Sets Oct. Dishes & Plates§ §24 do. Soup do.§ §25 Bowls§ §18 Sneakers§ §5 Chamr. Pots§ §3 Guglets & Basons§ §1 Tureen & Dish§ §1 Tea Pot§ §3 Pots & Dishes§ §12 half Pts. Cups & Saucers§ §1 Sallad Dish§ §9 . 7 . 3§ §Cutlery ware vizt.§ §13 Ps. Leath. Garters§ §18 Buckling Combs§ §3 Shoe Knives§ §1 Case Fleams§ §1 Butchers Knife§ §1 Ordy. Ivory Comb§ §1 . 3 . 1§ §Glass-ware vizt.§ §1 Candle Shade§ §6 Beer Glasses§ §4 Tumblers§ §36 Wine Glasses§ §2 Qt. Decanters§ §2 Pint do.§ §1 Sq. Glass 10½ by 18¾§ §210 Sq. do. 8 by 10§ §8 . 3§ §Carried over£§ | The collection of goods sold continued as follows. Brought over, £1,414 0s 5d Chinaware, sets of octagon dishes and plates, 5, £5 11s 3d Chinaware, octagon soup plates, 24, £0 12s 10d Chinaware, bowls, 25, £1 0s 10d Chinaware, sneakers, 18, £0 4s 1d Chinaware, chamber pots, 5, £0 11s 3d Chinaware, guglets and basins, 3, £0 7s 0d Chinaware, tureen and dish, 1, £0 7s 4d Chinaware, teapot, 1, £0 0s 9d Chinaware, pots of [...], 3, £0 3s 9d Chinaware, cups and saucers, 12 half pairs, £0 7s 4d Chinaware, salad dish, 1, £0 0s 10d Chinaware in all, £9 7s 3d Cutlery, leather garters, 13 pairs, £0 9s 9d Cutlery, buckling combs, 18, £0 6s 0d Cutlery, shoe knives, 3, £0 3s 0d Cutlery, case of fleams, 1, £0 2s 5d Cutlery, butcher's knife, 1, £0 0s 7d Cutlery, ordinary ivory comb, 1, £0 1s 4d Cutlery in all, £1 3s 1d Glassware, candle shade, 1, £0 6s 11½d Glassware, beer glasses, 6, £0 6s 0d Glassware, tumblers, 4, £0 2s 11d Glassware, wine glasses, 36, £0 17s 9d Glassware, quart decanters, 2, £0 5s 8d Glassware, pint decanters, 2, £0 4s 1d Glassware, square of glass, 10¾ by 18¾ inches, 1, £0 1s 6d Glassware, squares of glass, 8 by 10 inches, 210, £5 18s 1½d Glassware in all, £8 3s 0d Carried over, £1,432 13s 9d Interpretations The chinaware was Chinese export porcelain brought by the Company's China ships, which called at St Helena on their way home. It was cheap on the island: a whole set of dishes and plates cost about £1 2s. Sneakers were small porcelain cups or bowls without handles, used for punch or tea. Guglets were long-necked water bottles of Indian origin, often made of porous earthenware that kept water cool. A tureen and dish cost only 7s 4d, a fraction of what such pieces fetched in London. A case of fleams was a set of small lancets used to bleed people and animals, a standard remedy of the period. The 210 small panes of window glass, sold at less than 7d each, show houses on the island being glazed. Buckling combs were combs for dressing a soldier's or gentleman's hair into the curled side-rolls, called buckles, that were fashionable in the 1770s. | |
69 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Hosiers ware vizt.§ §1 Pr. Mens Wove Stockings§ §4 Black Silk Breeches Ps.§ §1 do. Worsted do. do.§ §1 Pr. India Cotton Stockings§ §6 . 3 . 9§ §Broad Cloth vizt.§ §10⅝ Yds. Scarlet§ §1¼ do. Blue§ §3½ do. Buff§ §3½ do. Light colour§ §6¾ do. Black§ §1 Green§ §25 . 13 . 7§ §Sailors Cloaths vizt.§ §11 Mens Blue Duffle Jackets§ §9 Ps. do. do. Breeches§ §2 do. Shirts§ §3 Ps. do. Long Canvas Draws§ §6 . 10 . 3§ §Beef & Pork vizt.§ §1853 Ps. Beef§ §3734 Ps. Pork§ §558 . 14§ §Wine 443 Galls. Madeira§ §Beer 2 Hogsheads Porter§ §£2197 . 2 . 1§ | The collection of goods sold to the Company's servants ended as follows. Brought over, £1,432 13s 9d Hosiery, men's worsted stockings, 1 pair, £0 3s 11½d Hosiery, black silk breeches pieces, 4, £5 2s 2d Hosiery, worsted breeches pieces, 1, £0 9s 9d Hosiery, India cotton stockings, 1 pair, £0 7s 10½d Hosiery in all, £6 3s 9d Broadcloth, scarlet, 10⅛ yards, £11 0s 3d Broadcloth, blue, 1¼ yards, £1 4s 9d Broadcloth, buff, 3½ yards, £3 10s 5d Broadcloth, light colour, 3½ yards, £3 4s 2d Broadcloth, black, 6¾ yards, £5 14s 9d Broadcloth, green, 1, £0 19s 3d Broadcloth in all, £25 13s 7d Sailors' clothes, blue duffle jackets, 11, £4 1s 2d Sailors' clothes, blue duffle breeches, 9 pairs, £1 17s 1½d Sailors' clothes, shirts, 2, £0 7s 5d Sailors' clothes, long canvas drawers, 3 pairs, £0 4s 6½d Sailors' clothes in all, £6 10s 3d Beef, 1,853 pieces, £185 6s 0d Pork, 3,734 pieces, £373 8s 0d Beef and pork in all, £558 14s 0d Madeira wine, 443 gallons, £160 11s 9d Porter, 2 hogsheads, £6 15s 0d Total, £2,197 2s 1d Interpretations Salt beef and pork were by far the largest sales of the quarter, worth more than all the cloth, tools and household goods together. Each piece of salt meat sold for 2s. The garrison and Company servants lived largely on salted provisions shipped from England and Ireland. The island's own cattle were too few to feed them and were kept for fresh meat for the sick and for passing ships. That explains why the Board rationed fresh beef so carefully when Captain Hasell asked for it. Madeira was the wine of the Company's servants in the East, picked up at Madeira on the outward voyage and believed to improve in hot climates. At about 7s 3d a gallon it was a luxury, and 443 gallons in a quarter shows how much the island's officials drank. Porter was a strong dark beer brewed in London, shipped in hogsheads of about 54 gallons. Broadcloth was a fine, dense woollen cloth used for officers' and gentlemen's coats. Scarlet broadcloth was the cloth of military uniforms, and buff that of facings and waistcoats. | |
70 | 21st. October§ §Thread 1 lb. Whited Brown§ §Leather 3½ lb. Sole§ §Hats 1 Boys§ §Broad Cloth vizt.§ §1¼ Yds. Buff§ §2¾ do. Blue§ §4 . 12 . 10§ §Long Cloth vizt.§ §5 Ps. No. 1§ §4 Ps. 4§ §2 Ps. 6§ §27 . 4 . 6§ §Shalloon 6 Yards Scarlet§ §Blankets 9§ §Sold at 40 pr. Cent§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §1589 Sugar§ §425 Candy§ §47 . 13 . 3§ §Rice 491 lb.§ §Flour 310 lb.§ §Oil vizt.§ §10⅞ Gs. Train§ §3½ Gs. Linseed§ §⅞ G. Oil Turpentine§ §3 . 11 . 7§ §Tea vizt.§ §47 lb. Bohea§ §191 Congo§ §64 Single§ §31 . 8§ §Carried over£§ | The collection then listed goods sold to the planters, first at 25 per cent above cost and then at 40 per cent. Sold to the planters at 25 per cent Thread, whited brown, 1 lb, £0 8s 6d Sole leather, 3½ lb, £0 5s 2d Hats, 1 dozen, £0 6s 7d Broadcloth, buff, 1⅛ yards, £1 10s 11d Broadcloth, blue, 2¾ yards, £3 1s 11d Broadcloth in all, £4 12s 10d Long cloth, No 1, 5 pieces, £17 4s 4½d Long cloth, No 4, 4 pieces, £7 2s 8d Long cloth, No 6, 2 pieces, £2 17s 5½d Long cloth in all, £27 4s 6d Shalloon, scarlet, 6 yards, £0 19s 0d Blankets, 9, £3 8s 5d Sold at 40 per cent Sugar, 1,589 lb, £35 5s 4d Sugar candy, 425 lb, £12 7s 11d Sugar and candy in all, £47 13s 3d Rice, 441 lb, £4 11s 10d Flour, 210 lb, £2 12s 6d Train oil, 10⅞ gallons, £2 10s 9d Linseed oil, 3½ gallons, £0 18s 7d Oil of turpentine, ⅞ gallon, £0 2s 3d Oil in all, £3 11s 7d Bohea tea, 47 lb, £2 8s 11d Congo tea, 191 lb, £21 9s 9d Singlo tea, 64 lb, £7 9s 4d Tea in all, £31 8s 0d Carried over, £127 2s 2d Interpretations The Company sold the same goods to the planters at much higher mark-ups than to its own servants. Servants paid 10 per cent above cost, while planters paid 25 per cent on cloth and leather and 40 per cent on sugar, rice, flour, oil and tea. The Company had a monopoly of supply, since planters could legally buy imported goods only from its stores or from passing ships with its leave. The higher prices made the stores a source of profit at the settlers' expense, while keeping costs low for the officials and soldiers it employed. It was a standing grievance of the island's planters that they paid more for the necessities of life than the Company's own people. | |
71 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Oars 1§ §Soap 66 lb.§ §Candles 56 lb.§ §Salt 2½ Bushels§ §Pepper 21 lb.§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §32 lb. Rosin§ §7½ G. Tar§ §2 . 0 . 4§ §Cordage 179¾ lb.§ §Twine 3 Skeins§ §Starch 4 lb.§ §Coffee 18 lb.§ §Nails vizt.§ §1 lb. 2§ §3 3§ §3 4§ §13 6§ §2 10§ §3 20§ §1 Glazg. Brads§ §1 . 3 . 3§ §Hooks & Lines vizt.§ §200 No. 7 Hooks§ §25 10§ §175 15§ §200 14§ §25 12§ §6 2 Lines§ §12 3 do.§ §1 . 10 . 8§ §Carried over£§ | The sales to the planters at 40 per cent continued as follows. Brought over, £127 2s 2d Oars, 1, £0 5s 5d Soap, 66 lb, £2 15s 0d Candles, 56 lb, £8 15s 0d Salt, 2½ bushels, £0 10s 10d Pepper, 21 lb, £0 15s 9d Rosin, 32 lb, £0 8s 0d Tar, 7½ gallons, £1 12s 4d Pitch and tar in all, £2 0s 4d Cordage, 179¾ lb, £11 9s 10d Twine, 3 skeins, £0 2s 7d Starch, 4 lb, £0 3s 4d Coffee, 18 lb, £1 1s 0d Nails, 2d, 1 lb, £0 1s 3d Nails, 3d, 3 lb, £0 3s 3d Nails, 4d, 3 lb, £0 4s 4½d Nails, 6d, 13 lb, £0 10s 6¾d Nails, 10d, 2 lb, £0 1s 5d Nails, 20d, 3 lb, £0 1s 8½d Glazing brads, 1 [...], £0 0s 3½d Nails in all, £1 3s 3d Fish hooks, No 7, 200, £0 16s 10d Fish hooks, No 10, 25, £0 0s 7d Fish hooks, No 15, 175, £0 1s 10d Fish hooks, No 14, 200, £0 2s 8d Fish hooks, No 12, 25, £0 0s 6½d Fishing lines, No 2, 6, £0 2s 5½d Fishing lines, No 3, 12, £0 5s 9d Hooks and lines in all, £1 10s 8d Carried over, £157 15s 2d The figure for candles reads £8 15s 0d, which is very high for 56 lb. It may be an error for £3 15s 0d. The nail weights given for the servants' sales earlier should probably also be read as numbers of nails or pounds as the clerk intended. The record does not say which. | |
72 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Ironware vizt.§ §5 Splint. Locks§ §1 Scythe Stone§ §3 Mouse Traps§ §2 doz. Wood Screws§ §1 Hand Hatchet§ §1 Brass Closet Lock§ §1 Spring Rat Trap§ §1 Small Fryg. Pan§ §1 Chest Lock§ §1 . 6 . 7§ §Cutlery ware vizt.§ §2 Shoe Knives§ §1 Butchers do.§ §1 . 9§ §Paint vizt.§ §2 Blue Smalts§ §2 Indico§ §52 W. Lead dry§ §1 Red Lead§ §30 Whiting§ §4 Olive Colour§ §20 W. Lead mixed§ §2 . 18 . 3§ §Glass ware vizt.§ §1 Sqr. Glass 11 by 19§ §1 Sqr. do. 11 by 18½§ §10 Sqr. do. 10 by 12§ §1 . 0 . 5§ §Carried over£§ | The sales to the planters continued as follows. Brought over, £157 15s 2d Ironware, splinter locks, 5, £0 3s 6½d Ironware, scythe stone, 1, £0 0s 3½d Ironware, mouse traps, 3, £0 2s 6d Ironware, wood screws, 2 dozen, £0 1s 0d Ironware, hand hatchet, 1, £0 2s 9½d Ironware, brass closet lock, 1, £0 7s 2¾d Ironware, spring rat trap, 1, £0 2s 2d Ironware, small frying pan, 1, £0 2s 0¼d Ironware, chest lock, 1, £0 4s 3½d Ironware in all, £1 6s 7d Cutlery, shoe knives, 2, £0 1s 0d Cutlery, butcher's knife, 1, £0 0s 9d Cutlery in all, £0 1s 9d Paint, blue smalt, 2 lb, £0 4s 11½d Paint, indigo, 2 lb, £0 4s 11½d Paint, white lead dry, 52 lb, £1 6s 0d Paint, red lead, 1 lb, £0 0s 3½d Paint, whiting, 30 lb, £0 1s 3d Paint, olive colour, 4 lb, £0 10s 0d Paint, white lead mixed, 20 lb, £0 10s 9½d Paint in all, £2 18s 3d Glassware, square of glass, 11 by 19 inches, 1, £0 2s 0d Glassware, square of glass, 11 by 18½ inches, 1, £0 1s 11d Glassware, squares of glass, 10 by 12 inches, 10, £0 16s 6d Glassware in all, £1 0s 5d Carried over, £163 2s 2d | |
73 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §2 Paint Brushes§ §1 Plaistg. do.§ §3§ §Deals 4 Single§ §Tin ware vizt.§ §1 Gallon Sauce Pan & Cover§ §1 Globe Lamp§ §12 . 11§ §China ware 2 Bowls§ §Brazrs. Ware 1 Bott. Cock§ §£164 . 16 . 5§ §Sold to the Honble. Company's Ships from the 1st. July to the 30th.§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §11 Barls. Pitch§ §3 Barls. Tar§ §21 . 17 . 2§ §Paint vizt.§ §58 White L. dry§ §42 Paperd. Blacking§ §3 . 16§ §Hooks & Lines vizt.§ §100 No. 15 Hooks§ §24 2 Lines§ §10 . 11§ §Flour 4386 lb.§ §Carried Over£§ | The sales to the planters ended, and the collection went on with goods sold to the Company's ships. Brought over, £163 2s 2d Turnery, paint brushes, 2, £0 1s 6d Turnery, plasterer's brush, 1, £0 1s 6d Turnery in all, £0 3s 0d Deals, single, 4, £0 11s 0d Tinware, 1-gallon saucepan and cover, 1, £0 2s 2d Tinware, globe lamp, 1, £0 10s 9d Tinware in all, £0 12s 11d Chinaware, bowls, 2, £0 2s 2d Brassware, bottle cock, 1, £0 5s 2d Sales to the planters in all, £164 16s 5d Sold to the Company's ships from 1 July to 30 September 1771 Pitch, 11 barrels, £17 4s 2d Tar, 3 barrels, £4 12s 6d Pitch and tar in all, £21 17s 2d Paint, white lead dry, 58 lb, £1 4s 1d Paint, Barcelona blacking, 42 lb, £2 12s 0d Paint in all, £3 16s 0d Fish hooks, No 15, 100, £0 1s 1d Fishing lines, No 2, 24, £0 9s 10d Hooks and lines in all, £0 10s 11d Flour, 4,386 lb, £54 16s 6d Carried over, £81 0s 7d Interpretations The planters bought only £164 16s 5d of goods in the quarter, against nearly £2,200 bought by the Company's servants. The planters were fewer, and the 25 and 40 per cent mark-ups gave them every reason to buy elsewhere where they could. They could buy from passing ships, or from servants who bought cheaply and resold. The stores were run for the Company's own people. The planters used them only for what they could not get another way. The Company's ships bought pitch, tar and flour from the island's stores to refit and revictual on the homeward voyage. Selling stores to its own ships turned St Helena into a dockyard and provision depot for the India fleet. Flour was the largest item, at more than 4,000 lb. It made up for the losses and shortages that the long voyage from India always caused. | |
74 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Oil vizt.§ §22 Gs. Train§ §24 do. Linseed§ §¼ do. Oil Turpentine§ §12 . 3 . 3§ §Salt 3 Bushels§ §Cordage 217 lb.§ §Deals vizt.§ §13 Double Deals§ §6 Single§ §3 . 11 . 7§ §Nails vizt.§ §2 lb. 2d.§ §4 Glazg. Brads§ §4 Coopers Rivets§ §6 . 12 . 4§ §Canvas 2 Ps. 21¾ English§ §Twine 32 Skeins§ §Iron ware 25 Sail Needles§ §Sugar 300 lb.§ §Turners ware 4 Paint Brushes§ §Candles 50 lb.§ §Beef & Pork vizt.§ §11 Tierces Beef§ §1 do. Pork§ §105 . 3§ §Carried Over£§ | The sales to the Company's ships continued as follows. Brought over, £81 0s 7d Train oil, 22 gallons, £5 4s 3d Linseed oil, 24 gallons, £6 17s 0d Oil of turpentine, ¼ gallon, £0 1s 7d Oil in all, £12 3s 3d Salt, 3 bushels, £0 13s 0d Cordage, 217 lb, £5 4s 0d Deals, double, 13, £2 14s 10d Deals, single, 6, £0 16s 9d Deals in all, £3 11s 7d Nails, 2d, 2 lb; 3d, 6 lb; 4d, 27 lb; 6d, 23 lb; 10d, 33 lb; 20d, 11 lb; 40d, 15 lb; and spikes, 36 lb, £5 19s 10d Glazing brads, 4 lb, £0 9s 4d Copper rivets, 4 lb, £0 3s 2d Nails in all, £6 12s 4d Canvas, English, 2 bolts 21½ yards, £9 9s 5d Twine, 32 skeins, £1 9s 4d Ironware, sail needles, 25, £0 2s 1d Sugar, 300 lb, £6 17s 6d Turnery, paint brushes, 4, £0 3s 0d Candles, 50 lb, £8 4s 7d Beef, 11 tierces, £95 1s 2d Pork, 1 tierce, £10 1s 10d Beef and pork in all, £105 3s 0d Carried over, £240 13s 8d Interpretations The Company's ships drew canvas, twine, sail needles and copper rivets from the island to repair their sails and hulls after the long passage from India. The salt beef and pork were sold by the tierce, a cask of about 300 lb. Eleven tierces of beef went to the ships, enough to feed a crew for many weeks. St Helena's stores held the meat in reserve so that homeward ships short of provisions could be supplied without calling at a foreign port. | |
75 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §China Ware vizt.§ §2 Bowls§ §36 Octagon Soup Plates§ §1 Set do. Dishes & Plates§ §6 Baking do.§ §3 . 7 . 10§ §£244 . 1 . 6§ §Charges General Dr. for the following Stores Issued§ §Candles vizt.§ §Hooks & Lines vizt.§ §60 No. 2 Lines for the Govr. & Lt. Govr. Fishermen§ §36 4 do.§ §42 3 do.§ §2 Leg§ §150 7 Hooks§ §125 15 do.§ §2 . 19 . 10§ §Oil vizt.§ §20¼ Galls. Train Castle & Great House§ §5 Bott. Florence Govr. Lieut. Govr. Ships§ §4 . 0 . 9§ §Carried Over£§ | The sales to the Company's ships ended, and the collection went on with stores issued for the Company's own use. Brought over, £240 13s 8d Chinaware, bowls, 2, £0 4s 4d Chinaware, octagon soup plates, 36, £1 4s 6d Chinaware, set of octagon dishes and plates, 1, £1 8s 6d Chinaware, baking dishes, 6, £0 10s 6d Chinaware in all, £3 7s 10d Sales to the Company's ships in all, £244 1s 6d Charges general, stores issued from 1 July to 30 September 1771 Candles, the Castle, 255 lb Candles, the Council, 150 lb Candles, the chaplain, 30 lb Candles, the Deputy Governor's lodgings, 25 lb Candles, the secretary's office, 1 lb Candles in all, 461 lb, £52 16s 6d Fishing lines, No 2, 60, for the Governor's and Deputy Governor's fishermen, £0 17s 6d Fishing lines, No 4, 36, for the same, £0 12s 3d Fishing lines, No 3, 42, for the same, £0 18s 0d Fishing lines, large, 2, for the same, £0 2s 0d Fish hooks, No 7, 150, for the same, £0 9s 0d Fish hooks, No 15, 125, for the same, £0 1s 1d Hooks and lines in all, £2 19s 10d Train oil, 20¾ gallons, for the Castle and the Great House, £3 7s 6d Florence oil, 5 bottles, for the Deputy Governor's lodgings and the Company's ships, £0 13s 3d Oil in all, £4 0s 9d Carried over, £59 17s 1d Interpretations The charges general were stores the Company issued free to its own establishment and charged to its general expenses. The Governor at the Castle drew more than half the candles, 255 lb in a quarter, to light his residence and offices. The Council and chaplain took most of the rest. Free candles and oil for lighting were part of the official perquisites of each post, alongside salary and diet money. The Governor and Deputy Governor had their own fishermen, supplied by the Company with hooks and lines. These were probably Company slaves or hired men who fished to supply the officials' tables. Fresh fish was one of the island's main foods. The Company provided the leading officials with a private supply, in addition to the stores they bought cheaply for their own households. | |
76 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Tea 6 lb. Bohea for the Groom & Gardr.§ §Candy 36 lb. for do. & Doctr. Shop§ §Soap 75 lb. for Linnen§ §Starch 15 lb. do.§ §Lead vizt.§ §9 Shot Lead for the Fishr.§ §4 Small Shot Castle§ §2 . 5§ §Coals 70 Bushels Armr. Shop§ §Cordage 199 lb. for Crane Ropes & Ordnance§ §Arrack 71 G. for Sundays Doct. Shop & Men Emplyd. in the Stores§ §Paint vizt.§ §6 lb. Indico for Linnen§ §3 Blue Smalts do.§ §8 Chalk Coopers Shop§ §6 Whiting Castle§ §16 . 1§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §2 Stock Locks Castle§ §1 Joiners Rubstone do.§ §4 Spring Rat Traps do.§ §1 Coopers Ax Coopers Use§ §1 Croe Iron do.§ §1 Coopers Hammer do.§ §3 Ash Hoes do.§ §3 Iron Shovels for the Burial Ground & Stores Use§ §1 Pick Ax Burial Ground§ §1 Wood do. Bake House§ §Iron ware Carrd. over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The charges general continued as follows. Brought over, £59 17s 1d Bohea tea, 6 lb, for the Governor's guard, £0 4s 3d Sugar candy, 36 lb, for the Governor and the doctor's shop, £1 15s 10d Soap, 75 lb, for linen, £2 3s 9d Starch, 15 lb, for linen, £0 8s 9d Shot lead, 9 lb, for the fishermen, £0 1s 8d Small shot, 4 lb, for the Castle, £0 0s 9d Lead in all, £0 2s 5d Coals, 70 bushels, for the armourer's shop, £4 10s 5d Cordage, 199 lb, for crane ropes and other uses, £3 2s 2d Arrack, 71 gallons, for the sundry doctor's shop and for the men employed in the stores, £10 13s 0d Paint, indigo, 6 lb, for linen, £0 10s 4½d Paint, blue smalt, 3 lb, for linen, £0 5s 2½d Paint, chalk, 8 lb, for the cooper's shop, £0 0s 4d Paint, whiting, 6 lb, for the Castle, £0 0s 2d Paint in all, £0 16s 1d Ironware, stock locks, 2, for the Castle, £0 5s 7d Ironware, joiner's rubstone, 1, for the Castle, £0 2s 9d Ironware, spring rat traps, 4, for the Castle, £0 6s 1d Ironware, cooper's adze, 1, for the cooper's use, £0 3s 10d Ironware, crow iron, 1, for the cooper's use, £0 0s 9½d Ironware, cooper's hammer, 1, for the cooper's use, £0 2s 5d Ironware, ox shoes, 3, for the cooper's use, £0 1s 9d Ironware, iron shovels, 3, for the burial ground and store use, £0 13s 7½d Ironware, pickaxe, 1, for the burial ground, £0 3s 6d Ironware, wood axe, 1, for the bake house, £0 2s 10d Carried over, £83 13s 9d Interpretations Indigo and smalt were issued "for linen" alongside soap and starch. Laundresses added a little blue to the final rinse to counter the yellowing of white cloth, the practice known as bluing. The Company supplied the soap, starch and blue to keep the Governor's and officials' linen white. Arrack issued to the men working in the stores was a common reward for heavy labour and a way to keep workers willing. The coals for the armourer's shop were imported, since the island had no coal and little wood to spare for a forge. | |
77 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Iron ware Brought over£§ §1 Maul Bake House§ §12 Drill Boxes Armr. Use§ §1 Pad Lock do.§ §2 Smiths Hand Hammers do.§ §8 Truss Hoops Store Use§ §11 . 6 . 3§ §Braziers ware 2 Bott. Cocks§ §Anchors 1 on the W. Rocks for warpg. in Ships§ §Twine 2 Sk. for the Govr. Fishermen§ §Haberdashery 2 Sk. Silk do.§ §Canvas 4½ Yds. Ticklenburgs for Packets§ §Nails vizt.§ §8 lb. 2§ §8 3§ §3 10§ §7 6§ §6 Coopr. Rivets§ §4 Dog Nails§ §1 Glazg. Brads§ §for Coopr. Shop, Store Use & Packets§ §1 . 4 . 10§ §Deals vizt.§ §3 Sing. Deals Bake House & Store use§ §1 Wainscot Board do.§ §1½ Ps. Oak Plank for makg. a Post for a Corn Mill & a Gate Post for the Church Yard§ §4 . 6 . 2§ §Long Cloth 4 Ps. No. 5 Castle§ §Carried Over£§ | The charges general continued as follows. Brought over, £83 13s 9d Ironware, maul, 1, for the bake house, £0 10s 5½d Ironware, drill boxes, 12, for the armourer's use, £0 12s 0d Ironware, padlock, 1, for the armourer's use, £0 1s 8½d Ironware, smiths' hand hammers, 2, for the armourer's use, £0 4s 5d Ironware, truss hoops, 8, for store use, £7 14s 6d Ironware in all, £11 6s 3d Brassware, bottle cocks, 2, £0 7s 4d Anchors, 1, on the West Rocks for warping in ships, £13 7s 11d Twine, 2 skeins, for the Governor's fishermen, £0 1s 3d Haberdashery, silk, 2 skeins, for the same, £0 1s 1d Canvas, Ticklenburgs, 4½ yards, for packets, £0 3s 11d Nails, 2d, 8 lb, for the cooper's shop, store use and packets, £0 6s 10d Nails, 3d, 8 lb, for the same, £0 6s 0d Nails, 10d, 3 lb, for the same, £0 1s 4½d Nails, 6d, 7 lb, for the same, £0 3s 11½d Copper rivets, 6, for the same, £0 3s 3d Dog nails, 4, for the same, £0 1s 9d Glazing brads, 1 lb, for the same, £0 1s 8d Nails in all, £1 4s 10d Deals, long, 3, for the bake house and store use, £0 5s 10½d Wainscot board, 1, for the same, £0 6s 7½d Oak plank, 1½ pieces, for making a post for a corn mill and a gate post for the churchyard, £3 13s 8d Timber in all, £4 6s 2d Long cloth, No 5, 4 pieces, £4 12s 0d Carried over, £119 4s 6d Interpretations The anchor set on the West Rocks was a fixed mooring used for warping, hauling a ship into position by heaving on a line made fast to it. Jamestown's roadstead was an open anchorage exposed to the swell, and ships had to be worked carefully into berths near the landing. A permanent anchor in the rocks let the Company's boats move ships in and out without depending on the wind. At more than £13 it was the costliest single item issued that quarter. Ticklenburgs was a coarse, cheap linen named after Tecklenburg in Westphalia, where it was first woven. It was used here to wrap the Company's packets of letters and papers, the same packets whose labels the rats had eaten aboard the Duke of Portland. Wainscot board was fine oak imported from the Baltic for panelling. The oak plank for a corn mill post shows the Company building or repairing a mill to grind the island's grain. | |
78 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §1 Birch Broom for the Bu. Ground§ §2 Plaistr. Brushes Bake House§ §2 Bowls Store use§ §1 Platter Store use§ §5 . 9§ §Cutlery ware vizt.§ §1 Shoe Knife for the Castle & Coopers Shop§ §3 Butchers do. for the Castle & Coopers Shop§ §1 . 11§ §Thread ½ lb. Whitd. Brown Castle§ §Corks 5 Gross do.§ §Rozin 6 lb. do.§ §Pewter vizt.§ §2 half Galln. Pots Store use§ §1 Quart do. Store use§ §14 . 4§ §£121 . 4§ §Repairs Dr. for the following Stores Issued§ §Deals vizt.§ §3 Balks§ §4 Dou. Deals Repairg. Compy. Houses§ §15 Single do.§ §1 Ps. Oak Plank Repg. the Crane§ §1 Ps. Riga Timber do. Shed on Line§ §8 . 6 . 7§ §Carried over£§ | The charges general ended, and the collection went on with stores issued for repairs. Brought over, £119 4s 6d Turnery, birch broom, 1, for the burial ground, £0 0s 5d Turnery, plasterer's brushes, 2, for the bake house, £0 2s 0d Turnery, bowls, 2, for store use, £0 2s 2d Turnery, platter, 1, for store use, £0 1s 2d Turnery in all, £0 5s 9d Cutlery, shoe knife, 1, for the Castle and the cooper's shop, £0 0s 4d Cutlery, butcher's knives, 3, for the same, £0 1s 7d Cutlery in all, £0 1s 11d Thread, whited brown, ½ lb, for the Castle, £0 3s 5d Corks, 5 gross, for the Castle, £0 13s 1d Rosin, 6 lb, for the Castle, £0 1s 0d Pewter, half-gallon pots, 2, for store use, £0 11s 4d Pewter, quart pot, 1, for store use, £0 3s 0d Pewter in all, £0 14s 4d Charges general in all, £121 4s 0d Repairs, stores issued from 1 July to 30 September 1771 Balks, 3, for repairing the Company's houses, £1 6s 10½d Deals, double, 4, for the same, £0 13s 8d Deals, single, 15, for the same, £1 9s 4½d Oak plank, 1 piece, for repairing the crane, £2 9s 1d Riga timber, 1 piece, for the shed on the Line, £2 7s 7d Repairs in all, £8 6s 7d Carried over, £8 6s 7d Interpretations Riga timber was pine shipped from the Baltic port of Riga, prized for its straight grain and strength. Like the deals and balks, it had to come halfway round the world to an island stripped of its own forests. The repairs account separated the cost of keeping up the Company's buildings and works from the stores sold or issued for daily use. The shed on the Line and the crane at the landing both appear in the paymaster's labour accounts too, so the same works drew on both the stores and the wage bill. | |
79 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Nails vizt.§ §12 lb. 4§ §8 6§ §10 10§ §6 20§ §4 40§ §Repairg. Compy. Houses§ §1 . 0 . 5§ §Paint 11 lb. Whiting do.§ §Oil ⅛ G. Linseed§ §Glass ware vizt.§ §4 Sqr. 9 by 17½§ §1 Sq. 11 by 18½§ §4 Sqr. 8 by 10§ §1 Sq. 8 by 12§ §9 . 8§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §3 Ps. Dove Tl. Hinges Castle§ §1 Blank Key Castle§ §2 . 6§ §£10 . 0 . 1§ §Diet Expences Dr. for the following Stores§ §Flour 1193 lb.§ §Rice 540 lb.§ §Arrack 108 Gallons§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §262 Sugar§ §321 Candy§ §11 . 1 . 1§ §Carried Over£§ | The stores issued for repairs ended, and the collection went on with the diet expenses. Brought over, £8 6s 7d Nails, 4d, 12 lb, for repairing the Company's houses, £0 7s 6d Nails, 6d, 8 lb, for the same, £0 4s 6d Nails, 10d, 10 lb, for the same, £0 4s 7d Nails, 20d, 6 lb, for the same, £0 2s 4d Nails, 40d, 4 lb, for the same, £0 1s 6d Nails in all, £1 0s 5d Paint, whiting, 11 lb, for the same, £0 0s 5d Linseed oil, ⅛ gallon, £0 0s 6d Glassware, squares of glass, 9 by 17½ inches, 4, £0 5s 4d Glassware, square of glass, 11 by 18½ inches, 1, £0 1s 4d Glassware, squares of glass, 8 by 10 inches, 4, £0 2s 0d Glassware, square of glass, 8 by 12 inches, 1, £0 1s 0d Glassware in all, £0 9s 8d Ironware, cross-tail hinges, 3 pairs, for the Castle, £0 1s 11d Ironware, blank key, 1, for the Castle, £0 0s 7d Ironware in all, £0 2s 6d Repairs in all, £10 0s 1d Diet expenses, stores issued from 1 July to 30 September 1771 Flour, 1,193 lb, £9 18s 10d Rice, 540 lb, £3 2s 9d Arrack, 108 gallons, £16 4s 0d Sugar, 262 lb, £4 7s 4d Sugar candy, 321 lb, £6 13s 9d Sugar and candy in all, £11 1s 1d Carried over, £40 6s 8d Interpretations The diet expenses were the stores consumed at the Company's table, where the Governor, Council and covenanted servants ate together. Flour, rice and sugar fed the table, and 108 gallons of arrack were drunk there in a quarter, mostly as punch made with sugar, lemons and water. The diet money paid to each servant and the stores issued to the table together covered the cost of the officials' meals. That was why the paymaster also bought hams, pickles and Indian delicacies for the Company's table. | |
80 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Beef & Pork vizt.§ §59 Ps. Beef§ §59 Ps. Pork§ §19 . 14 . 8§ §Oil 12 Bott. Florence§ §Salt 1 Bushel§ §Pepper 10 lb.§ §£62 . 1 . 1§ §Garrison Dr. for the following Stores Issued from§ §Deals vizt.§ §100 Double Deals for Cots§ §12 Single do. for Coffins§ §½ Ps. Riga Timb. for Centl. Boxes§ §19 . 1§ §Nails vizt.§ §1 lb. 2§ §30 3§ §21 4§ §for Coffins & Centl. Boxes§ §2 . 11 . 6§ §Canvas 8 Ps. 4½ English for Cots§ §Twine 6 Skeins for do.§ §Candles 44 lb. for Officers on Duty§ §Oil vizt.§ §97 Galls. Train for the Govr. Guards§ §¼ Linseed for mark. Blankets§ §⅛ Oil Turpentine for mark. Blankets§ §16 . 4 . 11§ §Carried over£§ | The diet expenses ended, and the collection went on with stores issued to the garrison. Brought over, £40 6s 8d Beef, 59 pieces, £10 13s 11d Pork, 59 pieces, £9 0s 9d Beef and pork in all, £19 14s 8d Florence oil, 12 bottles, £1 11s 9d Salt, 1 bushel, £0 3s 0d Pepper, 10 lb, £0 5s 0d Diet expenses in all, £62 1s 1d Garrison, stores issued from 1 July to 30 September 1771 Deals, double, 100, for cots, £17 1s 8d Deals, single, 12, for coffins, £1 3s 6d Riga timber, ½ piece, for sentry boxes, £0 15s 10d Timber in all, £19 1s 0d Nails, 2d, 1 lb, for coffins and sentry boxes, £0 0s 10½d Nails, 3d, 50 lb, for the same, £1 17s 6d Nails, 4d, 21 lb, for the same, £0 13s 1½d Nails in all, £2 11s 6d Canvas, English, 8 bolts 4½ yards, for cots, £20 16s 0d Twine, 6 skeins, for cots, £0 3s 8d Candles, 44 lb, for officers on duty, £5 0s 10d Train oil, 97 gallons, for the Governor's guards, £16 3s 4d Linseed oil, ½ gallon, for marking blankets, £0 1s 0d Oil of turpentine, ⅛ gallon, for marking blankets, £0 0s 7d Oil in all, £16 4s 11d Carried over, £137 2s 8d Interpretations The garrison's cots were made of deal frames and English canvas, which explains the payments to carpenters, sawyers and smiths for making cots for the soldiers. A cot of this kind was a hanging or framed canvas bed, like a ship's cot, cheaper than a full bedstead. Twelve deals went to make coffins for soldiers who had died. That matches the deaths recorded in the pay list and the sexton's charge for the funerals of ten soldiers. Blankets were marked with paint mixed in oil so that each could be identified as Company property, which deterred theft and resale. | |
81 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Tea 58½ lb. Bohea for the Govr. Guards§ §Blankets 76§ §Iron 41 lb. for makg. Pins for Cots§ §Paint 2 lb. Olive Colour for markg. Blankets§ §Soldiers Cloaths 2 Sold. Coats & Breeches§ §Pork 214 Pieces§ §Shoes 5 Ps. Mens Ordy. for Recruits§ §Shirts 5 Soldiers for do.§ §Lines 12 No. 2 for Ships§ §China ware 12 Sneakers§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §6 Small Fryg. Pans§ §7 Large do. for the Govr. Barracks§ §5 Wood Axes§ §57 Rod Iron for Cot Pins§ §2 Spring Rat Traps Govr. Guards§ §3 . 13 . 6§ §Turners Ware vizt.§ §22 Bowls for the Govr. Barracks§ §26 Platters for the Govr. Barracks§ §2 . 8§ §Tin Ware vizt.§ §26 Small Lamps do.§ §2 Large do.§ §1 Horn Lanthorn Barr. Guard§ §1 . 8 . 3§ §£137 . 2 . 8§ | The stores issued to the garrison continued as follows. Brought over, £137 9s 8d Bohea tea, 55½ lb, for the Governor's guards, £3 2s 8d Blankets, 76, £93 2s 4d Iron, 41 lb, for making pins for cots, £0 8s 6d Paint, olive colour, 2 lb, for marking blankets, £0 3s 7d Soldiers' clothes, 2 soldiers' coats and breeches, £2 18s 10d Pork, 214 pieces, £32 17s 4d Shoes, men's ordinary, 5 pairs, for recruits, £1 3s 3d Shirts, soldiers', 5, for recruits, £1 12s 6d Fishing lines, No 2, 12, for ships, £0 3s 6d Chinaware, sneakers, 12, £0 2s 6d Ironware, small frying pans, 6, for the soldiers' barracks, £0 11s 8d Ironware, large frying pans, 7, for the same, £1 12s 8d Ironware, wood axes, 5, for the same, £0 14s 2d Ironware, rod iron for cot pins, 57 lb, £0 11s 11d Ironware, spring rat traps, 2, for the guards, £0 3s 1d Ironware in all, £3 13s 6d Turnery, bowls, 22, for the soldiers' barracks, £1 3s 10d Turnery, platters, 26, for the same, £1 4s 2d Turnery in all, £2 8s 0d Tinware, small lamps, 26, for the same, £1 2s 9d Tinware, large lamps, 2, for the same, £0 2s 0d Tinware, horn lantern, 1, for the barrack guard, £0 3s 6d Tinware in all, £1 8s 3d Garrison in all, £137 2s 8d The totals entered at the head and foot of this page do not agree with the items listed on it. Interpretations The garrison drew 76 blankets in a single quarter at more than £93, one of the largest issues in the whole account. The new cots made of deal and canvas needed bedding as well. Each blanket was marked with paint so it could be traced. The barracks were also supplied with frying pans, bowls, platters and lamps. The soldiers messed and cooked for themselves in their quarters, using utensils the Company provided. Recruits received shoes and shirts on arrival, a first issue of clothing they would later have to replace from their own pay at the stores. | |
82 | 21st. October§ §Tea 118 lb. Bohea§ §Sugar 262 lb.§ §Shoes vizt.§ §51 Ps. Mens Ordy.§ §15 Ps. Womens Calf Leather§ §15 . 16 . 6§ §Arrack 237½ Gallons§ §Rice 18151 lb.§ §Beef & Pork vizt.§ §1019 Ps. Beef§ §743 Ps. Pork§ §299 . 4 . 7§ §Glass ware 5 Sq. 10 by 13 Bl. Hospl.§ §Oil 4 Gallons Train§ §Soap 8 lb.§ §Tin ware 1 Quart Funnel§ §Flour 12 lb.§ §Salt ⅛ Bushel§ §Pepper 2 lb.§ §Long Cloth ⅙ Ps. W. for Lying in Women§ §Deals 1 Double§ §Canvas 3 Yds. English§ §Nails 1 lb. 3§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §1 Stock Lock§ §1 Pad do.§ §1 Small Fryg. Pan§ §6 . 7§ §£464 . 8 . 8§ | The collection went on with the stores issued to the Company's black slaves between 1 July and 30 September 1771. Bohea tea, 118 lb, £4 3s 7d Sugar, 262 lb, £4 7s 4d Men's ordinary shoes, 51 pairs, £13 17s 9d Women's calf leather shoes, 15 pairs, £1 18s 9d Shoes in all, £15 16s 6d Arrack, 237½ gallons, £35 12s 6d Rice, 14,181 lb, £102 16s 7d Beef, 1,019 pieces, £184 13s 10d Pork, 743 pieces, £114 10s 9d Beef and pork in all, £299 4s 7d Glassware, squares of glass, 10 by 12 inches, 5, for the hospital, £0 1s 10d Train oil, 4 gallons, £0 13s 4d Soap, 8 lb, £0 4s 8d Tinware, quart funnel, 1, £0 0s 6d Flour, 12 lb, £0 2s 0d Salt, ½ bushel, £0 1s 1d Pepper, 2 lb, £0 1s 6d Long cloth, ½ piece, for a lying-in woman, £0 5s 0d Deals, double, 1, £0 3s 5d Canvas, English, 3 yards, £0 3s 11d Nails, 3d, 1 lb, £0 0s 9d Ironware, stock lock, 1, £0 2s 11d Ironware, padlock, 1, £0 1s 8d Ironware, small frying pan, 1, £0 2s 0d Ironware in all, £0 6s 7d Total, £464 8s 8d Interpretations Feeding and clothing the Company's slaves cost £464 in a quarter, more than all the stores issued to the garrison. Rice was their staple, at more than 14,000 lb, along with large issues of salt beef and pork. They also received a regular allowance of arrack, tea and sugar. This was a large body of slaves. Supporting them was a major charge on the Company's stores, separate from the wages it paid to free workers on the public works. The Company issued half a piece of long cloth for a woman in childbirth. When a Company slave gave birth, the Company provided cloth for her and the infant, since her child would also become Company property. The shoes issued, 51 pairs for men and 15 for women, show the slaves were shod for work on the island's rough ground. | |
83 | 1771§ §Rice 270 lb.§ §Beef 23 Ps.§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §70 lb. Sugar§ §26 Candy§ §1 . 14 . 2§ §Soap 18 lb.§ §Arrack 19 Gallons§ §Broad Cloth vizt.§ §6¼ Yds. Blue§ §4 do. Scarlet§ §10 . 11 . 4§ §Shalloon vizt.§ §6 Yds. Scarlet§ §6 do. Coloured§ §1 . 5 . 11§ §Haberdashery vizt.§ §12 Sk. Silk§ §6 doz. Mohl. Ct. Buttons§ §6 doz. do. Br. do.§ §3 Yds. White Buckram§ §2 Ps. Tape§ §16 . 7§ §Thread vizt.§ §4 lb. Coloured§ §2 Whited Brown§ §1 . 5 . 11§ §Carried over£§ | The collection went on with the stores charged to the account headed Mattay between 1 July and 30 September 1771. Rice, 270 lb, £1 11s 11d Beef, 23 pieces, £4 3s 4d Sugar, 70 lb, £1 3s 4d Sugar candy, 26 lb, £0 10s 10d Sugar and candy in all, £1 14s 2d Soap, 18 lb, £0 10s 6d Arrack, 19 gallons, £2 17s 0d Broadcloth, blue, 6¼ yards, £6 12s 6d Broadcloth, scarlet, 4 yards, £3 18s 10d Broadcloth in all, £10 11s 4d Shalloon, scarlet, 6 yards, £0 15s 2d Shalloon, coloured, 6 yards, £0 10s 9d Shalloon in all, £1 5s 11d Haberdashery, silk, 12 skeins, £0 6s 0d Haberdashery, metal coat buttons, 6 dozen, £0 4s 0d Haberdashery, metal breast buttons, 6 dozen, £0 2s 0d Haberdashery, white buckram, 3 yards, £0 3s 5d Haberdashery, tape, 2 pieces, £0 1s 2d Haberdashery in all, £0 16s 7d Thread, coloured, 4 [...], £0 12s 4d Thread, whited brown, 2 [...], £0 13s 7d Thread in all, £1 5s 11d Carried over, £24 16s 8d Interpretations The heading Mattay is unclear, but the stores charged to it suggest a group of people kept and clothed by the Company. They received food rations of rice, beef, sugar and arrack, and also blue and scarlet broadcloth, shalloon, buttons and buckram. These are the materials of uniform coats, made up on the island by tailors. The word may refer to the Malay or other Asian servants of the Company, such as Negueda, Paolam and Massinge, who drew arrack and provisions in the paymaster's accounts. It may also refer to a body of men given a livery. The record does not make clear which. | |
84 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Long Cloth vizt.§ §1 Ps. No. 3§ §1 Ps. 4§ §1 Ps. 5§ §5 . 6 . 7§ §Iron Pots 2 Weight 10 lb.§ §Hosiers ware 4 Prs. Mn. Wove Stockgs.§ §Blankets 2§ §Braziers ware 1 S. Qt. Tea Kettle§ §Tin ware vizt.§ §2 Qt. Sauce Pans§ §1 Galln. do. with Cover§ §3 . 2§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §1 Small Fryg. Pan§ §1 Wood Ax§ §4 . 10§ §Glass ware 6 Wine Glasses§ §Canvas vizt.§ §3 Yds. Ticklenburgs§ §3 do. Eng. Canvas§ §6 . 7§ §Turners ware 1 Hair Broom§ §Lead 12 lb. Shot§ §Oars 2 Small§ §Cordage 32 lb.§ §Candles 20 lb.§ §Hooks & Lines vizt.§ §50 No. 6 Hooks§ §50 7 do.§ §100 16 do.§ §Hooks & Lines Carrd. over£§ §Carrd. over£§ | The stores charged to the Mattay account continued as follows. Brought over, £24 16s 8d Long cloth, No 3, 1 piece, £2 15s 1d Long cloth, No 4, 1 piece, £1 8s 6d Long cloth, No 5, 1 piece, £1 3s 0d Long cloth in all, £5 6s 7d Iron pots, 2, weighing 10 lb, £0 3s 7d Hosiery, men's worsted stockings, 4 pairs, £0 15s 4d Blankets, 2, £0 12s 2d Brassware, 1 [...], £0 16s 9d Tinware, saucepans, 2, £0 0s 11d Tinware, 1-gallon saucepan and cover, 1, £0 2s 3d Tinware in all, £0 3s 2d Ironware, small frying pan, 1, £0 2s 0d Ironware, wood axe, 1, £0 2s 10d Ironware in all, £0 4s 10d Glassware, wine glasses, 6, £0 2s 8d Canvas, Ticklenburgs, 3 yards, £0 2s 8d Canvas, English, 3 yards, £0 3s 11d Canvas in all, £0 6s 7d Turnery, hair broom, 1, £0 2s 8d Shot lead, 12 lb, £0 2s 3d Oars, small, 2, £0 7s 11d Cordage, 32 lb, £0 16s 3d Candles, 20 lb, £2 5s 10d Fish hooks, No 6, 50, £0 0s 4d Fish hooks, No 7, 50, £0 0s 3d Fish hooks, No 16, 100, £0 0s 6d Hooks and lines carried over, £0 1s 6d Carried over, £37 3s 1d The figures in the right-hand column on this page are set against the items with some uncertainty, as the column is irregularly spaced. Interpretations The Mattay account was charged for wine glasses, oars, cordage, fishing gear, shot, cooking pots and household goods as well as cloth and food. That points to a household or settlement provided for by the Company, not simply a group being clothed. The mix of boat gear and fishing tackle suggests people who fished or worked boats for the Company. It fits a group of Asian servants or a detached station supplied from the stores. | |
85 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Hooks & Lines Brought over£§ §12 No. 2 Lines§ §12 3 do.§ §1 Hambro' do.§ §16 . 7§ §Coffee 4 lb.§ §Pepper 4 lb.§ §China ware vizt.§ §12 Octagon Soup Plates§ §14 Sneakers§ §4 Bowls§ §4 Octagon Md. Dishes§ §1 . 1 . 11§ §Cutlery ware 2 Bucklg. Combs§ §Shoes vizt.§ §1 Pr. Mens fine Pumps§ §1 Pr. do. Channeld. do.§ §11§ §Tea vizt.§ §2 lb. Single§ §4 Bohea§ §5 . 7§ §Oil vizt.§ §2 Bott. Florence§ §½ G. Train§ §6 . 11§ §Salt ½ Bushel§ §Flour 30 lb.§ §Paint 3 lb. Indico§ §Starch 2 lb.§ §£41 . 4 . 1§ | The stores charged to the Mattay account ended as follows. Brought over, £37 3s 1d Hooks and lines brought over, £0 7s 6d Fishing lines, No 2, 12, £0 3s 6d Fishing lines, No 3, 12, £0 4s 1d Hambro line, 1, £0 1s 6d Hooks and lines in all, £0 16s 7d Coffee, 4 lb, £0 3s 4d Pepper, 4 lb, £0 2s 0d Chinaware, octagon soup plates, 12, £0 5s 10d Chinaware, sneakers, 14, £0 3s 0d Chinaware, bowls, 4, £0 3s 0d Chinaware, octagon meat dishes, 4, £0 10s 1d Chinaware in all, £1 1s 11d Cutlery, buckling combs, 2, £0 0s 7d Shoes, men's fine pumps, 1 pair, £0 5s 0d Shoes, men's channelled pumps, 1 pair, £0 6s 0d Shoes in all, £0 11s 0d Singlo tea, 2 lb, £0 2s 9d Bohea tea, 4 lb, £0 2s 10d Tea in all, £0 5s 7d Florence oil, 2 bottles, £0 5s 3d Train oil, ½ gallon, £0 1s 8d Oil in all, £0 6s 11d Salt, ½ bushel, £0 1s 6d Flour, 30 lb, £0 5s 0d Paint, indigo, 3 lb, £0 5s 3d Starch, 2 lb, £0 1s 2d Total, £41 4s 1d The hooks and lines carried over from the previous page should read £0 7s 6d, not £0 1s 6d. Interpretations The Mattay account also took china plates, tea, coffee, fine pumps and buckling combs for dressing hair. These were not the rations of labourers or slaves but the household needs of people living in some comfort. The whole account came to £41 in the quarter. That points to a small, well-provided household, perhaps a Company officer's establishment on a detached post, or Asian servants with a recognised standing in the Company's service. The record does not say who they were. | |
86 | 21st. October§ §Rice & Paddy vizt.§ §504 lb. Rice for Overseer & Poultry§ §5615 Paddy for Horses & do.§ §15 . 4 . 3§ §Beef 10 Ps. for the Overseer & Steward§ §Lines vizt.§ §4 No. 4 for Plantation & bleeding Cattle§ §1 Hambro' for Plantation & bleeding Cattle§ §3§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §1 Blank Key for Plant. House Gate§ §1 Two foot Rule for Long Wood§ §2 Pruning Saws Gardens§ §1 Sheet Emery Paper Stables§ §2 Spades for the Plantation§ §1 Pad Lock for y. Fl. Garden§ §3 Scythe Stones for the Stables§ §15 . 5§ §Paint 25 lb. W. Lead mixed for the Pl. House§ §Nails vizt.§ §12 lb. 6 for the Pasture Gates & Pigeon House§ §2 4 for the Pasture Gates & Pigeon House§ §8§ §Cordage 30 lb. for y. Carts & Pastures§ §Cutlery ware vizt.§ §6 Butchers Knives Plant.§ §2 Pruning do. for Gardens§ §3 Cases Fleams for Bleedg. Cattle§ §12§ §Carrd. over£§ | The collection went on with the stores issued to the Company's plantation between 1 July and 30 September 1771. Rice, 504 lb, for the overseer and poultry, £2 19s 0d Paddy, 5,615 lb, for the horses and poultry, £12 5s 3d Rice and paddy in all, £15 4s 3d Beef, 10 pieces, for the overseer and steward, £1 16s 3d Fishing lines, No 4, 4, for the plantation and for bleeding cattle, £0 1s 6d Hambro line, 1, for the same, £0 1s 6d Lines in all, £0 3s 0d Ironware, blank key, 1, for Plantation House gate, £0 0s 8d Ironware, two-foot rule, 1, for the same, £0 1s 1d Ironware, pruning saws, 2, for the gardens, £0 4s 0d Ironware, sheet of emery paper, 1, for the stables, £0 0s 1d Ironware, spades, 2, for the plantation, £0 7s 6d Ironware, padlock, 1, for the Governor's garden, £0 1s 8d Ironware, scythe stones, 3, for the stables, £0 0s 5d Ironware in all, £0 15s 5d Paint, white lead mixed, 25 lb, for the house, £0 9s 4d Nails, 6d, 12 lb, for the pasture gates, £0 6s 9d Nails, 4d, 2 lb, for the pigeon house, £0 1s 3d Nails in all, £0 8s 0d Cordage, 30 lb, for the carts and pastures, £0 9s 4d Cutlery, butcher's knives, 6, for the plantation, £0 3s 1½d Cutlery, pruning knives, 2, for the gardens, £0 2s 3d Cutlery, cases of fleams, 3, for bleeding cattle, £0 6s 7½d Cutlery in all, £0 12s 0d Interpretations The plantation was the Company's farm at Plantation House, the Governor's country residence, with its gardens, pastures, stables and pigeon house. It was run by an overseer and steward and worked largely by the Company's slaves. Paddy fed the horses and poultry, and most of the rice went the same way. The plantation produced fresh food for the Governor's table and for the garrison and passing ships. Cattle were bled as a routine treatment, using fleams to open a vein. Bleeding was believed to cure fever and many other complaints in animals as in people. The lines issued for bleeding cattle were used to tie the animal or tighten a cord round the neck to raise the vein. The Company's cattle were among its most valuable stock on the island, and their care was taken seriously. | |
87 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Cart wheels 2 W. Barrow Long Wood§ §Pewter 1 Bason for the Dairy§ §Long Cloth ⅙ Ps. for do.§ §Deals 1 Single for the Pigs. House§ §Oil vizt.§ §1 Gallon Linseed§ §¼ do. Oil Turpentine§ §5 . 1§ §Tar 1 Gallon for the Carts§ §Arrack 1 G. given when breaking Cattle§ §Sugar 1 lb. given do. do.§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §2 Yokes for Oxen§ §4 Ox Bows§ §3 Birch Brooms§ §1 . 14 . 1§ §Wheat 24 Bushels 18 lb. for the Govr. & Lieut. Govr. Poultry§ §£41§ §Hospital Dr. for the following Stores Issued from the 1st.§ §Sugar 360 lb.§ §Flour 360§ §Rice 360§ §Tea 14 lb. Bohea§ §Oil 12½ Gs. Train§ §Salt 1½ Bushl.§ §Carried Over£§ | The plantation stores ended, and the collection went on with the hospital. Cart wheels, 2, and wheelbarrow, for Longwood, £1 10s 10d Pewter, basin, 1, for the dairy, £0 3s 11d Long cloth, ⅙ piece, for the dairy, £0 5s 0d Deals, single, 1, for the pigeon house, £0 1s 11d Linseed oil, 1 gallon, £0 4s 0d Oil of turpentine, ¼ gallon, £0 1s 1d Oil in all, £0 5s 1d Tar, 1 gallon, for the carts, £0 0s 9d Arrack, 1 gallon, given when breaking cattle, £0 3s 0d Sugar, 1 lb, given when breaking cattle, £0 0s 4d Turnery, yokes for oxen, 2, £1 8s 0d Turnery, ox bows, 4, £0 4s 10d Turnery, birch brooms, 3, £0 1s 3d Turnery in all, £1 14s 1d Wheat, 24 bushels 18 [...], for the Governor's and Deputy Governor's poultry, £16 17s 6d Plantation in all, £41 0s 0d Hospital, stores issued from 1 July to 30 September 1771 Sugar, 360 lb, £6 0s 0d Flour, 360 lb, £3 0s 0d Rice, 360 lb, £2 2s 7d Bohea tea, 14 lb, £0 9s 11d Train oil, 12½ gallons, £2 0s 10d Salt, 1½ bushels, £0 1s 6d The total carried over at the foot of the page was not entered. Interpretations Arrack and sugar were given to the men breaking cattle, training young oxen to the yoke for carts and ploughing. The work was hard and dangerous, and a ration of spirits was a customary reward. The plantation's oxen pulled carts on the steep island roads, which explains the yokes, ox bows and ox shoes issued. The Governor's and Deputy Governor's poultry ate imported wheat worth nearly £17 in a quarter, more than the paddy given to the plantation's other stock. The officials' tables depended on fresh fowls, eggs and pigeons, and the Company fed their birds from its own stores. The hospital's issues of sugar, flour, rice and tea show that sick soldiers and slaves were given a lighter diet than the salt meat of ordinary rations. | |
88 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Long Cloth 1 Ps. No. 5§ §Twine ½ lb. Cotton Wick§ §Glass ware 1 Urinal§ §Blankets 1§ §Deals 2 Single§ §£15 . 12 . 5§ §Boats Dr. for the following Stores Issued from the§ §Oars vizt.§ §6 Large§ §2 Small§ §2 . 0 . 8§ §Cordage 2893 lb.§ §Blocks vizt.§ §10 Single Blocks of 5 Inches§ §3 do. do. of 8 do.§ §1 Double do. of 8 do.§ §12 . 11§ §Iron 22 lb.§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §1 Small Fryg. Pan§ §1 Hand Hatchet§ §1 Chest Lock§ §12 Sail Needles§ §6 Bolt Rope do.§ §2 Pad Locks§ §11§ §Iron Pots 1 Wt. 20 lb.§ §Carried Over£§ | The hospital stores ended, and the collection went on with the stores issued for the Company's boats. Long cloth, No 5, 1 piece, £1 3s 0d Cotton wick, ½ lb, £0 0s 7d Glassware, urinal, 1, £0 1s 0d Blankets, 1, £0 6s 1d Deals, single, 2, £0 3s 11d Hospital in all, £15 12s 5d Boats, stores issued from 1 July to 30 September 1771 Oars, large, 6, £1 13s 0d Oars, small, 2, £0 7s 8d Oars in all, £2 0s 8d Cordage, 2,893 lb, £45 4s 1d Blocks, single, 5-inch, 10, £0 7s 8d Blocks, single, 8-inch, 3, £0 3s 5d Blocks, double, 8-inch, 1, £0 1s 10d Blocks in all, £0 12s 11d Iron, 22 lb, £0 4s 6d Ironware, small frying pan, 1, £0 2s 0d Ironware, hand hatchet, 1, £0 1s 8½d Ironware, chest lock, 1, £0 3s 0½d Ironware, sail needles, 12, £0 0s 3d Ironware, bolt rope needles, 6, £0 0s 7½d Ironware, padlocks, 2, £0 3s 4½d Ironware in all, £0 11s 0d Iron pots, 1, weighing 20 lb, £0 4s 2d Carried over, £48 17s 4d Interpretations The boats used nearly 2,900 lb of cordage in a single quarter, worth more than £45. The Company's boats worked constantly in the open roadstead off Jamestown. They landed cargo and stores from the ships, carried water and provisions out to them and warped vessels in and out of their berths. The swell at the landing wore out ropes quickly. Blocks were pulleys for hoisting and hauling. Bolt rope needles were heavy needles for sewing the rope edging onto sails. | |
89 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Arrack 7 Gall. for Men emplyd. in hauling on shore & Launchg. Boats§ §Lines 2 Deep Sea§ §Leather 9 lb. Sole§ §Canvas 4 Ps. 5 Yds. English§ §Oil vizt.§ §3½ Gs. Train§ §2⅞ Gs. Linseed§ §¼ do. Oil Turpentine§ §1 . 3 . 10§ §Turners ware 6 Paint Brushes§ §Deals vizt.§ §5 Double Deals§ §3 Elm Boards§ §2 Single Deals§ §2 Spars§ §2½ Ps. Elm Plank§ §3 Ps. Ash do.§ §1 Ps. Oak do.§ §19§ §Nails vizt.§ §8 lb. 2§ §4 3§ §6 4§ §6 6§ §16 10§ §½ Glazg. Brads§ §1 . 5 . 2§ §Paint vizt.§ §1 Paperd. Blacking§ §⅛ Ambergrease§ §25 White L. dry§ §6 Red Lead§ §15 Whiting§ §3 . 7 . 6§ §Carried Over£§ | The stores issued for the boats continued as follows. Brought over, £48 17s 4d Arrack, 7 gallons, for the men employed hauling the boats ashore and launching them, £1 1s 0d Deep-sea lines, 2, £0 10s 0d Sole leather, 9 lb, £0 11s 3d Canvas, English, 4 bolts 5 yards, £10 11s 4d Train oil, 3½ gallons, £0 11s 8d Linseed oil, 2⅝ gallons, £0 11s 1d Oil of turpentine, ¼ gallon, £0 1s 1d Oil in all, £1 3s 10d Turnery, paint brushes, 6, £0 2s 11d Deals, double, 5, £0 17s 1d Elm boards, 3, £0 14s 10d Deals, single, 2, £0 3s 11d Spars, 2, £0 8s 5d Elm plank, 2½ pieces, £5 11s 4d Ash plank, 3 pieces, £8 15s 4d Oak plank, 1 piece, £2 9s 1d Timber in all, £19 0s 0d Nails, 2d, ½ lb, £0 6s 10d Nails, 3d, 4 lb, £0 3s 0d Nails, 4d, 6 lb, £0 3s 9d Nails, 6d, 6 lb, £0 3s 5d Nails, 10d, 16 lb, £0 7s 4d Glazing brads, ½ lb, £0 0s 10d Nails in all, £1 5s 2d Paint, Barcelona blacking, 1 barrel, £0 0s 9½d Paint, verdigris, ½ [...], £2 16s 3d Paint, white lead dry, 25 lb, £0 8s 4d Paint, red lead, 6 lb, £0 1s 6d Paint, whiting, 15 lb, £0 0s 7½d Paint in all, £3 7s 6d Carried over, £86 10s 4d The first nail entry probably belongs to a larger quantity than the ½ lb shown, given its price. Interpretations The Company's boats were hauled up the beach after each day's work and launched again when needed. The landing at Jamestown gave no shelter from the Atlantic swell, so boats left in the water risked being smashed. The men who did this heavy work were given a ration of arrack, as the cattle-breakers were. Elm, ash and oak planks were used to repair hulls and oars. Ash was valued for oars because it was tough and springy. Verdigris, a green copper pigment, was painted on boat bottoms to discourage weed and the shipworm that bored into timber in warm waters. | |
90 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Twine 16 Skeins§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §1 Barl. Pitch§ §1 do. Tar§ §2 . 5 . 11§ §Tin ware 6 Single Sheets Tin§ §Lead 19 lb. Shot§ §Braziers ware vizt.§ §1 Brass Pulley for the Crane§ §1 Bottling Cock§ §1 . 6 . 4§ §Serge 5 Yds. Green§ §Haberdashery ¼ Gro. broad Worsted Lace§ §Thread 1 lb. Coloured§ §Anchors 2 Grapnails§ §£95 . 2 . 3§ §Fortifications Dr. for the following Stores Issued§ §Twine 36 Sk. for mendg. Lime Bags§ §Candles 4 lb.§ §Arrack 6 Galls. Men emplyd. mixg. Cement§ §Sugar 3 lb. do.§ §Iron 213 lb. for the Magazine§ §Lead 228 lb. do.§ §Braziers ware 39 lb. Copp. Plate do.§ §Coals 20 Chald. Burning Lime§ §Carried Over£§ | The stores issued for the boats ended, and the collection went on with the fortifications. Brought over, £86 10s 4d Twine, 6 skeins, £0 9s 8d Pitch, 1 barrel, £1 3s 5d Tar, 1 barrel, £1 2s 6d Pitch and tar in all, £2 5s 11d Tinware, single sheets of tin, 6, £0 2s 0d Lead shot, 19 lb, £0 3s 7d Brassware, brass [...] for the crane, 1, £1 2s 8d Brassware, bottling cock, 1, £0 3s 8d Brassware in all, £1 6s 4d Serge, green, 5 yards, £2 3s 7d Haberdashery, broad worsted lace, ¼ gross, £0 3s 11d Thread, coloured, 1 [...], £0 3s 1d Anchors and grapnels, £1 13s 10d Boats in all, £95 2s 3d Fortifications, stores issued from 1 July to 30 September 1771 Twine, 36 skeins, for mending lime bags, £1 1s 9d Candles, 7 lb, £0 13s 9d Arrack, 6 gallons, for the men employed [...], £1 16s 0d Sugar, 2 lb, £0 1s 4d Iron, 213 lb, for the magazine, £2 4s 9d Lead, 228 lb, for the magazine, £2 2s 9d Brassware, copper plates, 39, for the magazine, £6 11s 8d Coals, 20 chaldrons, for burning lime, £46 10s 0d Carried over, £61 2s 0d Interpretations Most of the fortification stores went on coal for the lime kilns: 20 chaldrons cost £46 10s 0d in one quarter. A chaldron was a large measure of more than a ton. St Helena had no coal of its own and little timber left to burn, so fuel for the kilns had to be shipped out from England. Lime mortar went into every battery, wall and bastion then being built in the coastal valleys. That made imported coal one of the hidden costs of the island's defences. The copper plates and lead issued for the magazine were probably to line the powder store. Iron tools and fittings could strike sparks, so powder magazines were fitted with copper and lead, which do not. That was a standard precaution against an explosion. | |
91 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §2 Iron Rubbl. Riddles for the Lime Kiln§ §2 Iron Shovels for the Lime Kiln§ §4 Ash Hoes for the Lime Kiln§ §2 S. Bolt Locks for the Magazine§ §2 Prs. Copp. Casmt. Hinges do.§ §10 Large D. Sail do. & Isthd. Screws do.§ §1 Splinter Lock do.§ §24 Sail Needles for mendg. L. Bags§ §1 Stock Lock for the Pavement§ §6 Pack. Needles for mendg. L. Bags§ §1 Shod Shovel Artily. Use§ §4 . 16 . 1§ §Deals vizt.§ §10 Double Deals for the Magazine and Shed on the Line§ §18 Single do. for the Magazine and Shed on the Line§ §8 Balks for the Magazine and Shed on the Line§ §1½ Ps. Oak Plank for makg. a Draw Bridge & Carriages§ §6½ Ps. Elm do. for makg. a Draw Bridge & Carriages§ §5½ Ps. Ash do. for Ladders Wheel Barrows & Pickhelves§ §12 Ps. Riga Timber for makg. Gates for Stores & One for Magazine§ §42 . 2§ §Lines 6 No. 2 for Munden's Point Flag Staff§ §Oil vizt.§ §1 G. Train for the Quarry & paintg. Gun Carriages Artily. Use§ §1 do. Linseed for the Quarry & paintg. Gun Carriages Artily. Use§ §1 Bott. Florence Artily. Use§ §10§ §Carried Over£§ | The stores issued for the fortifications continued as follows. Brought over, £61 2s 0d Ironware, iron rabbles, 2, for the lime kilns, £0 15s 0d Ironware, iron shovels, 2, for the lime kilns, £0 9s 1d Ironware, ash helves, 4, for the lime kilns, £0 2s 4d Ironware, bolt locks, 2, for the magazine, £2 4s 10d Ironware, cross garnet hinges, 2 pairs, for the magazine, £0 11s 1d Ironware, large screws, 10, for the magazine, £0 7s 2½d Ironware, splinter lock, 1, for the magazine, £0 0s 5½d Ironware, sail needles, 24, for mending lime bags, £0 0s 6d Ironware, stock lock, 1, for the [...], £0 2s 11d Ironware, packing needles, 6, for mending bags, £0 0s 10½d Ironware, shod shovel, 1, for artillery use, £0 1s 9½d Ironware in all, £4 16s 1d Deals, double, 10, for the magazine and the shed on the Line, £1 14s 2d Deals, single, 18, for the same, £1 15s 3d Balks, 8, for the same, £3 11s 8d Oak plank, 1½ pieces, for making a drawbridge and gun carriages, £3 13s 8d Elm plank, 6½ pieces, for the same, £14 2s 1d Ash plank, 5½ pieces, for ladders, wheelbarrows and pick helves, £16 1s 5d Riga timber, 12 pieces, for making gates for the stores and [...] for the magazine, £1 3s 9d Timber in all, £42 2s 0d Fishing lines, No 2, 6, for the flagstaff at Munden's Point, £0 1s 9d Train oil, 1 gallon, for the quarry and painting gun carriages, £0 3s 4d Linseed oil, 1 gallon, for the same, £0 4s 1½d Florence oil, 1 bottle, for artillery use, £0 2s 7½d Oil in all, £0 10s 0d Carried over, £108 11s 10d Interpretations Munden's Point, on the north-east side of James Bay, carried a flagstaff used for signalling. Lookouts round the island watched for ships and signalled their approach to Jamestown with flags. A fishing line served as a cheap halyard to hoist them. Signals from the flagstaffs gave the garrison warning of a strange sail long before it could reach the anchorage. The express messengers paid for alarms carried the same warning overland. The elm and oak for a drawbridge and gun carriages show the scale of the fortification work. Elm was used for gun carriages because it does not split easily under the shock of firing. Rabbles were long iron rakes used to stir and draw the burning stone in the lime kilns. | |
92 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §4 Birch Brooms for Magazine & Artily. use§ §1 Hair do. for Magazine & Artily. use§ §8 . 5§ §Paint vizt.§ §1 lb. Copperas for Painting Gun Carriages§ §25 W. Lead mixed for Painting Gun Carriages§ §36 Whiting for Painting Gun Carriages§ §6 Paperd. Blackg. for Painting Gun Carriages§ §16 . 7§ §Nails vizt.§ §1 lb. 10 for the Shed on the Line and Artillery Use§ §15 6 for the Shed on the Line and Artillery Use§ §12 40 for the Shed on the Line and Artillery Use§ §13 . 5§ §£110 . 10 . 3§ §James's Valley Dr. for the following Stores Issued§ §Oil ¾ G. Train§ §Deals vizt.§ §2 Balks§ §3 Single Deals§ §1½ Ps. Oak Plank§ §Cordage 81 lb.§ §Lines 12 No. 4§ §Iron Pots 1 Wt. 40 lb.§ §Tin ware 1 Watering Pot§ §Turners ware 6 Lab. Baskets§ §7 . 4§ §£7 . 8 . 8§ | The stores issued for the fortifications ended, and the collection went on with James's Valley. Brought over, £108 11s 10d Turnery, birch brooms, 4, for the magazine and artillery use, £0 5s 10d Turnery, hair broom, 1, for the same, £0 2s 7d Turnery in all, £0 8s 5d Paint, copperas, 1 lb, for painting gun carriages, £0 1s 0d Paint, white lead mixed, 25 lb, for the same, £0 9s 4d Paint, whiting, 36 lb, for the same, £0 1s 6d Paint, Barcelona blacking, 6 lb, for the same, £0 4s 9d Paint in all, £0 16s 7d Nails, 10d, 1 lb, for the shed on the Line and artillery use, £0 0s 5½d Nails, 6d, 15 lb, for the same, £0 8s 5½d Nails, 40d, 12 lb, for the same, £0 4s 6d Nails in all, £0 13s 5d Fortifications in all, £110 10s 3d James's Valley, stores issued from 1 July to 30 September 1771 Train oil, ¾ gallon, £0 2s 6d Balks, 2, £0 17s 11d Deals, single, 3, £0 5s 10d Oak plank, 1½ pieces, £3 13s 8d Timber in all, £4 17s 5d Cordage, 81 lb, £1 5s 3d Fishing lines, No 4, 12, £0 4s 6d Iron pots, 1, weighing 40 lb, £0 8s 4d Tinware, watering pot, 1, £0 3s 4d Turnery, labourers' baskets, 6, £0 7s 4d James's Valley in all, £7 8s 8d Interpretations The fortifications took £110 10s 3d of stores in the quarter, on top of the large wage bill in the paymaster's accounts for the works in the coastal valleys. Imported coal for the lime kilns made up nearly half of it. A smaller account for James's Valley covered the Company's works in and around Jamestown itself, such as the East Demi Bastion and the town's public buildings. The watering pot and baskets suggest it included the upkeep of the Company's garden in the valley as well. | |
93 | 1771§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §9 Pad Locks§ §39 lb. Rolled Iron§ §2 Stock Locks§ §1 Brass Closet do.§ §1 Pr. HL Hinges§ §28 lb. Plate Iron§ §1 Blank Key§ §3 Prs. Brass Casmt. Hinges§ §3 . 10 . 11§ §Cart wheels Wheel Barrow§ §Iron 233 lb.§ §Nails vizt.§ §2 lb. 6§ §2 4§ §10 3§ §4 20§ §11 . 6§ §Deals vizt.§ §15 Single Deals§ §1 Balk§ §2 Ps. Oak Plank§ §4 Ps. Elm do.§ §26⅔ Ps. Riga Timber§ §73 . 19 . 8§ §Masts vizt.§ §1 Ships Mast 15 In. diam. 49 Ft. long§ §1 Shear Mast§ §25 . 10§ §£106 . 16§ | The collection went on with the stores issued to the barracks between 1 July and 30 September 1771. Ironware, padlocks, 9, £0 15s 2d Ironware, rolled iron, 39 lb, £0 12s 0d Ironware, stock locks, 2, £0 5s 10d Ironware, brass closet lock, 1, £0 5s 6½d Ironware, HL hinges, 1 pair, £0 2s 11d Ironware, plate iron, 28 lb, £0 12s 3d Ironware, blank key, 1, £0 0s 7½d Ironware, cross garnet hinges, 3 pairs, £0 16s 7d Ironware in all, £3 10s 11d Cart wheels and wheelbarrow, £0 13s 5d Iron, 233 lb, £2 8s 6d Nails, 6d, 2 lb, £0 1s 1½d Nails, 4d, 2 lb, £0 1s 3d Nails, 3d, 10 lb, £0 7s 6d Nails, 20d, 4 lb, £0 1s 7½d Nails in all, £0 11s 6d Deals, single, 15, £1 9s 4d Balks, 1, £0 8s 11d Oak plank, 2 pieces, £4 18s 3d Elm plank, 4 pieces, £8 18s 2d Riga timber, 26½ pieces, £58 5s 0d Timber in all, £73 19s 8d Topmast, 1, 15 inches in diameter and 49 feet long, £7 10s 0d Sheer mast, 1, £18 0s 0d Masts in all, £25 10s 0d Barracks in all, £106 16s 0d The barracks total is entered as £106 16s 0d, although the items come to £106 14s 0d. The next account, headed Leeward, begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations The barracks took more than £70 of timber in one quarter, most of it Riga pine. That points to rebuilding on a large scale, beyond the repairs to the old barracks in the paymaster's accounts. The two masts were not for a ship. A sheer mast formed one leg of a pair of sheers, the tall lifting frame used to hoist heavy loads such as guns, beams and stores. The topmast probably served as a spar for the same lifting gear or for a flagstaff. On an island with no large native trees, even a single mast had to be shipped out and cost as much as a year's pay for a junior officer. | |
94 | 21st. October§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §10 Iron Shovels§ §8 Ash Hoes§ §3 Small Fryg. Pans§ §4 Brick Layr. Trowels§ §6 Pick Axes§ §5 Mauls§ §5 . 3 . 3§ §Iron 36 lb.§ §Cordage 185 lb.§ §Oil ¾ G. Train§ §Lines 12 No. 4§ §Turners ware 12 Lab. Baskets§ §Deals vizt.§ §4 Single Deals§ §6 Spars§ §1 Elm Board§ §1 . 18§ §Nails vizt.§ §6 lb. 4§ §6 Dog§ §7 . 7§ §£11 . 15 . 11§ §St. Helena§ | The collection closed with the stores issued to the Leeward Valleys between 1 July and 30 September 1771. Ironware, iron shovels, 10, £2 5s 5d Ironware, ash helves, 8, £0 4s 8d Ironware, small frying pans, 3, £0 5s 10d Ironware, bricklayers' trowels, 4, £0 5s 5d Ironware, pickaxes, 6, £1 1s 0d Ironware, mauls, 2, £1 0s 11d Ironware in all, £5 3s 3d Iron, 36 lb, £0 7s 6d Cordage, 185 lb, £2 17s 10d Train oil, ¾ gallon, £0 2s 6d Fishing lines, No 4, 12, £0 4s 6d Turnery, labourers' baskets, 12, £0 14s 9d Deals, single, 4, £0 7s 10d Spars, 6, £1 5s 3d Elm board, 1, £0 4s 11d Timber in all, £1 18s 0d Nails, 4d, 6 lb, £0 3s 9d Dog nails, 6, £0 3s 10d Nails in all, £0 7s 7d Leeward Valleys in all, £11 15s 11d James Pavell signed the collection as storekeeper at St Helena on 30 September 1771, with the usual note that any errors were excepted. The next heading, Inventory, begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations The Leeward Valleys were the steep valleys on the sheltered north-west coast of St Helena, such as Thompson's, Friar's, Sharks and Old Woman's Valleys. Ships approaching the anchorage passed them, and an enemy might try to land in their bays. The shovels, pickaxes, mauls, trowels and baskets issued to them supplied the gangs building the batteries and lines recorded in the paymaster's accounts. Together the two accounts show the cost of one quarter's work on the island's leeward defences, in wages from the paymaster and in tools and materials from the stores. | |
95 | 1771§ §Anchors vizt.§ §5 Anchors without weights§ §1 do. Wt. 33 . 0 . 6 Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §1 do. 34 . 2 . 10§ §1 do. 33 . 3§ §1 do. 35 . 2 . 7§ §13 Iron Stocks§ §7 Anchor Stocks 16 Ft. long§ §23 Lbs. Nails§ §423 . 18 . 9§ §Blankets vizt.§ §377 Blankets§ §Bunting vizt.§ §14 Ps. 36½ Yds. Red§ §5 31½ Blue§ §4 13¼ White§ §36 . 0 . 11§ §Broad Cloth vizt.§ §48¾ Yds. Scarlet§ §4½ do. Blue§ §7 do. Light Colour§ §3¼ do. Black§ §1¼ do. Green§ §Broad Cloth Carrd. over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The storekeeper's inventory listed the stores remaining in the Company's warehouses on 30 September 1771. Anchors, 5, without weights entered, £66 19s 7d Anchor, 1, weighing 33 cwt 0 qr 6 lb, £56 6s 7d Anchor, 1, weighing 34 cwt 2 qr 10 lb, £59 7s 3d Anchor, 1, weighing 33 cwt 3 qr, £57 12s 1d Anchors, 2, weighing 35 cwt 2 qr 7 lb and 26 cwt 1 qr 18 lb, £148 9s 9d Iron stocks, 18, £2 18s 0d Anchor stocks, 16 feet long, 7, £31 16s 10d Stock nails, 23, £0 7s 8d Anchors in all, £423 18s 9d Blankets, 377, and 2 damaged, £115 5s 7d Bunting, red, 14 pieces 36½ yards, £23 10s 6d Bunting, blue, 5 pieces 31¾ yards, and 15¼ yards damaged, £7 15s 9d Bunting, white, 4 pieces 13¾ yards, £4 14s 8d Bunting in all, £36 0s 11d Broadcloth, scarlet, 48¾ yards, £47 13s 5d Broadcloth, blue, 4½ yards, £3 14s 3d Broadcloth, light colour, 7 yards, £6 17s 6d Broadcloth, damaged, 1¼ yards, £3 1s 4d Broadcloth, black, 3¾ yards, £3 14s 5d Broadcloth, green, 1¼ yards, no separate value entered Broadcloth carried over, £63 0s 11d Carried over, £575 5s 3d The broadcloth values on this page add up to £65 0s 11d. The clerk carried over £63 0s 11d. Interpretations The heaviest anchors held in store weighed over 35 hundredweight, nearly 2 tons each, and were worth more than £50 apiece. They were spare bower anchors for the Company's East Indiamen. A ship that lost an anchor in the open roadstead off Jamestown, where cables often parted in the swell, could be re-equipped from the island. The anchors were by far the most valuable class of stores in the warehouses. That reflects St Helena's role as a refitting station for the India fleet as much as a garrison. Bunting was a light woollen cloth used for flags and signals. The red, white and blue held in store supplied the signal flags flown from Munden's Point and the other lookout stations, as well as ensigns for the forts and boats. | |
96 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Broad Cloth brought over£§ §1¼ Yds. Buff§ §3½ do. Lead Colour§ §9½ do. Parsons Grey§ §1 do. Dark F. Grey§ §8 do. do. Brown§ §29½ do. Light F. Grey§ §112 . 0 . 9§ §Buckram 2½ Yards§ §Braziers Ware vizt.§ §6 Skimrs. @ 2/5 lb.§ §2 do. Large 14/4§ §1 Warming Pan§ §9 Stock do. with Covers§ §1 do. do. without do.§ §3 Brass Cocks§ §3 do. Large & Keys§ §2 do. do.§ §1 do. do.§ §6 Bottling Cocks§ §10 Ps. Steel Snuffers§ §4 Flat Brass Candlesticks§ §4 lb. Brass Wire§ §3 Brass Pulleys for the Crane§ §¼ lb. Brass for Soldering§ §2 Copper Bars 3 Ft. long§ §2 Brass do. 3 do.§ §1 Five Qt. Tea Kettle§ §2 Three do. do.§ §2 Copper Pumps§ §107 lb. Rolled Dutch Copr. for Escutcheons§ §44 . 5§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory of stores remaining continued as follows. Brought over, £575 5s 3d Broadcloth brought over, £63 0s 11d Broadcloth, buff, 1⅛ yards, £1 8s 11d Broadcloth, lead colour, 3½ yards, £3 0s 5d Broadcloth, parson's grey, 9½ yards, £8 15s 9d Broadcloth, dark fine grey, 1 yard, £0 18s 6d Broadcloth, brown, 8 yards, £7 0s 0d Broadcloth, light fine grey, 29½ yards, £25 16s 3d Broadcloth in all, £112 0s 9d Buckram, 2½ yards, £0 1s 11d Brassware, skimmers, 6, at 2s 5¾d each, £0 14s 10½d Brassware, large skimmers, 2, at 19s 4d each, £1 18s 8d Brassware, warming pan, 1, £0 11s 3d Brassware, fish kettles with covers, 9, £12 4s 3d Brassware, fish kettle without cover, 1, £0 14s 10d Brassware, brass cocks, 3, £0 10s 3d Brassware, large brass cocks, 3, £1 17s 6d Brassware, brass cocks, 2, £0 19s 0d Brassware, brass cock, 1, £0 7s 8d Brassware, bottling cocks, 6, £1 2s 0d Brassware, steel snuffers, 10 pairs, £1 7s 6d Brassware, flat brass candlesticks, 4, £1 0s 9d Brassware, brass wire, 4 lb, £0 12s 0d Brassware, brass [...] for the crane, 3, £3 3s 8d Brassware, brass for soldering, ¼ lb, £0 1s 1d Brassware, copper bars 3 feet long, 2, £1 18s 6d Brassware, brass bars 3 feet long, 2, £1 8s 3d Brassware, 5-quart tea kettle, 1, £0 16s 9½d Brassware, 3-quart tea kettles, 2, £1 4s 8d Brassware, copper pumps, 2, £2 8s 10d Brassware, rolled Dutch copper for scutcheons, 107 lb, £8 18s 4d Brassware in all, £44 5s 0d Carried over, £731 12s 1d The page totals add up to £731 12s 11d. The clerk carried over £731 12s 1d. Interpretations The warehouses held about 70 yards of broadcloth in greys, browns and lead colour as well as scarlet. Parson's grey was a sober dark grey favoured by the clergy and by civilians who wanted plain, respectable dress. The Company stocked cloth for its officials' and settlers' everyday coats as well as for military uniforms. The fish kettles, warming pan and tea kettles show the stores carrying kitchen goods for the island's better households. Scutcheons were the small metal plates fitted round keyholes, and the Dutch rolled copper was probably also used to sheathe or line fittings. The two copper pumps were probably ship's or well pumps. Copper did not rust, which suited them to salt water and the damp of the magazine. | |
97 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Books vizt.§ §19 Large Bibles§ §4 Small do.§ §7 Primmers§ §7 Horn Books§ §9 Common Prayr. Books§ §29 . 4 . 5§ §Beef & Pork vizt.§ §200 Puncns. Beef§ §190 Tierces do.§ §358 Hhds. 35 Ts. Pork§ §112 Tierces do.§ §8943 . 9 . 6§ §Blocks vizt.§ §2 Iron bound Cat§ §4 do. Dead Eyes§ §1 Double long Tackle§ §11 do. with Brass Sheaves§ §10 Single do. of eight Inches§ §2 do. do. of five do.§ §7 Double do. of eight do.§ §2 Large Snatch Blocks§ §2 Shear Cats do.§ §10 . 12 . 3§ §Canvas vizt.§ §30 Ps. 19¾ Yds. English§ §5½ Yds. Ticklenburgs§ §65 . 10 . 4§ §Copper Money 53960 English half Pence§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £731 12s 1d Books, large Bibles, 19, £26 2s 6d Books, small Bibles, 4, £0 14s 10d Books, primers, 7, £0 1s 9d Books, horn books, 7, £0 0s 9d Books, Common Prayer books, 9, £2 4s 7d Books in all, £29 4s 5d Beef, 200 puncheons, £3,049 0s 11d Beef, 190 tierces, £940 10s 0d Pork, 358 hogsheads and 55 pieces, £4,368 14s 7d Pork, 112 tierces, £585 4s 0d Beef and pork in all, £8,943 9s 6d Blocks, iron-bound cat blocks, 2, £0 12s 10d Blocks, deadeyes, 4, £2 13s 1d Blocks, double long tackle block, 1, £0 4s 9d Blocks, blocks with brass sheaves, 11, £2 16s 7d Blocks, single blocks of 8 inches, 10, £1 5s 4d Blocks, single blocks of 5 inches, 2, £0 2s 2d Blocks, double blocks of 8 inches, 7, £0 12s 8d Blocks, large snatch blocks, 2, £1 7s 2d Blocks, sheer blocks, 2, £0 17s 8d Blocks in all, £10 12s 3d Canvas, English, 30 bolts 19¾ yards, £65 5s 8d Canvas, Ticklenburgs, 5½ yards, £0 4s 8d Canvas in all, £65 10s 4d Copper money, 53,960 Tower halfpence, £112 8s 4d Carried over, £9,892 17s 9d Interpretations The salt beef and pork in store were worth nearly £9,000, more than everything else in the warehouses put together. Several hundred casks of meat, mostly from Ireland, were held against a siege, a failed supply ship or the arrival of a fleet in need of provisions. St Helena could not feed its garrison, slaves and passing ships from its own cattle. This reserve was the island's food security. It also explains why the quarter's sales and issues of salt meat ran into hundreds of pounds. The Company held nearly 54,000 copper halfpence minted at the Tower of London. Small coin was always scarce on the island, where most trade was done in Spanish dollars and other foreign silver. The Company shipped out copper to give soldiers, slaves and small traders change for everyday buying. The Bibles, prayer books, primers and horn books supplied the church and the Company's school. A horn book was a child's first reading lesson, a printed sheet mounted on a wooden paddle and covered with a thin layer of transparent horn. | |
98 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Cordage vizt.§ §2 Cables of 17 In. Wt. 143 . 1 . 1 damagd. Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §Cart wheels vizt.§ §7 Wheel Barrows§ §8 Spare axles for do.§ §5 Axletrees for Carts§ §7 Ps. Cart Wheels§ §31 . 11 . 9§ §Cutlery ware vizt.§ §60 Buckling Combs§ §4 Horn do.§ §76 Shoe Knives§ §111 Butchrs. do.§ §6 Ivory Handd. Knives & Forks§ §6 Desert do. do. & do.§ §60 Green handle do. & do.§ §8 Cases Fleams§ §Cutlery Carried over£§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £9,892 17s 9d Cordage, cables of 17 inches, 2, 143 cwt 1 qr 1 lb, damaged Cordage, cables of 17 inches, 2, 141 cwt 3 qr 14 lb Cordage, cablets of 5 inches, 2, 11 cwt 3 qr 14 lb Cordage, coils of 5 inches, 4, 29 cwt 1 qr 18 lb Cordage, coils of 4 inches, 10, 49 cwt 0 qr 21 lb Cordage, coils of 3¾ inches, 2, 9 cwt 0 qr 16 lb Cordage, coils of 3½ inches, 10, 36 cwt 3 qr 2 lb Cordage, coils of 3 inches, 7, 21 cwt 0 qr 12 lb Cordage, coils of 2½ inches, 20, 35 cwt 3 qr 2 lb Cordage, coils of 2 inches, 36, 46 cwt 0 qr 6 lb Cordage, coils of 1½ inches, 2, 1 cwt 2 qr 7 lb Cordage, coils of 12-thread ratline, 15, 8 cwt 3 qr 26 lb Cordage, coils of 9-thread ratline, 30, 15 cwt 1 qr 25 lb Cordage in all, 553 cwt 1 qr 24 lb, £978 16s 10d Wheelbarrows, 7, £5 7s 11d Spare axles for wheelbarrows, 5, £0 8s 4d Axletrees for carts, 5, £1 13s 1d Cart wheels, 7 pairs, £24 2s 5d Cart wheels and barrows in all, £31 11s 9d Cutlery, buckling combs, 60, £0 17s 6d Cutlery, horn combs, 4, £0 0s 10d Cutlery, shoe knives, 76, £1 5s 10d Cutlery, butcher's knives, 111, £3 0s 10d Cutlery, ivory-handled knives and forks, 6, £0 14s 11d Cutlery, dessert knives and forks, 6, £0 12s 1½d Cutlery, green-handled knives and forks, 60, £9 17s 11d Cutlery, cases of fleams, 8, £0 19s 8d Cutlery carried over, £17 9s 7½d Carried over, £10,903 6s 4d Interpretations The warehouses held more than 27 tons of cordage, valued at nearly £979. The largest items were four 17-inch cables, measured round the rope. These were anchor cables for the great East Indiamen, matching the spare anchors in store. Two of them were damaged, probably cables that had parted or chafed in the roadstead and been brought ashore. Cables often failed in the swell off Jamestown, and a ship that lost both anchor and cable needed both replaced before it could safely sail. Ratline was small three-stranded line used to make the rungs climbing the shrouds of a ship's rigging. | |
99 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Cutlery Brought over£§ §12 Chopping Knives§ §5 Pocket do.§ §9 Pen do.§ §12 Pruning do.§ §13 Budding do.§ §1 Cooks do.§ §80 doz. Ps. Shoe Buckles§ §88 Ps. Knee do.§ §100 Ps. Leather Garters§ §50 . 19 . 11§ §Camblet vizt.§ §26½ Yds. Scarlet§ §2½ do. Brown§ §24½ do. Dark do.§ §1½ do. Blue§ §7½ do. Green§ §10 . 4 . 10§ §Corks vizt.§ §5 lb. Short Corks§ §9 Gro. Corks§ §1 . 3 . 10§ §Coals 98 Chaldron 20 Bushels§ §Deals vizt.§ §600 Double Deals§ §557 Single do.§ §17½ Ps. Riga Timber§ §36 Balks§ §52 Spars§ §Deals Carried over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £10,903 6s 4d Cutlery brought over, £17 9s 7½d Cutlery, chopping knives, 12, £0 15s 6d Cutlery, pocket knives, 5, £0 4s 2d Cutlery, pen knives, 9, £0 13s 1½d Cutlery, pruning knives, 12, £0 14s 6d Cutlery, budding knives, 13, £1 1s 6d Cutlery, cook's knife, 1, £0 2s 3½d Cutlery, shoe buckles, 80 dozen pairs, £25 0s 2d Cutlery, knee buckles, 85 pairs, £1 5s 8d Cutlery, leather garters, 109 pairs, £3 13s 4½d Cutlery in all, £50 19s 11d Camlet, scarlet, 26½ yards, £4 16s 9d Camlet, brown, 2½ yards, £0 7s 8d Camlet, dark brown, 21½ yards, £3 13s 0d Camlet, blue, 1½ yards, £0 4s 7d Camlet, green, 7½ yards, £1 2s 10d Camlet in all, £10 4s 10d Corks, sheet cork, 5 lb, £0 2s 10d Corks, 9 gross, £1 1s 0d Corks in all, £1 3s 10d Coals, 98 chaldrons 20 bushels, £221 12s 10d Deals, double, 600, £102 10s 0d Deals, single, 357, £55 0s 7d Riga timber, 17½ pieces, £64 0s 3d Balks, 36, £15 17s 4d Spars, 52, £11 1s 0d Deals carried over, £251 9s 2d Carried over, £11,187 7s 9d The timber items on this page add up to £248 9s 2d. The clerk carried over £251 9s 2d. Interpretations The stores held nearly 100 chaldrons of coal, well over 100 tons, worth more than £220. In a single quarter 20 chaldrons had gone to the lime kilns for the fortifications. At that rate the stock would last little more than a year. Coal for the kilns and forges was one of the largest and most constant demands on the Company's shipping to the island. Eighty dozen pairs of shoe buckles, nearly a thousand pairs, made up the biggest item of cutlery. In 1771 shoes were fastened with buckles, not laces, so every soldier and servant needed a pair. Budding knives were small blades for grafting fruit trees, which shows the Company's interest in improving the island's orchards and gardens. | |
100 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Deals brought over£§ §86 Bundles Laths§ §24 Elm Boards§ §7 Wainscot do.§ §32½ Ps. Oak Plank§ §5½ Ps. Ash do.§ §2 Ps. Elm do.§ §14 Knees for Long Boats§ §18 Timbers for do.§ §57½ Ps. Church Timber§ §536 . 3 . 6§ §Earthenware vizt.§ §47 Milk Pans§ §8 Close Stool do.§ §3 . 19 . 11§ §Flour 581 Casks or 1748 Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §Glass ware vizt.§ §8 Beer Glasses§ §2 Tumblers§ §3 four hour Glasses§ §1 Three do. do.§ §10 Minute do.§ §38 Wine Glasses§ §33 Sq. 8 by 10§ §54 do. 10 by 12§ §20 do. 11½ by 18§ §17 do. 11½ by 18½§ §5 do. 11 by 19§ §3 do. 11 by 17½§ §Glass ware Carrd. over£§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £11,187 7s 9d Deals brought over, £251 9s 2d Laths, 86 bundles, £4 14s 11d Elm boards, 24, £5 1s 0d Wainscot boards, 7, £2 6s 3d Oak plank, 32½ pieces, £79 16s 7d Ash plank, 5½ pieces, £16 1s 5d Elm plank, 2 pieces, £4 9s 1d Knees for longboats, 14, £2 16s 8d Timbers for longboats, 18, £7 18s 3d Church timber, 57½ pieces, £161 10s 2d Timber in all, £536 3s 6d Earthenware, milk pans, 47, £3 5s 11d Earthenware, close stool pans, 8, £0 14s 0d Earthenware in all, £3 19s 11d Flour, 581 casks, or 1,748 cwt, £1,463 11s 6d Glassware, beer glasses, 8, £0 7s 6d Glassware, tumblers, 2, £0 2s 0d Glassware, four-hour glasses, 3, £0 10s 0d Glassware, three-hour glass, 1, £0 3s 4d Glassware, minute glasses, 10, £0 8s 4d Glassware, wine glasses, 38, £0 8s 6d Glassware, squares of glass, 8 by 10 inches, 33, £0 17s 0d Glassware, squares of glass, 10 by 12 inches, 54, £2 14s 0d Glassware, squares of glass, 11¼ by 18 inches, 20, £1 7s 6d Glassware, squares of glass, 11¼ by 18½ inches, 17, £1 3s 0d Glassware, squares of glass, 11 by 19 inches, 3, £0 7s 1d Glassware, squares of glass, 11 by 17½ inches, 3, £0 3s 4d Glassware carried over, £8 12s 7d Carried over, £13,191 2s 8d Interpretations The Company held 57½ pieces of church timber worth over £160, the most valuable timber in store. It was large framing timber kept for building or rebuilding a church. St James's Church in Jamestown had been rebuilt in the 1770s. This stock was probably shipped out for that work, or for the country church, the building whose roof and steeple the vestry was still repairing fifty years later. The flour in store came to 581 casks, more than 87 tons, worth nearly £1,500. With the salt meat, it made up the island's main reserve of food. Hour glasses and minute glasses were used to time sentries' watches and ships' log readings, and four-hour glasses to measure a full watch. Knees and timbers for longboats were curved and shaped pieces for building or repairing the Company's boats. | |
101 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Glass ware brought over£§ §3 Sq. 10½ by 18¾§ §2 do. 12 by 15§ §19 do. 10 by 16§ §158 do. 12 by 20§ §5 Candle Shades§ §29 . 16 . 9§ §Grind Stones 3§ §Hats vizt.§ §7 Officers Hats§ §15 Mens fine do.§ §251 Soldiers do.§ §1 Marshals do.§ §12 Serjeants do.§ §69 . 4 . 6§ §Hosiers ware vizt.§ §5 Ps. Mens India Cotton Stockings§ §7 Ps. do. Wove do.§ §8 Ps. Girls do. do.§ §3 Ps. Boys do. do.§ §5 Ps. Scarlet Breeches§ §251 Ps. Thread Stockings§ §44 . 6 . 2§ §Hooks & Lines vizt.§ §12225 No. 6 Hooks§ §200 7 do.§ §6925 8 do.§ §3500 9 do.§ §8500 10 do.§ §2075 11 do.§ §Hooks & Lines Carried over£§ §Carrd. over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £13,191 2s 8d Glassware brought over, £8 12s 7d Glassware, squares of glass, 10½ by 18¾ inches, 3, £0 4s 4d Glassware, squares of glass, 12 by 15 inches, 2, £0 2s 4d Glassware, squares of glass, 10 by 16 inches, 19, £1 1s 0d Glassware, squares of glass, 12 by 20 inches, 188, £18 5s 0d Glassware, candle shades, 5, £1 11s 6d Glassware in all, £29 16s 9d Grindstones, 3, £0 7s 8d Hats, officers', 7, £14 1s 9d Hats, men's fine, 13, £11 7s 6d Hats, soldiers', 251, £36 5s 9d Hats, marshal's, 1, £0 11s 6d Hats, sergeants', 12, £6 18s 0d Hats in all, £69 4s 6d Hosiery, men's India cotton stockings, 5 pairs, £1 15s 10d Hosiery, men's worsted stockings, 7 pairs, £1 5s 1d Hosiery, girls' worsted stockings, 8 pairs, £0 15s 8d Hosiery, boys' worsted stockings, 3 pairs, £0 5s 11d Hosiery, scarlet breeches, 5 pairs, £3 8s 2d Hosiery, thread stockings, 251 pairs, £36 15s 6d Hosiery in all, £44 6s 2d Fish hooks, No 6, 12,225, £49 3s 2d Fish hooks, No 7, 200, £0 11s 11d Fish hooks, No 8, 6,925, £20 4s 0d Fish hooks, No 9, 3,500, £5 0s 8d Fish hooks, No 10, 5,500, £7 1s 8d Fish hooks, No 11, 2,075, £1 12s 10d Hooks and lines carried over, £83 14s 3d Carried over, £13,334 17s 9d Interpretations The stores held 251 soldiers' hats and 251 pairs of thread stockings, matching numbers that point to a full issue of new clothing for the garrison held in reserve. The rank and file of four infantry companies came to about that number. The Company kept a complete set of hats and stockings in store to re-clothe them when the old wore out. Officers', sergeants' and marshal's hats were kept separately, each marking a grade of rank by its quality and price. More than 30,000 fish hooks lay in store in a single year's stock. That reinforces the picture of fishing as one of the island's chief sources of food. Since no hooks were made on St Helena, the Company's stores supplied every fisherman on the island. | |
102 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Hooks & Lines brought over£§ §6575 No. 12 Hooks§ §8250 13 do.§ §8500 14 do.§ §4150 15 do.§ §773 very Large do.§ §8 doz. No. 2 Lines§ §56½ doz. 3 do.§ §15 do. 4 do.§ §4 Hambro' do.§ §1 Leg do.§ §14 Deep Sea do.§ §6 Hank Sash Line§ §128 . 6 . 11§ §Haberdashery vizt.§ §6½ lb. Silk§ §7½ Mohair§ §16½ Gro. Mohl. Ct. Buttons§ §12 do. & 11 doz. do. Br. do.§ §5 do. 7 do. Silk Twist Ct. do.§ §2½ doz. do. Br. do.§ §4 doz. Silver Plate Ct. do.§ §1½ doz. do. Br. do.§ §5 doz. Gilt Ct. do.§ §5 doz. & 10 do. Br. do.§ §2 Gro. 3 doz. White Waistcoat do.§ §5 Gro. 9 doz. Shirt do.§ §½ doz. Gold Basket do.§ §5 Ps. Univer. Cord§ §12 Ps. Galloone§ §Haberdashery Carrd. over£§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £13,334 17s 9d Hooks and lines brought over, £83 14s 3d Fish hooks, No 12, 6,575, £4 18s 7d Fish hooks, No 13, 8,250, £3 15s 7d Fish hooks, No 14, 8,500, £3 17s 11d Fish hooks, No 15, 4,150, £1 8s 6d Fish hooks, very large, 773, £8 17s 2d Fishing lines, No 2, 8 dozen, £1 8s 0d Fishing lines, No 3, 56½ dozen, £11 9s 9d Fishing lines, No 4, 15 dozen, £3 7s 6d Hambro lines, 4 dozen, £0 6s 0d Fishing line, large, 1, £0 1s 0d Deep-sea lines, 14, £4 14s 8d Hand lead lines, 6, £0 8s 0d Hooks and lines in all, £128 6s 11d Haberdashery, silk, 6½ lb, £10 19s 5d Haberdashery, mohair, 7¾ lb, £12 4s 11d Haberdashery, metal coat buttons, 16½ gross, £6 12s 0d Haberdashery, metal breast buttons, 12 gross 11 dozen, £2 12s 0d Haberdashery, silver thread coat buttons, 5 gross 7 dozen, £15 7s 1d Haberdashery, silver thread breast buttons, 2¼ dozen, £0 5s 6d Haberdashery, silver-plated coat buttons, 4 dozen, £0 5s 4d Haberdashery, silver-plated breast buttons, 1½ dozen, £0 1s 0d Haberdashery, gilt coat buttons, 5 dozen, £0 6s 8d Haberdashery, gilt breast buttons, 6 dozen 10, £0 4s 0d Haberdashery, white waistcoat buttons, 2 gross 3 dozen, £0 5s 5d Haberdashery, shirt buttons, 5 gross 9 dozen, £0 13s 8d Haberdashery, gold basket buttons, ½ dozen, £0 2s 4d Haberdashery, [...] cord, 5 pieces, £0 11s 3d Haberdashery, galloon, 12 pieces, £3 2s 8d Haberdashery carried over, £53 13s 3d Carried over, £13,463 4s 8d Interpretations The stores held nearly 70,000 fish hooks of all sizes and hundreds of dozens of lines. A hand lead line was a weighted line used from a boat to sound the depth of water. The Company's boats needed it to work safely close to the rocky shore. Buttons were graded by material and price, from plain metal for soldiers' coats to silver thread, silver plate and gilt for officers and gentlemen. Silver thread buttons were worked over with fine silver wire, a sign of rank on an officer's coat. Galloon was a narrow braid of silk, worsted or metal thread used to edge uniforms and hats. Together these stocks let the island's tailors make up coats for every grade of the Company's service, from private to Governor. | |
103 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Haberdashery Brought over£§ §4 Ps. Braid§ §16½ Yds. Tabby§ §3 Gro. Broad Worsted Lace§ §2 Gro. narrow do.§ §144 Hair Stocks§ §35 lb. Whale Bone§ §60½ Yds. Broad Gold Lace§ §200 do. White Buckram§ §109 . 11 . 3§ §Iron Pots vizt.§ §1 Large Iron Kettle§ §25 Iron Pots Wt. 4 . 1 . 9 Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §6 . 6 . 11§ §Iron & Steel vizt.§ §231 . 0 . 11 Iron Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §12 . 1 . 1 Steel§ §216 . 4 . 10§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §20 Splinter Locks§ §[...] Pad do.§ §1 Goal Pad do.§ §1 Carvd. Ivory do.§ §1 do. do. with Brass Knobs§ §23 Chest do.§ §2 Stock do.§ §8 Brass Closet do.§ §38 Ps. Shutter Hinges§ §44 Ps. HL do.§ §33 Bread Slices§ §Iron ware Carried over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £13,463 4s 8d Haberdashery brought over, £53 13s 3d Haberdashery, braid, 4 pieces, £0 11s 0d Haberdashery, tabby, 16½ yards, £6 15s 9d Haberdashery, broad worsted lace, 3 gross, £9 6s 6d Haberdashery, narrow worsted lace, 2 gross, £1 4s 8d Haberdashery, hair stocks, 144, £5 8s 0d Haberdashery, whalebone, 35 lb, £11 8s 0d Haberdashery, broad gold lace, 60½ yards, £12 3s 3d Haberdashery, white buckram, 200 yards, £11 0s 10d Haberdashery in all, £104 11s 3d Iron pots, large iron kettle, 1, £1 16s 0d Iron pots, 25, weighing 4 cwt 1 qr 9 lb, £4 10s 11d Iron pots in all, £6 6s 11d Iron, 231 cwt 0 qr 11 lb, £195 15s 7d Steel, 12 cwt 1 qr 1 lb, £20 9s 3d Iron and steel in all, £216 4s 10d Ironware, splinter locks, 20, £0 10s 0d Ironware, [...] locks, £0 11s 9¾d Ironware, gaol padlock, 1, £0 7s 2d Ironware, [...] lock, 1, £0 5s 0d Ironware, [...] lock with brass knobs, 1, £0 7s 6d Ironware, chest locks, 23, £3 10s 11d Ironware, stock locks, 2, £0 5s 10d Ironware, brass closet locks, 8, £2 4s 4d Ironware, shutter hinges, 38 pairs, £4 0s 9d Ironware, HL hinges, 14 pairs, £6 8s 4d Ironware, broad hoes, 33, £3 11s 6d Ironware carried over, £22 3s 1¾d Carried over, £13,790 7s 8d The haberdashery items on this page come to £111 11s 3d. The clerk entered £104 11s 3d as the total. Interpretations The stores held more than 11 tons of bar iron and over half a ton of steel, worth over £216. The island's smiths and armourers worked this metal into everything from gun-carriage fittings and cot pins to hinges and tools. With no iron or steel made on the island, every nail, lock and hinge that was not imported ready-made had to be forged from this stock. Hair stocks were the stiff neckbands worn by soldiers, often made of horsehair, which held the head erect on parade. The 144 in store matched the clothing reserve of hats and stockings for the garrison. Broad gold lace trimmed officers' coats and hats, and tabby was a watered silk taffeta used for linings and finer dress. | |
104 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Iron ware brought over£§ §1 Grubbing Hoe§ §17 Ps. Sheep Shears§ §4 Adzes§ §11 Augers§ §24 Gouges§ §5 Edging Irons§ §57 Pick Axes§ §33 Sash Bolts§ §40 Brass Rings§ §7 Drill Bows§ §42 Masons Stone Hammers§ §22 Coopers Punches§ §9 do. Cold Chissels§ §1 Slitting Saw§ §19 Garden Hoes§ §11 Iron binding Wire§ §1 Pr. Large Iron Dividers§ §12 Ps. Garden Shears§ §1 Jointer Plane§ §8 Coopers Spoke Shaves§ §28 Bills for Wood Hooks§ §3 Hand Round Shaves§ §13 Dutch Hoes§ §119 Spades§ §37 Shod Shovels§ §36 Iron do.§ §49 Stone Irons§ §5 Melting Ladles§ §57 lb. Rod Iron§ §Iron ware Carrd. over£§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory of ironware continued as follows. Brought over, £13,790 7s 8d Ironware brought over, £22 3s 1¾d Ironware, grubbing hoe, 1, £0 2s 11d Ironware, sheep shears, 17 pairs, £1 9s 9d Ironware, adzes, 4, £0 12s 0d Ironware, augers, 11, £1 11s 2d Ironware, gouges, 22, £2 0s 4d Ironware, edging irons, 5, £0 19s 5¾d Ironware, pickaxes, 57, £9 19s 6d Ironware, copper bolts, 33, £0 10s 3¾d Ironware, brass rings, 40, £0 8s 0d Ironware, drill bows, 7, £0 15s 9d Ironware, masons' stone hammers, 42, £6 4s 3d Ironware, coopers' punches, 22, £1 8s 5d Ironware, coopers' cold chisels, 9, £0 10s 1½d Ironware, slitting saw, 1, £0 6s 11d Ironware, garden hoes, 19, £1 4s 6½d Ironware, iron binding wire, 11 lb, £0 15s 6¼d Ironware, large iron [...], 1 pair, £0 2s 6d Ironware, garden shears, 12 pairs, £2 3s 6d Ironware, jointer plane, 1, £0 7s 5½d Ironware, coopers' spokeshaves, 8, £0 16s 0d Ironware, bells for [...], 28, £0 9s 4d Ironware, hand round shavers, 3, £0 5s 10½d Ironware, Dutch hoes, 13, £2 11s 7½d Ironware, spades, 119, £22 6s 3d Ironware, shod shovels, 37, £3 4s 9d Ironware, iron shovels, 36, £8 3s 6d Ironware, stone irons, 49, £9 13s 11½d Ironware, melting ladles, 5, £1 9s 6d Ironware, rod iron, 57 lb, £0 11s 10½d Ironware carried over, £103 8s 3¾d Carried over, £13,790 7s 8d Interpretations The stores held 119 spades, 57 pickaxes, 73 shovels and 42 masons' hammers, enough to equip the large labour gangs working on the coastal fortifications at once. The scale of the reserve matches the hundreds of labourer-days recorded each quarter in the paymaster's accounts. Cooper's tools such as punches, chisels and spokeshaves show the work of making and repairing the casks that held the island's water, salt meat, flour and spirits. Melting ladles were used to pour molten lead, for making shot or for sealing and fixing ironwork into stone. | |
105 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Iron ware brought over£§ §3 Ps. Hand Screws§ §43 Ash Hoes§ §27 Masons Hammers§ §53 Small Fryg. Pans§ §11 lb. Flour Emery§ §13¾ Spelter§ §4 lb. Borax§ §1 lb. Putty§ §½ lb. Wash Emery§ §76 Plane Irons§ §9 Sets Jack Wheels§ §2 Coopers Jointers§ §6 Jack Chains§ §3 do. Weights & Pulleys§ §20 Figured Squares§ §176 Blank Keys§ §4 Stock Pans hamd. Iron§ §1 Sauce do. hamd. Iron§ §61 lb. Plate Iron§ §3 Scrapers§ §1 Pr. Screw Stocks§ §13 Socket§ §3 Gun Smiths Saws§ §9 Garden Rakes§ §8 Bag Irons§ §55 Scythe do.§ §12 Joiners Rubstones§ §86 Drill Boxes§ §2 Joiners Hatchets§ §Iron ware Carried over£§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory of ironware continued as follows. Brought over, £13,790 7s 8d Ironware brought over, £103 8s 3¾d Ironware, hand screws, 3 pairs, £12 5s 1½d Ironware, ash helves, 43, £1 5s 1d Ironware, masons' hammers, 27, £0 7s 10½d Ironware, small frying pans, 53, £5 2s 8d Ironware, flour of emery, [...] lb, £0 19s 3d Ironware, spikes, 13⅛ [...], £1 7s 6d Ironware, borax, 4 lb, £2 16s 4d Ironware, putty, 1 lb, £0 1s 8d Ironware, wash emery, ½ lb, £0 1s 1d Ironware, plane irons, 76, £1 5s 6d Ironware, jack wheels, 9 sets, £3 0s 6¾d Ironware, coopers' jointers, 2, £1 5s 8d Ironware, jack chains, 6, £0 10s 4½d Ironware, jack weights and pulleys, 3 sets, £1 7s 0d Ironware, figured squares, 20, £1 5s 0d Ironware, blank keys, 176, £5 10s 0d Ironware, wash pans, hammered iron, 4, £3 10s 10d Ironware, saucepan, hammered iron, 1, £0 10s 2½d Ironware, plate iron, 61 lb, £1 6s 8d Ironware, scrapers, 3, £0 5s 7½d Ironware, screw stocks, 1 pair, £0 11s 7d Ironware, sickles, 13, £0 12s 5½d Ironware, gunsmiths' saws, 3, £2 1s 3d Ironware, garden rakes, 9, £1 0s 9¾d Ironware, rag stones, 8, £0 2s 10d Ironware, scythe stones, 55, £0 12s 7½d Ironware, joiners' rubstones, 12, £1 12s 9d Ironware, drill boxes, 86, £4 6s 0d Ironware, joiners' hatchets, 2, £0 4s 0d Ironware carried over, £159 0s 7¼d Carried over, £13,790 7s 8d Interpretations Jack wheels, jack chains and jack weights were the parts of a roasting jack, a clockwork mechanism that turned a spit in front of the fire, driven by a falling weight. The nine sets held in store show that the Company's kitchens and the better households roasted meat on spits, the usual way of cooking joints in an English kitchen of the time. Borax was used as a flux in soldering and brazing metal. Emery, both as flour and in coarser wash grades, was used to polish steel and clean arms. Hand screws were wooden or iron clamps used by carpenters and coopers to hold work while it was glued or shaped. These were the tools and materials of the island's armourers, smiths, joiners and coopers, all working from Company stock. | |
106 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Iron ware brought over£§ §14 Plaistr. Trowels§ §16 Brick Layr. do.§ §108 Packing Needles§ §20 Ps. HL Hinges with rising Joints§ §11 Ps. Shuttered do. with do.§ §3 Scythes§ §33 Ps. Dove tail Hinges§ §19 Ps. do. with filed Joints§ §1 Whip Saw§ §1 Cross Cut do.§ §1 Hand do.§ §2 Tenoning do.§ §4 Smiths Mill. Saw Files§ §23 Spike Gimblets§ §4 Stone Wedges§ §8 Jack Spits§ §559 Files§ §10 Flat Rubber do.§ §4 Bastard do. do.§ §22 Rubber do.§ §17 Farriers Rasps§ §12 Half round wood do.§ §13 Sett. Hammers§ §45 Masons Bench & broad Tools§ §192 Wood Screws§ §1 Large Jack§ §1 Middling do.§ §1 Small do.§ §2 Plow Planes§ §Iron ware Carrd. over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The inventory of ironware continued as follows. Brought over, £13,790 7s 8d Ironware brought over, £159 0s 7¼d Ironware, plasterers' trowels, 14, £1 3s 4d Ironware, bricklayers' trowels, 16, £1 1s 8d Ironware, packing needles, 108, £0 16s 9d Ironware, HL hinges with rising joints, 20 pairs, £3 3s 4d Ironware, shutter hinges with rising joints, 11 pairs, £1 4s 9d Ironware, scythes, 3, £0 16s 3d Ironware, dovetail hinges, 33 pairs, £1 0s 7½d Ironware, dovetail hinges with filed joints, 19 pairs, £6 16s 11½d Ironware, whip saw, 1, £2 7s 4½d Ironware, crosscut saw, 1, £1 5s 9d Ironware, hand saw, 1, £0 7s 5d Ironware, tenon saw, 1, £0 4s 0d Ironware, smiths' whip saw files, 4, £0 6s 10d Ironware, spike gimlets, 23, £0 11s 1d Ironware, stone wedges, 4, £0 2s 8d Ironware, jack spits, 8, £2 6s 0d Ironware, files, 359, £13 19s 6d Ironware, flat rubber files, 10, £2 8s 1½d Ironware, bastard files, 4, £0 17s 8d Ironware, rubber files, 22, £6 8s 4d Ironware, farriers' rasps, 17, £0 15s 7d Ironware, half-round wood rasps, 12, £0 7s 6d Ironware, [...] hammers, 13, £4 7s 9d Ironware, masons' broad and [...] tools, 45, £5 5s 11¼d Ironware, wood screws, 192, £0 5s 6d Ironware, large roasting jack, 1, £7 10s 2d Ironware, middling roasting jack, 1, £4 18s 0d Ironware, small roasting jack, 1, £2 15s 5½d Ironware, plough planes, 2, £0 19s 8d Ironware carried over, £233 13s 7d Carried over, £13,790 7s 8d Interpretations The three roasting jacks were complete machines, unlike the spare wheels, chains and weights listed earlier. At up to £7 10s each they were costly items. They were probably meant for the Castle, the Company's table or Plantation House. Rising-joint hinges lifted a door slightly as it opened so it cleared a carpet or uneven floor. They were a mark of well-finished rooms. The whip saw was a long two-man saw for cutting timber lengthwise into planks, needed to turn imported balks into boards on the island. | |
107 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Iron ware brought over£§ §7 Axletrees & Winches for Grind Stones§ §10 Iron Croes§ §34 Socket head. & Sorg. Chissels§ §1 Lathing Hammer§ §86 Bolt Rope Needles§ §813 Sail do.§ §21 Ps. Steel Compasses§ §7 Helves for Garden Hoes§ §60 lb. Rolled Iron§ §45 Dutt Springs§ §2 Hand Vices§ §1 Bench do.§ §43 Spring Rat Traps§ §1 Wire do.§ §39 Mouse do.§ §16 Saw Sets§ §1 Crow Hook§ §14 do. Irons§ §6 Drawing Knives§ §2 Blow Pipes§ §18 Ps. Wool Cards§ §29 Wood Axes§ §27 Masons do.§ §5 Smiths Hand Hammers§ §6 do. Upband do.§ §1 Sledge do.§ §2 Nailing do.§ §2 Cast Backs for Forges§ §2 Brass Pins for Escutcheons§ §Iron ware Carrd. over£§ §Carrd. over£§ | The inventory of ironware continued as follows. Brought over, £13,790 7s 8d Ironware brought over, £233 13s 7d Ironware, axletrees and winches for grindstones, 7, £1 4s 4½d Ironware, iron crows, 10, £5 2s 1d Ironware, socket and [...] chisels, 34, £2 7s 9d Ironware, lathing hammer, 1, £0 1s 8d Ironware, bolt rope needles, 86, £0 8s 11½d Ironware, sail needles, 818, £0 16s 11½d Ironware, steel compasses, 21 pairs, £0 14s 0d Ironware, helves for garden hoes, 7, £0 4s 6d Ironware, rolled iron, 60 lb, £1 2s 6d Ironware, drill strings, 45, £1 3s 5½d Ironware, hand vices, 2, £0 7s 0d Ironware, bench vice, 1, £0 6s 9d Ironware, spring rat traps, 43, £3 5s 5d Ironware, wire rat trap, 1, £0 6s 3½d Ironware, mouse traps, 39, £1 9s 7d Ironware, saw sets, 16, £0 9s 4d Ironware, crane hook, 1, £0 1s 10d Ironware, crane irons, 14, £0 11s 1d Ironware, drawing knives, 6, £0 10s 6d Ironware, blow pipes, 2, £0 1s 10d Ironware, wool cards, 18 pairs, £1 15s 3d Ironware, wood axes, 29, £4 2s 2d Ironware, masons' axes, 27, £7 5s 0d Ironware, smiths' hand hammers, 5, £0 11s 1½d Ironware, smiths' uphand hammers, 6, £1 9s 9d Ironware, sledge hammer, 1, £0 9s 4d Ironware, nailing hammers, 2, £0 7s 4d Ironware, cast iron backs for forges, 2, £1 17s 0d Ironware, brass pins for escutcheons, 2 [...], £0 8s 10d Ironware carried over, £272 15s 2d Carried over, £13,790 7s 8d Interpretations The stores held 43 spring rat traps and 39 mouse traps besides those already sold and issued, a measure of how serious the rat problem was on St Helena. Rats had come ashore from ships in the early years of settlement. They spoiled stored grain and flour, damaged crops and, as on the Duke of Portland, ate through papers and packing. The Company fought them with traps in every warehouse, barrack and house. Wool cards were paired boards set with wire teeth, used to comb and straighten wool before spinning. Their presence, along with the sheep shears in store, shows that the island's flocks were kept for wool as well as meat, and that some spinning was done on the island. An uphand hammer was a heavy hammer swung with both hands by the smith's striker. | |
108 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Iron ware brought over£§ §1 Pr. Sliding Compasses§ §4 Iron Rubbish Riddles§ §9 Plaistr. Sieves§ §5 Sets Truss Hoops for Tierces &c.§ §1 Set Puncheon do.§ §6 Butt Overrunners do.§ §7 Mauls§ §3 Coopers Round. Adzes§ §1 do. Notching do.§ §10 do. Steel Drivers§ §24 Brass Boxes for W. Barrows§ §40 Hand Hatchets§ §2 lb. Yell. Solder§ §2 oz. Silver do.§ §9 Ps. Hand Bellows§ §3 Crucibles§ §4 Coopers hollowing Knives§ §1 Buoy Knife§ §5 Pistol Stocks with Springs§ §23 Beech Mallets§ §2 Beak Irons§ §10 Coopers Joint. Irons§ §9 Turning Gouges§ §2 Small Bar Irons§ §411 File Hafts§ §5½ Dragons Blood§ §69 lb. Iron Wire of sizes§ §4 Iron Chains for L. Boats§ §3 Chafing Dishes§ §Iron ware Carrd. over£§ §Carrd. over£§ | The inventory of ironware continued as follows. Brought over, £13,790 7s 8d Ironware brought over, £272 15s 2d Ironware, sliding compasses, 1 pair, £0 3s 10d Ironware, iron rabbles, 4, £1 10s 0d Ironware, plasterers' trowels, 9, £2 2s 1½d Ironware, truss hoops for tierces and other casks, 5 sets, £2 2s 5d Ironware, truss hoops for puncheons, 1 set, £0 16s 10d Ironware, [...] hoops for butts, 6, £0 14s 7d Ironware, mauls, 7, £3 13s 2½d Ironware, coopers' rounding adzes, 3, £0 8s 1½d Ironware, coopers' notching adze, 1, £0 2s 9d Ironware, coopers' steel drivers, 10, £0 16s 8d Ironware, brass boxes for wheelbarrows, 24, £0 8s 10d Ironware, hand hatchets, 40, £3 8s 4d Ironware, yellow solder, 2 lb, £0 3s 8d Ironware, silver solder, 2 oz, £0 12s 1d Ironware, hand bellows, 9 pairs, £1 12s 7½d Ironware, crucibles, 3, £0 0s 11¼d Ironware, coopers' hollowing knives, 4, £0 8s 0d Ironware, [...] knife, 1, £0 0s 6d Ironware, [...] locks with springs, 5, £0 7s 11d Ironware, beech mallets, 23, £2 8s 11½d Ironware, beak irons, 2, £1 3s 5d Ironware, coopers' jointing irons, 10, £0 18s 9d Ironware, turning gouges, 9, £0 6s 0d Ironware, small box irons, 2, £0 13s 6½d Ironware, file hafts, 411, £1 14s 3d Ironware, dragon's blood, 5½ lb, £0 5s 1½d Ironware, iron wire of various sizes, 69 lb, £2 8s 0d Ironware, iron chains for the boats, 4, £9 6s 6d Ironware, chafing dishes, 3, £0 15s 0d Ironware carried over, £312 8s 3¾d Carried over, £13,790 7s 8d Interpretations Truss hoops were heavy iron hoops a cooper drove over the staves of a cask to pull them together while he worked it into shape. Sets were kept for every size, from tierces to puncheons and butts. With the coopers' adzes, drivers, jointers and hollowing knives in store, they show how much work went into making and repairing the casks that held the island's water, provisions and spirits. Every cask of salt meat and flour came in wood, and many were repaired and reused for watering ships. Dragon's blood was a deep red resin from the fruit of certain palms in the East Indies. It was used to colour varnish and lacquer, and in medicine as an astringent. Box irons were hollow smoothing irons heated by an iron slug placed inside, used for pressing linen. | |
109 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Iron ware Brought over£§ §4 Corn Mills§ §2 lb. Brass Pins for Escutcheons§ §13 Two foot Rules§ §3 Knots Cat Gut§ §18 Large Iron rimd. Locks & Bolts§ §6 do. Pull Back for Street Doors§ §6 Ps. Cross Garnet Hinges§ §6 Claw Hammers§ §8 Coopers Vices§ §2 do. Jetting Knives§ §2 do. Flagging Irons§ §14 lb. Tinnd. Tacks§ §1 Cock Borer with Bits§ §1 Large Tap Borer§ §16 Iron rimd. Locks with Brass Knobs§ §12 Plate Brass do.§ §6 Coffee Mills§ §2 Coopers Axes§ §383 . 17 . 2§ §Leather vizt.§ §10 . 1 . 16 Sole Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §16 Calf Skins§ §77 . 4§ §Long Ells 3 Yds. Blue§ §Lead vizt.§ §144 . 1 . 15 Sheet Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §101 . 2 . 12 in 75 Pigs§ §10 Yds. 2 Inch Pipe§ §2 . 2 . 17 Small Shot Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §243 . 3 . 4§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £13,790 7s 8d Ironware brought over, £312 8s 3¾d Ironware, corn mills, 4, £24 14s 6d Ironware, brass pins for escutcheons, 2 lb, £0 8s 10d Ironware, two-foot rules, 13, £0 14s 1d Ironware, catgut, 3 knots, £0 5s 0d Ironware, large iron rim locks and bolts, 18, £20 3s 6d Ironware, pull-back locks for street doors, 6, £4 14s 6d Ironware, cross garnet hinges, 6 pairs, £0 12s 0d Ironware, claw hammers, 6, £0 9s 6d Ironware, coopers' vices, 8, £0 4s 8d Ironware, coopers' [...] knives, 2, £0 1s 6d Ironware, coopers' flagging irons, 2, £0 3s 4d Ironware, tinned tacks, 14 lb, £1 7s 6d Ironware, cock borer with bits, 1, £0 3s 0d Ironware, large tap borer, 1, £0 1s 1¼d Ironware, iron rim locks with brass knobs, 16, £5 0s 8d Ironware, plate brass locks, 12, £8 13s 6d Ironware, coffee mills, 6, £2 4s 0d Ironware, coopers' axes, 2, £0 7s 8d Ironware in all, £383 17s 2d Leather, sole, 10 cwt 1 qr 16 lb, £68 13s 0d Leather, calf skins, 16, £8 11s 0d Leather in all, £77 4s 0d Long ells, blue, 2 yards, £0 5s 2d Lead, sheet, 144 cwt 1 qr 15 lb, £153 3s 3d Lead, 75 pigs, 101 cwt 2 qr 12 lb, £82 7s 0d Lead, 2-inch pipe, 10 yards, £4 15s 6d Lead, small shot, 2 cwt 2 qr 17 lb, £2 15s 2d Lead in all, £243 3s 4d Carried over, £14,494 17s 4d The ironware items on this page come to about £378 10s, against the total of £383 17s 2d. The lead items come to £243 0s 11d, against the total of £243 3s 4d. Interpretations The four corn mills in store were hand mills for grinding grain, at about £6 each. With wheat, maize and paddy to be milled, and the Company buying oak to make a post for a corn mill, the island was trying to grind its own flour as well as rely on imports. Coffee mills, small hand grinders, show that coffee as well as tea was drunk. The stores held more than 7 tons of sheet lead and 5 tons in pigs. Sheet lead lined roofs, gutters and the magazine, where it would not strike sparks. Pig lead was melted down for shot, for fixing iron into stone and for plumbing. The 2-inch lead pipe was for water supply, probably to bring water down to the town or the ships' watering place. | |
110 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Masts vizt.§ §1 Bow Sprit§ §5 Ships Masts 13 In. diam. 56 Ft. long§ §2 Spars§ §58§ §Nails vizt.§ §4 . 3 . 1 2d. Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §10 . 2 . 5 3§ §12 . 3 . 3 4§ §10 . 0 . 9 6§ §19 . 0 . 23 10§ §8 . 3 . 15 20§ §4 . 2 . 4 40§ §11 . 1 . 26 Flooring Brads§ §2 . 23 Scupper§ §1 . 0 . 1 Coopers Rivets§ §1 . 10 Glazg. Brads§ §1 . 13 Barrk. Nails§ §5 . 0 . 13 Spikes do.§ §1 . 3 . 13 Dog do.§ §272 . 1 . 8§ §Oil vizt.§ §732 Galls. Linseed§ §446 do. Train§ §4½ do. Oil Turpentine§ §54 Bottles Florence§ §246 . 4 . 11§ §Oars vizt.§ §45 Oars 14 Ft. long§ §54 do. 24 do.§ §25 . 1 . 10§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £14,494 17s 4d Masts, bowsprit, 1, £8 10s 6d Masts, topmasts, 15 inches in diameter and 56 feet long, 5, £45 13s 6d Masts, spars, 2, £3 16s 0d Masts in all, £58 0s 0d Nails, 2d, 4 cwt 3 qr 1 lb, £20 18s 2d Nails, 3d, 10 cwt 2 qr 5 lb, £41 4s 1d Nails, 4d, 12 cwt 3 qr 3 lb, £43 2s 6d Nails, 6d, 10 cwt 0 qr 9 lb, £31 15s 0d Nails, 10d, 19 cwt 0 qr 23 lb, £49 15s 10d Nails, 20d, 8 cwt 3 qr 15 lb, £19 0s 11d Nails, 40d, 4 cwt 2 qr 4 lb, £9 10s 6d Nails, flooring brads, 11 cwt 1 qr 26 lb, £31 7s 2d Nails, scupper nails, 2 qr 23 lb, £2 2s 9d Nails, copper rivets, 1 cwt 0 qr 1 lb, £3 1s 2d Nails, glazing brads, 1 qr 10 lb, £3 3s 4d Nails, barrel nails, 1 qr 13 lb, £0 13s 8d Nails, spikes, 5 cwt 0 qr 13 lb, £9 11s 8d Nails, dog nails, 1 cwt 3 qr 13 lb, £6 14s 11d Nails in all, £272 1s 8d Linseed oil, 732 gallons, £147 18s 6d Train oil, 446 gallons, £91 0s 0d Oil of turpentine, 4½ gallons, £0 19s 3d Florence oil, 54 bottles, £6 7s 2d Oil in all, £246 4s 11d Oars, 14 feet long, 45, £8 7s 10d Oars, 24 feet long, 54, £16 14s 0d Oars in all, £25 1s 10d Carried over, £15,096 5s 9d Interpretations The stores held a bowsprit and five topmasts 56 feet long, spare spars for the Company's ships as well as for lifting gear on shore. An East Indiaman that lost a topmast in the gales off the Cape could refit at St Helena without waiting for a replacement from England. Together with the anchors and cables, the masts show the warehouses serving as a naval store for the India fleet. More than 4 tons of nails were held, along with over 1,100 gallons of linseed and train oil. Linseed oil was used to mix paint and to protect timber from the damp and salt air. Train oil lit the island's lamps, including those of the Governor's guards. The 24-foot oars were sweeps for the larger boats, used to row them through the swell to the anchorage. | |
111 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Paint vizt.§ §8 . 2 . 19 Whiting Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §1 . 0 . 7 Umber§ §23 Stone Colour dry§ §1 Indico§ §1 . 3 . 26 White Lead dry§ §4 . 0 . 8 Stone Colour§ §1 . 0 . 24 Olive do.§ §2 . 17 Verdigrease§ §1 Yell. Oaker dry§ §3 . 6 White Copperas§ §2 . 17 Red Lead§ §7 Log Wood§ §1 . 19 Black Lead§ §2 Blue Black§ §1 . 2 . 24 Blue Smalts§ §4 Vermillion§ §¾ Prussian Blue§ §5 Distilled Verdigrease§ §5 Flake White§ §1 Allum§ §3 . 2 . 14 White Lead Ground§ §10 . 2 . 5 Brimstone§ §4 . 0 . 10 Chalk§ §194 Paperd. Blacking§ §103 . 7 . 10§ §Pewter vizt.§ §5 Qt. Funnels§ §6 do. Pots§ §5 Half Gall. do.§ §Pewter Carried over£§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £15,096 5s 9d Paint, whiting, 8 cwt 0 qr 19 lb, £0 19s 1d Paint, umber, 1 cwt 0 qr 7 lb, £0 19s 10d Paint, stone colour dry, 23 lb, £0 10s 6d Paint, indigo, 1 qr, £2 7s 10d Paint, white lead dry, 1 cwt 3 qr 26 lb, £3 14s 0d Paint, stone colour, 4 cwt 0 qr 8 lb, £11 17s 6d Paint, olive colour, 1 cwt 0 qr 24 lb, £12 0s 10d Paint, verdigris, 2 qr 17 lb, £16 16s 1d Paint, yellow ochre dry, 1 cwt, £1 1s 0d Paint, white copperas, 3 qr 6 lb, £4 8s 1d Paint, red lead, 2 qr 17 lb, £0 16s 8d Paint, logwood, 7 lb, £0 1s 6d Paint, black lead, 1 qr 19 lb, £2 12s 11d Paint, blue black, 2 lb, £0 1s 2d Paint, blue smalt, 1 cwt 2 qr 24 lb, £16 12s 0d Paint, vermilion, 4 lb, £1 2s 1d Paint, Prussian blue, ¾ lb, £0 7s 9d Paint, distilled verdigris, 5 lb, £2 15s 7d Paint, flake white, 5 lb, £0 8s 0d Paint, alum, 1 lb, £0 0s 3d Paint, white lead ground, 3 cwt 2 qr 14 lb, £7 12s 3d Paint, brimstone, 10 cwt 2 qr 5 lb, £9 16s 10d Paint, chalk, 4 cwt 0 qr 10 lb, £0 19s 1d Paint, Barcelona blacking, 194 lb, £4 17s 0d Paint in all, £103 7s 10d Pewter, funnels, 5, £0 11s 8d Pewter, pots, 6, £0 18s 0d Pewter, half-gallon pots, 5, £1 8s 6d Pewter carried over, £2 18s 2d Carried over, £15,199 13s 7d Interpretations Stone colour and olive colour were the paints used on the island's batteries, gun carriages and public buildings. They were dull, weather-resistant shades that blended with the rock. More than 5 cwt of the two were held. Brimstone, over half a ton of sulphur, was kept for making or remaking gunpowder and for fumigating ships and stores against vermin. Several of the colours were costly imports. Verdigris and distilled verdigris, used for boat bottoms and as a green pigment, came to nearly £20. Prussian blue was a recently invented pigment, first made in Berlin early in the century. Vermilion, a bright red from mercury sulphide, was the most expensive pigment by weight. Logwood was a dyewood from Central America, used to stain timber and dye cloth black or purple. | |
112 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Pewter Brought over£§ §3 Gallon Pots§ §5 Cranes§ §1 Worm Tub & Still§ §1 Cullender§ §2 Basons§ §20 Water Plates§ §4 Pint Pots§ §6 Close Stool Pans§ §27 . 1 . 5§ §Pease vizt.§ §28½ Bushels§ §Pumps 1§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §72 . 2 Barls. Pitch§ §50 do. Tar§ §3½ do. Turpentine§ §2¼ do. Rosin§ §158 . 16 . 7§ §Starch 1 . 1 . 26 Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §Soap 7 . 1 . 3§ §Salt 56½ Bushels§ §Shalloon vizt.§ §5 Ps. 7¼ Yds. Scarlet§ §6 Ps. 1¾ do. Coloured§ §36 . 5 . 9§ §Scales & Weights vizt.§ §2 Beams§ §1 Pr. Scale Boards§ §18 . 5 . 8§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £15,199 13s 7d Pewter brought over, £2 18s 2d Pewter, gallon pots, 3, £1 7s 5d Pewter, cranes, 5, £4 6s 8d Pewter, worm tub and still, 1, £10 12s 4d Pewter, colander, 1, £0 8s 2d Pewter, basins, 2, £0 8s 3d Pewter, water plates, 20, £5 0s 10d Pewter, pint pots, 4, £0 7s 10d Pewter, close stool pans, 6, £1 11s 9d Pewter in all, £27 1s 5d Pease, 28½ bushels, and 4 bushels damaged, £13 8s 11d Pumps, 1, £12 13s 5d Pitch, 72 barrels, £86 14s 0d Tar, 50 barrels, £56 5s 0d Turpentine, 3½ barrels, £11 8s 9d Rosin, 2¼ barrels, £4 8s 10d Pitch and tar in all, £158 16s 7d Starch, 1 cwt 1 qr 26 lb, £4 16s 10d Soap, 7 cwt 0 qr 3 lb, £23 15s 5d Salt, 56½ bushels, £7 17s 0d Shalloon, scarlet, 5 pieces 7¼ yards, £19 2s 5d Shalloon, coloured, 6 pieces 1¼ yards, £17 3s 4d Shalloon in all, £36 5s 9d Scales, beams, 2, £14 6s 0d Scales, scale boards, 1 pair, £3 19s 8d Scales and weights in all, £18 5s 8d Carried over, £15,502 14s 7d Interpretations The pewter worm tub and still was a distilling apparatus. The worm was a coiled pipe set in a tub of cold water to condense the vapour. On St Helena it was probably used to distil spirits, or to make fresh water from sea water in a drought, a known use of stills on ships and islands. At over £10 it was one of the costliest single items in the stores. The cranes listed among the pewter were siphons, bent tubes for drawing liquor from a cask without moving it. Water plates were double-walled dishes filled with hot water to keep food warm at table. The 72 barrels of pitch and 50 of tar were the main stock for caulking and preserving the boats, ropes and timber against salt and damp. | |
113 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Serge vizt.§ §4¼ Ps. Brown Fustian§ §1 Ps. 11 Yds. Scarlet Serge§ §19½ Yds. Blue do.§ §39½ Yds. Green do.§ §33 . 3 . 10§ §Saddles 2 Compleat§ §Sailors Cloaths vizt.§ §359 Mens Checkd. Shirts§ §120 Ps. do. Long Draws§ §70 do. Blue Duffle Jackets§ §106 Ps. do. Breeches§ §193 Boys Shirts§ §42 Ps. do. Long Draws§ §163 do. Green Duffle Jackets§ §168 Ps. do. Breeches§ §88 Dutch Caps§ §216 . 13 . 9§ §Soldiers Cloaths vizt.§ §221 Soldrs. Coats & Breeches§ §17 Corporals do. & do.§ §20 Matrosses do. & do.§ §19 Serjeants do. & do.§ §2 Artil. Serjts. do. & do.§ §2 do. Corpl. do. & do.§ §2 Bombardiers do. & do.§ §4 Gunners do. & do.§ §7 Drummers do. & do.§ §1 Marshals do. & do.§ §4 Watch Coats§ §551 . 14 . 11§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £15,502 14s 7d Fustian, brown, 4¼ pieces, £7 13s 9d Serge, scarlet, 1 piece 11 yards, £11 4s 7d Serge, blue, 19½ yards, £5 0s 8d Serge, green, 39½ yards, £9 4s 10d Serge in all, £33 3s 10d Saddles, complete, 2, £9 16s 8d Sailors' clothes, men's checked shirts, 359, £58 9s 2d Sailors' clothes, men's long drawers, 180 pairs, £9 17s 9d Sailors' clothes, men's blue duffle jackets, 70, £23 16s 7d Sailors' clothes, men's breeches, 106 pairs, £19 16s 5d Sailors' clothes, boys' shirts, 193, £26 18s 7d Sailors' clothes, boys' long drawers, 42 pairs, £2 6s 10d Sailors' clothes, green duffle jackets, 163, £43 10s 4d Sailors' clothes, breeches, 168 pairs, £25 6s 1d Sailors' clothes, Dutch caps, 88, £6 12s 0d Sailors' clothes in all, £216 13s 9d Soldiers' clothes, soldiers' coats and breeches, 221, £324 10s 3d Soldiers' clothes, corporals' coats and breeches, 17, £26 2s 9d Soldiers' clothes, matrosses' coats and breeches, 20, £42 7s 5d Soldiers' clothes, sergeants' coats and breeches, 19, £99 5s 6d Soldiers' clothes, artillery sergeants' coats and breeches, 2, £10 9s 6d Soldiers' clothes, artillery corporals' coats and breeches, 2, £4 8s 0d Soldiers' clothes, bombardiers' coats and breeches, 2, £5 19s 0d Soldiers' clothes, gunners' coats and breeches, 4, £9 4s 8d Soldiers' clothes, drummers' coats and breeches, 7, £23 17s 2d Soldiers' clothes, marshal's coat and breeches, 1, £2 11s 8d Soldiers' clothes, watch coats, 4, £3 6s 0d Soldiers' clothes in all, £551 14s 11d Carried over, £16,314 3s 9d Interpretations The stores held a full issue of uniforms for the garrison: 221 private soldiers' coats and breeches, with separate stocks for each rank and for the artillery. Every grade had its own pattern and price. A sergeant's suit cost over £5, against about £1 9s for a private's. The drummers' coats were among the dearest, since drummers wore elaborate laced and reversed-colour uniforms to mark them out on the field. The large stock of sailors' clothing, more than 1,100 pieces, was for seamen on the Company's ships, sold to crews who had worn out their own on the voyage. Checked shirts, duffle jackets and long canvas drawers were the standard slop clothing of the merchant service. The boys' shirts and drawers were for the ships' boys and servants on the muster rolls. Dutch caps were knitted woollen caps worn by seamen. | |
114 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Shirts vizt.§ §458 Soldrs. Shirts§ §14 Serjts. do.§ §3½ Ps. Irish Linnen§ §67 Yds. Brown Holland§ §1 Ps. Huckaback for Napkins§ §1 Ps. 10½ Yds. Russia Diaper§ §135 . 10 . 5§ §Shoes vizt.§ §1781 Ps. Mens Ordy. Shoes§ §2 Ps. do. fine do.§ §2 Ps. do. do. Pumps§ §1 Ps. do. Channel do.§ §1 Ps. Boys Shoes do.§ §13 Ps. Womens Calimanco do.§ §3 Ps. do. Spanish Leath. do.§ §23 Ps. do. Calf Leather do.§ §5 Ps. Girls Calimanco do.§ §1 Ps. do. Calf Leath. do.§ §2 Ps. Stretchers§ §423 . 7 . 1§ §Twine vizt.§ §4 . 2 . 19 Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §86 Sk. Marline§ §83 lb. Cotton Wick§ §41 . 9 . 2§ §Thread vizt.§ §8 lb. Whited Brown§ §56 Coloured§ §11 . 5 . 4§ §Ticking 27½ Yds. Checked Linnen§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £16,314 3s 9d Shirts, soldiers', 458, £108 1s 0d Shirts, sergeants', 14, £4 12s 2d Irish linen, 3½ pieces, £12 10s 2d Brown holland, 67 yards, £6 12s 10d Huckaback for napkins, 1 piece, £2 4s 0d Russia diaper, 1 piece 10½ yards, £1 10s 3d Shirts and linen in all, £135 10s 5d Shoes, men's ordinary, 1,781 pairs, £413 18s 2d Shoes, men's fine, 2 pairs, £0 11s 0d Shoes, men's pumps, 2 pairs, £0 10s 0d Shoes, men's channelled pumps, 1 pair, £0 6s 0d Shoes, boys', 1 pair, £0 3s 2d Shoes, women's calamanco, 13 pairs, £2 9s 10d Shoes, women's Spanish leather, 3 pairs, £0 11s 6d Shoes, women's calf leather, 23 pairs, £4 5s 3d Shoes, girls' calamanco, 5 pairs, £0 15s 0d Shoes, girls' calf leather, 1 pair, £0 2s 0d Shoe stretchers, 2 pairs, £0 5s 2d Shoes in all, £423 17s 1d Twine, 4 cwt 2 qr 19 lb, £31 1s 0d Marline, 86 skeins, £1 1s 6d Cotton wick, 83 lb, £9 6s 8d Twine in all, £41 9s 2d Thread, whited brown, 8 lb, £2 12s 8d Thread, coloured, 56 lb, £8 12s 8d Thread in all, £11 5s 4d Ticking, checked linen, 27½ yards, £1 16s 1d Carried over, £16,928 1s 10d Interpretations The stores held 1,781 pairs of men's ordinary shoes, worth more than £400. In the last quarter alone, 335 pairs had been sold to the Company's servants and 51 issued to its slaves. At that rate this stock would last more than a year. Shoes wore out quickly on the island's rocky tracks, and every pair had to be shipped from England. The Company kept a reserve far larger than for most goods. With 458 soldiers' shirts, the store could re-clothe the whole garrison several times over. Marline was a light two-stranded line of tarred hemp used for binding and seizing ropes on ships and boats. Ticking was a strong, closely woven cloth used for mattress and pillow covers, here in checked linen. | |
115 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §Tin Ware vizt.§ §14 Canteens§ §3 Gal. Funnels§ §3 half Gal. do.§ §8 Quart do.§ §19 Watering Pots§ §29 Lanthorn Leaves§ §39 Double Sheet Tin§ §31 Single do.§ §2⅛ lb. Salamoniac§ §11 Dripping Pans§ §1 Globe Lamp§ §12 Horn Lanthorns§ §7 Glass do.§ §33 lb. Solder§ §60 Tinned Tin§ §18 . 1 . 8§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §42 Scrubbing Brushes§ §31 Hair Brooms§ §1 Fisherman's Yoke§ §21 Ox Bows§ §20 Skimming Dishes§ §125 Shoe Brushes§ §10 Pump Boxes§ §149 Lab. Baskets§ §72 Paint Brushes§ §71 Plaistr. do.§ §12 Lath Wheel do.§ §13 Bottle do.§ §Turners ware Carried over£§ §Carried Over£§ | The inventory continued as follows. Brought over, £16,928 1s 10d Tinware, canteens, 14, £0 19s 3d Tinware, gallon funnels, 3, £0 6s 0d Tinware, half-gallon funnels, 3, £0 3s 9d Tinware, quart funnels, 8, £0 3s 10d Tinware, watering pots, 19, £3 3s 4d Tinware, lantern leaves, 29, £0 5s 6d Tinware, double sheets of tin, 39, £1 6s 0d Tinware, single sheets of tin, 31, £0 10s 4d Tinware, sal ammoniac, 2⅝ lb, £0 8s 3d Tinware, dripping pans, 11, £1 2s 0d Tinware, globe lamp, 1, £0 7s 8d Tinware, horn lanterns, 12, £2 2s 0d Tinware, glass lanterns, 7, £1 18s 6d Tinware, solder, 33 lb, £2 5s 9d Tinware, tinned iron, 60 plates, £2 19s 6d Tinware in all, £18 1s 8d Turnery, scrubbing brushes, 42, £5 10s 3d Turnery, hair brooms, 31, £4 0s 2d Turnery, yoke, 1, £0 1s 6d Turnery, ox bows, 21, £1 4s 11d Turnery, [...] dishes, 20, £0 5s 10d Turnery, shoe brushes, 125, £4 13s 9d Turnery, pump boxes, 10, £1 19s 7d Turnery, labourers' baskets, 149, £9 3s 1d Turnery, paint brushes, 72, £2 5s 10d Turnery, plasterers' brushes, 71, £3 11s 0d Turnery, [...] brushes, 12, £1 5s 4d Turnery, [...] brushes, 13, £0 7s 4d Turnery carried over, £34 3s 7d Carried over, £16,946 3s 6d Interpretations Sal ammoniac was used by tinsmiths and coppersmiths as a flux to clean metal before soldering. Together with the solder, tinned iron plates and sheets of tin, it shows that tinware was made and mended on the island, not only imported. Lantern leaves were thin, translucent plates of horn used as the windows of horn lanterns, replacing glass where breakage was likely, as in barracks and on boats. The 149 labourers' baskets held in store matched the scale of the fortification works. Earth and rubble were carried in baskets on the head or shoulder. Pump boxes were the wooden valve chambers of the island's water pumps and the ships' pumps, which wore out and needed regular replacement. | |
116 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Turners ware brought over£§ §42 Mops§ §30 Punch Ladles§ §68 Birch Brooms§ §2 Flaskets§ §8 Yokes for Oxen§ §19 Butchers Trays§ §11 Cloth Brushes§ §1 Constables Staff§ §1 Churn§ §1 Large Plate Basket lined with Tin§ §1 Small do. do. do.§ §50 . 5 . 9§ §Turned Newels 1 Case§ §Carved Brackets 1 do. Contg. 26§ §Bannesters 1 Case Containg. 70§ §Sashes &c. vizt.§ §Sashes 40§ §1 Case Glass Sqr. for do.§ §3 Cases Lead Weights for do.§ §67 . 4 . 4§ §European Goods amounting to£§ §India Goods vizt.§ §Chelloes 116¾ Pieces§ §Arrack 1125 Gallons§ §Carried Over£§ | The inventory closed its European goods and began the India goods. Brought over, £16,946 3s 6d Turnery brought over, £34 3s 7d Turnery, mops, 42, £2 12s 6d Turnery, punch ladles, 30, £0 16s 11d Turnery, birch brooms, 68, £1 8s 4d Turnery, flaskets, 2, £0 4s 7d Turnery, yokes for oxen, 8, £5 10s 3d Turnery, butchers' trays, 19, £1 0s 5d Turnery, clothes brushes, 11, £1 1s 1d Turnery, constable's staff, 1, £0 8s 3d Turnery, churn, 1, £2 0s 0d Turnery, large plate basket lined with tin, 1, £0 7s 1d Turnery, small plate basket lined with tin, 1, £0 6s 7d Turnery in all, £50 5s 9d Turned newels, 1 case, £2 11s 0d Carved brackets, 1 case containing 26, £6 18s 0d Banisters, 1 case containing 70, £3 2s 2d Sashes, [...], £57 19s 4d Squares of glass for the sashes, 1 case, £1 6s 6d Lead weights for the sashes, 3 cases, £7 18s 6d Sashes in all, £67 4s 4d European goods in all, £17,076 4s 9d India goods Chelloes, 116⅞ pieces, £64 3s 0d Arrack, 1,125 gallons, £168 15s 0d Carried over, £17,309 2s 9d Interpretations The cases of turned newels, carved brackets, banisters and sash windows with their glass and lead weights were the fittings for a staircase and windows of a fine house. They were made in England and shipped out ready to install. Sash windows with counterweights were then the height of fashion in Georgian building. Such fittings were probably meant for the Castle or Plantation House, the Governor's residences, which were being improved at this time. The inventory separated European goods from India goods. European goods came out from England on the outward ships. India goods, chelloes and arrack, were landed from the homeward ships calling from Madras, Bengal and Bombay. The European stock was worth more than seventy times the Indian. St Helena depended on supplies sent out from England, even though it lay on the route home from India. | |
117 | 1771§ §Brought over£§ §China ware vizt.§ §19 Soup Dishes§ §60 Round Soup Plates§ §56 Enamelled do.§ §327 Octagon do.§ §44 do. Meat Dishes§ §91 do. do. Plates§ §20 Tureens§ §17 Guglets§ §43 Bowls§ §74 Sneakers§ §62 Baking Dishes§ §102 Sallad do.§ §1 Chamr. Pot§ §12 ½ Pint Cups & Saucers§ §41 . 1 . 10§ §Pepper 2 . 1 . 6 Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §Tea vizt.§ §9 . 3 . 22 Bohea Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §1 . 0 . 3 Single§ §47 . 16 . 1§ §Coffee 3 . 3 . 23 Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §Candles 36 . 2 . 3 Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §Carried over£§ | The inventory of India goods continued as follows. Brought over, £17,309 2s 9d Chinaware, soup dishes, 19, £5 12s 5d Chinaware, round soup plates, 60, £1 9s 0d Chinaware, enamelled soup plates, 36, £1 15s 0d Chinaware, octagon soup plates, 327, £7 19s 0d Chinaware, octagon meat dishes, 44, £4 10s 9d Chinaware, octagon meat plates, 91, £2 6s 0d Chinaware, tureens, 20, and dishes, 19, £6 7s 8d Chinaware, guglets, 17, and basins, 7, £1 6s 0d Chinaware, bowls, 43, £1 12s 3d Chinaware, sneakers, 74, £0 15s 5d Chinaware, baking dishes, 62, £3 7s 2d Chinaware, salad dishes, 102, £3 16s 6d Chinaware, chamber pot, 1, £0 2s 0d Chinaware, half-pint cups and saucers, 12, £0 2s 8d Chinaware in all, £41 1s 10d Pepper, 2 cwt 1 qr 6 lb, £6 9s 0d Bohea tea, 9 cwt 3 qr 22 lb, £39 7s 8d Singlo tea, 1 cwt 0 qr 3 lb, £8 8s 5d Tea in all, £47 16s 1d Coffee, 3 cwt 3 qr 23 lb, £18 9s 2d Candles, 36 cwt 2 qr 3 lb, £468 15s 2d Carried over, £17,891 14s 0d Interpretations The candles in store weighed more than 1¾ tons and were worth nearly £470, the most valuable single class of India goods. They were probably made in India of tallow or wax and shipped home by way of the island. Candles lit every house, barrack and guard post on St Helena, and the Castle alone drew 255 lb in a quarter. A reserve of this size was essential on an island with no tallow to spare. Chinese porcelain came in by the hundred, including 327 octagon soup plates, at a few pence apiece. It reached St Helena in the holds of the China ships, often packed as ballast beneath the tea. The Company's officials, settlers and table used Chinese export porcelain as everyday ware, at prices far below what it cost in England. | |
118 | 21st. October§ §Brought over£§ §Long Cloth vizt.§ §4½ Ps. L§ §½ Ps. H§ §½ Ps. U§ §1 Ps. No. 1§ §9 Ps. 5§ §½ Ps. 9§ §1½ Ps. W§ §39 . 17 . 11§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §223 . 0 . 10 Candy Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §42 . 0 . 12 Sugar§ §548 . 13 . 11§ §Rice & Paddy vizt.§ §333 . 1 . 10 Rice Cwt. qrs. lb.§ §182 . 1 . 21 Paddy§ §356 . 7 . 6§ §European & India Goods amount to£§ §St. Helena§ | The inventory closed with the remaining India goods. Brought over, £17,891 14s 0d Long cloth, L, 4½ pieces, £22 1s 0d Long cloth, H, ½ piece, £1 4s 9d Long cloth, U, ½ piece, £0 11s 11d Long cloth, No 1, 1 piece, £2 15s 1d Long cloth, No 5, 9 pieces, £10 7s 0d Long cloth, No 9, ½ piece, £0 13s 2d Long cloth, H, 1½ pieces, £2 5s 0d Long cloth in all, £39 17s 11d Sugar candy, 223 cwt 0 qr 10 lb, £468 9s 9d Sugar, 42 cwt 0 qr 12 lb, £80 4s 2d Sugar and candy in all, £548 13s 11d Rice, 533 cwt 1 qr 10 lb, £313 6s 8d Paddy, 184 cwt 1 qr 21 lb, £40 0s 10d Rice and paddy in all, £353 7s 6d European and India goods in all, £18,833 13s 4d Daniel Corneille signed the inventory at St Helena on 30 September 1771. The Council then counted and examined the Company's cash for September 1771, set out under the heading that followed. Interpretations The Company's warehouses held stores worth more than £18,800 at the end of September 1771. That was over four times the quarter's whole pay bill for the island. The largest classes were salt beef and pork, flour, sugar and rice. Most of the value lay in food held in reserve and in naval stores such as anchors, cables and masts. St Helena's warehouses served as a fortress magazine and a provisioning depot for the Company's ships, more than as a shop for the island's people. The inventory was signed by Daniel Corneille, the Deputy Governor. This was the same document whose author had spent the earlier part of the consultation defending himself against Captain Tippet's charges. As second in command he was answerable for the stores, which helps explain his insistence that every officer report to him. | |
119 | Cash Dr.§ §1771§ §Septr. 1st. To Balance remaining£§ §6th. To Ship True Briton§ §7 To Exchange for three Sets of Bills drawn upon the Honble. the Court of Directrs. payable as follow vizt.§ §One Set to the Revd. Mr. Elias Thackary£§ §One do. Henry Broadley Esqr.§ §One do. to Robert Child Esqr.§ §395 . 16 . 8§ §23 To Ship Pigot§ §30 To Rents§ §To James Pavell recd. of him for Stores sold in the Quart. ending this day§ §To Plantation for Provision &c.§ §To Licences§ §To Customs recd. on 136½ Galls. of Spirituous Liquors§ §To Fortification for Lime Sold§ §£14022 . 4§ §Per Contra Cr.§ §1771§ §Septr. 30th. By Sundry Accounts advanced the Paymastr. to pay Salarys &c. in the Quart. ending this day§ §By Balance remaining vizt.§ §In Specie£§ §In Cash Notes§ §8852 . 7 . 11½§ §£14022 . 4§ §John Skottowe§ Margin Notes: §[...]§ | The Company's cash account for September 1771 was set out as follows. Debit 1 September 1771, balance remaining, £10,578 17s 1½d 6 September 1771, from the ship *True Briton*, £25 12s 10d 7 September 1771, exchange for 3 sets of bills drawn on the Court of Directors, to the Reverend Mr Elias Thackeray, £44 16s 8d 7 September 1771, the same, to Henry Broadley, £70 0s 0d 7 September 1771, the same, to Robert Child, £281 0s 0d 7 September 1771, bills of exchange in all, £395 16s 8d 23 September 1771, from the ship *Pigot*, £2 17s 6d 30 September 1771, rents, £625 0s 3d 30 September 1771, from James Pavell for stores sold in the quarter, £2,361 18s 6d 30 September 1771, from the plantation for provisions and other sales, £9 0s 6d 30 September 1771, licences, £11 10s 0d 30 September 1771, customs received on 136½ gallons of spirits, £1 14s 1½d 30 September 1771, from the fortifications for lime sold, £9 16s 3d Total, £14,022 4s 0d Credit 30 September 1771, sums advanced to the paymaster to pay salaries and other costs in the quarter, £5,169 16s 0½d 30 September 1771, balance remaining in coin, £8,312 12s 11½d 30 September 1771, balance remaining in cash notes, £539 15s 0d 30 September 1771, balance remaining in all, £8,852 7s 11½d Total, £14,022 4s 0d John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and M. Purling signed the account. Interpretations The Company's main income on the island came from the sale of stores, more than £2,300 in the quarter, and from rents of £625. The Company owned all the land on St Helena, and the planters held their farms as its tenants, paying rent for them. Licences, customs on spirits and sales of lime added small sums. Against this, the quarter's pay and works cost over £5,000. The island ran at a heavy loss, which the Company met by sending out money and stores from England. It held St Helena for its value to the India trade, not for profit. The balance of more than £8,300 in coin was the Company's treasury on the island. It was kept at the Castle and counted each month by the Governor and Council. The bills of exchange drawn on the Court in London let residents such as the chaplain send money home, while the cash they paid in stayed on the island to meet local costs. | |
120 | 28th. October§ | On Monday 28 October 1771 the Council met at the Castle. Governor John Skottowe, Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Mr Matthew Purling were present. The minutes of the last consultation, dated 21 October 1771, were read, approved and signed. On 23 October 1771 the Deputy Governor had presented a letter addressed to the Governor and Mr Purling. He said he would take up as little of their time as he could in answering Captain Tippet's second letter of 21 October 1771. In his answer to the first charge he had already set out the only important incidents that had caused any quarrel between them. He therefore left it to their judgement whether the captain's conduct as an officer had been consistent with the standing orders of the garrison. He also asked them to judge whether pointing out such failures could fairly expose him to the charge of slighting officers whenever they chose to neglect their duty and to decide for themselves how far they would obey military rules, as set out in the Articles of War. It only remained for him to comment on Captain Tippet's second letter. He could not help noting how far the captain's resentment had carried him in partly quoting the letter ordering him back to his duty. As they would see from the copy in his earlier minute, the word "presume" [...]. Interpretations Corneille appealed to the Articles of War, the code of military law issued under the Mutiny Act, which bound officers to obey their superiors and the standing orders of the garrison. That framed the quarrel as a matter of discipline governed by written law, not personal feeling. His point was that if an officer could treat orders as optional and then accuse his superior of slighting him for correcting it, command itself would break down. He presented Tippet's grievance as an attack on military order, not a private dispute. He also turned to the wording of his own recall letter. Tippet had complained that the letter accused him of "presuming" to leave the valley, and had quoted it in part. Corneille set out to show from the full text that the word had been used fairly or quoted out of its context. Each man was now arguing over the exact words of the other's letters, with the Court of Directors as the final reader. | |
121 | 1771§ | Corneille said the word "presume" had never appeared in his letter at all. Like many other parts of Captain Tippet's charge, he was sorry to say, it seemed to come from the captain's strong resentment of him for having made him take his turn of duty with the other captains. Whether his mention to the Governor and Council of a precedent within his own knowledge had influenced their decision, they were the best judges. The precedent was his father, who had been second engineer in Ireland and a captain in the 5th Regiment, and who had done duty in the latter post. Corneille could not help being surprised at Captain Tippet's one-sided account even of that. The whole matter had passed in Council, and the Governor and Mr Purling could best remember whether he had ever said his father was a captain of artillery. Captain Tippet had raised the point with him at Lemon Valley in front of the Governor and Mr Purling. Corneille's reply that he begged the captain's pardon had been no more than a polite way of contradicting him. Corneille firmly stated that he had never said it and could not possibly have said it, since his father had never served in the artillery. He therefore supposed the captain had misunderstood the conversation. Corneille also pointed out that when Captain Tippet objected to doing that duty, some of the other captains had spoken to him about it. They regarded it as a hardship on themselves, especially as Captain Tippet had so good an assistant in Lieutenant Bazett. Corneille had then considered the matter. Given how small the garrison was in both infantry and artillery, he could only treat the whole force as a single detachment. He had thought so then and still thought so: the garrison's duty ought to be shared accordingly. He believed every officer would accept that the needs of the service should always override the usual forms when numbers were too small to allow separate details. Captain Tippet had complained that Corneille found fault with men being taken out of his company to fill the artillery without his knowledge. Corneille admitted this, and said he was not alone in it, since Captains Bazett and Steward had also mentioned the awkwardness of the captain's conduct. In 17 years' service in the King's army he had always known it to be the practice that when the commanding officer ordered transfers to complete a particular body of men [...]. Interpretations Corneille's reply settled the dispute over his father. He had said his father was second engineer in Ireland and a captain in the 5th Regiment of Foot, an infantry regiment, and that his father had done infantry duty in that rank. Tippet's informant had told him the father was an infantry officer, which matched what Corneille now said. The quarrel arose from Tippet believing Corneille had claimed an artillery precedent. Corneille's point was that an engineer had taken infantry duty, which was exactly the arrangement imposed on Tippet as the island's engineer. Corneille's main argument was that the garrison was too small for separate rosters. Four infantry companies and one artillery company could not each keep their own officers apart from the general duty. The other captains resented carrying the load while the artillery captain stood aside, particularly as Tippet had a lieutenant who could cover the artillery's own work. Treating the whole garrison as one detachment spread the duty fairly, at the cost of the artillery's claim to stand apart. | |
122 | 28th. October§ | Corneille explained the usual practice. When the commanding officer ordered men transferred to complete a particular body, the captain of that body normally told the company captains which men he had chosen. That way, if a captain thought one of the chosen men fit to be a non-commissioned officer, he could raise it with the commanding officer, who would then decide. Mr Corneille was surprised that Captain Tippet should make such trifling matters a complaint. He could not recall any quarrel with the captain on the subject, beyond a calm discussion on both sides of whether captains should be told when men were to be taken from their companies on the Governor's order. Captain Tippet had also expressed surprise that Corneille kept notes of his conduct while on the island. Corneille was sorry to see that the captain seemed to give a very forced meaning to everything he said. The captain must surely remember complaining in Council about the tone of the letter ordering him back to the valley after he had left his duty. Corneille had then told him that he could not have forgotten the circumstance, since Corneille had a copy of the letter he sent him. He had added that he kept notes of all that business, and of other matters he thought he might later be called on to answer for. Mr Corneille therefore did not consider himself answerable to Captain Tippet for his private way of aiding his memory while holding a public office. He would never have used such notes against Captain Tippet or any other officer in the settlement, except to defend his own character, as he now had to do against the captain's undeserved attack. He believed the captain was the only Company servant who would say that any part of his conduct towards them could give them reason to think he would have them dismissed because he disliked them. He called that claim as ridiculous as it was groundless. Interpretations Corneille defended his practice of keeping notes as the ordinary prudence of a man in public office. Every officer on the station knew that disputes might end in a report to the Court of Directors. A record made at the time of who said and did what was the only defence against a later charge. Tippet saw the notes as a secret file kept to destroy him. Corneille said he used them only to protect himself, which was exactly what he was doing now, quoting his notes and letters in answer to Tippet. Corneille also spoke of himself in the third person for much of this passage, as "Mr Corneille". That was a formal device for a public statement entered in the consultation book. It made his defence read like an official record rather than a private quarrel, matching the tone he wanted the Court of Directors to see. | |
123 | 1771§ | Corneille trusted that the Court of Directors and the Board would see the charge as groundless for one plain reason. He had never complained of Captain Tippet's past conduct towards him until the captain's present attack forced him to. He had wished to avoid any complaint, and the whole matter was of the captain's own making. Daniel Corneille signed the letter on 23 October 1771. The next day the Board received a further letter from Captain Tippet, addressed to Governor John Skottowe and the Council. He wrote in defence of his conduct and in answer to the latest statement in Council between himself and Mr Corneille. He took first the point where Mr Corneille firmly declared that he did not remember using the phrase Captain Tippet had attributed to him, that he would take other measures with him. Captain Tippet said the Governor had confirmed the contrary. As to Mr Corneille's resolve to serve the Company to the utmost of his ability, Captain Tippet said he himself would never act otherwise on any pretext whatever, and would always make the Company's immediate interest his particular study. As to Mr Corneille's courtesy in being as ready to admit his own errors as to look for faults in others, Captain Tippet said he did not doubt in the least his humane [...]. Interpretations Captain Tippet claimed the Governor's support on the disputed words. Corneille had denied threatening to "take other measures" with him. Tippet said Skottowe, who had been present, remembered it differently. If true, that set the Governor's word against the Deputy Governor's on the point that began the quarrel. Tippet answered Corneille's claims of duty and courtesy with irony, matching each one with an equal profession of his own. Both men wrote for the Court of Directors as their final audience. By now the exchange had become a contest of character as much as a dispute over orders. | |
124 | 28th. October§ | Captain Tippet said he did not doubt Mr Corneille's humane disposition, since inhumanity was no fault he had charged him with, nor any failure to be sociable. The second paragraph could be answered as easily as the first, by the joint statement of the Governor and Mr Purling. As to the orders of the various dates Mr Corneille had quoted, two had been issued long before Captain Tippet arrived on the island, so he could not have remembered or known of them. The third, dated 23 October 1770, had been completely overridden by the Governor's own special order. Captain Tippet therefore could not help asserting that, to the best of his judgement, he had always exerted himself to the utmost of his ability in every important service. Mr Corneille had chosen to review errors of duty which he seemed to think Captain Tippet had committed against him deliberately, such as failing to tell him when orders had been changed after first being issued. Captain Tippet answered that he had always made it his careful study to attend to everything connected with the service, however slightly, as plainly necessary to make a gentleman and an officer. As for the letter dated from James Valley and sent to Mr Mason's, the commanding officer on the spot at the time he asked leave of absence had been the Governor himself. Captain Tippet truly did not think this could set a bad example to the young gentlemen there. He sincerely held the Governor's orders to be enough in themselves, and that very observance to be most necessary and a real point of duty, which had always been strictly followed. In conclusion, Captain Tippet submitted the whole matter to the Board's most serious consideration. He trusted it would be examined fairly and that the Court of Directors and the Board, in their mature wisdom, would reach a just decision without prejudice. James Tippet signed the letter at St Helena on 24 October 1771. Interpretations Tippet's last letter came back to the single point on which his whole defence rested. When he left for Mitchell's Line, the Governor himself was the commanding officer on the spot, and the Governor had given him leave. On that view he owed no report to the Deputy Governor, since an order from the Governor needed no second approval. He also disowned two of Corneille's standing orders as older than his own arrival. He argued that the third had been overridden by the Governor's special order for the royal salute. Both men now left the decision to the Court of Directors, which had to settle whether the Deputy Governor stood in the chain of command when the Governor was present on the island. | |
125 | 1771§ | That day the Governor and Mr Purling laid before the Board their opinions on Captain Tippet's complaint against the Deputy Governor and on the Deputy Governor's answers. Captain Tippet asked that Captains Bazett and Steward be questioned. Mr Corneille had said in his last letter that he was not alone in objecting to men being taken out of his company, and that both those captains had also remarked on the awkwardness of Captain Tippet's conduct. Captain Bazett replied as follows. While Captain Mitchell commanded the artillery company, several men of Bazett's company had been transferred to the artillery, and he had known nothing of it until it appeared in the public orders. While Lieutenant Thomas Bazett commanded that company, the same thing happened again. One of his men came up the street in artillery uniform. Captain Bazett asked him what he was doing in that coat. The man answered that he belonged to the artillery. Asked on whose order, he said Lieutenant Shatley had chosen him for that company. Captain Bazett told the man he knew nothing of it and sent him to take off the coat, put his own back on and return. The man did so. Captain Bazett then ordered him back to his barracks, telling him to remember that he still belonged to Bazett's company and was not to go into the artillery. Captain Bazett then sent for Lieutenant Thomas Bazett and asked him about the man's transfer. The lieutenant replied that they needed a man to complete the artillery and that he had told Lieutenant Shatley to choose a suitable one. He had not seen Mr Shatley come to speak to Captain Bazett about it. They then sent for Lieutenant Shatley. He said he had spoken to the man about joining the artillery, and he apologised to Captain Bazett for not speaking to him first. Captain Bazett was satisfied. He told Shatley he could not have that man, because he meant to make him a lance corporal, but that he could choose any other man of his company and would be welcome to him. After Captain Tippet took command of the artillery, one or two men of Bazett's company had been transferred to it, as had been the practice when Captain Mitchell was on the island. This happened about two months after Captain Tippet arrived. Captain Bazett thought it was about that time, one evening, [...]. Interpretations Captain Bazett's evidence showed that taking men from infantry companies without telling their captains was an old habit of the artillery, older than Tippet. Under Captain Mitchell and then Lieutenant Bazett, men had been drafted without the company captain's knowledge. Bazett had once stopped a man in the street in the wrong coat and sent him back to his barracks. The quarrel was settled only when the artillery officer apologised and Bazett was allowed to keep a man he meant to promote. His testimony supported Corneille's point that captains expected to be consulted. It also showed the friction was long-standing and not of Tippet's making alone. | |
126 | 28th. October§ | Captain Bazett said that one evening, in conversation with Mr Corneille about garrison duty, he had mentioned the matter. Since then, however, he had to do Captain Tippet the justice of saying that the captain had asked him in the proper way for every man he had taken. Captain Steward was asked the same question. He said he had been at Mr Corneille's some time in July 1770, talking about garrison duty, and had mentioned that he wanted a man to make lance corporal in his company but had none fit for it. The Deputy Governor asked why he was so short of a man to make lance corporal. Steward said he believed it was because the artillery took men without telling their officers until it appeared in public orders. He also told the Deputy Governor of a case in May 1769. While Captain Mitchell commanded the artillery, a man had been put into Steward's company simply because he was troublesome when drunk, though in every other way he was as good a man as any in the company. Since Captain Tippet's arrival, one man had been taken out of Steward's company without his knowledge and transferred to the artillery. That happened in July 1770, following the practice of Captain Mitchell's time. Since then Captain Tippet had always spoken to him about transferring men from his company to the artillery. The Governor's and Mr Purling's opinions followed. Interpretations Both captains confirmed that the artillery had taken men without consulting their captains, but both placed it chiefly under Captain Mitchell, before Tippet's time. Each named a single case after Tippet's arrival, and each said Tippet had since asked them properly every time. Their evidence partly supported Corneille, since the complaint was real and had been raised with him. It also largely cleared Tippet of the charge as it stood, because he had corrected the practice within weeks of taking command. Steward's account showed the other side of the drafting: the artillery also put its troublesome men into the infantry companies, keeping the better men for its own ranks. | |
127 | 1771§ | Having read what the Deputy Governor and Captain Tippet set out in their separate minutes, the Governor gave his view. On the morning of Tuesday 1 October 1771, Captain Tippet reported that he had searched a second time towards Lemon Valley for the deserters but had found no trace of them. The Governor replied that he was satisfied the captain had strictly carried out his orders and had done his duty as a diligent, good officer. He asked the captain to wait a while, as the members of the Council were expected at any moment to be told of the desertion and of the steps the Governor had taken to have the men caught. Shortly afterwards Mr Corneille arrived. He told the Governor directly that he was surprised he had not been told of the desertion sooner and that he would take further notice of it. Turning to Captain Tippet, he remonstrated with him warmly and told him flatly that he would take other measures with him. The Governor said he had been greatly astonished at the impropriety of the Deputy Governor's conduct on this occasion. He thought it very unmilitary for any subordinate officer to take the liberty of rebuking an officer in his presence. That was all the more so because the same officer had received the Governor's approval only minutes before for doing his duty diligently. The Governor therefore could not help regarding the Deputy Governor's behaviour as an undeserved attack on Captain Tippet and as a very great insult to himself. Even so, he left the decision to the Court of Directors. It was true that the Governor had ordered in public orders that reports on the garrison should also be made to the Deputy Governor. He took this to mean only the ordinary routine of duty. It was plain that a garrison or body of troops could have only one commanding officer. Many things might also happen that ought not to be passed on to anyone except the person [...]. Interpretations The Governor came down firmly on Captain Tippet's side. He confirmed that Corneille had threatened to "take other measures", the words Corneille denied, and he described the threat as a rebuke delivered in the Governor's own presence. In military terms that was the decisive offence. While the commanding officer was present, a subordinate who rebuked an officer the commander had just praised was challenging the commander himself. Skottowe treated the episode as an insult to his own authority, not merely a slight to Tippet. He also narrowed the standing order that Corneille relied on. In the Governor's reading, reports to the Deputy Governor covered only routine matters. Command of the garrison rested with one man, the Governor. Some matters, such as a pursuit of deserters, belonged to the commander alone. That cut away the basis of Corneille's claim that he should have been told of everything. | |
128 | 28 October§ | Some matters, the Governor held, should be known only to the person who carried out his orders. Mr Skottowe had already recorded in consultation his view that Captain Tippet must take his turn of duty as captain of the week with the other captains, so he saw no need to say more on that. He remembered that when the Governor and Council visited Lemon Valley, Captain Tippet had raised that subject improperly. Afterwards the Governor had advised the captain to be more careful in what he said about anything the Board had dealt with. The Governor had meant it as a friendly caution, not a rebuke. He also thought that a man of spirit who believed himself badly treated might well say something unguarded. Mr Corneille's behaviour could not be excused in the same way, because he should have found out the facts before taking the liberty of finding fault with an officer in the Governor's presence. The Governor had given leave for Captain Beale to take the sash for a day or two for Captain Tippet while he went on business into the country. He would say only that, had the same thing happened to him, he would not have ordered any officer back to his duty so firmly and immediately. Instead he would have waited for a chance to raise the matter with the person concerned in a good-natured way. The year before, the Governor had left orders with the Deputy Governor for 21 guns to be fired from the saluting battery for His present Majesty's accession to the throne of Great Britain. Captain Tippet then told him that all the guns very much needed scaling, and the Governor ordered him to do it. Had the Governor imagined the Deputy Governor would treat so seriously a matter that seemed to the Governor of so little importance, he would certainly have [...]. Interpretations The Governor answered each of Corneille's grievances in turn and found against him on all of them. The extra guns fired on the King's accession had been the Governor's own order, given on Tippet's advice that they needed scaling. Tippet's absence at Sandy Bay had also been by the Governor's leave. In both cases Tippet had done what the Governor told him. The fault, if any, lay in the Governor not passing word to Corneille. Skottowe admitted as much, and he suggested that a sensible deputy would have raised it quietly rather than turning it into a dispute. He drew a sharp line between the two men's conduct. Tippet's sharp words at Lemon Valley he excused as the natural heat of an officer who felt wronged. Corneille's rebuke in the Governor's presence he would not excuse, because the Deputy Governor had a duty to know the facts first. The Council's verdict, as the Governor framed it, was that Tippet had obeyed his commander and Corneille had overstepped his place. | |
129 | 1771§ §Mr. Purling having duly considered the proceedings§ | Had he known, the Governor said, he would certainly have given his reasons in orders for changing his earlier instructions. Mr Skottowe would regard himself as Governor and commanding officer of the island. He would add only that Mr Corneille, like any other member of Council, was entirely free to give his views in turn on any debate or matter that came before them. After that, in his view, the Board's opinion should be made known to the person concerned by the President alone. The Governor referred the decision on the whole proceedings to the Court of Directors. John Skottowe signed his opinion. Mr Purling then gave his opinion, having considered the proceedings entered in consultation about a plot by several men of the garrison to desert in one of the Company's longboats on 30 September 1771. Had the Governor called the Council and consulted it when he first received word of the plot, Purling could not see that any other course could have been followed than the one the Governor took. The Governor had sent two officers from the garrison with a party of men to secure the longboat and prevent the desertion. That had to be done with the utmost speed, which made a consultation at that moment of little use. Captain Tippet and Lieutenant Thomas Bazett, the officers ordered out with the party, had secured the longboat. Their account of what they did showed that they had done their utmost to prevent the desertion. The rebuke Mr Corneille gave Captain Tippet for not telling him that he had been sent out with a party [...]. Interpretations The Governor's closing remark went to the heart of Corneille's behaviour. A councillor could argue his case in Council. But it was for the Governor, as President, to tell an officer what the Board had decided. Corneille had in effect acted as though he could discipline Tippet on his own authority. Skottowe asserted that rebukes, like command, came from the President alone. Purling's opinion supplied the fact behind the quarrel. The deserters had planned to steal one of the Company's longboats on the night of 30 September 1771. That was the only way off the island, which explains the speed of the Governor's response. There was no time to call the Council. The Governor sent Tippet and Lieutenant Bazett with a party to guard the boat, and they prevented the escape. Purling found the Governor's action necessary and the officers' conduct proper. That left Corneille's complaint about not being told looking all the weaker. | |
130 | [Light spotting across the upper half of the page.] 28th October§ §The Storekeeper this day brought in his Account§ | Mr Purling judged that Captain Tippet had not deserved Mr Corneille's rebuke for failing to tell him that the Governor had sent him out with a party. In Purling's view the captain's conduct in carrying out his orders deserved approval, not reproof. The Governor's garrison orders did require reports of every detail to be made to the Deputy Governor. Even so, Purling did not think Captain Tippet was the proper officer to report this matter to Mr Corneille. That duty fell more directly to the captain of the day. Captain Tippet had declared to Mr Corneille before the Board that if Mr Corneille had his way, he believed he would turn him and many others off the island. Purling called those words unguarded and improper to say to a member of the Board while it was sitting. As to the charges and counter-charges between Mr Corneille and Captain Tippet over past events, those matters had not been raised with the Governor and Council at the time. Purling thought it would be rather irregular for the Board to take them up now, and so he said no more on that point. Having weighed every part of the proceedings as fairly as he could, Purling found that, as matters stood, he could give no other opinion than to refer the whole to the Court of Directors. He signed his opinion on 28 October 1771. That day the storekeeper brought in his account of stores found unfit for the year ending 30 September 1771. He declared that the losses were real and unavoidable, and the Board ordered the account entered as follows. Interpretations Purling's verdict largely agreed with the Governor's, though it was more even-handed. He cleared Tippet over the desertion, holding that the report to the Deputy Governor was the captain of the day's duty, not the duty of an officer sent out on a special errand. He blamed Tippet only for his outburst in Council, the claim that Corneille would drive men off the island. He refused to reopen old grievances that neither man had raised when they happened. That kept the Council from judging stale complaints. It left the Court of Directors with a clear finding on the incident in dispute and a mild rebuke to each man for his conduct before the Board. | |
131 | [Light spotting across the page.] 1771§ §Cordage C. qr. lb 3. - 24§ §Leather - 2 - 11§ §Soap 2 - 2 - 15½§ §Pepper - 10 -§ §Oil 4 Galls. Oil Turpentine§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §Rice and Paddy vizt.§ §Coffee lb 11§ §Candles qr. lb 2 . 4§ §Salt 4½ Bushels§ §£ 82 . 13 . 6§ §St. Helena§ §On the 24th instant we received the following§ | The storekeeper's profit and loss account charged £82 13s 6d for losses through leakage, short weight and short measure. These arose from drawing goods off by the gallon and weighing them out by the pound during the year ending 30 September 1771. Cordage, 3 qr 24 lb, £5 12s 6d Leather, 2 qr 11 lb, £5 10s 9d Soap, 2 cwt 2 qr 15 lb, £7 9s 9d Pepper, 10 lb, £0 5s 0d Oil of turpentine, [...] gallons, £1 14s 4d Sugar, 6 cwt 2 qr, £10 12s 4d Sugar candy, 6 cwt 3 qr 5 lb, £14 5s 8d Sugar and candy in all, £24 18s 0d Rice, 46 cwt 1 qr 10 lb, £27 6s 4d Paddy, 4 cwt, £0 18s 8d Rice and paddy in all, £28 5s 0d Coffee, 11 lb, £0 9s 2d Candles, 2 qr 4 lb, £6 7s 6d Salt, 4½ bushels, £0 13s 6d Total, £82 13s 6d James Pavell signed the account as storekeeper at St Helena on 30 September 1771. On 24 October 1771 the Board received the following letter from Captain Hasell. Interpretations Every warehouse lost some stock when goods were measured out in small quantities. Sugar and rice drew moisture or dried out, spilled grain was lost to rats, and oil and spirits leaked from casks. A storekeeper who sold by the pound and gallon from bulk always came out short of what the invoices showed. The Company allowed these losses each year once the storekeeper declared them real and unavoidable. Rice was the largest loss at more than 46 cwt, much of it probably eaten by rats or spoiled in the island's damp. Against stores worth over £18,800, a loss of about £83 in a year was small. | |
132 | [Light spotting across the page.] 28th October§ §In consequence of the above Letter we gave§ | Captain J. Hasell wrote to Governor John Skottowe and the Council on 24 October 1771. His officers had just reported that, on examining the Company's cargo, they had found many bags of saltpetre damaged and others entirely dissolved. Hasell had called his officers together to hear their views. They thought it necessary to search the hold thoroughly to find the cause and prevent further damage. That could not be done without landing part of the bales. Hasell therefore asked the Board to help by supplying boats and a place to store the bales, as quickly as possible, so that the ship would not be held up longer than necessary. In answer, the Board directed that the bales belonging to the Duke of Portland be lodged in the Company's warehouses. It also gave Captain Hasell help in getting them ashore as quickly as possible. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and M. Purling signed the consultation. Corneille added a note beside his signature. He signed the last three consultations with an exception: he objected to Captain Tippet's very undeserved and ungentlemanly attack on him. Interpretations Saltpetre, potassium nitrate, was the main ingredient of gunpowder. The Company shipped it home in bulk from Bengal, where it was refined, as one of its most valuable cargoes. It dissolves readily in water. A leak in the Duke of Portland's hold had evidently let sea water reach it, turning part of the cargo to brine. Landing the bales at St Helena let the crew find and stop the leak before the rest was lost on the long voyage north. The island's warehouses and boats served the India fleet in this way, as a place to set right damage met on the passage from the East. Corneille signed the consultations but formally recorded his objection to Tippet's "ungentlemanly" attack. He had been overruled by both the Governor and Purling. Signing with a protest kept his disagreement on the record for the Court of Directors, who had the final word, without refusing to sign the Board's proceedings altogether. | |
133 | [Light spotting across the page.] 4th November§ §Mr. Matthew Purling Reports that§ §It being Eleven days since Capt. Bazett informed us§ §To Captain John Bazett Commander of Ship -§ | On Monday 4 November 1771 the Council met at the Castle. Governor John Skottowe, Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Mr Matthew Purling were present. The minutes of the last consultation, dated 28 October 1771, were read, approved and signed. Ann, daughter of Sergeant James Goudy, had died on Tuesday 29 October 1771. Joseph Chamberlain, an inhabitant, had died the day before the meeting. Mr Matthew Purling reported that the Company's general books of account had been balanced to 30 September 1771. The Board ordered them to be copied as quickly as possible. Eleven days had passed since Captain Hasell told the Board that he had found his cargo damaged, and he had still not said when he would be ready to sail. The Board therefore decided to send him the following letter. The letter was addressed to Captain John Hasell, commander of the Duke of Portland. It began by noting that eleven days had passed since he told the Governor and Council of the damage his cargo had suffered [...]. Interpretations The Board pressed Captain Hasell after eleven days because a Company ship idle in the roads cost money every day. The crew drew pay and provisions, and the ship's charter ran on. The rest of its cargo was also at risk while the season for the passage home slipped away. The island had supplied boats and warehouse space to land the damaged saltpetre. The Board now wanted to know when the ship would leave and stop drawing on the island's stores. The general books of account were the Company's ledgers for the island, balanced each quarter and copied to be sent home. The Court of Directors in London used them to check every figure in the quarterly accounts entered in these consultations. | |
134 | [Light spotting across the page.] 4th November§ | The Governor and Council had given Captain Hasell all the help they could in repairing the damage. The season was now far advanced. The Board therefore asked him to put his ship in order as quickly as possible so that he could go on with his voyage. As the last ship sent home that season, he carried dispatches that the Company might need to receive as early as possible. C. Bazett signed the letter as secretary at St Helena on 4 November 1771. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and M. Purling signed the consultation. Interpretations The Duke of Portland was the last homeward ship of the season, and it carried the island's dispatches to the Court of Directors. Those dispatches would include the consultations recording the Corneille and Tippet quarrel, the quarterly accounts and the inventory of stores. Ships from India passed St Helena in a seasonal stream, timed to the monsoons and the weather in the South Atlantic. Once the last of them had gone, the island might wait months for the next chance to send letters home. Delay risked holding up the Company's business in London as well as the ship's cargo. | |
135 | [Light spotting across the page.] 11th November§ §We Yesterday Entertained William Hurst to serve the§ §The Executor to the last Will and Testament of§ §In the Name of God Amen§ | On Monday 11 November 1771 the Council met at the Castle. Governor John Skottowe, Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Mr Matthew Purling were present. The minutes of the last consultation, dated 4 November 1771, were read, approved and signed. That day the Company's ship Duke of Portland sailed for England. The day before, the Board had enlisted William Hurst to serve the Company as a soldier for five years. Colonel Campbell and some other military officers recommended him as a good man. As he held a regular discharge, the Board gave him £10 bounty money. The executor of Joseph Chamberlain, who had died, presented his will that day and asked for it to be proved. This was done on the oaths of the witnesses. In the will, Joseph Chamberlain of St Helena declared that, though weak in body, he was of sound mind and memory, and he set out his last will as follows. First, he left to his beloved wife, Ann Chamberlain, one third of all [...]. Interpretations William Hurst received the £10 bounty paid to discharged soldiers who re-enlisted, not the £3 given to raw recruits. He held a regular discharge and was vouched for by officers, so the Company treated him as a trained man worth keeping. He was probably one of the soldiers who arrived on the Duke of Portland. The ship's passenger list included a Hurst, and some invalids or time-expired men chose to stay on the island and re-enlist instead of going home. The Governor and Council sat as the island's court of probate. A will was proved by having its witnesses swear before the Board that it was genuine and properly made. The proved will was copied into the consultation book, making the Council's records the island's register of wills. Leaving a third to a widow followed the old custom of dower, which reserved a share of a man's property for his wife after his death. | |
136 | [Light spotting across the page.] 11th November§ §Item I give unto my two Sons William and Joseph Chamberlane§ §Lastly I hereby Nominate and Appoint my beloved Wife the said§ | Joseph Chamberlain left his wife, Ann Chamberlain, one third of his whole estate of every kind. He left the rest of his estate, the other two thirds, to his two sons, William and Joseph Chamberlain, to be divided equally between them. If either died before receiving his share, it would pass to the survivor. If both died before receiving their shares, the whole would pass to their mother, Ann Chamberlain. He directed that neither son was to receive his share until he reached the age of 21, unless the executors judged it better for his interest and welfare to give it to him sooner. He named his wife, Ann Chamberlain, as executrix, and his friend and brother-in-law, John Shatley, lieutenant of artillery, as executor, and he revoked all earlier wills. He set his hand and seal to the will on 1 June 1770, in the tenth year of the King's reign. He signed it with his mark. The will was signed, sealed and declared in the presence of Philip Mahoney, W. Jones and Jeremiah Smith. Interpretations Joseph Chamberlain signed with a mark, so he could not write his name, yet he left an estate to be split three ways and held in trust for his sons until they came of age. Many of the island's settlers who held land and stock were unable to read or write. A clerk, probably Philip Mahoney, who witnessed it and was the clerk of the peace, drew up the will and read it to him. Naming his brother-in-law, an artillery lieutenant, as co-executor tied the family's property to the garrison's officer class. The will was made in June 1770, more than a year before Chamberlain died in November 1771. The phrase "weak in body" suggests he made it during an illness he survived for a time. The Chamberlain name runs through the later vestry book, where Susannah, William and Henry Chamberlain appear as householders paying the poll tax. They were probably descendants of the sons provided for here. | |
137 | [Light spotting across the page.] 1771§ §Artillery Stores Expended in October 1771§ §Guns fired, Shot fired, 9 Prs., 6 Prs., 4 Prs., 2 Prs., Powder Expended, [...]§ §2 An Alarm at Lemon Valley: Guns fired 2, Shot fired 2, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 2, 4 Prs. 0, 2 Prs. 0, Powder Expended 4, [...] 0§ §13 An Alarm at Prosperous Bay: Guns fired 6, Shot fired 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 2 Prs. 2, Powder Expended 13, [...] 0§ §Arrived the Duke of Portland: Guns fired 11, Shot fired 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 11, 4 Prs. 0, 2 Prs. 0, Powder Expended 16, [...] 2§ §25 Guns fired on His Majestys Accession: Guns fired 21, Shot fired 0, 9 Prs. 5, 6 Prs. 19, 4 Prs. 0, 2 Prs. 0, Powder Expended 33, [...] 3§ §Powder for Ladder Hill Road: Guns fired 0, Shot fired 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 2 Prs. 0, Powder Expended 174, [...] 4§ §Do. for Sundry Services: Guns fired 0, Shot fired 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 2 Prs. 0, Powder Expended 190, [...] 1§ §Total: Guns fired 40, Shot fired 2, 9 Prs. 5, 6 Prs. 32, 4 Prs. 4, 2 Prs. 2, Powder Expended 436, [...] 9§ §Paper§ §Lead Ball for Shooting Fowls§ §Do. lost from Lemon Valley§ §Copper Hoops Do.§ §Flints§ §Spirits of Wine for Govrs. use§ §Vinegar for Mortars§ §Tallow§ §Sponge Staves for Halberds§ §(signed)§ | The artillery stores and steward's accounts for October 1771 were laid before the Board that day, examined and approved. The artillery stores used in October 1771 were as follows. 2 October 1771, alarm at Lemon Valley, guns fired 2, shot fired 2, 6-pounders 2, powder 4 lb 13 October 1771, alarm at Prosperous Bay, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 2-pounders 2, powder 13 lb The salute fired on the arrival of the Duke of Portland used 11 guns, all 6-pounders, and 16 lb 2 oz of powder. 25 October 1771, salute for His Majesty's accession, guns fired 21, 9-pounders 5, 6-pounders 19, powder 38 lb 3 oz Powder for the Ladder Hill road, 174 lb 4 oz Powder for various services, 190 lb 1 oz Total, guns fired 40, shot fired 2, 9-pounders 5, 6-pounders 32, 4-pounders 4, 2-pounders 2, powder 436 lb 9 oz Paper, 2 quires Lead ball for shooting goats, 3 lb 6 oz Lead ball lost at Lemon Valley, 62 lb 8 oz Copper hoops, 8 Flints, 90 Spirits of wine for the Governor's use, 1 quart Vinegar for the mortars, 2 quarts Tallow, 7 lb Sponge staves for halberds, 2 James Tippet signed the account as captain of artillery. The next heading, Sundries, begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations The garrison fired guns twice in October 1771 to raise the alarm, at Lemon Valley and at Prosperous Bay. An alarm gun warned the island of a strange ship or a suspected landing, and the batteries passed the signal along. The Lemon Valley alarm on 2 October came the day after the plot to desert in the longboat. The two shot fired there were probably part of the search for the deserters. That was the episode in which Tippet fired guns from Lemon Valley, and Corneille criticised him for warning the deserters. More powder went on blasting the new road up Ladder Hill than on all the salutes and alarms put together. The Company's gunpowder served as much for building as for defence, cutting roads and batteries out of the island's rock. Lead ball was issued for shooting goats. Wild goats overran the island's interior and stripped its vegetation, and the garrison culled them for food and to protect the pastures. | |
138 | [Light spotting across the page.] 11th November§ §33 Bottles Madeira§ §31 Do. Port§ §23 Do. Lisbon§ §3 Do. Mountain§ §36 Do. Beer§ §29½ Gs. Arrack§ §93 lb Beef§ §214 lb Mutton§ §4 Turkeys§ §4 Fowls§ §5 Ducks§ §12½ lb Butter§ §93 lb Candy§ §555 Flour§ §3 Lambs§ §Bought for the Table§ §135¼ lb Beef§ §2 doz Fowls§ §1 Pig§ §£ 36 . 3 . 11¼§ §John Skottowe§ | The Governor and Council signed the account of supplies used at the Company's table in October 1771 on 11 November 1771. Madeira, 33 bottles, £5 10s 0d Port, 31 bottles, £2 6s 6d Lisbon wine, 23 bottles, £1 19s 6d Mountain wine, 3 bottles, £0 4s 6d Beer, 36 bottles, £0 10s 6d Arrack, 29½ gallons, £4 7s 9d Beef, 93 lb, £1 3s 9d Mutton, 214 lb, £4 9s 2d Turkeys, 4, £1 0s 0d Fowls, 4, £0 6s 0d Ducks, 5, £0 7s 6d Butter, 12¾ lb, £0 12s 9d Candles, 93 lb, £2 6s 6d Flour, 555 lb, £2 13s 0d Lambs, 5, £1 10s 0d Bought in for the table: Beef, 135 lb, £2 15s 6¼d Fowls, 2 dozen, £1 16s 0d Pig, 1, £0 5s 0d Total, £36 3s 11¼d John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the account. Interpretations The Company's table was the public table that the Governor kept at the Castle at the Company's expense. Members of the Council, senior officers and the commanders of visiting ships dined there. It was an official cost of government, so the Council examined and approved it each month like any other account. Most of the items came from the Company's own stores and farms. The last three lines, headed as bought in, were meat and poultry bought from the island's planters to make up what the Company could not supply itself. Several of the drinks would be unfamiliar now. Lisbon wine was a white wine from the Lisbon region of Portugal. Mountain was a sweet fortified wine from the hills around Málaga in Spain. Arrack was a spirit distilled in Asia from palm sap, rice or sugar. East Indiamen returning from Batavia and Bengal brought it to the island in quantity. The garrison and the settlers drank it widely, usually in punch, and it cost much less than wine. Madeira was the most expensive item on the table, as it was on most British tables in the East India trade. Ships called at Madeira on the voyage out and loaded it there. | |
139 | [Light spotting across the page.] 18th November§ §Counted and Examined the Honble.§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 18 November 1771. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the last meeting, held on 11 November 1771. The Board then counted and checked the Company's cash for October 1771. The account of that cash follows below. | |
140 | [Light spotting across the page.] 18th November§ §1771 Octr. 1st To Balance remaining§ §21 To Exchange for two Sets Bills drawn§ §£ 9552 . 7 . 11½§ §Per Contra Cr.§ §1771 Octr. 31st By Balance remaining vizt.§ §£ 9552 . 7 . 11½§ §John Skottowe§ | The Company's cash account for October 1771 ran as follows. The receipts side showed the money held at the start of the month and the money paid in. 1 October 1771, balance in hand, £8,852 7s 11½d 21 October 1771, received in exchange for two sets of bills drawn on the Court of Directors: One set payable to John Purling, £600 0s 0d One set payable to John Caillaud, £100 0s 0d Total of bills, £700 0s 0d Total, £9,552 7s 11½d The other side showed the balance in hand at the end of the month and the form in which it was held. 31 October 1771, balance in hand: In coin, £9,012 12s 11½d In cash notes, £539 15s 0d Total, £9,552 7s 11½d John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the account. Interpretations The £700 entered as exchange was money paid into the island treasury by people who wanted to send funds to England. In return the Council issued bills of exchange drawn on the Court of Directors. The Court then paid the face value in London to the named payees, John Purling and John Caillaud. This let the island's officers and residents send savings or settle debts at home without shipping coin. It also let the Company keep coin on the island for its own payments, where silver was always scarce. The treasury's holding grew by exactly the £700 received, because nothing was paid out of this account during October. The cash notes were paper notes that the Company issued on the island and that passed as money there. They made up only a small part of the balance, about £540 against more than £9,000 in coin. The Council counted the notes in the cash because they could be paid in and redeemed at the treasury like coin. Their value rested on the island's trust in the Company and meant nothing off the island. | |
141 | 25th November§ §Mr. Purling this day desired to have§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 25 November 1771. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 1771. Purling asked the Board to renew two of his leases, which had run out. The Board agreed, and John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the grant. Interpretations Purling sat on the Council that approved his own request, and his signature appears on the grant beside the Governor's and Corneille's. The Council had only three members at this time. Purling could not stand aside without leaving the Board too small to act, so he took part in deciding his own case. Company land on St Helena was let on leases for a fixed term, and a tenant whose lease ran out needed the Council's consent to keep the land. A councillor's leases went through the same procedure as any planter's. With so few officers on the island, though, a member of the Board could do little to keep private interest apart from public business. | |
142 | 2d December§ §Lieutenant John Bazett this day presented§ §To the Worshipfull John Skottowe Esqr. Governor§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 2 December 1771. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 25 November 1771. Lieutenant John Bazett presented a petition to the Governor and Council, dated 2 December 1771. He wanted to sell his interest in two leases of ground in the valley. He asked the Board for permission to do so and to accept [...] Desfontaine as the new tenant. The Board agreed, and John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the grant. Interpretations A leaseholder could not pass his land to someone else on his own authority. Bazett held the leases, but the Company still owned the ground, so the sale needed the Council's consent and its approval of the incoming tenant. The rule let the government decide who held land on the island and stop leases building up in unsuitable hands. It also kept the Company's records of tenants and rents up to date. The valley in the petition was probably the Jamestown valley, where ground near the town and the anchorage was in steady demand from officers and traders. | |
143 | 9th December§ §The Expence of Artillery Stores and Stewards Accounts§ §Artillery Stores Expended in November 1771. -§ §Guns fired, 6 Prs., Powder Expended lb, Powder Expended oz§ §11th Departed the Duke of Portland: Guns fired 9, 6 Prs. 9, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 3§ §Powder for Ladder Hill Road: Guns fired 0, 6 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 86, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Do. for Sundry Services: Guns fired 0, 6 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 269, Powder Expended oz 15§ §Total: Guns fired 9, 6 Prs. 9, Powder Expended lb 369, Powder Expended oz 7§ §Lead Ball to Shoot Goats§ §Tallow§ §Handspikes§ §Sponge Staves§ §Vinegar§ §Copper Rivets§ §Sheep Skins for Sponges§ §T[...] Nails for Do.§ §Paper for the Works§ §(signed)§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 9 December 1771. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 2 December 1771. The minutes recorded two deaths. George, son of the planter Isaac Doveton, died on Saturday 7 December 1771. Samuel Steele, a private soldier, died on 9 December 1771. The Board examined and approved the accounts of artillery stores used and the steward's accounts for November 1771. The artillery stores used in November 1771 were as follows. The salute fired on 11 November 1771 at the departure of the Duke of Portland used 9 guns, all 6-pounders, and 13 lb 3 oz of powder. Powder for the Ladder Hill road, 86 lb 0 oz Powder for various services, 269 lb 15 oz Total, guns fired 9, 6-pounders 9, powder 369 lb 7 oz Lead ball for shooting goats, 3 lb Tallow, 14 lb Handspikes, 4 Sponge staves, 3 Vinegar, ½ gallon Copper rivets, 12 Sheepskins for the sponges, 1 Nails for the sponges, 70 Paper for the works, 1 quire James Tippet signed the account as captain of artillery. The next heading, Sundries, begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations Powder used on the Ladder Hill road fell from 174 lb 4 oz in October 1771 to 86 lb 0 oz in November. The blasting there had probably moved past the hardest rock, or the work had slowed. The gunners' other stores were mostly for keeping the guns in order. A sponge was a staff with a head covered in sheepskin, fixed with small nails. After each shot it was wetted and pushed down the bore to put out any burning remains of the cartridge before the next charge went in. Vinegar mixed with water cooled hot guns and cleaned the bores, and the account of 2 October 1771 likewise listed vinegar for the mortars. Handspikes were wooden levers used to move and aim a gun on its carriage. | |
144 | 9th December§ §34 Bottles Madeira§ §23 Port§ §21 Lisbon§ §8 Mountain§ §30 Beer§ §13 Gs. Arrack§ §235 lb Mutton§ §6 Turkeys§ §6 Fowls§ §11 lb Butter§ §67 lb Candy§ §494 lb Flour§ §2 Lambs§ §3 Hides§ §Bought for the Table vizt.§ §263¼ lb Beef§ §6 Fowls§ §4 Pigs§ §£ 31 . 7 . 11½§ §Robert Jack and Jane Wilson this day§ | The supplies used at the Company's table in November 1771 were as follows. Madeira, 34 bottles, £3 8s 0d Port, 23 bottles, £1 14s 6d Lisbon wine, 21 bottles, £1 11s 6d Mountain wine, 8 bottles, £0 12s 0d Beer, 30 bottles, £0 5s 7½d Arrack, 13 gallons, £1 19s 0d Mutton, 235 lb, £4 17s 1d Turkeys, 6, £1 10s 0d Fowls, 6, £0 9s 0d Butter, 11¾ lb, £0 11s 9d Candles, 67 lb, £1 13s 6d Flour, 494 lb, £2 2s 4d Lambs, 2, £1 0s 0d Hogs, 3, £0 15s 0d Bought in for the table: Beef, 263¼ lb, £5 9s 8¼d Fowls, 6, £0 9s 0d Pigs, 4, £1 0s 0d Total, £31 7s 11¼d Robert Leach and Jane Wilson presented a petition to the Board that day. The text of the petition follows. Interpretations In October 1771 the table drew 93 lb of beef from the Company's own stock and bought another 135 lb from planters. In November the Company supplied no beef at all, and the whole 263¼ lb was bought in. The Company's herds had probably been drawn down by the beef supplied to the Duke of Portland and other ships, or the slaughter had been held back to rebuild the stock. Arrack also fell sharply, from 29½ gallons to 13. The table's total cost fell from £36 3s 11¼d to £31 7s 11¼d, mainly because less spirit was drunk and the Madeira was entered at a lower price. | |
145 | 1771§ | Robert Leech and Jane Wilson petitioned the Governor and Council on 9 December 1771. They held a lease of a plot of ground in the valley measuring 26 feet square. They asked the Board for permission to sell the lease at public auction. The Board agreed, and John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the grant. Interpretations The Council allowed this lease to be sold at auction without knowing who would buy it. A week earlier, on 2 December 1771, Lieutenant John Bazett had to name his buyer, Desfontaine, before the Board would let him transfer his leases. Leech and Wilson named no buyer, and the Board still agreed. The plot was a small one, 26 feet square, probably a house or building site in Jamestown. The Board perhaps saw little risk in leaving the buyer to the bidding. An auction also let two joint holders, who might not agree on a private buyer or a price, divide the proceeds of an open sale. | |
146 | 16th December§ §Mr. Purling requests that he may be permitted§ §Counted and Examined the Honble. Companys§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 16 December 1771. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 9 December 1771. Stephen Peer, a private soldier, died on Saturday 14 December 1771. Purling asked to give up his interest in four parcels of land that he leased from the Company. He asked the Board to accept new tenants for the rest of each lease term, as follows. Sharks Valley, 18½ acres, to Matthew Bazett Sandy Bay Ridge, 3 acres, to William Wrangham Fisher's Valley, 10 acres, to John Robinson Fisher's Valley, 7½ acres, to William Hayes The Board agreed on 16 December 1771. The Board then counted and checked the Company's cash for November 1771. The account of that cash follows below. Interpretations Purling had the Board renew two of his expired leases on 25 November 1771. Three weeks later he disposed of four parcels, almost 40 acres in all, to four new tenants. A lease with most of its term still to run was worth more to a buyer than one about to expire. The renewal probably prepared some of this land for sale, though the minutes do not say which leases were which. As before, Purling sat on the Board that approved the transfer. Two of the incoming tenants were men in the Company's service, Wrangham the paymaster and Bazett. The Council thus kept land within a small circle of officers and their families, while every change of tenant still passed through its own minutes. | |
147 | 1771§ §1771 Novr. 1st To Balance remaining§ §To Exchange for a Set of Bills drawn§ §To Ship Duke of Portland§ §£ 10199 . 7 . 8½§ §Per Contra Cr.§ §1771 Novr. 30th By Balance remaining vizt.§ §£ 10199 . 7 . 8½§ | The Company's cash account for November 1771 ran as follows. The receipts side showed the money held at the start of the month and the money paid in. 1 November 1771, balance in hand, £9,552 7s 11½d Received in exchange for a set of bills drawn on the Court of Directors, payable to Colonel Donald Campbell or his order, £400 0s 0d The ship Duke of Portland paid in £246 19s 9d. Total, £10,199 7s 8½d The other side showed the balance in hand at the end of the month and the form in which it was held. 30 November 1771, balance in hand: In coin, £9,659 12s 8½d In cash notes, £539 15s 0d Total, £10,199 7s 8½d Interpretations The bill for Colonel Donald Campbell was made payable to him "or order". That wording made it transferable. Campbell could sign it over to someone else, who could then claim the £400 from the Court in London, so the bill could pass from hand to hand like money before anyone presented it. The October bills to Purling and Caillaud were simply payable to the named men. The Duke of Portland paid £246 19s 9d into the treasury before it sailed on 11 November 1771. A ship's commander paid in cash for the beef, water, vegetables and other supplies taken from the island, and for any Company stores he drew. Payments like this from passing ships were one of the main ways coin reached St Helena. The coin in the treasury rose by £646 19s 9d over the month, exactly the total of the two sums received. As in October, nothing was paid out of this account. | |
148 | 16th December§ §Mrs. Mary Seale this day laid before Us the§ | On 16 December 1771 the Council ordered a public notice to be issued to the planters. Every planter had to deliver a signed account of the cattle he held for slaughter in 1772 to the Secretary's office by 28 December 1771. The planters would be expected to supply those cattle on time. If any animal met with an accident, the owner had to report it in writing to the Secretary's office within three days. The Council would accept no excuse for failing to report. An owner who did not report a loss would have to supply another beast in its place. The notice also required the planters to send in an account of their horses by the same date, listing them by type. They were to give the numbers of their sheep and goats as well, and to say which sheep they meant to sell. C. Bazett signed the notice as Secretary on the Council's orders. Mary Seale then laid before the Board the will of the late William Seale junior and asked for it to be proved. The Board proved it on the oaths of the witnesses. The will follows. Interpretations The notice shows how the Company fed the garrison and the ships from the planters' herds. Each planter had to declare in advance the cattle he would supply for slaughter over the coming year. Once declared, those animals were in effect promised to the Company. The three-day rule closed an obvious loophole. Without it, a planter could sell a promised beast to a ship's captain at a higher price and then claim it had died or fallen. The penalty for an unreported loss was to supply a replacement animal, so the risk of concealment fell on the owner. The returns of horses, sheep and goats gave the Council a census of the island's livestock. The question about sheep for sale let the government know what meat would reach the open market. | |
149 | 1772§ | Mary Seale presented the will of her son, William Seale junior, for proof. He made it on St Helena while he was ill but of sound mind. He commended his soul to God in the hope of rising again through Christ. He asked his executors to give his body a decent burial at their discretion. He left all his land, cattle, horses, sheep and hogs to his mother, Mary Seale, for the rest of her life. When she died, his brother George Seale was to have the house and land outright, and the land would pass to George's heirs. The cattle, sheep, hogs and poultry left after her death were to be shared equally between George and their niece Mary Yates. William Seale was also owed money as his share of the estate of his late brother, John Seale, in Bengal. He left that money to George Seale and Mary Yates. They had first to pay £20 0s 0d to his nieces, Caroline [...] and [...], at £10 0s 0d each. George and Mary Yates were to share the rest equally. William Seale declared this to be his only will. The witnessing clause continues on the next leaf. Interpretations The will kept the family property together while providing for the widow. Mary Seale received only a life interest. She could use the land and stock and take their produce, but she could not sell them or leave them by her own will. George Seale's right to the land was fixed from the start and took effect on her death. This protected the land from being divided or lost, and made sure the mother had a living in her lifetime. The legacy from Bengal shows how closely the island's planter families were tied to the Company's trade in India. John Seale had died there with an estate worth claiming. His share would have to be collected through agents in India and sent back by bill or by ship. A small planting family on St Helena thus had money due from the other side of the Indian Ocean. William Seale could dispose of it by will even though it had not yet reached the island. | |
150 | 16th December§ §We this day Executed the renewal of the two following§ | William Seale signed the will with his mark on 11 August 1771. Henry Easthope and James Easthope witnessed it. On 16 December 1771 the Board signed the renewal of two leases to Matthew Purling, as agreed on 25 November 1771. Both pieces of land lay in the East Division of the island. Land, 5 acres, at 1s 0d an acre Land, 1½ acres, at 5s 0d an acre John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the leases. Interpretations The two renewed leases carried very different rents, 1s an acre for one and 5s an acre for the other. The Company priced its land by what it could produce. A rent of 1s probably meant rough pasture on the exposed upland. A rent five times higher meant good ground, perhaps sheltered garden land with water that could grow vegetables and fruit for the ships. The rent roll thus served as a rough valuation of the island's land as well as a source of income. William Seale signed with a mark, so he probably could not write. His brother had nonetheless left an estate in Bengal, and William disposed of his share by a formal will drawn up by someone else and witnessed by two members of the Easthope family. Being unable to read or write did not shut a planter out of property dealings that reached as far as India. | |
151 | 23d December§ §Mr. John Robinson this day presented§ §To the Worshipful John Skottowe Esqr. Governor§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 23 December 1771. Governor John Skottowe and Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille were present. Matthew Purling was absent because he was lame. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 1771. John Robinson petitioned the Governor and Council on 23 December 1771. He wanted to sell eight acres of leased land in the South Division of the island and asked the Board for permission to do so. The Board agreed. Interpretations Robinson had taken over 10 acres in Fisher's Valley from Purling only a week earlier, on 16 December 1771. He now asked to give up eight acres elsewhere on the island. Leases on St Helena changed hands often, and planters seem to have traded them to gather their holdings together or to raise money. Each change still needed the Council's approval. Here two members of a three-man Board were enough to give it. | |
152 | 23d December§ | On Friday 20 December 1771, between 10 and 11 at night, Captain Beale reported a problem to Deputy Governor Corneille. Beale was captain of the week, and Corneille was the commanding officer in the valley. Beale said that Lieutenant Caldwell, the officer of the main guard, was drunk and in his view unfit for duty. Corneille ordered Beale to have Caldwell replaced by the next officer on the duty roster and to place him under arrest. Corneille reported the matter to the Governor the next morning. When the Council met on 23 December 1771, the members decided to hear the charge against Caldwell themselves rather than send him before a general court martial. They hoped that dealing at once with such improper conduct in an officer would deter others in the garrison from behaving the same way. Caldwell appeared before the Board, and Beale charged him with being drunk and unfit for duty while commanding the main guard on the night of 20 December. Beale gave his evidence on oath. On the Friday night he was on duty as captain of the week. At about half past ten he was standing at his door when he saw the sergeant and four men of the guard hurrying up the street. He called to the sergeant and asked what was wrong, thinking there was some disturbance further up the valley. The sergeant told him that Caldwell had sent him up to the Deputy Governor's house for the key of the Line Gate, with orders to bring it straight back. Beale asked the sergeant whether the key was normally left with the officer of the guard. The sergeant said that it was not, since the key was always kept at the Deputy Governor's house. Caldwell had nonetheless insisted that night that it be brought down to him. When the sergeant reminded him where the key was kept, Caldwell said he did not care about anyone and again demanded that the key be brought to him. Interpretations The usual course for an officer charged with drunkenness on guard was a general court martial. The Council set that aside and heard the case itself, and the minutes give the reason. The members wanted a quick and public example that the rest of the garrison would see. A court martial needed enough officers to sit and took time to convene on a small island. The Council could act at its next weekly meeting. The choice also kept the case under the direct eye of the Governor and Corneille, who was himself involved, since the arrest was made on his order and the key was in his keeping. The key of the Line Gate mattered because the Line was the fortified wall closing off Jamestown from the sea. The gate controlled movement between the town and the landing place. Keeping the key at the Deputy Governor's house meant no one could open the gate at night without the knowledge of the commanding officer in the valley. That rule guarded against desertion by sea, a real fear after the longboat plot of 30 September 1771. An officer of the guard demanding the key at night, against standing practice, was therefore serious whether or not he was drunk. | |
153 | 1771§ §Serjeant Thomas Williams being duly Sworn§ | Captain Beale's evidence went on to describe what the sergeant told him that night. The sergeant said that Lieutenant Caldwell was making a great commotion at the guard. Beale rebuked the sergeant and asked what he meant by that. The sergeant answered that Caldwell was drunk, and that this explained the fuss over the key. On hearing such a charge, Beale thought it his duty to look into it. He went down to the guard with Lieutenant Wilson and found Caldwell on the parade ground. Caldwell was clearly the worse for drink, and he seemed confused and dazed. Beale judged him wholly unfit to command the guard. Beale then went to the Deputy Governor and reported what he had seen. Corneille ordered him to call out another officer for duty and to place Caldwell under arrest. Beale returned to the main guard with Lieutenant Keeling, who was to take over from Caldwell. The town adjutant went with them. They found Caldwell in the officers' guard room, and Beale told him that he was relieved and under arrest. Beale asked the adjutant to take Caldwell's sword. Looking round the room, he found the sword lying drawn on the bed, with the scabbard in a cupboard. When Beale asked why the sword was drawn, Caldwell said that it had slipped out of the scabbard while he was lying [...]. Roberts, the adjutant, then took the sword and escorted Caldwell to his quarters. Sergeant Thomas Williams gave evidence on oath next. On the Friday night he went on his rounds at half past nine. When he came back to the guard, the officer of the guard was not there. With the officer absent, Williams turned out the guard and called the roll. When Caldwell arrived at the guard, Williams reported everything unusual that had happened. Caldwell went to the guard room. After a short time he called for the sergeant of the guard, who went to him at once. Caldwell asked where the key of the Line Gate was, and Williams told him it was at the Deputy Governor's house. Shortly afterwards Williams noticed that the officer... Interpretations Taking an officer's sword was the formal sign of arrest. An officer under arrest lost his command and could not go about armed until the charge was settled. Finding the sword drawn on the bed made the arrest more serious. It suggested that a drunken officer had been handling a bare blade in the guard room, whatever Caldwell's explanation. Williams's evidence added a second fault to the charge of drunkenness. At half past nine Caldwell was not at his post, so the sergeant had to turn out the guard and call the roll without him. An absence from guard was a military offence in its own right, separate from the state he was in when he returned. | |
154 | 23d December§ §Lieutenant Gilson being duly Sworn§ | Sergeant Williams went on to describe what he saw next. He watched Caldwell cross the parade ground to the guard, and saw him stagger and nearly fall. Caldwell then ordered him to turn out four men of the guard to fetch the key of the Line Gate. Soon afterwards Caldwell sent the men back. About five minutes later he ordered Williams to turn out four other men and go for the key, and Williams did so. At the house he saw the Deputy Governor himself. Corneille asked whether the wicket had been left open, and Williams said it had. Corneille then told him to inform the officer of the guard that he had no need of the key that night. Lieutenant Gilson gave evidence on oath next. On the Friday night, between 10 and 11, he was walking to his lodgings. On the way he met Captain Beale, the captain of the week, and the sergeant of the guard with a party of men. Beale asked the sergeant where he was going. The sergeant replied that the officer of the guard had sent him to the Deputy Governor's house for the key of the Line Gate. He added that the officer was making a great commotion. Beale asked what he meant, and the sergeant said the officer had been drinking. Beale told the sergeant to carry out the officer's orders all the same. The sergeant soon came back to Beale. He reported that the Deputy Governor had said the officer should send for the key only if there was a fall of rain heavy enough to threaten a flood. The sergeant then went back to the guard. Gilson was wishing Beale good night when Beale asked him to walk down to the guard with him, and he went. On the parade ground they met Caldwell walking about. Beale spoke to Caldwell while Gilson stood a little way off. When Gilson came back a short time later, he heard Beale ask Caldwell whether he thought he was fit to do his duty. Caldwell replied that he thought... Interpretations The Deputy Governor's answer explained why the key mattered at all. The wicket, a small door set into the main gate, had been left open, so men could pass through the Line on foot without the key. The great gate itself needed opening only when heavy rain threatened a flood. Water coming down the narrow Jamestown valley had to be let out to the sea through the Line, or it would back up and flood the town. Caldwell had no such reason that night, and his demand for the key therefore looked like the whim of a drunken man rather than an act of duty. Beale's order to the sergeant to obey the officer even after hearing he was drunk is also telling. A captain of the week did not countermand the officer of the guard on a sergeant's word. Beale let the order stand and went to see Caldwell for himself before acting, which gave his later report to the Deputy Governor the weight of his own observation. | |
155 | 1771§ §Mr. William Roberts Town Adjutant§ §Lieutenant Caldwell being put upon his§ §Having duly considered the Evidence against§ | Caldwell told Beale that he thought he was fit for duty. Beale replied that he was bound to take notice of Caldwell's condition and told him to go to his guard. Caldwell went at once, and Beale went on up the valley. William Roberts, the town adjutant, gave evidence on oath next. On the Friday night Beale, as captain of the week, sent for him. Beale told him that Caldwell was to be placed under arrest and that the next officer on the roster was to take over the guard. Roberts called out Lieutenant Keeling, who was next for duty. He then went with Beale and Keeling to the guard room. There Beale told Caldwell that an officer had come to relieve him and that he was under arrest. Caldwell seemed to Roberts to be somewhat the worse for drink. Beale ordered Roberts to take Caldwell's sword. Roberts found it lying drawn on the bed, with its scabbard in a cupboard. He took the sword and escorted Caldwell to his quarters. Caldwell was then called on to answer the charge. He said that he had been ill recently and had drunk very little that night. He believed that his weakness had made the drink affect him far more than usual. Even so, he had thought himself fit for duty. He said he was deeply sorry for what had happened and would be very careful of his conduct in future. Out of genuine regret, he hoped the Governor and Council would view the matter as kindly as the circumstances allowed. The Council weighed the evidence against Caldwell. The members found the charge of drunkenness on guard fully proved. They went on, however, to take into account... Interpretations Caldwell did not challenge any of the witnesses. He accepted that the drink had overcome him and pleaded his recent illness and his regret instead. That was a plea for mercy rather than a defence, and it left the Council free to find the charge proved while softening the sentence. Hearing the case in Council rather than at a court martial gave the Board this freedom. A court martial worked to the Articles of War and a fixed range of punishments. The Governor and Council could weigh character, illness and contrition as they chose. | |
156 | 23d December§ | The Council took into account Caldwell's plea that he had recently been ill. The members also considered that he had a wife and family, and that he seemed truly sorry for his disgraceful conduct. For these reasons they were willing to treat him as leniently as so serious an offence allowed. At the same time they felt bound to show their disapproval of such shameful behaviour. They therefore ordered that William Caldwell, second lieutenant, should be suspended from the Company's service for one month from 23 December 1771. John Skottowe and Daniel Corneille signed the decision. Interpretations Drunkenness while commanding the main guard could have cost Caldwell his commission. A court martial would probably have cashiered him, dismissing him from the service. The Council chose a month's suspension instead, and the minutes name the reasons, chiefly his recent illness and his wife and family. A suspended officer lost his pay for the period, so the penalty fell on his income without destroying his career. Dismissal would have left his family without support on an island where there was little other work for a former officer. The garrison would also have lost an officer who could not easily be replaced from England. The suspension was entered publicly in the Council's records, so it still served the deterrent purpose that the Board had set out at the start of the hearing. | |
157 | 6th January§ §Mr. Simon Whaley this day§ §To the Worshipful John Skottowe Esqr.§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 6 January 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 23 December 1771. The minutes recorded two deaths. William Gray, a matross, died on Thursday 26 December 1771. Elizabeth, wife of Captain Richard Beale, died on Sunday 29 December 1771. Simon Whaley petitioned the Governor and Council on 6 January 1772. He wanted to sell 40¾ acres of land in the West Division of the island and asked the Board for permission to do so. The Board agreed. Interpretations A matross was a private soldier of the artillery. He served under the gunners, helping to load, sponge and haul the guns and to carry ammunition. The rank sat below that of gunner and carried lower pay. Matrosses made up most of the island's artillery company under Captain James Tippet. | |
158 | 6th January§ §We directed Captain Tippet to prosecute the Works he§ | The Council received a letter from Captain James Tippet, dated 6 January 1772. Tippet reported on the work done by his men over the last quarter. They had pushed on with the new barracks for the officers and begun preparing for the planned new church. They had also repaired the old barracks to make them fit for use, and finished the works at Young's Gully and Friar's Gully. The works at Breakneck Gully were well advanced. Tippet asked the Board's permission for his plans for the coming quarter. He meant to finish Breakneck Gully, carry on preparing for the new church and press ahead as fast as possible with the officers' new barracks. The Council told Tippet to carry out the works in his letter as quickly as he could. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the order. Interpretations The gullies in Tippet's letter were defensive works rather than drains. St Helena's coast is mostly sheer cliff, and an enemy could get ashore only at a few bays or climb up the steep ravines that cut down to the sea. Tippet's men walled off or cut away the heads of these gullies so that a landing party could not climb them and come round behind the batteries. Young's, Friar's and Breakneck Gullies were part of the same programme as the works in the Leeward valleys recorded earlier in 1771. The same engineer and the same labourers worked on fortifications, barracks and the planned new church. The Company had no separate public works office on the island. Its engineer, who was also captain of artillery, directed every building project, military and civil alike. Preparing for the church meant gathering stone, burning lime and clearing the site, tasks that drew on the lime kilns and labour already serving the defences. The church thus competed with the forts for the same men and materials, and its progress depended on what the defences left free. | |
159 | 13th January§ §The Plantation Account for the Quarter and§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 13 January 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 6 January 1772. Richard Johnson, a private soldier, died on Wednesday 8 January 1772. The plantation account for the last quarter was laid before the Board, together with the accounts of artillery stores used and the steward's accounts for December 1771. The members examined and approved them. The accounts follow below. | |
160 | 13th January§ §Neat Cattle Bulls, Neat Cattle Cows, Neat Cattle Calves, Neat Cattle Yearlings, Neat Cattle Heifers, Neat Cattle Steers, Neat Cattle Oxen, Neat Cattle Total, Sheep Ewes, Sheep Weathers, Sheep Lambs, Sheep Rams, Sheep Total, Goats Ewes, Goats Weathers, Goats Kids, Goats Rams, Goats Total, Hogs Sows, Hogs Boars, Hogs Pigs, Hogs Barrows, Hogs Total, Horses Horses, Horses Mares, Horses Total, Poultry Fowls, Poultry Ducks, Poultry Turkeys, Poultry Geese§ §Remaining: Neat Cattle Bulls 8, Neat Cattle Cows 98, Neat Cattle Calves 28, Neat Cattle Yearlings 21, Neat Cattle Heifers 22, Neat Cattle Steers 36, Neat Cattle Oxen 13, Neat Cattle Total 226, Sheep Ewes 236, Sheep Weathers 59, Sheep Lambs 25, Sheep Rams 10, Sheep Total 330, Goats Ewes 111, Goats Weathers 36, Goats Kids 28, Goats Rams 7, Goats Total 182, Hogs Sows 4, Hogs Boars 4, Hogs Pigs 0, Hogs Barrows 2, Hogs Total 10, Horses Horses 6, Horses Mares 7, Horses Total 13, Poultry Fowls 87, Poultry Ducks 21, Poultry Turkeys 42, Poultry Geese 2§ §Encreased: Neat Cattle Bulls 0, Neat Cattle Cows 0, Neat Cattle Calves 2, Neat Cattle Yearlings 0, Neat Cattle Heifers 0, Neat Cattle Steers 0, Neat Cattle Oxen 0, Neat Cattle Total 2, Sheep Ewes 0, Sheep Weathers 0, Sheep Lambs 13, Sheep Rams 0, Sheep Total 13, Goats Ewes 0, Goats Weathers 0, Goats Kids 18, Goats Rams 0, Goats Total 18, Hogs Sows 0, Hogs Boars 0, Hogs Pigs 18, Hogs Barrows 0, Hogs Total 18, Horses Horses 0, Horses Mares 0, Horses Total 0, Poultry Fowls 46, Poultry Ducks 11, Poultry Turkeys 16, Poultry Geese 0§ §Total: Neat Cattle Bulls 8, Neat Cattle Cows 98, Neat Cattle Calves 30, Neat Cattle Yearlings 21, Neat Cattle Heifers 22, Neat Cattle Steers 36, Neat Cattle Oxen 13, Neat Cattle Total 228, Sheep Ewes 236, Sheep Weathers 59, Sheep Lambs 38, Sheep Rams 10, Sheep Total 343, Goats Ewes 111, Goats Weathers 36, Goats Kids 46, Goats Rams 7, Goats Total 200, Hogs Sows 4, Hogs Boars 4, Hogs Pigs 18, Hogs Barrows 2, Hogs Total 28, Horses Horses 6, Horses Mares 7, Horses Total 13, Poultry Fowls 133, Poultry Ducks 32, Poultry Turkeys 58, Poultry Geese 2§ §Killed: Neat Cattle Bulls 0, Neat Cattle Cows 2, Neat Cattle Calves 0, Neat Cattle Yearlings 0, Neat Cattle Heifers 4, Neat Cattle Steers 2, Neat Cattle Oxen 0, Neat Cattle Total 8, Sheep Ewes 15, Sheep Weathers 33, Sheep Lambs 6, Sheep Rams 0, Sheep Total 55, Goats Ewes 0, Goats Weathers 1, Goats Kids 12, Goats Rams 0, Goats Total 13, Hogs Sows 0, Hogs Boars 0, Hogs Pigs 0, Hogs Barrows 1, Hogs Total 1, Horses Horses 0, Horses Mares 0, Horses Total 0, Poultry Fowls 13, Poultry Ducks 12, Poultry Turkeys 11, Poultry Geese 0§ §Dead: Neat Cattle Bulls 1, Neat Cattle Cows 0, Neat Cattle Calves 1, Neat Cattle Yearlings 0, Neat Cattle Heifers 0, Neat Cattle Steers 0, Neat Cattle Oxen 0, Neat Cattle Total 2, Sheep Ewes 2, Sheep Weathers 1, Sheep Lambs 6, Sheep Rams 1, Sheep Total 10, Goats Ewes 2, Goats Weathers 1, Goats Kids 3, Goats Rams 0, Goats Total 6, Hogs Sows 0, Hogs Boars 2, Hogs Pigs 0, Hogs Barrows 0, Hogs Total 2, Horses Horses 0, Horses Mares 0, Horses Total 0, Poultry Fowls 21, Poultry Ducks 6, Poultry Turkeys 26, Poultry Geese 0§ §Remaining: Neat Cattle Bulls 7, Neat Cattle Cows 96, Neat Cattle Calves 29, Neat Cattle Yearlings 21, Neat Cattle Heifers 18, Neat Cattle Steers 34, Neat Cattle Oxen 13, Neat Cattle Total 218, Sheep Ewes 219, Sheep Weathers 25, Sheep Lambs 26, Sheep Rams 9, Sheep Total 279, Goats Ewes 109, Goats Weathers 34, Goats Kids 31, Goats Rams 7, Goats Total 181, Hogs Sows 4, Hogs Boars 2, Hogs Pigs 18, Hogs Barrows 1, Hogs Total 25, Horses Horses 6, Horses Mares 7, Horses Total 13, Poultry Fowls 99, Poultry Ducks 14, Poultry Turkeys 21, Poultry Geese 2§ §Slaves born 1 Girl named Katharine Frank§ §Yam Expended for the Slaves§ §Do. for the Stock§ §Errors Excepted§ | The Company's stock of cattle and other animals between 1 October and 31 December 1771 was as follows. Cattle in hand at the start: bulls 8, cows 98, calves 28, yearlings 21, heifers 22, steers 36, oxen 13, total 226 Cattle added: bulls 0, cows 0, calves 2, yearlings 0, heifers 0, steers 0, oxen 0, total 2 Cattle in all: bulls 8, cows 98, calves 30, yearlings 21, heifers 22, steers 36, oxen 13, total 228 Cattle killed: bulls 0, cows 2, calves 0, yearlings 0, heifers 4, steers 2, oxen 0, total 8 Cattle died: bulls 1, cows 0, calves 1, yearlings 0, heifers 0, steers 0, oxen 0, total 2 Cattle in hand at the end: bulls 7, cows 96, calves 29, yearlings 21, heifers 18, steers 34, oxen 13, total 218 Sheep in hand at the start: ewes 236, wethers 59, lambs 25, rams 10, total 330 Sheep added: ewes 0, wethers 0, lambs 13, rams 0, total 13 Sheep in all: ewes 236, wethers 59, lambs 38, rams 10, total 343 Sheep killed: ewes 15, wethers 33, lambs 6, rams 0, total 55 Sheep died: ewes 2, wethers 1, lambs 6, rams 1, total 10 Sheep in hand at the end: ewes 219, wethers 25, lambs 26, rams 9, total 279 Goats in hand at the start: nannies 111, wethers 36, kids 28, billies 7, total 182 Goats added: nannies 0, wethers 0, kids 18, billies 0, total 18 Goats in all: nannies 111, wethers 36, kids 46, billies 7, total 200 Goats killed: nannies 0, wethers 1, kids 12, billies 0, total 13 Goats died: nannies 2, wethers 1, kids 3, billies 0, total 6 Goats in hand at the end: nannies 109, wethers 34, kids 31, billies 7, total 181 Hogs in hand at the start: sows 4, boars 4, pigs 0, barrows 2, total 10 Hogs added: sows 0, boars 0, pigs 18, barrows 0, total 18 Hogs in all: sows 4, boars 4, pigs 18, barrows 2, total 28 Hogs killed: sows 0, boars 0, pigs 0, barrows 1, total 1 Hogs died: sows 0, boars 2, pigs 0, barrows 0, total 2 Hogs in hand at the end: sows 4, boars 2, pigs 18, barrows 1, total 25 Horses in hand at the start: horses 6, mares 7, total 13 Horses added: horses 0, mares 0, total 0 Horses in all: horses 6, mares 7, total 13 Horses killed: horses 0, mares 0, total 0 Horses died: horses 0, mares 0, total 0 Horses in hand at the end: horses 6, mares 7, total 13 Poultry in hand at the start: fowls 87, ducks 21, turkeys 42, geese 2 Poultry added: fowls 46, ducks 11, turkeys 16, geese 0 Poultry in all: fowls 133, ducks 32, turkeys 58, geese 2 Poultry killed: fowls 13, ducks 12, turkeys 11, geese 0 Poultry died: fowls 21, ducks 6, turkeys 26, geese 0 Poultry in hand at the end: fowls 99, ducks 14, turkeys 21, geese 2 Slaves born: 1 girl named Katharine Frank, 1 girl named Fanny Ally Slaves died: 1 man named Harry Tanner, 1 man named January Yams used for the slaves, 64,740 Yams used for the stock, 8,900 Daniel Corneille signed the account, subject to any errors. Interpretations Only eight head of cattle were killed in the whole quarter, against 55 sheep. The Company was sparing its herd, which had to supply beef to the garrison and to passing ships and could not be quickly replaced. This explains the Company's table in November 1771, when all the beef was bought in from planters and the Company's own stock supplied mutton instead. It also explains the notice of 16 December 1771, which made each planter declare the cattle he would supply for slaughter in 1772. The Company relied on the planters' herds to spare its own. Yams were the staple food of the Company's slaves. The plantation grew them in quantity, and the account counted them by number rather than by weight. More than 64,000 were issued to the slaves in the quarter, and some went to feed the stock as well. The Deputy Governor signed the account because he had charge of the Company's plantation, its herds and the slaves who worked it. The births and deaths of slaves were entered on the same sheet as the births and deaths of livestock. The Company recorded both as changes in the stock of its plantation. The poultry suffered heavy losses. Of 58 turkeys, 26 died and only 11 were killed for the table, leaving 21 at the end of the quarter, half the number at the start. | |
161 | 1772§ §Powder for Ladder Hill Road§ §Do. for Sundry Services§ §Tallow§ §Hand Spikes§ §Lead Ball to Shoot Goats§ §Powder Horns§ §Vinegar for Mortars§ §Bees Wax for the Masons§ §Paper§ §Sponge Staves§ §(signed)§ §Sundrys Expended at the Honble. Company's Table in§ §34 Bottles Madeira§ §19 Do. Port§ §19 Do. Lisbon§ §5 Do. Mountain§ §24 Do. Beer§ §24 Gallons Arrack§ §29 lb Beef§ §Carried Over§ | The artillery stores used in December 1771 were as follows. Powder for the Ladder Hill road, 54 lb 0 oz Powder for various services, 249 lb 13 oz Tallow, 25 lb Handspikes, 2 Lead ball for shooting goats, 6 lb 14 oz Powder horns, 1 Vinegar for the mortars, ½ gallon Beeswax for the masons, 1 lb Paper, 1½ quires Sponge staves, 1 James Tippet signed the account. The supplies used at the Company's table in December 1771 were as follows. Madeira, 34 bottles, £3 8s 0d Port, 19 bottles, £1 8s 6d Lisbon wine, 19 bottles, £1 8s 6d Mountain wine, 5 bottles, £0 7s 6d Beer, 24 bottles, £0 4s 6d Arrack, 24 gallons, £3 12s 0d Beef, 29 lb, £0 7s 3d Carried forward, £10 16s 3d Interpretations Powder used on the Ladder Hill road fell again, to 54 lb in December 1771 from 86 lb in November and 174 lb 4 oz in October. The blasting was tailing off month by month, which suggests that the road had passed the worst of the rock face. Powder for other services stayed high at almost 250 lb, so the garrison's general use of powder did not fall with it. No guns were fired for alarms or salutes in December, since no ship's arrival or departure was marked in the account. | |
162 | 13th January§ §242 lb Mutton§ §1 Turkey§ §3 Fowls§ §11 lb Butter§ §68 lb Candy§ §454 lb Flour§ §4 Kids§ §Bought for the Table vizt.§ §220¾ lb Beef§ §2 doz Fowls§ §2 Ducks§ §5 Pigs§ §£ 31 . 4 . 9¾§ §John Skottowe§ | The account of supplies used at the Company's table in December 1771 continued as follows. Brought forward, £10 16s 3d Mutton, 242 lb, £5 1s 8d Turkey, 1, £0 5s 0d Fowls, 3, £0 4s 6d Butter, 11¾ lb, £0 11s 9d Candles, 68 lb, £1 14s 0d Flour, 454 lb, £3 15s 8d Kids, 4, £1 0s 0d Bought in for the table: Beef, 220¾ lb, £4 11s 11¾d Fowls, 2 dozen, £1 16s 0d Ducks, 2, £0 3s 0d Pigs, 5, £1 5s 0d Total, £31 4s 9¾d John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the account. Interpretations Flour cost the table almost twice as much a pound in December 1771 as in November. In November 494 lb were charged at £2 2s 4d, and in December 454 lb came to £3 15s 8d, about 2d a pound. The island grew little wheat, and flour came in from England or the Cape on passing ships. No ship called in December, so the Company had to value what remained in its stores at a higher price. The four kids on the table were young goats from the Company's own flock, and the plantation account for the quarter shows 12 kids killed. Goat meat was a common part of the island's diet, since the animals ran wild in large numbers and cost little to raise. | |
163 | 20th January§ §The Storekeeper this day brought in his Collections§ §Collection of Goods Sold and delivered out of the Honble.§ §Sold to the Companys Servants at 10 p Cent§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §Flour vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 20 January 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 13 January 1772. The minutes recorded two deaths. William Livingston, a private soldier, died on Thursday 16 January 1772. John Robinson, also a private soldier, died on 20 January 1772. The storekeeper presented his record of sales and the paymaster his accounts for the quarter from 1 October to 31 December 1771. The Board examined and approved them. The goods sold and issued from the Company's warehouses between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Sold to the Company's servants at 10 per cent above cost: Sugar, 1,942 lb, £32 7s 4d Sugar candy, 11,266 lb, £232 14s 2d Sugar and sugar candy, total, £265 1s 6d Flour, 6,312 lb, £52 12s 0d Flour issued as rations, 55,216 lb, £515 11s 4d Flour, total, £568 3s 4d Carried forward, £833 4s 10d Interpretations The Company's servants paid about 2d a pound for flour from the stores, with the 10 per cent added to cost. This was the same rate charged to the Company's table for flour in December 1771. The table was therefore charged at the store price, and the rise in its flour bill that month reflected a change in the Company's own valuation rather than anything bought at a higher price. Most of the flour went out as rations, more than 55,000 lb in the quarter against about 6,300 lb sold outright. Soldiers and other servants received rations as part of their pay, and the cost was set against their wages. The ration was the main way the garrison was fed, and the store's sales to individuals were a small addition to it. | |
164 | 20th January§ §Tea vizt.§ §Oil vizt.§ §Rice & Paddy vizt.§ §Salt 257¾ Bushels§ §Pepper lb 43§ §Candles lb 475§ §Starch lb 4½§ §Soap lb 319§ §Clothes 319 Pieces§ §Blankets 12§ §Cordage lb 534¾§ §Coffee lb 92§ §Pease 8½ Bushs.§ §Leather vizt.§ §Thread vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £833 4s 10d Singlo tea, 65 lb, £5 2s 11d Bohea tea, 233½ lb, £9 4s 10d Tea, total, £14 7s 9d Train oil, 80½ gallons, £17 16s 8d Linseed oil, 55½ gallons, £12 6s 10d Oil of turpentine, ½ gallon, £0 2s 5d Florence oil, 16 bottles, £2 4s 0d Oil, total, £32 9s 11d Rice, 14,359 lb, £75 6s 4d Paddy, 1,695 lb, £3 18s 9d Rice and paddy, total, £79 5s 1d Salt, 25⅞ bushels, £3 19s 8d Pepper, 43 lb, £1 4s 2d Candles, [...] lb, £59 19s 11d Starch, 47½ lb, £2 8s 1d Soap, 319 lb, £10 6s 0d Chelloes, 19 pieces, £11 10s 0d Blankets, 12, £4 0s 6d Rope, 534¾ lb, £8 18s 3d Coffee, 92 lb, £4 4s 4d Peas, 8⅞ bushels, £3 18s 8d Sole leather, 197½ lb, £13 11s 7d Calf skins, 3, £1 15s 3d Leather, total, £15 6s 10d White and brown thread, 5½ lb, £1 19s 10d Coloured thread, 6 lb, £1 0s 6d Thread, total, £3 0s 4d Carried forward, £1,088 4s 4d Interpretations Several of the goods came from the Company's Asian trade. Singlo and Bohea were Chinese teas brought home by the Company's ships from Canton. Singlo was a green tea and cost more. Bohea was the cheaper black tea, the kind most commonly drunk in Britain. The servants bought almost four times as much Bohea as Singlo. Chelloes were cheap checked or striped cotton cloth woven in India, used for shirts, slaves' clothing and household goods. Paddy was rice still in its husk, which kept longer in store than cleaned rice and was husked on the island as needed. The rice itself came from Bengal or the Malabar coast on ships returning from India, and it was the second staple of the garrison after flour. The other oils served different purposes. Train oil was rendered from whale blubber and burned in lamps. Linseed oil was used for mixing paint and treating timber. Oil of turpentine thinned paint. Florence oil was olive oil from Italy, sold in flasks and used for cooking and salads. Together they show how far the island depended on the Company's warehouses for everyday goods that an English household could buy in any market town. | |
165 | 1772§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §Oars vizt.§ §Twine vizt.§ §Copper Money 3122 half Pence§ §Shalloon vizt.§ §Hats vizt.§ §Iron Pots 9 Wt. lb 159½§ §Lead vizt.§ §Paint vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,088 4s 4d Pitch, 19 lb, £0 2s 9d Tar, 5½ gallons, £0 4s 9d Rosin, 103 lb, £1 1s 5d Pitch and tar, total, £1 8s 11d Small oars, 10, £2 1s 3d Large oar, 1, £0 6s 10d Oars, total, £2 8s 1d Thames twine, 46 lb, £1 10s 8d Cotton wick, 4 lb, £0 10s 0d Twine, total, £2 0s 8d Copper money, 3,122 halfpence, £6 10s 1d Scarlet shalloon, 18¾ yards, £2 10s 2d Coloured shalloon, 43¾ yards, £4 11s 8d Shalloon, total, £7 1s 10d Fine hats for men, 2, £1 18s 6d Soldier's hat, 1, £0 3s 2d Hats, total, £2 1s 8d Iron pots, 9, weighing 159½ lb, £1 13s 3d Sheet lead, 163¾ lb, £1 17s 6d Small shot, 81 lb, £0 16s 10d Lead, total, £2 14s 4d Blue smalts, 15½ lb, £4 9s 1½d Red lead, 41 lb, £0 11s 11½d Indigo, 9 lb, £0 17s 3d Paint carried forward, £5 18s 4d Carried forward, £1,114 3s 2d Interpretations The Company sold copper halfpence from its stores at face value, 3,122 of them for £6 10s 1d. Small change was always short on the island, since ships brought in silver and gold but little copper. The Company shipped out copper coin and released it through the warehouse so that people could make small payments. Recording the coins as goods sold, alongside pitch and paint, shows that on St Helena money for daily use had to be supplied like any other import. Shalloon was a light, closely woven woollen cloth made mainly in England. It was used to line coats, and the scarlet shalloon probably went to line the officers' and soldiers' red uniforms. Smalts was a blue pigment made from powdered cobalt glass, used in paint and to whiten linen in the wash. Red lead was an orange-red lead oxide, used as a primer to protect ironwork and timber from rust and rot. Indigo was a blue dye from India, used for dyeing cloth and as a paint colour. Thames twine was strong hemp twine named after the London riverside works where it was spun. | |
166 | 20th January§ §Paint brought over§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §Corks 1½ Gross§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,114 3s 2d Paint brought forward, £5 18s 4d Chalk, 48 lb, £0 3s 0d White lead, dry, 97 lb, £1 16s 4½d Whiting, 237 lb, £0 9s 10½d Blacking, 10 papers, £0 5s 7½d Umber, 6½ lb, £0 1s 8½d White lead, ground in oil, 24 lb, £0 10s 0d Copperas, 2½ lb, £0 3s 0d Verdigris, 5½ lb, £1 6s 8d Olive-coloured paint, 8 lb, £0 15s 5d Yellow ochre, dry, 2 lb, £0 0s 5d Paint, total, £11 10s 4d Punch ladles, 5, £0 3s 1½d Scrubbing brushes, 7, £1 0s 3d Hair brooms, 5, £0 14s 3d Birch brooms, 6, £0 2s 9d Mops, 3, £0 4s 1½d Plasterers' brushes, 8, £0 8s 10d Shoe brushes, 3, £0 2s 6d Large plate basket lined with tin, 1, £0 7s 9½d Paint brushes, 17, £0 12s 5d Buckle brushes, 3, £0 1s 11½d Flaskets, 2, £0 5s 0d Labourers' baskets, 16, £1 1s 8d Ox yokes, 2, £1 12s 0d Ox bows, 4, £0 5s 3d Wooden and household wares, total, £7 1s 11d Corks, 1½ gross, £0 3s 9d Carried forward, £1,132 19s 2d Interpretations Most of the paint was sold as raw pigment for the buyer to mix himself. White lead was the base of most house paint, sold either dry or already ground in oil. Whiting was finely ground chalk used for whitewash and putty. Umber was a brown earth pigment, and yellow ochre a yellow one. Verdigris was a green pigment made by corroding copper with vinegar. It was costly, and here 5½ lb cost more than four times as much as 97 lb of white lead. Copperas was iron sulphate, used for making ink and dyeing cloth black. Blacking, sold in papers, was a paste of lampblack and oil for blacking shoes and leather. The household wares were mostly the work of turners and basket-makers. A flasket was a long, shallow basket used for carrying washing. A buckle brush was a small brush for cleaning shoe and belt buckles. The ox bows were the bent wooden collars that hung below a yoke and held each ox's neck. Sales of yokes and bows show that planters still used oxen for ploughing and hauling on the island's steep ground, where carts could go only on the few made roads. | |
167 | 1772§ §Shoes vizt.§ §Braziers ware vizt.§ §Nails vizt.§ §Hooks & Lines vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,132 19s 2d Men's ordinary shoes, 518 pairs, £133 5s 6d Women's calf leather shoes, 1 pair, £0 2s 10d Women's calamanco shoes, 3 pairs, £0 12s 9d Men's channel pumps, 1 pair, £0 7s 1d Men's fine shoes, 2 pairs, £0 12s 2d Boys' shoes, 1 pair, £0 3s 6d Shoes, total, £135 3s 10d Skimmer, 1, £0 2s 9d Brass wire, ¾ lb, £0 2s 6d Steel snuffers, 1 pair, £0 3s 0d Brass and copper wares, total, £0 8s 3d Twopenny nails, 24 lb, £1 3s 0d Threepenny nails, 72 lb, £3 0s 0d Fourpenny nails, 123 lb, £4 4s 7d Sixpenny nails, 189 lb, £5 18s 1½d Tenpenny nails, 75 lb, £1 19s 0½d Twentypenny nails, 11 lb, £0 4s 10d Fortypenny nails, 24 lb, £0 10s 0d Flooring brads, 14 lb, £0 7s 10½d Glaziers' brads, 7½ lb, £0 14s 2½d Dog nails, 1½ lb, £0 1s 1d Nails, total, £18 2s 9d Fish hooks, size 6, 50, £0 4s 5d Fish hooks, size 7, 50, £0 3s 3½d Fish hooks, size 8, 575, £1 10s 5d Fish hooks, size 14, 2,275, £1 3s 3d Fish hooks, size 15, 1,075, £0 9s 10d Hooks and lines carried forward, £3 11s 2½d Carried forward, £1,286 14s 0d Interpretations Men's ordinary shoes made up almost all the footwear sold, 518 pairs in a single quarter. These were the soldiers' shoes. The garrison wore them out quickly on the island's rough, steep paths, and each man bought his own from the stores, with the cost set against his pay. The handful of finer shoes went to officers and their families. Calamanco was a glossy woollen cloth used for women's shoe uppers. Channel pumps were light men's shoes with the sole stitching sunk in a groove, or channel, cut into the leather. Nails were sold by size in pence, an old measure that once meant the price of a hundred nails and later simply meant their length. Twopenny nails were about an inch long and fortypenny nails about five inches. Brads were small nails with almost no head, used for floorboards and for holding glass in window frames. Dog nails had a large head and were used to fix hinges and ironwork. The servants bought almost 4,000 fish hooks in the quarter, most of them in the small sizes. Fishing from the shore and from small boats gave the garrison and the townspeople a cheap source of fresh food. Fish eased their reliance on salt provisions and on the island's limited supply of beef. | |
168 | 20th January§ §Hooks & Lines brought over§ §Ticking 5 Yds. Check Linnen§ §Long Ells 3 Yds. Blue§ §Shirts vizt.§ §Broad Cloth vizt.§ §Serge vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,286 14s 0d Hooks and lines brought forward, £3 11s 2½d Fish hooks, size 9, 25, £0 0s 9½d Fish hooks, size 10, 25, £0 0s 5½d Fish hooks, size 12, 50, £0 0s 10d Fishing lines, size 2, 44, £0 14s 1d Fishing lines, size 3, 96, £1 16s 0d Fishing lines, size 4, 1, £0 0s 4½d Hamburg lines, 2, £0 3s 4d Hooks and lines, total, £6 7s 1d Ticking of checked linen, 5 yards, £0 7s 5d Blue long ells, 3 yards, £0 5s 9d Soldiers' shirts, 112, £29 3s 4d Brown holland, 33¾ yards, £5 0s 6d Huckaback for napkins, 1 piece, £2 8s 5d Irish linen, 1½ pieces, £2 10s 7d Shirts and linen, total, £39 2s 10d Dark French grey broadcloth, 1½ yards, £1 1s 8d Light French grey broadcloth, 6½ yards, £6 5s 1d Scarlet broadcloth, 7½ yards, £8 5s 10d Green broadcloth, ⅝ yard, £0 12s 0d Blue broadcloth, 2⅝ yards, £2 17s 0d Black broadcloth, 3½ yards, £2 18s 9d Dark brown broadcloth, 5¼ yards, £5 1s 1d Broadcloth, total, £27 1s 5d Fustian, 1¼ yards, £0 3s 3d Blue serge, 7½ yards, £2 1s 8d Green serge, 5½ yards, £1 7s 6½d Scarlet serge, 5 yards, £1 11s 9½d Serge, total, £8 3s 7d Carried forward, £1,368 2s 1d Interpretations The cloths ranged from the coarse to the costly. Broadcloth was a heavy, fine woollen cloth woven on a wide loom and felted to a smooth finish. It was the cloth of officers' coats and gentlemen's suits and cost up to about 22s a yard here. Serge was a lighter, cheaper twilled woollen, and fustian a tough cloth of linen and cotton used for working clothes and linings. Long ells were coarse English woollens named after the length of the piece, which was measured in ells, and the Company shipped them in bulk to the East. Holland was a plain linen, first made in the Netherlands, and the brown, unbleached kind was used for shirts and linings. Huckaback was a heavy linen with a raised weave, used for towels and napkins. Ticking was strong linen used to cover mattresses and pillows. Hamburg lines were long, strong cords, originally from Hamburg, used for heavy fishing and for sounding in boats. The soldiers bought 112 ready-made shirts in the quarter. Like shoes, shirts were a regular charge against a soldier's pay, so the stores supplied clothing for the garrison as well as for its officers. | |
169 | 1772§ §Cutlery vizt.§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,368 2s 1d Shoemakers' knives, 7, £0 2s 9d Buckhorn combs, 17, £0 5s 8d Leather garters, 24 pairs, £0 18s 0d Green-handled knives and forks, 18, £3 5s 4d Dessert knives and forks, 6, £0 13s 4d Cook's knife, 1, £0 2s 7d Butcher's knife, 1, £0 0s 7d Pruning knife, 1, £0 1s 4d Cutlery, total, £5 9s 7d Padlock, 1, £0 1s 10½d Sheep shears, 8 pairs, £0 15s 6d Spring rat trap, 1, £0 1s 8¼d Mousetraps, 7, £0 4s 8d H hinges, 17 pairs, £2 14s 6½d Coffee mills, 4, £1 12s 4d Chest locks, 6, £1 0s 4½d Stock locks, 8, £0 8s 6d [...], 10, £0 6s 10½d Small box irons, 2, £0 14s 11d Dovetail hinges, 9 pairs, £0 6s 2¼d Small frying pans, 4, £0 8s 5d Claw hammer, 1, £0 1s 9d Brass chest locks, 2, £0 12s 2½d Iron rim locks with brass knobs, 7, £2 8s 6½d Bellows, 1 pair, £0 4s 0d Tinned tacks, ½ thousand, £0 1s 1½d Hand hatchets, 5, £0 9s 5½d Scythe stones, 10, £0 2s 8½d Chafing dishes, 3, £0 16s 6d Ironmongery carried forward, £13 8s 2d Carried forward, £1,373 11s 8d Interpretations Several of the ironmongery goods were household tools now long out of use. A box iron was a hollow smoothing iron with a heated iron slug put inside, so the linen stayed clean of soot. A chafing dish was a metal pan on legs holding hot charcoal, used to keep food warm at table or to cook small dishes. Stock locks were plain locks set in a wooden case and fixed to the outside of a door. Rim locks were cased in iron and screwed to the face of a door, and those with brass knobs were the better kind used in good houses. Scythe stones were whetstones for sharpening scythes in the field. The sale of coffee mills and sheep shears points to households that roasted and ground their own coffee and kept their own small flocks. | |
170 | 20th January§ §Iron ware brought over§ §Tin-ware vizt.§ §Haberdashery vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,373 11s 8d Ironmongery brought forward, £13 8s 2d Ironwork of various sizes, 57½ lb, £0 13s 6d Wood screws, 1 dozen, £0 0s 4½d Garden rake, 1, £0 2s 6½d Spades, 2, £0 8s 3d Sickle, 1, £0 1s 0¾d Jack spit, 1, £0 6s 4d Garden hoes, 5, £0 7s 2¼d Iron shovels, 5, £1 5s 0d Pickaxes, 2, £0 7s 8½d Farrier's rasp, 1, £0 1s 0½d Wool cards, 1 pair, £0 2s 1½d Ironmongery, total, £16 14s 3d Quart funnels, 3, £0 1s 7½d Dripping pans, 4, £0 8s 10d Horn lantern, 1, £0 3s 10½d Double sheet tin, 1, £0 0s 9d Single sheet tin, 3, £0 1s 1½d Sal ammoniac, ½ lb, £0 0s 10d Solder, 6 lb, £0 3s 11½d Watering pots, 2, £0 7s 7½d Tinware, total, £1 10s 6d Silk, 73 skeins, £2 2s 0d Mohair thread, 25 skeins, £0 12s 6d White buckram, 22¾ yards, £1 8s 0d White thread buttons, 1⅞ gross, £0 4s 8d Shirt buttons, 2½ gross, £0 6s 8d Mohair coat buttons, 14 dozen, £0 10s 6d Mohair breast buttons, 14½ dozen, £0 5s 5d Haberdashery carried forward, £5 10s 4d Carried forward, £1,391 16s 5d Interpretations Sal ammoniac was ammonium chloride, sold beside the solder because tinsmiths rubbed it on hot metal to clean it so that the solder would take. Buying both, together with sheets of tin, shows that someone on the island made and mended tinware rather than relying wholly on imported goods. A jack spit was a roasting spit turned by a clockwork jack in front of the fire. A horn lantern had panes of thin, scraped horn in place of glass, which let through enough light and did not break. Wool cards were paired wire-toothed boards used to comb raw wool before spinning. Their sale, with the sheep shears in the ironmongery, points to wool from island flocks being worked at home. Buckram was stiffened linen used to give shape to coat fronts, collars and hats. | |
171 | 1772§ §Haberdashery brought over§ §Hosiers ware vizt.§ §Bunting vizt.§ §China ware vizt.§ §Books vizt.§ §Glass ware vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,391 16s 5d Haberdashery brought forward, £5 10s 4d Whalebone, 1¼ lb, £0 8s 3d Broad gold lace, 16½ yards, £3 12s 11½d Gilt coat buttons, 1½ dozen, £0 2s 3¾d Gilt breast buttons, 2½ dozen, £0 1s 10¾d Haberdashery, total, £9 14s 10d Men's ordinary thread stockings, 154 pairs, £25 3s 8½d Women's thread stockings, 3 pairs, £0 11s 10½d Girls' thread stockings, 3 pairs, £0 6s 6½d Boys' thread stockings, 3 pairs, £0 6s 7½d Hosiery, total, £26 8s 9d Red bunting, 2 yards, £0 1s 7½d White bunting, 1 yard, £0 0s 6½d Bunting, total, £0 2s 2d China bowls, 13, £0 10s 10d China saucers, 20, £0 4s 7d Sugar dishes and cream jugs, 4, £0 9s 8d Baking dishes, 4, £0 4s 10d China, total, £1 9s 11d Small Bible, 1, £0 4s 1d Primer, 1, £0 0s 3½d Book of Common Prayer, 1, £0 5s 5½d Books, total, £0 9s 10d Wine glasses, 33, £0 16s 2d Panes of glass, 10 by 12 inches, 4, £0 4s 5d Panes of glass, 8 by 10 inches, 12, £0 7s 0d Panes of glass, 10 by 16 inches, 18, £1 2s 2d Glassware, total, £2 9s 9d Carried forward, £1,432 11s 8d Interpretations The gold lace and gilt buttons were trimmings for officers' uniforms, which were bought privately and made up on the island. Whalebone was the flexible plate from the mouths of baleen whales, used to stiffen women's stays and the brims of hats. Bunting was a thin woollen cloth used for flags, and the red and white lengths were probably for signal flags. The window panes were sold by size in inches, and the larger panes cost about three times as much each as the smaller ones. Glass had to come out from England, so glazed windows were a mark of the better houses in Jamestown. The single primer and Bible show that the stores also supplied the island's few schoolbooks and devotional books. | |
172 | 20th January§ §Canvas 12 Yds. English§ §Arrack 3½ Gallons§ §Camblet vizt.§ §Deals vizt.§ §Long Cloth vizt.§ §Pewter 1 Water Plate§ §Earthenware 2 Stew Stool Pans§ §Iron lb 10§ §Sailors Cloaths vizt.§ §Beef & Pork vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,432 11s 8d English canvas, 12 yards, £0 15s 0d Arrack, 5⅜ gallons, £0 16s 3d Scarlet camlet, 10⅞ yards, £2 3s 5d Dark brown camlet, 11½ yards, £1 18s 4d Green camlet, 4 yards, £0 13s 3d Brown camlet, 6 yards, £1 0s 4d Camlet, total, £5 15s 4d Double deals, 12, £2 5s 6d Single deals, 4, £0 8s 10d Battens, 3, £1 9s 3d [...], 3, £0 14s 1d Elm board, 1, £0 4s 8d Timber, total, £5 2s 4d Long cloth, number 7, 1 piece, £3 0s 7d Long cloth, [...], 2¼ pieces, £12 2s 7d Long cloth, total, £15 3s 2d Pewter water plate, 1, £0 5s 7d Earthenware stew pans, 2, £0 5s 10d Iron, 16 lb, £0 1s 10d Men's blue breeches for sailors, 1 pair, £0 4s 1d Men's linen drawers for sailors, 9 pairs, £0 14s 1d Sailors' clothing, total, £0 18s 2d Salt beef, 2,572 pieces, £257 4s 0d Salt pork, 5,184 pieces, £518 8s 0d Beef and pork, total, £775 12s 0d Carried forward, £2,237 6s 11d Interpretations Salt beef and pork made up by far the largest item in the whole record, £775 12s 0d for the quarter. The meat came out from England in casks and was counted by the piece, each cut to a standard weight so that rations could be issued by number. Both kinds were charged at 2s a piece. The soldiers and other servants drew it as part of their rations, with the cost set against their pay. The figures show how far the garrison still lived on imported salt meat. The Company's own herd, as its quarterly account showed, supplied only eight cattle for slaughter in the same three months. Long cloth was a plain Indian cotton woven in long pieces, the number marking its grade. Camlet was a hard-wearing cloth of wool, or wool mixed with silk or goat's hair, used for coats and cloaks. Deals were sawn planks of pine or fir from the Baltic. A double deal was the thicker board. The island had almost no timber of its own fit for building, so every plank for houses, barracks and boats had to come out on the Company's ships. | |
173 | 1772§ §Wine vizt.§ §£ 2433 . 17 . 3§ §Sold to the Planters at 25 p Cent.§ §Shalloon vizt.§ §Thread 1 Coloured§ §Broad Cloth 3½ Yds. Light Fr. Grey§ §Shirts 3 Yds. Brown Holland§ §Serge vizt.§ §Leather 1 Calf Skin§ §Camblet 3½ Yds. Green§ §Haberdashery 2 Sks. Mohair§ §Sold at 30 p Cent§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §Flour lb 643§ §Salt 2½ Bushels§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants concluded with wine. Brought forward, £2,237 6s 11d Lisbon wine, 289½ gallons, £100 0s 8d Port, 128½ gallons, £44 8s 9d Mountain wine, 150½ gallons, £52 0s 11d Wine, total, £196 10s 4d Total sold to the Company's servants, £2,433 17s 3d The goods sold to the planters at 25 per cent above cost were as follows. Scarlet shalloon, 3 yards, £0 9s 2d Coloured shalloon, 2½ yards, £0 5s 11d Shalloon, total, £0 15s 1d Coloured thread, 1 lb, £0 3s 3d Light French grey broadcloth, 3½ yards, £3 11s 1d Brown holland for shirts, 3 yards, £0 7s 6d Fustian, [...] yards, £1 2s 7½d Blue serge, 7½ yards, £2 9s 0½d Serge, total, £3 11s 8d Calf skin, 1, £0 13s 4d Green camlet, 3½ yards, £0 12s 5d Mohair thread, 2 skeins, £0 2s 4d The goods sold at 40 per cent above cost were as follows. Sugar, 216 lb, £4 19s 0d Sugar candy, 1,641 lb, £44 8s 10d Sugar and sugar candy, total, £49 7s 10d Flour, 648 lb, £8 2s 0d Salt, 2½ bushels, £0 10s 0d Carried forward, £68 1s 6d Interpretations The Company sold the same goods at three different prices according to who bought them. Its own servants paid cost plus 10 per cent, the planters paid cost plus 25 per cent, and some goods went at cost plus 40 per cent. The difference shows plainly in the figures. Flour cost a servant about 2d a pound, but 648 lb sold at the 40 per cent rate came to about 3d a pound. Sugar candy rose from about 5d to about 6½d a pound in the same way. The low rate for servants worked as a hidden addition to their pay, which helped the Company keep soldiers and artisans on a remote posting. The planters had to pay more for the same imported necessities. Staples such as flour and sugar were charged at the highest rate, which suggests that the Company used the price to keep scarce goods for its own people. The planters bought very little at the 25 per cent rate, a few yards of cloth and some thread, against more than £2,400 sold to servants. They bought chiefly sugar and flour, even at the higher price, because they could get them nowhere else on the island. | |
174 | 20th January§ §Pepper lb 2§ §Oil vizt.§ §Coffee lb 5§ §Candles lb 9§ §Soap lb 8§ §Rice lb 867§ §Tea 12½ Bohea§ §Twine 3 Skanes§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §Cordage lb 11¼§ §Lead vizt.§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Hooks & Lines vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold at 40 per cent above cost continued as follows. Brought forward, £68 1s 6d Pepper, 2 lb, £0 1s 6d Train oil, 5 gallons, £1 8s 5d Linseed oil, 2 gallons, £0 11s 5d Florence oil, 1 bottle, £0 3s 6d Oil, total, £2 3s 4d Coffee, 9 lb, £0 9s 4d Candles, [...] lb, £1 8s 10d Soap, 8 lb, £0 7s 6d Rice, 667 lb, £4 9s 4d Bohea tea, 12½ lb, £0 13s 0d Twine, 3 skeins, £0 2s 7d Rosin, 27 lb, £0 7s 4d Tar, 2 gallons, £0 2s 4d Pitch and tar, total, £0 9s 8d Rope, 11¼ lb, £0 5s 8d Sheet lead, 33 lb, £0 11s 1d Small shot, 18 lb, £0 4s 10d Lead, total, £0 15s 11d Sheep shears, 4 pairs, £0 10s 0d Hand hatchet, 1, £0 2s 5d Scythe stones, 4, £0 1s 7d Ironmongery, total, £0 14s 0d Fish hooks, size 8, 137 Fish hooks, size 14, 100 Fish hooks, size 15, 150 Fishing lines, size 3, 6 Hooks and lines, total, £0 17s 1d Carried forward, £80 19s 3d Interpretations The goods sold at 40 per cent were the everyday needs of a farming household: oil for lamps, rice, tea, coffee, soap, tar, shears and fishing tackle. The planters bought them in small amounts, 12½ lb of tea and four pairs of sheep shears, against the hundreds of pounds weight taken by the Company's servants. The higher price probably kept the planters' purchases down to what they could not do without. The planters also had another source. They could buy from passing ships, often more cheaply than from the Company's warehouse, whenever a captain had private trade goods to sell in the road. | |
175 | 1772§ §Nails vizt.§ §Paint lb 2 Blue Smalts§ §Starch lb 2§ §Deals vizt.§ §Glass ware vizt.§ §£ 84 . 5 . 10§ §Sold to the Honble. Companys Ships from the 1st October to the§ §Turners ware 12 Birch Brooms§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §14 . 17§ §Rice 18§ §Flour 2095§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold at 40 per cent above cost concluded as follows. Brought forward, £80 19s 3d Threepenny nails, 5 lb Fourpenny nails, 14 lb Sixpenny nails, 6 lb Tenpenny nails, 5 lb Twentypenny nails, 7 lb Twopenny nails, 2 lb Glaziers' brads, ½ lb Nails, total, £1 12s 3d Blue smalts, 2 lb, £0 5s 0d Starch, 2 lb, £0 1s 8d Double deal, 1, £0 4s 11d Single deals, 2, £0 5s 7d Deals, total, £0 10s 6d Panes of glass, 8 by 10 inches, 21, £0 15s 9d Pane of glass, 10 by 12 inches, 1, £0 1s 5d Glassware, total, £0 17s 2d Total sold at 40 per cent, £84 5s 10d The goods sold to the Company's ships between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Birch brooms, 12, £0 7s 0d Pitch, 1 barrel, £1 13s 6d Tar, 3 barrels, £4 14s 6d Pitch and tar, total, £6 8s 0d Rice, 18 cwt, £14 17s 0d Flour, 3,095 lb, £38 13s 9d Carried forward, £60 5s 9d Interpretations The island's stores also refitted and supplied the Company's own ships as they called. Pitch and tar were for caulking seams and coating rigging worn by the long voyage. Flour and rice topped up the ships' provisions for the next leg home. The flour went to the ships at about 3d a pound, the same rate charged at 40 per cent above cost. The Company charged its own ships at the highest rate, and each ship's account settled the cost in London. The warehouse at St Helena thus worked as a supply depot for the whole Company fleet, as well as a shop for the garrison and the planters. | |
176 | 20th January§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Cordage lb 518§ §Twine 24 Skanes§ §Coals 2½ Chaldron§ §Nails vizt.§ §Beef and Pork vizt.§ §£ 244 . 2 . 3§ §Charges General Dr. for the following Stores§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's ships continued as follows. Brought forward, £60 5s 9d Plasterers' trowels, 2, £0 13s 4d Sail needles, 24, £0 2s 6d Ironmongery, total, £0 15s 10d Rope, 518 lb, £12 8s 3d Twine, 24 skeins, £1 0s 6d Coal, 2½ chaldrons, £7 17s 6d Twopenny nails, 5 lb Fourpenny nails, 13 lb Nails, total, £0 14s 9d Salt beef, 11 tierces, £95 1s 2d Salt pork, 9 tierces, £65 18s 6d Beef and pork, total, £160 19s 8d Total sold to the Company's ships, £244 2s 3d The stores issued for the Company's own use between 1 October and 31 December 1771, and charged to general expenses, were as follows. Hand saw for the coopers' shop, 1, £0 7s 5d Flagging iron for the coopers' shop, 1, £0 1s 8d Half-round wood rasp for the coopers' shop, 1, £0 0s 7½d Vices for the coopers' shop, 2, £0 1s 2d Files for the armourers' shop, 22, £0 11s 0d Bar iron for the armourers' shop, 57 lb, £0 11s 10½d Rubber files for the armourers' shop, 12, £3 10s 0d Borax for the armourers' shop, ½ lb, £0 7s 0½d Handsaw files for the armourers' shop, 2, £0 3s 5d Ironmongery carried forward, £5 14s 2½d Interpretations General charges were the stores that the Company used itself rather than sold, so they appeared as a cost instead of earning a mark-up. The coopers made and repaired the casks that held the island's salt meat, water and spirits, as well as the casks supplied to ships. A flagging iron was a cooper's tool for prising apart the staves of a cask so that dried rushes, called flags, could be pressed into the joints to make them watertight. The armourers kept the garrison's muskets and other arms in repair. They used borax as a flux when brazing and welding iron. Rubber files were heavy, coarse files used for the rough shaping of metal. The salt meat sold to the ships went by the tierce, a cask of about 42 gallons. The coal went by the chaldron, a large measure of about a ton and a half. The island had no coal of its own, and every chaldron had come out from England in the Company's ships. Selling some of it on to visiting ships shows that the Company's stocks, landed for the lime kilns and the forges, also served as a coaling store for the fleet. | |
177 | 1772§ §Iron ware brought over§ §Candles vizt.§ §Coals 100 Bushel§ §Candy lb 118 Gram Gardener & Doct. Shop§ §Oil vizt.§ §Soap lb 38 for Linnen§ §Deals vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the Company's own use continued as follows. Ironmongery brought forward, £5 14s 2½d Two-foot rule for the armourers' shop, 1, £0 1s 1d File handles for the armourers' shop, 36, £0 3s 0d Silver solder for the armourers' shop, ½ oz, £0 3s 0¼d Padlocks for the carpenters' shop and the stores, 2, £0 3s 4½d Ash axe handles for the Leeward valleys and Ladder Hill, 14, £0 8s 2d Spring rat traps for the Castle, 4, £0 6s 1d Iron shovels for Ladder Hill, 4, £0 18s 2d Pickaxes for Ladder Hill, 4, £0 14s 0d Iron crowbar for Ladder Hill, 1, £0 10s 2½d Maul for Ladder Hill, 1, £0 10s 5½d Small frying pan for the bakehouse, 1, £0 1s 11¼d Hair sieve for the bakehouse, 1, £0 4s 8½d Chest lock for the storeroom, 1, £0 3s 1d Hand hatchet for the carpenters' shop, 1, £0 1s 9d Ironmongery, total, £10 3s 3d Candles for the Castle, 232 lb Candles for the Council, 150 lb Candles for the chaplain, 30 lb Candles for the doctor's shop, 25 lb Candles, total, £50 1s 5d Coal, 100 bushels, £6 5s 0d Sugar candy for the gardener and the doctor's shop, 118 lb, £2 4s 3d Train oil for the Castle and the Council, 32½ gallons, £6 10s 8d Florence oil for the doctor's shop, 1 bottle, £0 2s 6d Oil, total, £6 13s 2d Soap for washing linen, 38 lb, £1 2s 2d Single deal for the coopers' shop, 1, £0 2s 0d Double deals for making boxes for the Castle, 6, £1 3s 11d Deals, total, £1 5s 11d Carried forward, £77 15s 2d Interpretations The Company paid for the lighting of the Castle, the Council's rooms and the chaplain's house, 437 lb of candles in a single quarter, as well as lamp oil for the Castle and the Council. These were the running costs of government, and on St Helena the Company bore them directly from its stores. The doctor's shop was the Company's dispensary. It drew sugar candy and olive oil for making up medicines, since both served as bases for syrups, ointments and cough mixtures. The tools for Ladder Hill, shovels, pickaxes, a crowbar and a maul for breaking rock, were for the road works that also accounted for the blasting powder in the artillery accounts. | |
178 | 20th January§ §Shirts 1 Pc. Irish Linnen Castle§ §Paint vizt.§ §Braziers ware 6½ Rolld. double Brass for Ewalds Castle§ §Cordage lb 43 for Ladd. Hill & Fishermen§ §Salt 5¾ Bush. for boil. Brine to fill up Provision Cask§ §Arrack 23½ Galls. for Sundrys Men empld. in y. Stores & Doct. Shop§ §Haberdashery 14 Sks. Silk for Castle & Fishermen§ §Twine 4 Skanes for the Stores§ §Hooks & Lines vizt.§ §Starch lb 15½ for Linnen§ §Nails vizt.§ §Lead lb 5 Shot for the Fishermen§ §Tea lb 6 Bohea for the Groom & Gard.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the Company's own use continued as follows. Brought forward, £77 15s 2d Irish linen for shirts for the Castle, 1 piece, £1 10s 8d Chalk for the Castle, 61 lb, £0 2s 6½d Whiting for the Castle, 6 lb, £0 0s 1½d Blue smalts for the linen, 3 lb, £0 5s 2¼d Indigo for the linen, 6 lb, £0 10s 4¾d Paint, total, £0 18s 3d Rolled Dutch brass for scales at the Castle, 6½ lb, £0 10s 10d Rope for Ladder Hill and [...], 43 lb, £0 13s 4d Salt for boiling brine to top up the provision casks, 5⅜ bushels, £0 16s 3d Arrack for the men working in the stores and the doctor's shop, 33¼ gallons, £4 19s 9d Silk for the Castle and the fishermen, 14 skeins, £0 7s 0d Twine for the storehouse, 4 skeins, £0 2s 5d Fish hooks for the fishermen, size 7, 150 Fish hooks for the fishermen, size 15, 125 Fish hooks for the fishermen, total, £0 9s 10d Fishing lines for Ladder Hill and elsewhere, size 2, 24 Fishing lines for Ladder Hill and elsewhere, size 3, 42 Fishing lines for Ladder Hill and elsewhere, size 4, 12 Fishing lines, total, £1 6s 11d Hooks and lines, total, £1 16s 9d Starch for the linen, 15½ lb, £0 9s 1d Threepenny nails for making cases for the Castle, 3 lb Sixpenny nails for making cases for the Castle, 2 lb Tenpenny nails for making cases for the Castle, 2 lb Copper rivets for the coopers, 18 Nails and rivets, total, £0 14s 1d Lead shot for the fishermen, 6 lb, £0 1s 11d Bohea tea for the Governor and [...], 6 lb, £0 4s 3d Carried forward, £91 0s 9d Interpretations The Company employed its own fishermen and supplied their hooks, lines, lead weights and silk. Fish from them helped feed the Company's slaves and garrison and eased the demand on salt meat. Salt was also issued to boil up fresh brine. Casks of salt beef and pork lost their pickle through leaks and evaporation in store, and the meat spoiled if it was left uncovered. The coopers opened the casks and topped them up with new brine to keep the meat sound until it was issued. The smalts, indigo and starch were for the Castle's laundry. A little blue in the rinsing water hid the yellowing of white linen, and starch stiffened collars, cuffs and table linen. The arrack issued to the men working in the stores and the doctor's shop was a drink allowance for labour, a common perquisite in the Company's service. On St Helena it came in arrack rather than beer or rum because arrack arrived cheaply from the East. | |
179 | 1772§ §China-ware vizt.§ §Blankets 4 for the Castle§ §Rozin lb 3 for bronzing Castle Furniture§ §Tin ware vizt.§ §Corks 1 Gross for the Castle§ §Iron Pots 1 Wt. lb 11 Do.§ §Turners ware 10 Lab. Baskets for Lad. Hill§ §Iron lb 38 Do.§ §Thread ½ White & Brown Castle§ §Canvas 3 Yds. English Do.§ §Glass ware vizt.§ §Chelloes 1 Piece Do.§ §Bunting 2 Yds. Blue Do.§ §£ 95 . 11 . 10§ §Repairs Dr. for the following Stores Issued from the 1st of§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the Company's own use concluded as follows. Brought forward, £91 0s 9d Salad dishes for the Castle, 6, £0 4s 6d Bowls for the Castle, 4, £0 3s 0d China, total, £0 7s 6d Blankets for the Castle, 4, £1 4s 4d Rosin for [...] the Castle furniture, 3 lb, £0 0s 7d Solder for the Castle, 8 lb, £0 7s 0d Sal ammoniac for the Castle, ½ lb, £0 1s 6d Tinware, total, £0 8s 6d Corks for the Castle, 1 gross, £0 2s 3d Iron pot for the Castle, 1, weighing 11 lb, £0 2s 1d Labourers' baskets for Ladder Hill, 10, £0 12s 4d Iron for Ladder Hill, 38 lb, £0 6s 4d White and brown thread for the Castle, ½ lb, £0 3s 4d English canvas for the Castle, 3 yards, £0 3s 4d Wine glasses for the Castle, 6, £0 2s 8d Beer glasses for the Castle, 6, £0 5s 8d Glassware, total, £0 8s 4d Chelloes for the Castle, 1 piece, £0 11s 0d Blue bunting for the Castle, 2 yards, £0 1s 2d Total charged to general expenses, £95 11s 10d The stores issued for repairs between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Blank keys for the Castle and Plantation House, 7, £0 4s 4½d Brass closet lock for Plantation House, 1, £0 5s 6¼d Plate iron for Plantation House, 14 lb, £0 6s 2½d HL hinges for Plantation House, 1 pair, £0 2s 11½d Ironmongery, total, £0 19s 1d Carried forward, £0 19s 1d Interpretations The Company kept its storekeeping accounts under separate heads according to the purpose of each issue. General charges covered goods used up in running the government, such as candles, china, linen and the tools for the roads. Repairs covered materials for keeping the Company's buildings in order, chiefly the Castle in Jamestown and Plantation House, the Governor's country residence in the interior. Keeping the two apart let the Court of Directors see how much went on upkeep as distinct from daily consumption. Blank keys were uncut keys that a locksmith filed to fit an existing lock. HL hinges took their name from their shape, a long upright leaf with a short arm, and were used on cupboard and room doors. | |
180 | 20th January§ §Paint vizt.§ §Nails vizt.§ §Glass ware vizt.§ §Lead lb 195 Sheet for the Mount Hope§ §Cordage lb 24 for Plant. House§ §Oil vizt.§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for repairs continued as follows. Brought forward, £0 19s 1d Whiting for the Castle and the Deputy Governor's house, 137 lb, £0 2s 8½d White lead ground in oil for the Castle and the Deputy Governor's house, 39 lb, £1 2s 1½d Red lead for the Castle and the Deputy Governor's house, 24 lb, £0 6s 0d Umber for the Castle and the Deputy Governor's house, 8 lb, £0 1s 4d Blacking for the Castle and the Deputy Governor's house, 3 papers, £0 1s 6d Copperas for the Castle and the Deputy Governor's house, 1 lb, £0 0s 11¼d [...] for the Castle and the Deputy Governor's house, 1 oz, £0 1s 5½d Paint, total, £1 16s 1d Fourpenny nails, 12 lb Sixpenny nails, 23 lb Tenpenny nails, 10 lb Twentypenny nails, 47 lb Fortypenny nails, 14 lb Spikes, 8 lb Flooring brads, 6 lb Nails for the Castle, the Deputy Governor's house and repairs to the cellar and the stores, total, £2 14s 5d Panes of glass for the Castle, 10 by 12 inches, 10, £0 10s 0d Pane of glass for the Castle, 10 by 16 inches, 1, £0 1s 2d Glassware, total, £0 11s 2d Sheet lead for [...], 195 lb, £2 0s 8d Rope for Plantation House, 24 lb, £0 8s 0d Linseed oil for the Castle and Plantation House, 7 gallons, £1 8s 4d Oil of turpentine for the Castle and Plantation House, ½ gallon, £0 2s 0d Oil, total, £1 10s 4d Plasterer's brush for the Castle and Plantation House, 1, £0 1s 0d Paint brushes for the Castle and Plantation House, 8, £0 3s 11d Brushes, total, £0 4s 11d Carried forward, £10 4s 8d | |
181 | 1772§ §Iron lb 66 for the Mount Hope§ §Deals vizt.§ §£ 27 . 18 . 11§ §Diet Expences Dr. for the following Stores§ §Flour lb 2196§ §Arrack 122 Galls.§ §Salt 3 Bushels§ §Coffee lb 25§ §Tea lb 10 Singlo§ §Oil 12 Bott. Florence§ §Rice lb 338§ §Pease ½ Bushel§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §Beef and Pork vizt.§ §£ 70 . 3 . 1§ | The stores issued for repairs concluded as follows. Brought forward, £10 4s 8d Iron for [...], 66 lb, £0 11s 0d Single deals for repairing a cellar in the stores, 115, £11 7s 7d Double deals for repairing a cellar in the stores, 8, £1 7s 4d Balks for repairing a cellar in the stores, 10, £4 8s 4d Timber, total, £17 3s 3d Total charged to repairs, £27 18s 11d The stores issued for diet between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Flour, 2,196 lb, £18 6s 0d Arrack, 122 gallons, £18 6s 0d Salt, 3 bushels, £0 8s 6d Coffee, 25 lb, £1 0s 10d Singlo tea, 10 lb, £0 14s 4d Florence oil, 12 bottles, £1 10s 0d Rice, 338 lb, £1 15s 4d Peas, ½ bushel, £0 4s 7d Sugar, 267 lb, £3 7s 11d Sugar candy, 399 lb, £7 19s 7d Sugar and sugar candy, total, £11 7s 6d Salt beef, 43 pieces, £9 3s 0d Salt pork, 82 pieces, £7 7s 0d Beef and pork, total, £16 10s 0d Total charged to diet, £70 3s 1d The heading Garrison begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations Diet was the cost of feeding the Company's public table and the households it maintained. The storekeeper charged it at cost, as it was the Company's own consumption. The steward's monthly accounts recorded what was actually served at the table. This account recorded the bulk stores the steward drew from the warehouse to supply it. Arrack and flour were the two largest items, together more than half of the whole charge. Balks were squared beams of imported timber, heavier than deals, used here as joists or supports in rebuilding the storehouse cellar. | |
182 | 20th January§ §Hats vizt.§ §Soldiers Cloaths vizt.§ §Shirts 4 Soldiers§ §Shoes 4 Pr. Mens Ordinary§ §Hosiers ware 61 Pr. Mens Ordy. Thd. Stockings§ §Pork 440 Ps. deficient ind. in serving the Garrison§ §Oil vizt.§ §Tea 142 Bohea for y. sev. Guards & Barracks§ §Candles lb 64 for Officers on Duty§ §Flour lb 8 given to Men when searching for Deserters§ §Nails vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued to the garrison between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Sergeants' hats, 4, £2 6s 0d Soldiers' hats, 44, £6 7s 5d Hats, total, £8 13s 5d Matrosses' coats, 9, and breeches, 13 pairs, £20 13s 4½d Soldier's coat and breeches, 1 set, £1 9s 4½d Gunner's coat and breeches, 1 set, £2 6s 2d Sergeant's coat and breeches, 1 set, £5 4s 6d Soldiers' clothing, total, £29 13s 5d Soldiers' shirts, 4, £0 18s 11d Men's ordinary shoes, 4 pairs, £0 18s 8d Men's ordinary thread stockings, 61 pairs, £6 0s 11d Pork found short in issuing to the garrison, 440 pieces, £67 7s 6d Train oil for the sea guards, the barracks and painting the sentry boxes, 135½ gallons, £30 5s 2d Linseed oil for the same, 1½ gallons, £0 5s 1d Oil of turpentine for the same, ⅛ gallon, £0 0s 7d Florence oil for the same, 1 bottle, £0 2s 6d Oil, total, £30 13s 4d Bohea tea for the sea guards and the barracks, 142 lb, £5 0s 7d Candles for officers on duty, 264 lb, £7 6s 8d Flour given to the men searching for deserters, 8 lb, £0 1s 4d Threepenny nails for cots and coffins, 9 lb Fourpenny nails for cots and coffins, 20 lb Sixpenny nails for cots and coffins, 6 lb Tenpenny nails for cots and coffins, 8 lb Fortypenny nails for cots and coffins, 6 lb Nails, total, £1 9s 6d Carried forward, £158 4s 3d Interpretations The largest charge to the garrison was a write-off rather than an issue. Some 440 pieces of pork, worth £67 7s 6d, were found missing when the casks were opened to serve out rations. Casks shipped from England often held fewer pieces than their labels claimed, or the meat had rotted on the voyage and been thrown away. The storekeeper could not charge the loss to any soldier, so the Company bore it as a garrison expense. The figure was large enough to show why the Council took care over the brine and the coopers' work. The flour given to men searching for deserters was the food for the parties sent after the soldiers who tried to escape in the longboat on 30 September 1771. The searchers spent time in the hills and valleys away from their messes and needed provisions. The sea guards were the small posts along the coast that watched the landing places. They received lamp oil and tea as part of their allowance. Cots were the simple wooden frames on which soldiers slept in the barracks. Charging nails for cots and coffins under one head shows that the same carpenters made both. | |
183 | 1772§ §Arrack 32½ Gs. given to Men when searching for deserters and Muster Drams§ §Rice lb 50 Given to Men when search. for Desert.§ §Deals vizt.§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §Paint vizt.§ §Lines vizt.§ §Tin ware vizt.§ §Blankets 1 for a Recruit§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued to the garrison continued as follows. Brought forward, £158 4s 3d Arrack for the men searching for deserters and for drams at muster, 32¼ gallons, £4 16s 9d Rice for the men searching for deserters, 50 lb, £0 5s 10d Single deals for cots, coffins and sentry boxes, 35, £3 9s 4d Double deals for cots, coffins and sentry boxes, 4, £0 13s 8d Deals, total, £4 3s 0d Birch broom for the sea guards, 1, £0 0s 5d Hair broom for the sea guards, 1, £0 2s 7d Paint brushes for painting the sentry boxes, 4, £0 2s 7d Brushes and brooms, total, £0 5s 7d White lead ground in oil for painting the sentry boxes, 14 lb, £0 5s 3d Blacking for painting the sentry boxes, 3 papers, £0 1s 6d Whiting for painting the sentry boxes, 6 lb, £0 0s 1½d Red lead for painting the sentry boxes, 1 lb, £0 0s 3d Umber for painting the sentry boxes, ½ lb, £0 0s 1½d Paint, total, £0 7s 3d Lines for hoisting tackle, size 2, 6, £0 1s 9d Lines for hoisting tackle, size 3, 6, £0 2s 2d Lines, total, £0 3s 11d Horn lanterns for the guards, 2, £0 7s 0d Solder for making lamps, 5 lb, £0 2s 7½d Grained tin for making lamps, ½ lb, £0 0s 9d Single sheets of tin for making lamps, 6, £0 2s 0¾d Tinware, total, £0 12s 5d Blanket for a recruit, 1, £0 6s 1d Carried forward, £169 5s 1d Interpretations The search for the deserters of 30 September 1771 left its mark on this account. Besides flour, the search parties drew 50 lb of rice and a share of more than 32 gallons of arrack. Spirits were a standard issue to men on hard or unusual duty, and the arrack also supplied the dram given to soldiers at muster. Lines for whips were ropes for small hoisting tackles, used to raise stores, guns and shot up the cliffs to the batteries. | |
184 | 20th January§ §Haberdashery vizt.§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Rozin lb 1 for Lamps§ §Iron Pots 1 Wt. lb 37 for an out Guard§ §Braziers ware lb 2 Rolld. dutch Brass for Lamps§ §Canvas 23 Yds. English for Cots§ §Twine 1 Skane Do.§ §£ 172 . 16 . 9§ §Blacks Dr. for the following Stores Issued from the§ §Rice lb 19494§ §Beef & Pork vizt.§ §Arrack 400½ Gallons§ §Oil 7½ Gs. Train§ §Sugar lb 512§ §Tea lb 235§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued to the garrison concluded as follows. Brought forward, £169 5s 1d Broad worsted lace for hats, 1 gross, £0 15s 6d Narrow worsted lace for hats and waistcoats, ½ gross, £0 3s 1d Haberdashery, total, £0 18s 7d Chest lock for the officers' guard room, 1, £0 3s 1d Iron screw for making lamps, 1, £0 0s 9d Spring rat trap for an outlying guard post, 1, £0 1s 6½d Blank keys for an outlying guard post, 2, £0 1s 3d Iron shovel for an outlying guard post, 1, £0 4s 6¾d Ironmongery, total, £0 11s 2d Rosin for lamps, 1 lb, £0 0s 2d Iron pot for an outlying guard post, 1, weighing 37 lb, £0 6s 11d Rolled Dutch brass for lamps, 2 lb, £0 3s 4d English canvas for cots, 23 yards, £1 10s 11d Twine for cots, 1 skein, £0 0s 7d Total charged to the garrison, £172 16s 9d The stores issued for the Company's slaves between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Rice, 19,494 lb, £102 5s 0d Salt beef, 1,127 pieces, £214 16s 8d Salt pork, 1,463 pieces, £224 0s 5d Beef and pork, total, £438 17s 1d Arrack, 400½ gallons, £60 2s 3d Train oil, 7½ gallons, £1 10s 2d Sugar, 312 lb, £7 7s 4d Tea, 235 lb, £8 6s 6d Carried forward, £618 10s 4d Interpretations The account headed the Company's slaves simply as "Blacks". Their rations cost far more than all the stores issued to the garrison in the same quarter. Besides the 64,740 yams from the plantation, the slaves drew almost 19,500 lb of rice and more than 2,500 pieces of salt beef and pork. They also received 400 gallons of arrack, with tea and sugar. The Company owned a large body of slaves who did much of its heavy labour on the roads, the fortifications, the plantation and the landing place. Feeding them on imported rice and salt meat was one of the largest regular costs of the island. The issue of arrack, tea and sugar shows that the Company gave its slaves the same kinds of allowance as its soldiers, perhaps to keep a hard-worked labour force fit and willing. | |
185 | 1772§ §Shoes vizt.§ §Pepper lb 6§ §Salt ½ Bushel§ §Tin ware 1 Horn Lanthorn§ §Long Cloth ½ Pc. B§ §Soap lb 38 for the Govr. & Lieut. Govr. Servants§ §Lines 12 No. 3 for Punish. Slaves§ §Cutlery ware 8 Butchers Knives§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §£ 647 . 13 . 7§ §Mallay Dr. for the following Stores Issued from the 1st§ §Rice lb 426§ §Beef 35 Ps.§ §Arrack 13 Gallons§ §Tea lb 10 Bohea§ §Soap lb 22§ §Flour lb 50§ §Coffee lb 5§ §Pepper lb 4§ §Starch lb 2§ §Salt ½ Bushel§ §Thread ½ Whit. Brown§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the Company's slaves concluded as follows. Brought forward, £618 10s 4d Men's ordinary shoes, 96 pairs, £22 8s 0d Women's calf leather shoes, 30 pairs, £3 17s 6d Shoes, total, £26 5s 6d Pepper, 6 lb, £0 3s 0d Salt, ⅝ bushel, £0 1s 10d Horn lantern, 1, £0 3s 6d Long cloth, number 8, ½ piece, £0 15s 0d Soap for the servants of the Governor and the Deputy Governor, 38 lb, £1 2s 2d Lines for punishing slaves, 12, £0 4s 1d Butchers' knives, 8, £0 4s 6d Padlock for the slaves' [...], 1, £0 1s 8½d Small frying pan, 1, £0 1s 11½d Ironmongery, total, £0 3s 8d Total charged for the slaves, £647 13s 7d The stores issued for the Malays between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Rice, 426 lb, £2 4s 7d Salt beef, 35 pieces, £6 14s 5d Arrack, 13 gallons, £1 19s 0d Bohea tea, 10 lb, £0 7s 1d Soap, 22 lb, £0 12s 10d Flour, 50 lb, £0 8s 4d Coffee, 5 lb, £0 4s 2d Pepper, 4 lb, £0 2s 0d Starch, 2 lb, £0 1s 2d Salt, ½ bushel, £0 1s 5d White and brown thread, ½ lb, £0 3s 4d Carried forward, £12 18s 4d Interpretations Twelve lines were issued for punishing slaves. These were cords used for flogging, and the storekeeper entered them as an ordinary item of supply beside shoes, pepper and a frying pan. Physical punishment of the Company's slaves was routine enough to need regular replacement of the cords, and it was paid for from the same budget as their food and clothing. The shoes tell another side of the same account. The Company issued 96 pairs of men's shoes and 30 pairs of women's shoes in the quarter, so its slaves did not go barefoot on the island's stony ground. The women's shoes show that a sizeable number of the Company's slaves were women. The Malays were kept on a separate account from the other slaves. The Company brought them from its settlements in the East Indies, and many were skilled workers or household servants. Their rations show their different standing. Besides rice and salt beef, they received flour, coffee, soap and starch, goods that rarely appeared in the general slaves' account. The starch and thread suggest that they kept their own clothes in a more careful way, which fits household or skilled service. | |
186 | 20th January§ §Cutlery ½ doz Gr. Handle Knives & Forks§ §Oil 2 Bott. Florence§ §Candles lb 22§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §Paint lb 2 Indico§ §Shoes vizt.§ §£ 19 . 3 . 7§ §Plantation Dr. for the following Stores Issued§ §Rice & Paddy vizt.§ §Oil vizt.§ §Cordage lb 51 for handling of Cattle§ §Cutlery ware 3 Shoe Knives for Hay makers§ §Beef & Pork vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the Malays concluded as follows. Brought forward, £12 18s 4d Green-handled knives and forks, ½ dozen, £0 14s 11d Florence oil, 2 bottles, £0 5s 0d Candles, [...] lb, £2 10s 5d Sugar, 112 lb, £1 12s 8d Sugar candy, 22 lb, £0 8s 3d Sugar and sugar candy, total, £2 0s 11d Indigo, 2 lb, £0 3s 6d Men's fine shoes, 1 pair, £0 5s 6d Men's pumps, 1 pair, £0 5s 0d Shoes, total, £0 10s 6d Total charged for the Malays, £19 3s 7d The stores issued for the Company's plantation between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Rice for the overseers, horses and poultry, 784 lb, £4 2s 3d Paddy for the overseers, horses and poultry, 5,762 lb, £13 6s 1d Rice and paddy, total, £17 8s 4d Train oil for the stables, 1 gallon, £0 4s 0d Linseed oil for the stables, ½ gallon, £0 1s 1d Oil, total, £0 5s 1d Rope for handling cattle, 51 lb, £0 17s 0d Short knives for the haymakers, 3, £0 1s 1d Salt beef for the steward, 16 pieces, £3 1s 0d Salt pork for the haymakers, 4 pieces, £0 12s 3d Beef and pork, total, £3 13s 3d Carried forward, £22 4s 9d Interpretations The Malays received knives and forks, fine shoes, pumps, olive oil and candles. These were the goods of household servants who waited at table and lived close to the Governor's family, far from the field labour of most of the Company's slaves. Their account makes plain that slavery on the island had grades, and that a slave's food, dress and comfort depended on the work the Company set him to. Paddy fed the plantation's horses and poultry, since rice still in its husk was cheaper than cleaned rice and made good fodder. The haymakers who cut the plantation's grass for winter feed received salt pork as an allowance for the work. | |
187 | 1772§ §Tar 1 Gallon for the Carts§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Paint 2 W. Lead dry for paint. Gates§ §Tin ware vizt.§ §Lines vizt.§ §Turners ware 6 B. Brooms for the Stables§ §Deals vizt.§ §Arrack 5½ Gs. for the Haymakers§ §Sugar lb 2 Do.§ §Serge 3 Yds. Green for Saddle Cloths§ §£ 30 . 4 . 3§ | The stores issued for the Company's plantation concluded as follows. Brought forward, £22 4s 9d Tar for the carts, 1 gallon, £0 0s 10d Scythe stones for clearing scrub, the plantations and the Company's gardens, 23, £0 5s 9d Spades for the same, 7, £1 6s 3d Scythes for the same, 3, £0 16s 3d Garden rake for the same, 1, £0 2s 4d Spring rat traps for the same, 6, £0 9s 1½d Mousetraps for the same, 4, £0 2s 5d Hand hatchet for the same, 1, £0 1s 8½d Spring locks for the same, 2, £0 1s 0d Bricklayers' trowels for the same, 2, £0 2s 5½d Pickaxe for the same, 1, £0 3s 6d Sheep shears for shearing the sheep, 2 pairs, £0 3s 6½d Ironmongery, total, £3 14s 7d White lead, dry, for painting gates, 2 lb, £0 0s 8d Watering pots for the gardens, 3, £0 10s 4½d Horn lantern for the gardens, 1, £0 3s 6½d Tinware, total, £0 13s 11d Lines for Longwood and the gardens, size 4, 3, £0 1s 1½d Lines for Longwood and the gardens, size 3, 7, £0 2s 4½d Hamburg line for Longwood and the gardens, 1, £0 1s 6d Lines, total, £0 5s 0d Birch brooms for the walks, 8, £0 2s 6d [...] for the carts, 1, £0 4s 3d Balks for the carts, 3, £1 6s 6d Timber, total, £1 10s 9d Arrack for the haymakers, 5½ gallons, £0 16s 6d Sugar for the haymakers, 2 lb, £0 0s 7d Green serge for table covers, 3 yards, £0 14s 2d Total charged to the plantation, £30 4s 3d The heading Hospital begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations The plantation account covered the Company's farms and gardens, chiefly the farm at Longwood on the high eastern plateau and the gardens that supplied the Castle and the ships with vegetables. The scythes, scythe stones and spades were for keeping down the scrub that spread over the pastures. The haymakers received arrack and sugar on top of their salt pork, a common allowance for hard seasonal field work. Haymaking fell in the southern summer, so the cutting recorded here in the last quarter of 1771 matched the island's seasons rather than England's. | |
188 | 20th January§ §Sugar lb 425§ §Flour 425§ §Rice 425§ §Salt 2 Bushels§ §Tea lb 16 Bohea§ §Oil 18½ Gs. Train§ §Nails vizt.§ §£ 16 . 19 . 3§ §Boats Dr. for the following Stores Issued from the 1st§ §Leather lb 34½ Sole for Bucket Gun.§ §Cordage lb 75 Do.§ §Arrack 13 Galls. for Men empld. in haul. up & Launch. Long Boats§ §Iron Pots 1 Wt. lb 20 Lg. Boat§ §Oars vizt.§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the hospital between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Sugar, 425 lb, £6 4s 0d Flour, 425 lb, £3 10s 10d Rice, 425 lb, £2 4s 7d Salt, 2 bushels, £0 5s 8d Bohea tea, 16 lb, £0 11s 4d Train oil, 18½ gallons, £3 13s 5d Fourpenny nails, 12 lb, £0 7s 6d Fortypenny nails, 3 lb, £0 1s 11d Nails, total, £0 9s 5d Total charged to the hospital, £16 19s 3d The stores issued for the boats between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Sole leather for the [...] gin, 34¾ lb, £2 2s 10d Rope for the same, 175 lb, £2 18s 4d Arrack for the men hauling up and launching the longboats, 13 gallons, £1 19s 0d Iron pot for a longboat, 1, weighing 20 lb, £0 3s 9d Large oars for the longboats, 6, £1 17s 1d Small oars for the yawls, 12, £2 5s 0d Oars, total, £4 2s 1d Scrapers for the longboats, 4, £0 7s 6d Padlock for the longboats, 1, £0 1s 3½d Blank key for the longboats, 1, £0 0s 7½d Hand hatchet for the longboats, 1, £0 1s 8¼d Ironmongery, total, £0 11s 6d Carried forward, £11 17s 6d Interpretations The Company's longboats carried water, stores and passengers between the ships in the road and the landing place at Jamestown. The swell on the island's coast made it unsafe to leave them afloat, so gangs of men hauled the boats up the shore and launched them again as they were needed. The arrack was the allowance for this heavy work. The padlock and key for the longboats belonged to the same security that governed the Line Gate. After the attempt to escape in a longboat on 30 September 1771, the boats were kept chained and locked when not in use. The hospital's issues were mostly sugar, flour and rice, lighter foods for the sick in place of the salt meat of the ordinary ration. | |
189 | 1772§ §Deals vizt.§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §Paint vizt.§ §Oil vizt.§ §Nails vizt.§ §Lead lb 12 Sheet for the Long Boats§ §Canvas 18 Yds. English Do.§ §Twine 14 Skanes Do.§ §£ 27 . 5 . 9§ | The stores issued for the boats concluded as follows. Brought forward, £11 17s 6d Elm boards for the longboats, 4, £0 16s 10d Double deals for the longboats, 8, £1 7s 4d Single deal for the longboats, 1, £0 2s 0d [...] for the longboats, 2, £0 8s 6d Timber, total, £2 14s 8d Birch brooms for the longboats, 4, £0 1s 8d Paint brushes for the longboats, 2, £0 1s 4d Brooms and brushes, total, £0 3s 0d Pitch for the boats in general, 1 barrel, £1 3s 11½d Tar for the boats in general, 1 barrel, £1 2s 6d Turpentine for the boats in general, 140 lb, £1 12s 1d Rosin for the boats in general, 142 lb, £1 6s 8½d Pitch and tar, total, £5 5s 3d Brimstone for the longboats, 60 lb, £0 10s 0d Blacking for the longboats, 5 papers, £0 2s 6d Paint, total, £0 12s 6d Train oil for the longboats, 10⅝ gallons, £2 2s 9d Linseed oil for the longboats, ¾ gallon, £0 3s 2d Oil, total, £2 5s 11d Threepenny nails for the boats in general, [...] lb, £0 5s 11¾d Fourpenny nails for the boats in general, 19 lb, £0 11s 10½d Sixpenny nails for the boats in general, 10 lb, £0 5s 7½d Tenpenny nails for the boats in general, 18 lb, £0 8s 3d Twentypenny nails for the boats in general, 4 lb, £0 1s 7d Fortypenny nails for the boats in general, 2 lb, £0 0s 9¾d Nails, total, £1 14s 1d Sheet lead for the longboats, 12 lb, £0 2s 6d English canvas for the longboats, 18 yards, £2 3s 1d Twine for the longboats, 14 skeins, £0 7s 3d Total charged to the boats, £27 5s 9d The heading Fortifications begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations The brimstone, rosin, pitch, tar, turpentine and train oil were the makings of the coating laid on boats' hulls below the waterline. Boatmen boiled them together into a hot mixture and brushed it on. It sealed the seams and kept off the shipworm and weed that grew fast in warm southern waters and ate into timber. The longboats were in constant use and hauled up and down a stony beach, so they needed coating and repair every few months. Sheet lead patched holes and covered worn edges, and the canvas served for sails and for covers to keep stores dry in the boats. | |
190 | 20th January§ §Canvas Ps. Yds. 20 . 6 for mak. Lime Bags§ §Twine 55 Skanes Do.§ §Oil vizt.§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Candles lb 4 for wax. Thread to make & mend Lime Bags§ §Paint vizt.§ §Lines vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the fortifications between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Canvas for making lime bags, 20 pieces and 6 yards, £43 8s 4d Twine for making lime bags, 55 skeins, £1 13s 3d Train oil for the men working at Sandy Bay Ridge, 1½ gallons, £0 5s 1d Linseed oil for painting the gun carriages, 8⅝ gallons, £1 13s 10d Oil of turpentine for painting the gun carriages, ½ gallon, £0 1s 1d Florence oil for the artillery, 8 bottles, £1 0s 0d Oil, total, £3 0s 0d Sail needles for making lime bags, 29, £0 0s 3d Padlock for the lime house, 1, £0 1s 8½d Cast garnet hinges for the artillery, 1 pair, £0 5s 4d Blank key for the artillery, 1, £0 0s 7½d Iron rim lock, 8-inch, bolted, for the Lemon Valley magazine, 1, £1 2s 5d Iron rim lock for the artillery, 1, £0 6s 3½d Plate iron for Banks's Battery, 12 lb, £0 5s 3½d Ironmongery, total, £2 1s 11d Candles for waxing thread to make and mend lime bags, 4 lb, £0 9s 2d White lead ground in oil for painting the gun carriages, 66 lb, £1 4s 9d Blacking for painting the gun carriages, 14 papers, £0 7s 0d Whiting for painting the gun carriages, 18 lb, £0 0s 5d Paint, total, £1 12s 2d Lines for the artillery, size 4, 12, £0 4s 6d Lines for the artillery, size 3, 6, £0 2s 1d Hamburg line for the artillery, 1, £0 1s 6d Lines, total, £0 8s 1d Carried forward, £52 12s 11d Interpretations Canvas for lime bags was the largest single charge to the fortifications, more than £43 in one quarter. Lime from the kilns went up to the batteries and the gully works in canvas bags carried by slaves and labourers along the island's steep paths. The bags wore out fast on that ground and had to be made and mended constantly. The candles were for waxing the thread, which made the stitching stronger and kept it from rotting in the damp. The figures show how much of the building work depended on carrying by hand, since carts could reach very few of the works. Garnet hinges were long strap hinges shaped like a letter T, used on heavy doors and gun-port shutters. The heavy bolted lock for the Lemon Valley magazine fits the alarm there on 2 October 1771 and the plot of 30 September. A magazine full of powder near a landing place needed a lock that could not easily be forced. | |
191 | 1772§ §Bunting vizt.§ §Thread lb 2 Coloured Do.§ §Iron lb 375 for Banks's Battery Lime House & Flag Staff§ §Iron Pots 1 Wt. lb 13 for the Quarry§ §Cordage lb 246 for raising Stone at Rupert's Bay & Artill. use§ §Arrack 3 Galls. for Men empl. in carry. Gun Carriages to Munden's Point§ §Deals vizt.§ §Nails vizt.§ §Cutlery ware 2 Shoe Knives Artill. use§ §Tin ware 1 Watering Pot Do.§ §Turners ware 1 Hair Broom Do.§ §£ 71 . 9 . 6§ §James's Valley Dr. for the following Stores Issued from§ §Oil vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the fortifications concluded as follows. Brought forward, £52 12s 11d Blue bunting for making flags, 3 pieces, £3 17s 0d White bunting for making flags, 3 pieces, £3 6s 0d Red bunting for making flags, 1 piece, £1 12s 1d Bunting, total, £8 15s 1d Coloured thread for making flags, 2 lb, £0 6s 2d Iron for Banks's Battery, the lime house and the flagstaff, 375 lb, £3 2s 6d Iron pot for the quarry, 1, weighing 13 lb, £0 2s 6d Rope for the crane and sheers at [...] Bay and for the artillery, 246 lb, £4 2s 0d Arrack for the men carrying gun carriages to Munden's Point, 3 gallons, £0 9s 0d Single deals for the gun platforms, 8, £0 15s 10d Balk for the gun platforms, ½, £0 4s 5d Timber, total, £1 0s 3d Sixpenny nails for Banks's Battery, 2 lb, £0 1s 1½d Fortypenny nails for Banks's Battery, 6 lb, £0 2s 3d Spikes for Banks's Battery, 16 lb, £0 5s 0d Dog nails for Banks's Battery, 6 lb, £0 3s 10½d Nails, total, £0 12s 3d Shoemakers' knives for the artillery, 2, £0 0s 9d Watering pot for the artillery, 1, £0 3s 6d Hair broom for the artillery, 1, £0 2s 7d Total charged to the fortifications, £71 9s 6d The stores issued for James's Valley between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Train oil, 1 gallon, £0 4s 0d Linseed oil, ½ gallon, £0 2s 1d Oil, total, £0 6s 1d Carried forward, £0 6s 1d Interpretations The bunting was for signal flags, seven whole pieces in blue, white and red. St Helena relied on a chain of signal posts on its heights to report ships approaching the island. Each post hoisted flags in agreed combinations to show the number, size and bearing of a ship, so the Governor at the Castle knew of an arrival long before it reached the road. The flags faded and tore in the island's strong trade wind and had to be renewed often. The sheers were a pair of spars lashed together at the top to form a simple lifting frame, used with the crane to hoist guns and heavy stores from the boats or up the cliffs. Gun carriages for Munden's Point had to be carried by hand over the rocks to the battery, and the arrack was the men's allowance for that labour. | |
192 | 20th January§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Deals 2 Spars§ §£ 3 . 17 . 5§ §Barracks Dr. for the following Stores Issued from the 1st§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Oil vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for James's Valley concluded as follows. Brought forward, £0 6s 1d Bricklayer's trowel, 1, £0 1s 4d Iron shovels, 12, £2 14s 6d Pickaxes, 2, £0 7s 0d Ironmongery, total, £3 2s 10d [...], 2, £0 8s 6d Total charged to James's Valley, £3 17s 5d The stores issued for the barracks between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Plasterers' brushes, 12, £0 12s 0d Paint brushes, 6, £0 3s 10½d Labourers' baskets, 12, £0 14s 9½d Brushes and baskets, total, £1 10s 8d Plasterer's sieve, 1, £0 4s 8½d Plasterers' trowels, 2, £0 3s 4d Blank keys, 2, £0 1s 3d Dovetail hinges, 2 pairs, £0 1s 3d Bricklayers' trowels, 10, £0 13s 6½d Pickaxes, 6, £1 1s 0d Ash axe handles, 12, £0 7s 0d Two-foot rules, 6, £0 6s 6d Ironmongery, total, £2 18s 7d Train oil, 1 gallon, £0 4s 7d Linseed oil, 2½ gallons, £0 10s 1½d Oil of turpentine, ½ gallon, £0 1s 1d Oil, total, £0 15s 3d Carried forward, £5 4s 6d Interpretations The barracks account matched the work that Captain Tippet described in his letter of 6 January 1772. His men pushed on with the officers' new barracks and repaired the old ones over the same quarter. Ten bricklayers' trowels, six two-foot rules and a dozen plasterers' brushes point to a sizeable gang of masons and plasterers at work at once. The pickaxes and labourers' baskets were for digging foundations and carrying away the spoil, which slaves and soldiers did by hand. | |
193 | 1772§ §Iron lb 405§ §Nails lb 9 4§ §Lead lb 20 Sheet§ §Canvas 12 Yds. English§ §Deals vizt.§ §Cordage lb 85§ §Paint vizt.§ §Lines vizt.§ §Tin ware 2 Watering Pots§ §Cart Wheels 7 Wheel Barrows§ §£ 32 . 13 . 9§ §Leeward Valleys Dr. for the following Stores Issued§ §Iron & Steel vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the barracks concluded as follows. Brought forward, £5 4s 6d Iron, 405 lb, £2 7s 6d Fourpenny nails, 9 lb, £0 5s 8d Sheet lead, 20 lb, £0 4s 2d English canvas, 12 yards, £0 13s 3d Double deals, 40, £6 16s 8d Single deals, 4, £0 7s 11d Elm boards, 2, £0 8s 5d [...], 33, £7 0s 3d Timber, total, £14 13s 3d Rope, 85 lb, £1 8s 4d Chalk, 6 lb, £0 0s 3d White lead ground in oil, 20 lb, £0 7s 6d Whiting, 18 lb, £0 0s 4½d Blacking, 2 papers, £0 1s 0½d Paint, total, £0 9s 2d Lines, size 4, 24, £0 9s 0d Lines, size 3, 12, £0 4s 1d Lines, total, £0 13s 1d Watering pots, 2, £0 6s 11d Wheelbarrows, 7, £5 7s 11d Total charged to the barracks, £32 13s 9d The stores issued for the Leeward valleys between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Iron, 253 lb, £2 7s 1d Steel, 87 lb, £1 7s 2d Iron and steel, total, £3 14s 3d Carried forward, £3 14s 3d | |
194 | 20th January§ §Iron Pots 1 Wt. lb 18§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Oil 1½ Gs. Train§ §Cordage lb 112§ §Turners ware 12 Lab. Baskets§ §Lines 6 No. 3§ §Tin ware 1 Watering Pot§ §Lead lb 6 Sheet§ §Deals vizt.§ §£ 12 . 8§ §Church Dr. for the following Stores Issued from§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Cordage lb 66§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the Leeward valleys concluded as follows. Brought forward, £3 14s 3d Iron pot, 1, weighing 18 lb, £0 3s 5d Hand hatchet, 1, £0 1s 8½d Mauls, 3, £1 11s 4½d Iron shovels, 4, £0 18s 2d Pickaxes, 2, £0 14s 0d Two-foot rules, 4, £0 4s 4d Wood axe, 1, £0 2s 10d Ironmongery, total, £3 12s 5d Train oil, 1½ gallons, £0 6s 1d Rope, 112 lb, £1 17s 4d Labourers' baskets, 12, £0 14s 9d Lines, size 3, 6, £0 2s 1d Watering pot, 1, £0 3s 6d Sheet lead, 6 lb, £0 1s 3d Single deals, 4, £0 7s 11d Balks, 2, £0 17s 8d Timber, total, £1 5s 7d Total charged to the Leeward valleys, £12 0s 8d The stores issued for the church between 1 October and 31 December 1771 were as follows. Stone saws, 18, £3 12s 0d Claw hammers, 4, £0 6s 4d Padlock, 1, £0 1s 8d Ironmongery, total, £4 0s 0d Rope, 66 lb, £1 2s 0d Carried forward, £5 2s 0d Interpretations The 18 stone saws show what preparing for the new church meant in practice. The masons were cutting building stone into blocks ahead of construction, as Captain Tippet reported on 6 January 1772. A stone saw was a long toothless iron blade, drawn back and forth with sand and water to grind through the rock. The number bought suggests a large gang at work on the stone at once, and that the Council meant the church to be built of dressed stone rather than rubble. | |
195 | 1772§ §Deals vizt.§ §Lead lb 6 Sheet§ §Nails vizt.§ §Paint 12 W. Lead mixed§ §Oil ½ Gs. Linseed§ §£ 7 . 11§ §St. Helena Errors Excepted§ | The stores issued for the church concluded as follows. Brought forward, £5 2s 0d Single deals, 5, £0 9s 11d [...], 2, £0 8s 6d Timber, total, £0 18s 5d Sheet lead, 6 lb, £0 1s 3d Fourpenny nails, 6 lb Sixpenny nails, 6 lb Tenpenny nails, 6 lb Dog nails, 6 lb Nails, total, £0 13s 9d White lead ground in oil, 12 lb, £0 4s 6d Linseed oil, ¼ gallon, £0 1s 0d Total charged to the church, £7 0s 11d James Pavell, the storekeeper, signed the account at St Helena on 31 December 1771, subject to any errors. The heading List begins at the foot of the page. | |
196 | 20th January§ §John Skottowe Esqr. Governor Salary§ §Dan. Corneille Esqr. Lieut. Governor§ §Matt. Purling Esqr. of Council§ §William Bearcroft Chaplain§ §Matthew Bazett Secretary§ §James Powell Storekeeper§ §William Wrangham Paymaster§ §Carried Over§ | The Company's officers and servants on St Helena, with their salaries, diet money and other allowances for the quarter ending 31 December 1771, were as follows. John Skottowe, Governor, salary, £150 0s 0d John Skottowe, allowance for servants, £31 14s 9d John Skottowe, total, £181 14s 9d Daniel Corneille, Deputy Governor, salary, £62 10s 0d Daniel Corneille, diet money, £25 0s 0d Daniel Corneille, total, £87 10s 0d Matthew Purling, member of Council, salary, £32 10s 0d Matthew Purling, as accountant, £17 10s 0d Matthew Purling, diet money, £15 0s 0d Matthew Purling, gratuity, £15 0s 0d Matthew Purling, total, £80 0s 0d William Bearcroft, chaplain, salary, £40 0s 0d William Bearcroft, diet money, £15 0s 0d William Bearcroft, total, £55 0s 0d Matthew Bazett, secretary, salary, £27 10s 0d Matthew Bazett, diet money, £15 0s 0d Matthew Bazett, house rent, £2 10s 0d Matthew Bazett, total, £45 0s 0d James Pavell, storekeeper, salary, £27 10s 0d James Pavell, diet money, £15 0s 0d James Pavell, house rent, £2 10s 0d James Pavell, total, £45 0s 0d William Wrangham, paymaster, salary, £27 10s 0d William Wrangham, diet money, £15 0s 0d William Wrangham, house rent, £2 10s 0d William Wrangham, as assistant to the Governor, £10 0s 0d William Wrangham, total, £55 0s 0d Carried forward, £549 4s 9d Interpretations Diet money was a cash allowance paid in place of meals at the Company's table. Every senior officer drew it except the Governor, who kept the table himself at the Company's expense and received an allowance for his servants instead. The Governor's salary of £600 a year was more than twice the Deputy Governor's. The small house-rent allowance went to officers with no quarters in the Castle, so they could rent a house in Jamestown. Officers on the island often held more than one post and drew pay for each. Purling was paid as a councillor and again as accountant, and he received a gratuity on top. Wrangham drew a further £10 a quarter as the Governor's assistant besides his pay as paymaster. With so few officers on St Helena, the Company filled its posts by piling duties on the same men. Extra pay for extra offices was how it kept them content in a posting far from any chance of promotion. | |
197 | 1772§ §James Tippet Engineer§ §Jonathan Doveton Factor§ §Britannicus Wright Factor§ §John Goodwin Factor§ §George Bazett Writer§ §James Desfountain Writer§ §William Webber Doveton Writer§ §Robert Barclay Surgeon§ §Carried Over§ | The list of the Company's officers and servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £549 4s 9d James Tippet, engineer, salary, £50 0s 0d James Tippet, house rent, £2 10s 0d James Tippet, total, £52 10s 0d Jonathan Doveton, factor, salary, £12 10s 0d Jonathan Doveton, diet money, £10 0s 0d Jonathan Doveton, house rent, £2 10s 0d Jonathan Doveton, as assistant storekeeper, £5 0s 0d Jonathan Doveton, total, £30 0s 0d Britannicus Wright, factor, salary, £12 10s 0d Britannicus Wright, diet money, £10 0s 0d Britannicus Wright, house rent, £2 10s 0d Britannicus Wright, as collector of customs, £12 10s 0d Britannicus Wright, total, £37 10s 0d John Goodwin, factor, salary, £12 10s 0d John Goodwin, diet money, £10 0s 0d John Goodwin, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Goodwin, total, £25 0s 0d George Bazett, writer, salary, £7 10s 0d George Bazett, diet money, £10 0s 0d George Bazett, house rent, £2 10s 0d George Bazett, as clerk of the works, £6 16s 10½d George Bazett, total, £26 16s 10½d James Desfontaine, writer, salary, £7 10s 0d James Desfontaine, diet money, £10 0s 0d James Desfontaine, house rent, £2 10s 0d James Desfontaine, total, £20 0s 0d William Webber Doveton, writer, salary, £7 10s 0d William Webber Doveton, diet money, £10 0s 0d William Webber Doveton, total, £17 10s 0d Robert Barclay, surgeon, salary, £19 15s 0d Robert Barclay, diet money, £10 0s 0d Robert Barclay, house rent, £2 10s 0d Robert Barclay, total, £32 5s 0d Carried forward, £790 16s 7½d Interpretations The civil servants were graded by the Company's standard ranks. A writer was the lowest grade of covenanted servant, a young clerk starting his career. A factor was the next grade up. The grades set the basic salary, and real income came from the extra posts attached to them, such as collector of customs or clerk of the works. A junior writer's diet money was worth more than his salary, so the allowance was the larger part of his living. A few families held much of the island's civil service. Matthew Bazett was secretary, George Bazett a writer and clerk of the works, and Lieutenant John Bazett an officer in the garrison. Jonathan Doveton and William Webber Doveton were both on the list, and the planter Isaac Doveton's son died on 7 December 1771. James Desfontaine, a writer here, was the man to whom Lieutenant John Bazett transferred his two leases on 2 December 1771. The same names recur across the Council's land grants, its salary list and its garrison. On an island this small, office, land and family were closely bound together. | |
198 | 20th January§ §John Prichard Surgeons Mate§ §John Congreve Judge Advocate§ §Thos. Bazett Superintendt. of the Works§ §Philip Mahoney Clerk of the Peace§ §Solomon F. Maurice Master at Arms§ §Saml. Alexander Overseers§ §John Worrall§ §John Robinson Carpenter§ §Willm. Gurnsey Do. Mate§ §Edward Daniells Mason§ §John Paxton Do. Mate§ §John Daniells Do. Apprentice§ §Joseph Guff the Cooper§ §Hugh Jones Superintendt. of the Blacks§ §James Carmichael Gardener§ §Robert Leech Steward§ §Jno. Mellis Patron of the Lg. Boats§ §John Price Marshall & Gaoler§ §Thos. Yates Clerk of the Church§ §Willm. Craft Groom§ §John Joyce Clock & Instrumt. Cleaner§ §To the Drum Major for instructing the Young Drummers§ §Carried Over§ | The list of the Company's officers and servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £790 16s 7½d John Prichard, surgeon's mate, salary, £13 15s 0d John Prichard, diet money, £10 0s 0d John Prichard, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Prichard, total, £26 5s 0d John Congreve, judge advocate, salary, £12 10s 0d John Congreve, as schoolmaster, £7 10s 0d John Congreve, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Congreve, total, £22 10s 0d Thomas Bazett, superintendent of the works, £25 0s 0d Philip Mahoney, clerk of the peace, salary, £27 7s 6d Philip Mahoney, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Philip Mahoney, house rent, £2 10s 0d Philip Mahoney, total, £36 14s 4½d Solomon T. Maurice, master at arms, £6 5s 0d Samuel Alexander, overseer, £7 10s 0d John Worrall, overseer, £15 0s 0d John Robinson, carpenter, £25 0s 0d William Gossip, carpenter's mate, £12 10s 0d Edward Daniells, mason, £30 0s 0d John Preston, mason's mate, £20 0s 0d John Daniells, mason's apprentice, £5 0s 0d Joseph Guffe, cooper, £15 0s 0d Hugh Jones, superintendent of the slaves, £10 0s 0d James Carmichael, gardener, £10 0s 0d Robert Leech, steward, £7 10s 0d John Millet, coxswain of the longboats, £7 10s 0d John Price, marshal and gaoler, £7 10s 0d Thomas Yates, parish clerk, £5 0s 0d William Crabb, groom, £2 0s 0d John Joyce, cleaner of clocks and instruments, £1 5s 0d The drum major, for teaching the young drummers, £1 0s 0d Carried forward, £1,089 6s 0d Interpretations The skilled tradesmen earned more than most of the Company's junior civil servants. Edward Daniells, the mason, received £30 a quarter, more than any factor or writer drew in salary and allowances together. John Robinson, the carpenter, received £25. Masons and carpenters were scarce on the island and essential to the fortifications, the barracks and the new church. The Company had to pay well to keep them, while it could fill its clerical posts with young men eager for a start in its service. Several posts show how the island was run. The superintendent of the slaves had charge of the Company's slave labour force, its rations and its discipline. The coxswain of the longboats, styled in the list as their "patron", commanded the boats' crews. Congreve served both as judge advocate, who prosecuted at courts martial, and as schoolmaster, a pairing that would have been unusual in England but made sense where educated men were few. The drum major received a small fee for training the boys who beat the drums that gave orders to the garrison. | |
199 | 1772§ §First Company vizt.§ §Danl. Corneille Captain§ §Solomon F. Maurice Lieut.§ §Charles Ross Stewart Lieut.§ §Willm. Caldwell Lieut. to 23 December§ §William Roberts Adjutant§ §Richard Powell Cadet§ §Serjeants vizt.§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the officers and men of the First Company. Brought forward, £1,089 6s 0d Daniel Corneille, captain, £59 6s 3d Solomon S. Maurice, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Solomon S. Maurice, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Solomon S. Maurice, total, £34 4s 4½d Charles Ross Stewart, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Charles Ross Stewart, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Charles Ross Stewart, as adjutant, £18 5s 0d Charles Ross Stewart, total, £52 9s 4½d William Caldwell, lieutenant, pay to 23 December 1771, £25 4s 0d William Caldwell, diet money to 23 December 1771, £6 6s 0d William Caldwell, house rent to 23 December 1771, £2 6s 0d William Caldwell, total, £33 16s 0d William Roberts, adjutant, £32 3s 1½d Richard Powell, cadet, £7 13s 4d Henry Howell, sergeant, £7 13s 4d John Allman, sergeant, £7 13s 4d George Seale, sergeant, £7 13s 4d Thomas Mears, sergeant, £7 13s 4d Thomas Pearce, sergeant, £7 13s 4d James Mannaton, sergeant, £7 13s 4d Sergeants, total, £46 0s 0d Abraham Jervis, corporal, £5 7s 4d Andrew Alexander, corporal, £5 7s 4d Timothy Walters, corporal, £5 7s 4d Thomas Rhodes, corporal, £5 7s 4d Christopher Smith, corporal, £5 7s 4d Corporals, total, £26 16s 8d Carried forward, £1,351 15s 1½d Interpretations Lieutenant William Caldwell's pay, diet money and house rent all stopped on 23 December 1771. That was the day the Council suspended him for a month for being drunk on guard. The paymaster carried out the sentence by cutting off his allowances from that date, which shows how a suspension took effect in practice as a loss of income. Sergeant George Seale was probably the brother to whom William Seale left his house and land in the will proved on 16 December 1771. A sergeant drew £7 13s 4d a quarter, little more than £30 a year. An inheritance of land would have given him a living after he left the service. Daniel Corneille drew pay as captain of the First Company on top of his salary and diet money as Deputy Governor, another case of one man holding several paid posts. | |
200 | 20th January§ §Drummers vizt.§ §Private vizt.§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the drummers and private soldiers of the First Company. Brought forward, £1,381 15s 1½d John Searle, drummer, £5 7s 4d Richard Platfoot, drummer, £5 7s 4d George Stell, drummer, £5 7s 4d Drummers, total, £16 2s 0d Richard Ashton, private, £3 16s 8d John Ashwood, private, £3 16s 8d Moses Biffin, private, £3 16s 8d John Bell, private, £3 16s 8d Timothy Bryan, private, £3 16s 8d Emanuel Bonner, private, £3 16s 8d William Bowen, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Brown, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Barwick, private, £3 16s 8d Mark Belle, private, £3 16s 8d Joseph Burcham, private, £3 16s 8d Stephen Barrett, private, £3 16s 8d Joseph Botesham, private, £3 16s 8d Patrick Conner, private, £3 16s 8d John Charlton, private, £3 16s 8d William Coffin, private, £3 16s 8d Anthony Clarke, private, £3 16s 8d Arundel Cairns, private, £3 16s 8d John Croucher, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Coleman, private, £3 16s 8d Ralph Channing, private, £3 16s 8d William Cuton, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Craigs, private, £3 16s 8d John Davis, private, £3 16s 8d John Dore, private, £3 16s 8d Privates carried forward, £95 16s 8d Carried forward, £1,397 17s 1½d Interpretations A private soldier earned £3 16s 8d a quarter, a little over £15 a year. His shoes, shirts, stockings and much of his food came from the Company's stores and were charged against that pay. The store accounts for the same quarter show 518 pairs of shoes and 112 shirts sold to the Company's servants, most of them to soldiers. Much of a private's wage therefore went back to the Company through its warehouse before he received any of it in cash. | |
201 | 1772§ §Private Brought Over§ §Private Carried Over§ §Carried Over§ | The list of private soldiers in the First Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,397 17s 1½d Privates brought forward, £95 16s 8d James Drake, private, £3 16s 8d Adam Evans, private, £3 16s 8d Henry Eanstear, private, £3 16s 8d John Ellis, private, £3 16s 8d William French, private, £3 16s 8d William Fisher, private, £3 16s 8d Robert Frost, private, £3 16s 8d William Greenwood, private, £3 16s 8d John Grainger, private, £3 16s 8d John Griffiths, private, £3 16s 8d John Houston, private, £3 16s 8d Philip Hayes, private, £3 16s 8d William Hardie, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hinching, private, £3 16s 8d Edward Hayles, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hancock, private, £3 16s 8d William Jones, private, £3 16s 8d John Johnson, private, £3 16s 8d John Jones, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Love, private, £3 16s 8d Patrick Lynch, private, £3 16s 8d Duncan McLaren, private, £3 16s 8d William Mumford, private, £3 16s 8d James Miller, private, £3 16s 8d William Mudge, private, £3 16s 8d William Page, private, £3 16s 8d Charles Potter, private, £3 16s 8d William Phillips, private, £3 16s 8d John Potts, private, £3 16s 8d William Robinson, private, £3 16s 8d Privates carried forward, £210 16s 8d Carried forward, £1,397 17s 1½d | |
202 | 20th January§ §Private Brought Over§ §329 . 13 . 4§ §Carried Over§ | The list of private soldiers in the First Company concluded as follows. Brought forward, £1,397 17s 1½d Privates brought forward, £210 16s 8d Richard Palmer, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Rogers, private, £3 16s 8d Anthony Reynolds, private, £3 16s 8d Stephen Redding, private, £3 16s 8d George Roe, private, £3 16s 8d John Robinson, private, £3 16s 8d William Saxby, private, £3 16s 8d John Stewart, private, £3 16s 8d Joseph Stacy, private, £3 16s 8d James Snell, private, £3 16s 8d Gregory Southernwood, private, £3 16s 8d [...] Sorbet, private, £3 16s 8d John Santon, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Townsend, private, £3 16s 8d John Thistlewood, private, £3 16s 8d William Thomas, private, £3 16s 8d John Taylor, private, £3 16s 8d Joseph Valentine, private, £3 16s 8d Benjamin Wise, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Windall, private, £3 16s 8d George Wall, private, £3 16s 8d Bartholomew Welch, private, £3 16s 8d John Walker, private, £3 16s 8d Henry Ward, private, £3 16s 8d John White, private, £3 16s 8d John Waterfield, private, £3 16s 8d Edward Wickenden, private, £3 16s 8d William Westbury, private, £3 16s 8d William Warner, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Wallington, private, £3 16s 8d Edward Taverner, private, £3 16s 8d Privates, total, £329 13s 4d Carried forward, £1,727 10s 5½d | |
203 | 1772§ §Second Company vizt.§ §Henry Bazett Captain§ §Thos. Lambert Lieut.§ §John Bazett Lieut.§ §Lauchlin Leslie Lieut.§ §Serjeants vizt.§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Drummers vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the officers and men of the Second Company. Brought forward, £1,727 10s 5½d Henry Bazett, captain, £59 6s 3d Thomas Lambert, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Thomas Lambert, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Thomas Lambert, house rent, £2 10s 0d Thomas Lambert, total, £36 14s 4½d John Bazett, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d John Bazett, diet money, £6 16s 10½d John Bazett, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Bazett, total, £36 14s 4½d Lauchlin Leslie, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Lauchlin Leslie, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Lauchlin Leslie, house rent, £2 10s 0d Lauchlin Leslie, total, £36 14s 4½d William Merrick, sergeant, £7 13s 4d Thomas Seale, sergeant, £7 13s 4d Joseph Whaley, sergeant, £7 13s 4d James Elgin, sergeant, £7 13s 4d William Wills, sergeant, £7 13s 4d Sergeants, total, £38 6s 8d Joseph McElroy, corporal, £5 7s 4d William Stones, corporal, £5 7s 4d Jacob Shearn, corporal, £5 7s 4d John Stone, corporal, £5 7s 4d Samuel Warren, corporal, promoted during the quarter, £4 18s 0d Robert Greening, corporal, reduced during the quarter, £4 6s 0d Corporals, total, £30 13s 4d Benjamin Seale, drummer, £5 7s 4d John Ryall, drummer, £5 7s 4d Drummers, total, £10 14s 8d Carried forward, £1,976 14s 6½d Interpretations Pay followed rank day by day. Samuel Warren was promoted to corporal during the quarter and Robert Greening was reduced from it, so each received corporal's pay only for the days he held the rank. The rest of each man's quarter was paid at the private's rate under another entry. Reduction to the ranks was a common punishment for non-commissioned officers, and the paymaster's figures carried it out exactly. The Bazett family appeared again. Henry Bazett commanded the Second Company, and Lieutenant John Bazett served under him. Together with Matthew Bazett the secretary, George Bazett the writer and Thomas Bazett the superintendent of the works, the family held five paid posts in the island's government and garrison. | |
204 | 20th January§ §Private vizt.§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the private soldiers of the Second Company. Brought forward, £1,976 14s 6d Samuel Steel, private, paid by the day to his death, £2 17s 6d Stephen Peer, private, paid for 73 days to his death, £3 2s 6d Thomas Alsworth, private, £3 16s 8d Timothy Atherton, private, £3 16s 8d William Brooks, private, £3 16s 8d Daniel Bye, private, £3 16s 8d Henry Batchelor, private, £3 16s 8d John Blevin, private, £3 16s 8d Charles Bruner, private, £3 16s 8d James Beard, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Brown, private, £3 16s 8d William Carter, private, £3 16s 8d John Cunningham, private, £3 16s 8d James Chillis, private, £3 16s 8d John Coffee, private, £3 16s 8d Loving Clamp, private, £3 16s 8d William Crannan, private, £3 16s 8d John Daily, private, £3 16s 8d William Daniels, private, £3 16s 8d Daniel Doe, private, £3 16s 8d Peter Ellam, private, £3 16s 8d David Evans, private, £3 16s 8d James Every, private, £3 16s 8d John Edwards, private, £3 16s 8d John Evans, private, £3 16s 8d John Forbes, private, £3 16s 8d William Fullwood, private, £3 16s 8d John Goodale, private, £3 16s 8d John Gray, private, £3 16s 8d Privates carried forward, £109 10s 0d Carried forward, £1,976 14s 6d Interpretations Samuel Steel and Stephen Peer were the two privates whose deaths the Council recorded on 9 and 14 December 1771. The paymaster paid each of them only for the days he lived. The money due went to their estates, to settle debts to the stores or to pass to their families. | |
205 | 1772§ §Private Brought Over§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried Over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Second Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,976 14s 6d Privates brought forward, £109 10s 0d Robert Green, private, £3 16s 8d Philip Gleason, private, £3 16s 8d David Grant, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Griffiths, private, £3 16s 8d William Harris, private, £3 16s 8d Samuel Hiller, private, £3 16s 8d John Holbrook, private, £3 16s 8d James Hudson, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hayler, private, £3 16s 8d John Ham, private, £3 16s 8d Augustine Hitchcock, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hart, private, £3 16s 8d Robert Hardie, private, £3 16s 8d John Haynge, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Harrison, private, £3 16s 8d Charles Holloway, private, £3 16s 8d George Hatch, private, £3 16s 8d Edward Hughes, private, £3 16s 8d Samuel Instone, private, £3 16s 8d William Johnson, private, £3 16s 8d John James, private, £3 16s 8d John Jacobs, private, £3 16s 8d John Jones, private, £3 16s 8d Jasper Jesseman, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Jerrams, private, £3 16s 8d Samuel Kitson, private, £3 16s 8d John King, private, £3 16s 8d William Kingcott, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Little, private, £3 16s 8d John Lockart, private, £3 16s 8d Privates carried forward, £224 10s 0d Carried forward, £1,976 14s 6d | |
206 | 20th January§ §Private Brought Over§ §335 . 13 . 4§ §Carried over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Second Company concluded as follows. Brought forward, £1,976 14s 6d Privates brought forward, £224 10s 0d Thomas Lee, private, £3 16s 8d John Morris, private, £3 16s 8d John McCullen, private, £3 16s 8d William McBeath, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Morgan, private, £3 16s 8d Francis Mears, private, £3 16s 8d Peter Mahan, private, £3 16s 8d Joseph Miller, private, £3 16s 8d Pierce Oborne, private, £3 16s 8d John Pury, private, £3 16s 8d Jacob Peters, private, £3 16s 8d Samuel Parker, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Palmer, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Penson, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Page, private, £3 16s 8d John Pratt, private, £3 16s 8d William Peddow, private, £3 16s 8d John Rebeyle, private, £3 16s 8d John Christian Stoffe, private, £3 16s 8d Frederick Schaffer, private, £3 16s 8d Henry Kirkham, private, £3 16s 8d John Robinson, private, £3 16s 8d John Salisbury, private, £3 16s 8d Mark Trueman, private, £3 16s 8d Benjamin Thomas, private, £3 16s 8d John Vaughan, private, £3 16s 8d Francis Smith, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Wick, private, £3 16s 8d William Weldon, private, £3 16s 8d Privates, total, £335 13s 4d Carried forward, £2,312 7s 10d Interpretations Most of the privates had English, Scottish or Irish names, but John Christian Stoffe and Frederick Schaffer were probably German. The Company recruited for its garrisons wherever it could find men. Germans from the Rhineland and Hanover often enlisted in its service, as recruits from Britain alone were too few to fill the ranks overseas. | |
207 | 1772§ §Third Company vizt.§ §Richard Beale Captain§ §Thos. Bazett Lieut.§ §Thomas Statham Lieut.§ §Richd. Mason Lieut.§ §Serjeants vizt.§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Drummers vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the officers and men of the Third Company. Brought forward, £2,312 7s 10d Richard Beale, captain, £59 6s 3d Thomas Bazett, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Thomas Bazett, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Thomas Bazett, house rent, £2 10s 0d Thomas Bazett, total, £36 14s 4½d Thomas Statham, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Thomas Statham, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Thomas Statham, house rent, £2 10s 0d Thomas Statham, total, £36 14s 4½d Richard Mason, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Richard Mason, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Richard Mason, house rent, £2 10s 0d Richard Mason, total, £36 14s 4½d William Clifton, sergeant, £7 13s 4d James Goudy, sergeant, £12 5s 4d David Scott, sergeant, £7 13s 4d Thomas Hughes, sergeant, £7 13s 4d William Bell, sergeant, £7 13s 4d Thomas Blake, sergeant, £7 13s 4d Sergeants, total, £50 12s 0d George Short, corporal, £5 7s 4d Hatton Walker, corporal, £5 7s 4d David Patton, corporal, £5 7s 4d James York, corporal, £5 7s 4d John Merrill, corporal, £5 7s 4d Corporals, total, £26 16s 8d George Varney, drummer, £5 7s 4d John Marten, drummer, £5 7s 4d Drummers, total, £10 14s 8d Carried forward, £2,570 0s 6½d Interpretations Sergeant James Goudy received £12 5s 4d, more than half as much again as the other sergeants. The list gives no reason. He probably held an extra duty that carried its own allowance, such as sergeant major or clerk to the company. Thomas Bazett appeared here as a lieutenant of the Third Company, as well as superintendent of the works, which made him another officer drawing two sets of pay. | |
208 | 20th January§ §Private vizt.§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carrd. over§ | The list continued with the private soldiers of the Third Company. Brought forward, £2,570 0s 6½d James Anderson, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Ashford, private, £3 16s 8d John Aston, private, £3 16s 8d Jacob Bull, private, £3 16s 8d Frederick William Beard, private, £3 16s 8d John Blackhorn, private, £3 16s 8d James Brown, private, £3 16s 8d Robert Barff, private, £3 16s 8d Joseph Bristow, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Brown, private, £3 16s 8d William Bailey, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Bale, private, £3 16s 8d Joseph Barber, private, £3 16s 8d John Cole, private, £3 16s 8d Philip Cork, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Connell, private, £3 16s 8d Robert Cooke, private, £3 16s 8d Benjamin Courtney, private, £3 16s 8d George Chariott, private, £3 16s 8d James Curtis, private, £3 16s 8d Maurice Downey, private, £3 16s 8d Robert Downs, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Davy, private, £3 16s 8d Peter Dyke, private, £3 16s 8d William Edwards, private, £3 16s 8d Charles Edgill, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Elliott, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Fox, private, £3 16s 8d John Ferguson, private, £3 16s 8d Privates carried forward, £111 3s 4d Carried forward, £2,570 0s 6½d | |
209 | 1772§ §Private brought Over§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried Over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Third Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £2,570 0s 6½d Privates brought forward, £111 3s 4d Owen Griffiths, private, £3 16s 8d Charles Grierson, private, £3 16s 8d Felix Hyder, private, £3 16s 8d William Hepburn, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hillock, private, paid to his death on 19 October 1771, £0 15s 10d Joseph Holloway, private, £3 16s 8d Peter Higgins, private, £3 16s 8d Edward Hazell, private, £3 16s 8d John Hilliard, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hayes, private, £3 16s 8d Samuel Harsant, private, £3 16s 8d John House, private, £3 16s 8d James Hadley, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Hunter, private, £3 16s 8d William Hamilton, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Johnson, private, £3 16s 8d William Johnson, private, £3 16s 8d Samuel Johnson, private, £3 16s 8d Robert Johnson, private, paid to his death on 1 October 1771, £0 0s 10d John Johnson, private, £3 16s 8d John Jacks, private, £3 16s 8d William Jameson, private, £3 16s 8d Joseph Ince, private, £3 16s 8d James Kemp, private, £3 16s 8d Bryan Lynch, private, £3 16s 8d Edward Lambourn, private, £3 16s 8d George Littleton, private, £3 16s 8d John Lane, private, £3 16s 8d William Livingston, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Moyer, private, £3 16s 8d Privates carried forward, £219 6s 8d Carried forward, £2,570 0s 6½d Interpretations The two part payments show the private's daily rate. Robert Johnson died on the first day of the quarter and received 10d, a single day's pay. Thomas Hillock died on 19 October 1771 and received 19 days at the same rate. A private's pay was 10d a day, which over a quarter came to the £3 16s 8d paid to the rest of the company. William Livingston drew a full quarter's pay here. He died on 16 January 1772, after the quarter had closed. | |
210 | 20th January§ §Private Brought over§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carrd. over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Third Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £2,570 0s 6½d Privates brought forward, £219 6s 8d Thomas Morris, private, £3 16s 8d Abraham Major, private, £3 16s 8d Joseph Martin, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Matthews, private, £3 16s 8d William Medcalf, private, £3 16s 8d Charles Morris, private, £3 16s 8d Abraham Millar, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Nash, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Owen, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Perry, private, £3 16s 8d William Peebles, private, £3 16s 8d James Proctor, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Penny, private, £3 16s 8d William Powell, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Parker, private, £3 16s 8d Samuel Pickling, private, £3 16s 8d Arthur Shield, private, £3 16s 8d Adam Scott, private, £3 16s 8d John Sherland, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Slaughter, private, £3 16s 8d R. Spike, private, £3 16s 8d Stephen Seymour, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Smith, private, £3 16s 8d John Saunders, private, £3 16s 8d David Stein, private, £3 16s 8d John Thompson senior, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Taylor, private, £3 16s 8d George Towns, private, £3 16s 8d John Thompson junior, private, £3 16s 8d Jacob Thompson, private, £3 16s 8d Privates carried forward, £334 6s 8d Carried forward, £2,570 0s 6½d | |
211 | 1772§ §Private brought over§ §Fourth Company vizt.§ §John Howard Captain§ §Saml. Desfountain Lieut.§ §James Greentree Lieut.§ §Robert Gosling Lieut.§ §Serjeants vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Third Company concluded as follows. Brought forward, £2,570 0s 6½d Privates brought forward, £334 6s 8d Richard Vincent, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Ward, private, £3 16s 8d William Waller, private, £3 16s 8d Richard White, private, £3 16s 8d Francis Wainwright, private, £3 16s 8d William Smith, private, transferred to the Artillery Company on 2 October 1771, £0 1s 8d Privates, total, £353 11s 8d The list continued with the officers and sergeants of the Fourth Company. John Howard, captain, £59 6s 3d Samuel Desfontaine, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Samuel Desfontaine, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Samuel Desfontaine, house rent, £2 10s 0d Samuel Desfontaine, total, £36 14s 4½d James Greentree, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d James Greentree, diet money, £6 16s 10½d James Greentree, house rent, £2 10s 0d James Greentree, total, £36 14s 4½d Robert Gosling, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Robert Gosling, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Robert Gosling, house rent, £2 10s 0d Robert Gosling, total, £36 14s 4½d Thomas Deal, sergeant, £7 13s 4d John Terry, sergeant, £7 13s 4d Thomas Williams, sergeant, £7 13s 4d Thomas Kilock, sergeant, to 9 December 1771, when reduced to the ranks, £6 15s 0d George Ward, sergeant, £7 13s 4d Sergeants, total, £37 8s 4d Carried forward, £3,130 9s 11d Interpretations William Smith drew two days' pay as an infantry private before he moved to the Artillery Company on 2 October 1771. Transfers from the infantry to the artillery lay behind the quarrel between Corneille and Tippet over drafting men into the gunners. The pay list shows how each transfer moved a man's wage from one company's account to the other's from the day it took effect. Sergeant Thomas Kilock was "broke", reduced to the ranks, on 9 December 1771, and his sergeant's pay stopped that day. Sergeant Thomas Williams of this company was the sergeant of the main guard who gave evidence against Lieutenant Caldwell on 23 December 1771. | |
212 | 20th January§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Drummers vizt.§ §Private vizt.§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the corporals, drummers and private soldiers of the Fourth Company. Brought forward, £3,130 9s 11d Benjamin Garrard, corporal, advanced in rank from 9 December 1771, £5 18s 4d William Sharpe, corporal, £5 7s 4d George Smith, corporal, £5 7s 4d William Tucker, corporal, £5 7s 4d William Taylor, corporal, £5 7s 4d Corporals, total, £27 7s 8d James Moyse, drummer, £5 7s 4d John Harper, drummer, £5 7s 4d Drummers, total, £10 14s 8d John Allen, private, £3 16s 8d John Anderson, private, £3 16s 8d George Bennet, private, £3 16s 8d Joseph Blackwell, private, £3 16s 8d John Bowler, private, £3 16s 8d William Blackman, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Bailey, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Bickerstaff, private, £3 16s 8d William Caleb Baldwin, private, £3 16s 8d James Boyce, private, £3 16s 8d Jacob Bonze, private, £3 16s 8d Jonathan Butcher, private, £3 16s 8d John Bates, private, £3 16s 8d Robert Buckle, private, £3 16s 8d John Bird, private, £3 16s 8d Henry Bayfield, private, £3 16s 8d William Cooksey, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Close, private, £3 16s 8d Josiah Cummings, private, £3 16s 8d Privates carried forward, £72 16s 8d Carried forward, £3,168 12s 3d Interpretations Benjamin Garrard was advanced on 9 December 1771, the same day that Sergeant Thomas Kilock of this company was reduced to the ranks. Garrard probably took Kilock's place as sergeant, and his pay rose from that date. One man's demotion opened promotion for another, and the paymaster recorded both on the same day. | |
213 | 1772§ §Private Brought Over§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried Over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Fourth Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £3,168 12s 3d Privates brought forward, £72 16s 8d John Clemans, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Christian, private, £3 16s 8d John Crampton, private, £3 16s 8d Samuel Clare, private, £3 16s 8d John Collings, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Dawson, private, £3 16s 8d James Dennis, private, £3 16s 8d John Deane, private, £3 16s 8d John Eastman, private, £3 16s 8d Charles Field, private, £3 16s 8d Henry Friendly, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Ferris, private, £3 16s 8d William Faircliff, private, £3 16s 8d Francis Flynn, private, £3 16s 8d Edward Germain, private, £3 16s 8d George Green, private, £3 16s 8d John Gilmore, private, £3 16s 8d Robert Goodfellow, private, £3 16s 8d Frederick Gallion, private, £3 16s 8d William Golding, private, £3 16s 8d Edward Groves, private, £3 16s 8d Henry Harrenburg, private, £3 16s 8d Roger Haydon, private, £3 16s 8d Henry Hambleton, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Hilliard, private, £3 16s 8d William Hales, private, £3 16s 8d Christian Johnson, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Johnson, private, £3 16s 8d John Johnson, private, £3 16s 8d John Joyce, private, £3 16s 8d Privates carried forward, £187 16s 8d Carried forward, £3,168 12s 3d | |
214 | 20th January§ §Private brought over§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried Over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Fourth Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £3,168 12s 3d Privates brought forward, £187 16s 8d James Jordan, private, £3 16s 8d John Jones, private, £3 16s 8d George Jermain, private, £3 16s 8d Richard Kempton, private, £3 16s 8d Michael Keary, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Lyne, private, £3 16s 8d Charles Lewellen, private, £3 16s 8d Murdoch McCleod, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas McDearman, private, £3 16s 8d Robert May, private, £3 16s 8d William Morgan, private, £3 16s 8d John Moyes, private, £3 16s 8d John Marsh, private, £3 16s 8d John Newton, private, £3 16s 8d John Oswald, private, £3 16s 8d Daniel Patrick, private, £3 16s 8d William Parker, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Pritchard, private, £3 16s 8d John Pink, private, £3 16s 8d Stephen Price, private, £3 16s 8d William Powell, private, £3 16s 8d Michael Perkins, private, £3 16s 8d James Richardson, private, £3 16s 8d William Seaman, private, £3 16s 8d William Steadman, private, £3 16s 8d James Sea, private, £3 16s 8d Charles Smith, private, £3 16s 8d James Sheppard, private, £3 16s 8d John Stockdale, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Stephens, private, £3 16s 8d Privates carried forward, £302 16s 8d Carried forward, £3,168 12s 3d | |
215 | 1772§ §Private Brought over§ §Artillery Company vizt.§ §James Tippet Captain§ §Thos. Leech Lieut.§ §John Shirley Lieut.§ §Robert Gilson Lieut.§ §Carried Over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Fourth Company concluded as follows. Brought forward, £3,168 12s 3d Privates brought forward, £302 16s 8d John Turner, private, £3 16s 8d Stephen Vanderhorst, private, £3 16s 8d William Wait, private, £3 16s 8d Thomas Watts, private, £3 16s 8d James Wilson, private, £3 16s 8d Samuel Wilson, private, £3 16s 8d John Wood, private, £3 16s 8d Peter White, private, £3 16s 8d John West, private, £3 16s 8d John Windall, private, £3 16s 8d John Wilkinson, private, £3 16s 8d Robert Woody, private, £3 16s 8d James York, private, until promoted, £4 4s 0d Privates, total, £353 0s 8d The list continued with the officers of the Artillery Company. James Tippet, captain, £59 6s 3d Thomas Leech, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Thomas Leech, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Thomas Leech, house rent, £2 10s 0d Thomas Leech, total, £36 14s 4½d John Shatley, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d John Shatley, diet money, £6 16s 10½d John Shatley, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Shatley, total, £36 14s 4½d Robert Gilson, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Robert Gilson, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Robert Gilson, house rent, £2 10s 0d Robert Gilson, total, £36 14s 4½d Carried forward, £3,691 2s 3½d Interpretations James York drew private's pay in the Fourth Company until his promotion, and the rest of his quarter appeared as a corporal's pay in the Third Company. Promotion could move a man from one company to another wherever a vacancy fell. Lieutenant John Shatley was one of the two executors named in the will of Joseph Chamberlain, proved on 11 November 1771. Lieutenant Robert Gilson was the officer who walked down with Captain Beale to the main guard and gave evidence against Lieutenant Caldwell on 23 December 1771. | |
216 | 20th January§ §Serjeants vizt.§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Bombardiers vizt.§ §Gunners vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the non-commissioned officers and gunners of the Artillery Company. Brought forward, £3,691 2s 3½d John Whitchurch, sergeant, £9 4s 0d John Turner, sergeant, £9 4s 0d James Pafft, sergeant, £9 4s 0d Thomas Innes, sergeant, £9 4s 0d Sergeants, total, £36 16s 0d Sedgwick Wetherall, corporal, £6 18s 0d Benjamin Holmes, corporal, £6 18s 0d Samuel Cosgrove, corporal, £6 18s 0d James Waller, corporal, £6 18s 0d Corporals, total, £27 12s 0d William Crabb, bombardier, £6 18s 0d William Pink, bombardier, £6 18s 0d John Fox, bombardier, £6 18s 0d William Stapleford, bombardier, £6 18s 0d Bombardiers, total, £27 12s 0d John Smith, gunner, £6 2s 8d Thomas Yates, gunner, £6 2s 8d Philip Conway, gunner, £6 2s 8d William Rankin, gunner, £6 2s 8d John Towns, gunner, £6 2s 8d Charles Abraham, gunner, £6 2s 8d William Rowsing, gunner, £6 2s 8d James Graham, gunner, £6 2s 8d John Wright, gunner, £6 2s 8d Gunners, total, £55 4s 0d Carried forward, £3,838 6s 3½d Interpretations The artillery was paid much better than the infantry at every rank. An artillery sergeant drew £9 4s 0d a quarter against £7 13s 4d in the foot companies. A gunner drew £6 2s 8d, more than half as much again as an infantry private's £3 16s 8d. The difference explains why drafting men from the infantry into the artillery mattered so much to both sides in the quarrel between Corneille and Tippet. A transfer was a large rise in pay for the soldier, while each man drafted weakened an infantry company that Corneille commanded. A bombardier was an artillery rank between corporal and gunner, originally the man who handled mortars and their bombs. Thomas Yates the gunner and William Crabb the bombardier were probably the same men who appeared on the civil list as parish clerk and groom. Soldiers as well as officers took second paid posts on an island short of hands. | |
217 | 1772§ §Matrosses vizt.§ §Matrosses Carried over§ §Carried over§ | The list continued with the matrosses of the Artillery Company. Brought forward, £3,838 6s 3½d William Allen, matross, £4 12s 0d Thomas Allsworth, matross, £4 12s 0d John Anderson, matross, £4 12s 0d Benjamin Burton, matross, £4 12s 0d William Blevin, matross, £4 12s 0d Joseph Bowman, matross, £4 12s 0d Thomas Bowen, matross, £4 12s 0d John Cope, matross, £4 12s 0d Robert Cunningham, matross, £4 12s 0d Abel Charlton, matross, £4 12s 0d John Coleman, matross, £4 12s 0d Abel Craven, matross, £4 12s 0d John Corbett, matross, £4 12s 0d William Durham, matross, £4 12s 0d James Dunn, matross, £4 12s 0d James Dawson, matross, £4 12s 0d Dorse, matross, £4 12s 0d John Easton, matross, £4 12s 0d Patrick Etherington, matross, £4 12s 0d Joseph Fellows, matross, £4 12s 0d Thomas Farr, matross, £4 12s 0d Joseph Finlinson, matross, £4 12s 0d Christian Greenwald, matross, £4 12s 0d Thomas Gorrell, matross, £4 12s 0d Henry Grey, matross, paid for 87 days, £4 7s 0d James Gilmore, matross, £4 12s 0d Thomas Green, matross, £4 12s 0d James Griffiths, matross, £4 12s 0d Nicholas Godfrey, matross, £4 12s 0d Matrosses carried forward, £133 3s 0d Carried forward, £3,838 6s 3½d Interpretations A matross earned £4 12s 0d a quarter, exactly 1s a day over the 92 days from 1 October to 31 December. That was 2d a day more than an infantry private. Henry Grey was paid for 87 days, which takes his service to 26 December 1771, the day the minutes recorded the death of a matross named Gray. | |
218 | 20th January§ §Matrosses brought over§ §Matrosses Carried Over§ §Carried Over§ | The list of matrosses in the Artillery Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £3,838 6s 3½d Matrosses brought forward, £133 3s 0d Owen Howard, matross, £4 12s 0d Alexander Henderson, matross, £4 12s 0d Francis Harding, matross, £4 12s 0d Mullis Hopper, matross, £4 12s 0d William Harrison, matross, £4 12s 0d Maynard Hayes, matross, £4 12s 0d Robert Harmer, matross, £4 12s 0d William Hurst, matross, paid for 52 days, £2 12s 0d William Jenkins, matross, £4 12s 0d Matthew Kernan, matross, £4 12s 0d George Marshall, matross, £4 12s 0d John Moore, matross, £4 12s 0d Richard Morgan, matross, £4 12s 0d John Mann, matross, £4 12s 0d John Miller, matross, £4 12s 0d Enos Martin, matross, £4 12s 0d James Munnings, matross, £4 12s 0d Jonathan Mallet, matross, £4 12s 0d William Mackay, matross, £4 12s 0d Thomas Nimble, matross, £4 12s 0d Robert Nicholls, matross, £4 12s 0d William Phillips, matross, £4 12s 0d James Peacock, matross, £4 12s 0d John Parker, matross, £4 12s 0d Richard Pearce, matross, £4 12s 0d Thomas Price, matross, £4 12s 0d William Robinson, matross, £4 12s 0d Robert Riley, matross, £4 12s 0d Charles Russell, matross, £4 12s 0d Abraham Renew, matross, £4 12s 0d Andrew Shores, matross, £4 12s 0d Matrosses carried forward, £273 15s 0d Carried forward, £3,838 6s 3½d Interpretations William Hurst was paid for only 52 days, from about 10 November 1771. He was the soldier whom the Council allowed to re-enlist with a bounty of £10, and his pay as a matross began on his new engagement. His earlier service had ended, so the bounty and the fresh pay together amounted to a new contract with the Company. | |
219 | 1772§ §Matrosses brought over§ §Drummers vizt.§ §William Gossing Fifer§ §Pensioners vizt.§ §£ 4261 . 19 . 9½§ | The list of matrosses in the Artillery Company concluded as follows. Brought forward, £3,838 6s 3½d Matrosses brought forward, £273 15s 0d Godfrey Smith, matross, £4 12s 0d Stephen Swartzen, matross, £4 12s 0d William Shore, matross, £4 12s 0d George Street, matross, £4 12s 0d John Smith, matross, £4 12s 0d John Snell, matross, £4 12s 0d Thomas Sebrey, matross, £4 12s 0d Michael Scully, matross, £4 12s 0d William Smith senior, matross, £4 12s 0d William Saunders, matross, £4 12s 0d William Smith junior, matross, £4 12s 0d Richard Waterhouse, matross, £4 12s 0d John Wilson senior, matross, £4 12s 0d Samuel Wood, matross, £4 12s 0d John White, matross, £4 12s 0d William Whiston, matross, £4 12s 0d Edward Ware, matross, £4 12s 0d Thomas Wade, matross, £4 12s 0d Thomas Wilson junior, matross, £4 12s 0d John Wilkinson, matross, £4 12s 0d Matrosses, total, £365 15s 0d Joseph Brandon, drummer, £5 7s 4d Joseph Purdy, drummer, £5 7s 4d Drummers, total, £10 14s 8d William Gessing, fifer, £4 12s 0d Nathan Inshall, pensioner, £13 15s 11d Michael Frost, pensioner, £13 15s 11d Mary Peak, pensioner, £7 10s 0d Elizabeth Kennedy, pensioner, £7 10s 0d Pensioners, total, £42 11s 10d Grand total, £4,261 19s 9½d The heading Debtor begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations The Company's whole civil and military establishment on St Helena cost £4,261 19s 9½d for the quarter, about £17,000 a year. The four infantry companies and the Artillery Company took by far the largest share. Officials, tradesmen and pensioners together accounted for less than a quarter of it. Set beside the store accounts, the figures show that the island cost the Company far more than it ever earned from sales to its servants, planters and ships. St Helena was maintained as a fortified port of call for the India fleet, not as a source of profit. The pensioners were former servants of the Company, or the widows of servants, who received an allowance instead of being sent home. The two women each drew £7 10s 0d a quarter, half the rate paid to the two men. The Company kept them on the island's books because there was no parish poor relief to fall back on until the vestry's poor fund grew up later in the century. | |
220 | 20th January§ §1771 Decr. 31 To Cash from the Chest§ §Carried over§ | The paymaster's account opened with the money he received. William Wrangham, debtor 31 December 1771, cash drawn from the treasury chest, £5,037 10s 0½d Carried forward, £5,037 10s 0½d Interpretations The cash accounts for October and November 1771 showed nothing paid out of the treasury. The reason appears here. The paymaster drew the whole quarter's money from the chest in one sum on 31 December 1771. He then paid the salaries, wages and pensions from it. The £5,037 he took out was more than half of the coin counted in the treasury at the end of November, so the quarterly pay day was by far the largest single drain on the island's cash. | |
221 | 1772§ §1771 Octr. 20th By Cash paid Stephen Vanderhorst and John Euston§ §By Do. pd. Weston & Jack for taking two runaway Blacks§ §By Do. pd. for making Cushions for the Pinnace§ §By Do. pd. for making a Flag for the Fort & repairing§ §By Do. pd. for redeeming two of the Compys. Hogs out of pound§ §31 By Do. pd. for the following for the Honble. Compys. Table vizt.§ §By Do. pd. for two Curry Combs & Brushes§ §By Do. pd. Anthony for taking two Runaway Blacks§ §Novr. 30 By Do. pd. for 4 Pigs for the H. Compys. Table£ [...]§ §Carried Over§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out began as follows. Paymaster, creditor 20 October 1771, paid to Stephen Vanderhorst and John Easton for exposing the plan of Sergeant Moore and Paisley to seize the Company's longboat and escape in it, £4 0s 0d Paid to J. Weeden and Jack for catching two runaway slaves who had been gone more than a fortnight, at 25s each, £2 10s 0d Paid for making cushions for the pinnace, £0 9s 0d Paid for making a flag for the fort and for mending flags at various times, £1 15s 0d Paid for releasing two of the Company's hogs from the pound, £0 10s 0d 31 October 1771, paid for supplies for the Company's table: Eggs, 1 dozen and 9, £0 7s 2d Nutmegs, £0 9s 0d Turkey, 1, £0 5s 0d Pork, 25½ lb, £0 12s 9d Fowls, 10, £0 15s 0d Tin saucepans, 2, £0 3s 0d Pig, 1, £0 5s 0d Butter, 2 firkins, £6 6s 0d Supplies for the table, total, £9 2s 11d Paid for two curry combs and brushes, £0 5s 0d Paid to Anthony for catching two runaway slaves who had been gone more than a fortnight, £1 5s 0d 30 November 1771, paid for supplies for the Company's table: Pigs, 4, £4 0s 0d Beef, 296½ lb, £5 5s 3d Fowls, 2 dozen and 3, £2 8s 0d Pork, 31 lb, £0 15s 6d Eggs, 9 dozen and 3, £0 13s 9d Supplies for the table, total, £13 2s 6d Carried forward, £32 19s 5d Interpretations The first payment was a reward for informing on the longboat plot of 30 September 1771. Stephen Vanderhorst, a private of the Fourth Company, and John Easton, a matross, received £4 between them for revealing that Sergeant Moore and a man named Paisley meant to seize the Company's longboat and escape the island in it. The sum was about a quarter's pay for each man. Paying informers openly through the paymaster's account told the garrison that betraying a desertion plot would be rewarded, which made such plots harder to organise. The Company also paid a fixed bounty of 25s for each runaway slave caught after more than a fortnight at large. Slaves who escaped hid in the ravines and the wild interior, living on goats and stolen food. The reward gave soldiers, free blacks and other slaves a reason to hunt them down. The catchers in the account, Jack and Anthony, were known by first name only, which suggests that they were themselves slaves or free blacks earning the bounty. The scale of reward, more than six times a private's daily pay for a single capture, shows how seriously the Company treated the loss of its labour. | |
222 | 20th January§ §1771 Decr. 31 To Cash brought over§ §Carried Over§ | The receipts side of William Wrangham's account carried forward the same single entry. William Wrangham, debtor 31 December 1771, cash brought forward, £5,037 10s 0½d Carried forward, £5,037 10s 0½d | |
223 | 1772§ §Brought over§ §1771 Decr. 31 By Cash paid Robert Barclay for his trouble in supplying§ §By Do. pd. the Fife Major for teaching the Young Fifers§ §By Do. pd. the Clerk of Arraignments & Cryer of the Court of Justice§ §By Do. pd. Adam Evans for mending Sadlery§ §By Do. pd. Noguieda Pelelum & Hasspanger their§ §By Do. pd. Thos. Jordan for working in Long Wood§ §By Do. pd. for the following for the Honble. Compys. Table vizt.§ §By Cash pd. William Jenkins for baking 169 Batches§ §By Do. pd. James Gilmore for mak. two Flags for Ladder§ §By Do. pd. the Lieut. Govr. for Mutton§ §By Do. pd. Robert Barclay Surgeon for Provisions and§ §Carried Over§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out continued as follows. Brought forward, £32 19s 5d 31 December 1771, paid to Robert Barclay for supplying the sick in the hospital with fresh provisions over the year to this date, £8 0s 0d Paid to the fife major for teaching the young fifers, £2 6s 0d Paid to the clerk of arraignments and keeper of the court of justice, £0 12s 6d Paid to Adam Evans for mending saddlery, £0 10s 0d Paid to [...] and [...] for their allowance in place of salt provisions and for house rent, £6 11s 0d Paid to Thomas Jordan for working at Longwood, £3 13s 0d Paid for supplies for the Company's table: Fowls, 3 dozen and 2, £2 17s 0d Pigs, 5, £1 5s 0d Eggs, 12 dozen, £0 18s 0d Ducks, 8, £0 12s 0d Pork, 22½ lb, £0 11s 3d Tongue, 1, £0 2s 6d Beef, 226¾ lb, £4 12s 0d Lemons, 525, £0 16s 8d Oranges, 75, £0 4s 6d Supplies for the table, total, £11 18s 11d Paid to William Jenkins for baking 169 batches of bread for the garrison, £14 1s 8d Paid to James Gilmore for making two flags, for Ladder Hill and the Sugar Loaf, at 7s 6d each, £0 15s 0d Paid to the Deputy Governor for mutton, £3 0s 0d Paid to Robert Barclay, surgeon, for provisions and other necessaries supplied to the hospital over the year to this date, £33 18s 0d Carried forward, £118 5s 6d Interpretations The surgeon, Robert Barclay, supplied the hospital himself and was paid for it, almost £42 for the year, on top of his salary. He bought fresh meat, eggs and other comforts for the sick and charged them to the Company. The arrangement put the man who decided what the patients needed in charge of buying it, a common practice in the Company's service that gave its surgeons a useful second income. The Deputy Governor sold mutton to the Company, and the paymaster paid him £3 for it. Corneille also ran the Company's plantation and signed its stock accounts. A senior officer selling produce from his own land to the government he served was ordinary on St Helena, where officers were also planters. The flags for Ladder Hill and the Sugar Loaf were for the signal posts on those two heights above Jamestown. They passed on the signals of approaching ships to the Castle below. The 525 lemons for the table were probably grown on the island. Citrus grew well in the sheltered valleys, and the Company's gardens and the planters supplied the fruit to visiting ships as a guard against scurvy. | |
224 | 20th January§ §1771 Decr. 31st To Cash brought over§ §Carried over§ | The receipts side of William Wrangham's account again carried forward its single entry unchanged. William Wrangham, debtor 31 December 1771, cash brought forward, £5,037 10s 0½d Carried forward, £5,037 10s 0½d | |
225 | 1771§ §Brought over§ §1771 Decr. 31 By Cash paid for necessarys bought for the use of the Ship§ §By Do. pd. James Campbell an Invalid from India his§ §By Do. pd. John Price Gaoler for Punishmt. & Imprisonments§ §By Do. pd. Do. as Sexton for mak. Graves for 4 deceased§ §By Do. pd. for 20 Rafters & 1 Load Laths for the Blacks House§ §By Do. pd. for 24 Rafters & 8 Loads Laths & 2 Loads binders§ §By Do. pd. for 50 Sticks @ 6d. ea. for the Nursery in the Vine?§ §By Do. pd. for 16 Do. @ 7½d. Do. for Long Wood§ §By Do. pd. for 5 Loads Binders for Plantn. House§ §By Do. pd. for 50 Sticks @ 6d. ea. for the Barracks§ §By Do. pd. for the follow. Work at Ladder Hill new Road vizt.§ §By Do. pd. for the follow. Work at the Officers Barracks vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out continued as follows. Brought forward, £118 5s 6d 31 December 1771, paid for necessaries bought for the sick, £6 11s 5d Paid to James Campbell, an invalid from India, for his keep in the hospital for 127 days at 7d a day, £3 14s 1d Paid to John Price, gaoler, for punishments and imprisonments, £0 16s 3d Paid to John Price as sexton for digging graves for 4 dead soldiers at 2s 6d each, £0 10s 0d Paid for 20 rafters and 1 load of laths for the slaves' square, £1 2s 6d Paid for 24 rafters, 8 loads of laths and 2 loads of binders for Thompson's Valley, £2 9s 0d Paid for 50 poles at 6d each for the latrine on the Line, £1 5s 0d Paid for 16 poles at 7½d each for Longwood, £0 10s 0d Paid for 5 loads of binders for Plantation House, £0 12s 6d Paid for 50 poles at 6d each for the barracks, £1 5s 0d Paid for work on the new road at Ladder Hill: Stone blasters, 350½ days at 1s 6d, £26 5s 9d Smiths, 37 days at 1s 6d, £2 15s 6d Overseers, 76 days at 1s 6d, £5 14s 0d Masons, 331 days at 3s, £49 13s 0d Labourers, 892 days at 1s 6d, £66 18s 0d Ladder Hill road, total, £151 6s 3d Paid for work on the officers' barracks: Carpenters, 94½ days at 1s 6d, £7 1s 1½d Carpenters, 34 days at 1s 3d, £2 2s 6d Sawyers, 46 days at 1s 6d, £3 9s 0d Masons, 146½ days at 1s 6d, £11 0s 1½d Smiths, 23½ days at 1s 6d, £1 13s 3d Overseers, 89 days at 1s 6d, £6 13s 9d Labourers, 2,189½ days at 1s, £109 9s 6d Officers' barracks, total, £142 1s 0d Carried forward, £430 8s 6d Interpretations The Company paid the same trades at different daily rates on its two big works. On the Ladder Hill road masons earned 3s a day and labourers 1s 6d. At the officers' barracks masons earned 1s 6d and labourers 1s. The road was cut into a cliff face with gunpowder, and the stone blasters, masons and labourers there worked at real risk of falls and premature explosions. The higher rates were the price of getting men to do it. Most of these workers were soldiers earning extra money off duty, since a labourer's day on the road paid almost twice a private's daily wage. The barracks used more than twice as many labourers' days as the road, which shows the size of the building programme Tippet reported on 6 January 1772. John Price was paid by the job both as gaoler and as sexton, a fee for each punishment carried out and 2s 6d for each grave dug. James Campbell, an invalid soldier put ashore from India, was kept in the hospital at the Company's charge for 127 days. St Helena served the Company as a halfway house for sick men coming home, and their keep fell on the island's accounts. | |
226 | 20th January§ §1771 Decr. 31 To Cash brought over§ §Carried Over§ | On the receipts side of William Wrangham's account, the one entry passed forward unchanged to the next page. William Wrangham, debtor 31 December 1771, cash brought forward, £5,037 10s 0½d Carried forward, £5,037 10s 0½d | |
227 | 1771§ §Brought Over§ §1771 Decr. 31 By Cash paid for the following Work at Friars Valley vizt.§ §By Do. pd. for the following Work at Youngs Valley vizt.§ §By Do. pd. 21 Days Work in painting Gun Carriages§ §By Do. pd. 9 Do. Smiths at the Plantation House§ §By Do. pd. for the following Work at Breakneck Valley vizt.§ §By Do. pd. for the following Work at Ladd. Path vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out continued as follows. Brought forward, £430 8s 6d 31 December 1771, paid for work at Friar's Valley: Masons, 106½ days at 1s 6d, £7 19s 9d Stone blasters, 36 days at 1s 6d, £2 14s 0d Smiths, 7 days at 1s 6d, £0 10s 6d Overseers, 30 days at 1s 6d, £2 5s 0d Labourers, 1,331 days at 1s, £66 11s 0d Friar's Valley, total, £80 0s 3d Paid for work at Young's Valley: Stone blasters, 148 days at 1s 6d, £11 2s 0d Smiths, 15 days at 1s 6d, £1 2s 6d Labourers, 98½ days at 1s, £4 18s 6d Lime burners, 94 days at 1s 6d, £7 1s 0d Overseers, 90 days at 1s, £4 10s 0d Young's Valley, total, £28 14s 0d Paid for 21 days' work painting gun carriages, £1 11s 11d Paid for 9 days' work by smiths at Plantation House, £0 13s 6d Paid for work at Breakneck Valley: Smiths, 25 days at 1s 6d, £1 17s 6d Masons, 74¾ days at 1s 6d, £5 12s 1½d Overseers, 33½ days at 1s 6d, £2 10s 3d Stone blasters, 237¼ days at 1s 6d, £17 15s 10½d Labourers, 886 days at 1s, £44 6s 0d Breakneck Valley, total, £72 1s 9d Paid for work on the side path: Stone blasters, 6 days at 1s 6d, £0 9s 0d Labourers, 5 days at 1s, £0 5s 0d Smiths, 2 days at 1s 6d, £0 3s 0d Side path, total, £0 17s 0d Carried forward, £614 6s 11d Interpretations These were the gully works in Tippet's letter of 6 January 1772, and the wage bill shows what each involved. At Friar's Valley the work was mostly digging and carrying, with more than 1,300 labourers' days against a small amount of blasting. At Young's and Breakneck Valleys stone blasters took a far larger share, because the gullies there had to be cut back with powder to make them impassable. The smiths at every site sharpened and repaired the drills and tools blunted by the rock. Lime burners at Young's Valley worked the kilns for mortar on the spot, so the lime did not have to be carried up from Jamestown in the canvas bags charged to the fortifications. | |
228 | 20th January§ §1771 Decr. 31 To Cash brought Over§ §Carried Over§ | Wrangham's receipts again consisted of the single sum drawn from the chest, carried on to the following page. William Wrangham, debtor 31 December 1771, cash brought forward, £5,037 10s 0½d Carried forward, £5,037 10s 0½d | |
229 | 1772§ §Brought over§ §1771 Decr. 31 By Cash paid for the following Work at the new Church vizt.§ §By Do. pd. 37 days Lab. Work at Plant. House§ §By Do. pd. 73½ Do. Smiths Do. clean. Small Arms§ §By Do. pd. 18 Do. Painting at the Castle§ §By Do. pd. 16 Do. Labourers at Do.§ §By Do. pd. for the follow. Work in repair. the Long Boats vizt.§ §By Do. pd. for the following Work at the Lieut. Governors§ §By Do. pd. for the follow. Work in repair. a Cellar in y. Stores vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out continued as follows. Brought forward, £614 6s 11d 31 December 1771, paid for work on the new church: Stone blasters, 301 days at 1s 6d, £22 11s 6d Labourers, 79 days at 1s, £3 19s 0d Smiths, 1 day, £0 1s 6d Carpenters, 37½ days, £2 16s 3d Sawyers, 24 days, £1 16s 0d New church, total, £31 4s 3d Paid for 37 days of labourers' work at Plantation House, £1 17s 0d Paid for 73½ days of smiths' work cleaning small arms, £3 13s 7d Paid for 18 days of painting at the Castle, £1 7s 0d Paid for 16 days of labourers' work at the Castle, £0 16s 0d Paid for work repairing the longboats: Carpenters, 38½ days at 1s 6d, £2 17s 9d Sawyers, 8 days at 1s 6d, £0 12s 0d Smiths, 6½ days at 1s 6d, £0 9s 9d Labourers, 450½ days at 1s, £22 10s 6d Longboats, total, £26 10s 0d Paid for work on the Deputy Governor's new house at Longwood: Labourers, 13 days securing the [...], £0 13s 0d Carrying up 234 loads of stone at 6d each, £5 17s 0d Carrying up 221 bushels of lime, £2 10s 3d Carpenters, 18 days, £1 7s 6d Deputy Governor's house, total, £10 7s 9d Paid for work repairing a cellar in the stores: Carpenters, 12 days at 1s 6d, £0 18s 0d Sawyers, 6 days at 1s 6d, £0 9s 0d Carpenters, 10 days at 1s 3d, £0 12s 6d Labourers, 84¼ days at 1s, £4 4s 3d Masons, 5 days at 1s 6d, £0 7s 6d Cellar, total, £6 11s 3d Carried forward, £698 9s 9d Interpretations The Company was building a new house at Longwood for the Deputy Governor, Daniel Corneille, and paid for the labour from public funds. Stone and lime had to be carried up from below by the load. Longwood lay on the high windswept plateau in the east of the island, a long climb from the valleys. Corneille already ran the Company's plantation and its farm at Longwood, so the house put the officer in charge on the spot. It also gave him a residence of his own to match the Governor's at Plantation House. Stone blasting took most of the money spent on the church, more than 300 days at 1s 6d. The work matched the 18 stone saws issued in the same quarter. Stone was being quarried with powder and then sawn into blocks, so the church was to be a substantial building in cut stone. The 450 labourers' days on repairing the longboats were mostly for hauling the heavy boats up the beach and turning them over so the carpenters could reach the hulls. | |
230 | 20th January§ §1771 Decr. 31 To Cash brought over§ §Carried Over§ | Wrangham's receipts page once more showed only the cash drawn from the chest, carried forward unchanged. William Wrangham, debtor 31 December 1771, cash brought forward, £5,037 10s 0½d Carried forward, £5,037 10s 0½d | |
231 | 1772§ §Brought Over§ §1771 Decr. 31 By Cash paid for the following Work in repairing§ §By Do. pd. 30 days Lab. Work repair. the Shed on the Line§ §By Do. pd. 6 Do. Sailmakers in making Tents§ §By Do. pd. 18 Do. Lab. repair. Necessarys on the Line§ §By Do. pd. 32 Do. Do. at the Bridge§ §By Do. pd. 13 Do. Do. the Water Course§ §By Do. pd. 30 Do. Carpentrs. in making Sentry Boxes§ §By Do. pd. 16 Do. Sawyers in making Cotts§ §By Do. pd. the following discharged Men for enlisting to§ §Carried Over§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out continued as follows. Brought forward, £698 9s 9d 31 December 1771, paid for work repairing the portcullis at Banks's: Smiths, 21 days at 1s 6d, £1 11s 6d Masons, 4 days at 1s 6d, £0 6s 0d Painters, 2 days at 1s 6d, £0 3s 0d Carpenters, 35½ days at 1s 6d, £2 13s 3d Carpenters, 14 days at 1s 3d, £0 17s 6d Labourers, 49 days at 1s, £2 9s 0d Portcullis, total, £8 0s 3d Paid for 30 days of labourers' work repairing the shed on the Line, £1 10s 0d Paid for 6 days of sailmakers' work making tents, £0 9s 0d Paid for 18 days of labourers' work repairing the latrine on the Line, £0 18s 0d Paid for 32 days of labourers' work at the bridge, £1 12s 0d Paid for 13 days of labourers' work on the watercourse, £0 13s 0d Paid for 30 days of carpenters' work making sentry boxes, £2 5s 0d Paid for 16 days of sawyers' work making cots, £1 4s 0d Paid to discharged men for re-enlisting as soldiers in the Company's service for 5 more years under the Articles of War: John Forbes, from 21 October 1771, £10 0s 0d John Davis, from 22 October 1771, £10 0s 0d David Scott, from 11 December 1771, £10 0s 0d John Harper, from 16 December 1771, £10 0s 0d Re-enlistment bounties, total, £40 0s 0d Carried forward, £755 1s 0d Interpretations The Company paid a bounty of £10 to each soldier who signed on again for five years when his first term ran out. The sum was more than half a year's pay for a private. It was still far cheaper than recruiting a man in England, paying his passage out and waiting months for him to arrive untrained. Re-engaging men already on the island kept trained and seasoned soldiers in the garrison. The four men named, John Forbes and John Davis among the privates, David Scott among the sergeants and John Harper among the drummers, all appear on the quarter's pay list. William Hurst had received the same bounty earlier in the quarter. The engagement bound each man under the Articles of War, the military code that made desertion and disobedience punishable by court martial. | |
232 | 20th January§ §1771 Decemr. 31st To Cash brought over§ §£ 5037 . 10 . ½§ | The receipts side of William Wrangham's account closed on its single sum. William Wrangham, debtor 31 December 1771, cash brought forward, £5,037 10s 0½d Total, £5,037 10s 0½d | |
233 | 1772§ §Brought over§ §1771 Decr. 31 By Cash paid Willm. Hurst for Enlisting to serve the§ §By Do. pd. for an Express upon an Alarm§ §By Do. pd. the Constable his Account of Rats & Mice§ §By Do. pd. Edward Daniells Mason for House Rent§ §775 . 10 . 3§ §By Amount of the Pay Account§ §£ 5037 . 10 . ½§ §Island St. Helena§ §Counted and Examined the Honorable§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out concluded as follows. Brought forward, £755 1s 0d 31 December 1771, paid to William Hurst for re-enlisting as a soldier in the Company's service for 5 years under the Articles of War, from 10 November 1771, £10 0s 0d Paid for a messenger sent express on an alarm, £0 5s 0d Paid to the constable on his account for rats and mice destroyed, £5 4s 3d Paid to Edward Daniells, mason, for house rent, £5 0s 0d Total of payments, £775 10s 3d Total of the pay list, £4,261 19s 9½d Total, £5,037 10s 0½d William Wrangham signed the account as paymaster at St Helena on 31 December 1771, subject to any errors. The Board then counted and checked the Company's cash for December 1771. The account of that cash follows below. Interpretations The constable's account for rats and mice shows that the Company paid a bounty for every rodent killed. Rats had come ashore from ships long before and overran St Helena. They ate the planters' crops and the stores in the warehouses, and they spoiled grain, flour and rice faster than any other loss. A bill of more than £5 in a quarter, paid at a small sum a head, represents thousands of animals. The bounty turned the island's people into paid rat-catchers, and the constable kept the tally and collected the payment. William Hurst's bounty, dated from 10 November 1771, matches the 52 days of matross's pay he drew in the same quarter. | |
234 | 20th January§ §1771 Decr. 1st To Balance remaining§ §31 To James Powell received of him for Stores§ §To Plantation for Provision Sold§ §To Licences§ §To Customs recd. on 44½ Gs. Arrack§ §£ 12751 . 19 . 6½§ §Per Contra Cr.§ §1771 Decr. 31 By Sundry Accounts Advanced the Paymaster§ §By Balance remaining vizt.§ §£ 12751 . 19 . 6½§ §John Skottowe§ | The Company's cash account for December 1771 ran as follows. The receipts side showed the money held at the start of the month and the money paid in. 1 December 1771, balance in hand, £10,199 7s 8½d 31 December 1771, received from James Pavell for stores sold in the quarter to this date, £2,518 3s 1d Received from the plantation for provisions sold, £22 7s 7½d Received for licences, £11 10s 0d Received in customs duty on 44½ gallons of arrack, £0 11s 1½d Total, £12,751 19s 6½d The other side showed the money paid out and the balance in hand at the end of the month. 31 December 1771, advanced to the paymaster for salaries and other charges for the quarter to this date, £5,037 10s 0½d Balance in hand: In coin, £7,174 14s 6d In cash notes, £539 15s 0d Balance, total, £7,714 9s 6d Total, £12,751 19s 6½d John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the account. Interpretations The £2,518 3s 1d paid in by the storekeeper was exactly the sum of his sales to the Company's servants, £2,433 17s 3d, and to the planters at the higher rates. The goods supplied to the Company's own ships, worth £244 2s 3d, brought in no cash on the island. They were charged to the ships' accounts and settled in London. The general charges, diet, garrison, slaves and works were the Company's own consumption and appeared here only as a cost already paid for. The quarter's pay took more than £5,000 out of the chest in one day, and store sales returned about half of it at once. Much of what the soldiers and servants were paid came straight back through the warehouse for shoes, shirts, salt meat, arrack and other goods. The licences were fees from the keepers of Jamestown's punch houses and retail shops, who needed the Council's permission to trade. The customs duty on arrack was a small charge on spirits landed privately from passing ships, meant to protect the Company's own sales as much as to raise revenue. | |
235 | 27th January§ §We this day received the three following Petitions§ §To the Worshipful John Skottowe Esqr. Governor§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 27 January 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 1772. The minutes recorded two deaths. George Littleton, a private soldier, died on Saturday 25 January 1772. Mary Harper, a widow, died on Sunday 26 January 1772. The Board received three petitions that day. The first came from John Worrall and was dated 27 January 1772. He held on lease from the Company a parcel of land of 40¾ acres known as Francis Hill. He wished to sell it and asked the Governor and Council for permission. The Board agreed. Interpretations Worrall's parcel was exactly the same size as the 40¾ acres in the West Division that Simon Whaley asked leave to sell on 6 January 1772. Worrall had probably bought Whaley's lease three weeks earlier and was now selling it on. If so, the land changed hands twice in a month, each time with the Council's approval. Worrall was one of the Company's overseers, paid £15 a quarter, and dealing in leases offered him a second source of income. The Council's consent to each sale was a formality that recorded the transfer without enquiring into its purpose. | |
236 | 27th January§ §To the Worshipful John Skottowe Esqr. Governor§ | The second petition came from [...] Smith and was dated 27 January 1772. He held his house, and the ground it stood on, under a lease from the Company. He wished to sell the house and asked the Board for permission. The Board agreed. The third petition came from John Price and was also dated 27 January 1772. A small piece of ground lay next to his house in the valley, and he wanted it. He asked the Governor and Council to grant him a lease of it. The Board ordered the ground to be inspected first. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the order. Interpretations The Council granted every request that day to sell an existing lease, but it would not grant Price new land without first inspecting it. A transfer only changed the tenant of ground the Company had already let. A new grant gave away Company land in Jamestown, where space between the steep valley sides was scarce and might be needed for roads, drains, the watercourse or public buildings. Inspecting the ground let the Council check that the plot was free, how large it really was and whether letting it would harm any public purpose before it committed the land. | |
237 | 3d February§ §The Executors to the last Will and Testament of§ §In the Name of God Amen§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 3 February 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 27 January 1772. The minutes noted that His Majesty's ship Stagg had arrived the day before, last from the Cape. The executors of the late Mary Harper presented her will and asked for it to be proved. The Board proved it on the oaths of the witnesses. The will follows. Mary Harper, a widow of St Helena, made the will while she was ill but of sound mind. She left her house in the valley to her god-daughter Charlotte Price, to pass to Charlotte's heirs for ever. If Charlotte died before she came of age or married, the house was to be shared equally between John Legg and James Price. She also left Charlotte her slave woman named Peggy. She left £10 0s 0d to James Price, son of John Price, and £5 0s 0d to John Legg. The will continues on the next leaf. Interpretations Mary Harper left a slave woman to a girl who had not yet come of age, in the same clause as the house. On St Helena a slave passed by will like any other property, and a widow of modest means could own one. Peggy's future now depended on Charlotte Price's family. If Charlotte died young, the will said nothing about Peggy, and her fate would fall to whoever administered the estate. The bequests tie Mary Harper closely to the household of John Price, the gaoler and sexton. His son James and probably his daughter Charlotte were her heirs. On 27 January 1772, the day after her death, Price asked the Council for a lease of the small piece of ground next to his house. The timing suggests that he expected his family to inherit the neighbouring house and wanted to join the two properties. | |
238 | 3d February§ | The will of Mary Harper continued with further bequests. She left £5 0s 0d to Thomas Leech, son of Lieutenant Leech. She left £10 0s 0d to Sarah Pledger, daughter of Benjamin Pledger. The money was to be invested at interest, or otherwise used to Sarah's best advantage, until she came of age or married. Mary Harper directed that her father, Benjamin Pledger, should at no time have any control over the money or any say in how it was managed. She left £5 0s 0d each to Henry and James Easthope, and £5 0s 0d to Mary Payne, daughter of Thomas Payne. All the rest of her estate, apart from the house and the slave woman Peggy, was to be sold at public auction. Her executors were to pay her debts and funeral expenses from the proceeds and then pay the cash legacies when convenient. Any money left over was to be shared among the legatees in proportion to their bequests. She named John Robinson and John Price as her executors and cancelled any earlier wills. Mary Harper signed and sealed the will on 17 October 1771, in the presence of Philip Mahony and James Pritchard as witnesses. Interpretations The usual course was for a father to manage any money left to his young daughter until she came of age or married. Mary Harper expressly shut Benjamin Pledger out of Sarah's legacy and ordered that it be invested on the girl's behalf instead. The will gives no reason, but the wording leaves no doubt that she did not trust him with it. The clause put the money in the hands of her executors. They had to account for it, and the Council could call on them to do so, which gave Sarah some protection that a gift to her father would not have given. The sale by auction turned her goods into cash so that the legacies could be paid exactly. The house and Peggy were kept out of the sale because Mary Harper had already chosen who would have them. Philip Mahony, one of the witnesses, was the clerk of the peace, who drew up and witnessed many of the island's legal papers. | |
239 | 1772§ §At a Consultation held on Monday the 10th day of February 1772§ | On 3 February 1772 Matthew Purling asked to pay £1,600 into the Company's treasury. The Council took the money and gave him bills of exchange for it, drawn on the Court of Directors. The bills were payable to John Purling, or to his order, 90 days after they were presented in London. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the entry. The Council met at the Castle on Monday 10 February 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 1772. The minutes noted that His Majesty's ship Stagg sailed for England on Tuesday 4 February 1772. A ship passed the island at a great distance on Saturday 8 February 1772. Interpretations Purling sent home £1,600 in a single remittance, on top of the £600 he sent to John Purling in October 1771. His pay as councillor, accountant and the rest came to £80 a quarter. The £2,200 he remitted in four months was therefore far more than his salary could have saved. It must have come from his land, his trade with passing ships and the sale of his leases in December 1771. The bills of exchange let him move this private fortune to London safely, while the Company gained coin on the island to meet its own payments. As a member of the Council, Purling helped approve the issue of his own bills. The timing also mattered. The Stagg was a King's ship bound straight for England. The bills or their advice could go home with her, which made Purling's remittance safer and quicker than waiting for the next East Indiaman. | |
240 | 10th February§ §Artillery Stores Expended in January 1772 -§ §Powder for Sundry Services§ §Do. for Ladder Hill§ §Tallow for Boats, Carriages &c.§ §Lead Ball to Shoot Goats§ §Salt Petre for the Governor§ §Match§ §Handspikes§ §Sponge Staves§ §Birch Brooms§ §Nails to Nail Sponges§ §Paper§ §Vinegar for Mortars§ §Signed§ §Sundrys Expended at the Honble. Companys Table in§ §30 Bottles Madeira§ §19 Do. Port§ §13 Lisbon§ §6 Mountain§ §Carried Over§ | The Board examined and approved the accounts of artillery stores used and the steward's accounts for January 1772. The artillery stores used in January 1772 were as follows. Powder for various services, 325 lb 14 oz Powder for Ladder Hill, 60 lb 0 oz Tallow for the boats, gun carriages and other uses, 19 lb 2 oz Lead ball for shooting goats, 4 lb 3 oz Saltpetre for the Governor, 2 lb Slow match, 2 lb Handspikes, 7 Sponge staves, 2 Birch brooms, 2 Nails for tacking the sponges, 300 Paper, 3½ quires Vinegar for the mortars, ½ gallon James Tippet signed the account as captain of artillery. The supplies used at the Company's table in January 1772 began as follows. Madeira, 30 bottles, £5 0s 0d Port, 19 bottles, £1 1s 0d Lisbon wine, 13 bottles, £0 19s 6d Mountain wine, 6 bottles, £0 9s 0d Carried forward, £7 9s 6d Interpretations The saltpetre issued to the Governor from the artillery stores was not for gunpowder. Saltpetre was rubbed into meat with salt to cure it and keep its red colour, and the Governor's household used it for curing beef, pork and tongues. The gunners held the island's only stock because saltpetre was a main ingredient of powder. Slow match was cord soaked in saltpetre that burned slowly and steadily, used to fire the guns. The Madeira for the table was charged at 3s 4d a bottle again, as in October 1771, rather than the 2s a bottle entered in November and December. | |
241 | 1772§ §34 Bott. Beer§ §15 Gs. Arrack§ §75 lb Beef§ §240 Mutton§ §6 Fowls§ §6 Ducks§ §4½ lb Butter§ §68 lb Candy§ §488 lb Flour§ §1 Lamb§ §1 Pig§ §Bought for the Table§ §2 Turkeys§ §26 Fowls§ §9 Ducks§ §1 Goose§ §3 Pigs§ §215½ lb Beef§ §£ 32 . 5 . 5¾§ §The small piece of Ground John Price Petitioned for§ §We this day received the following Letter from Capt.§ | The supplies used at the Company's table in January 1772 concluded as follows. Brought forward, £7 9s 6d Beer, 27 bottles, £0 6s 9d Arrack, 15 gallons, £2 5s 0d Beef, 75 lb, £0 18s 9d Mutton, 240 lb, £5 0s 0d Fowls, 6, £0 9s 0d Ducks, 6, £0 9s 0d Butter, 4¾ lb, £0 4s 9d Sugar candy, 68 lb, £1 14s 0d Flour, 488 lb, £4 1s 4d Lamb, 1, £0 10s 0d Pig, 1, £0 5s 0d Bought in for the table: Turkeys, 2, £0 10s 0d Fowls, 26, £1 19s 0d Ducks, 9, £0 13s 6d Goose, 1, £0 5s 0d Pigs, 3, £0 15s 0d Beef, 215¾ lb, £4 9s 10¾d Total, £32 5s 5¾d The small piece of ground that John Price petitioned for on 27 January 1772 had now been inspected. It was found to cause no harm to the Company or to the neighbouring householders. The Council granted Price a lease of it at a rent of 10s a year. The Board also received a letter from Captain Tippet that day. The letter follows. Interpretations The inspection ordered on 27 January 1772 settled two questions before the Council let the ground. It checked that the Company had no use for the plot and that the neighbours would not lose access, light or drainage. Only once both were clear did the Board grant the lease. The rent of 10s a year was a token sum for a small town plot. The value to the Company lay in bringing the land under a lease and onto the rent roll, where its use could be controlled. | |
242 | 10th February§ §Mr. John Robinson this day§ | Captain James Tippet wrote to the Governor and Council on 10 February 1772. He had made a close inspection of the works at Munden's Point. The earth and other materials used to fill the merlons, the solid sections of parapet between the gun openings, were in danger of crumbling away. With the Council's permission, he meant to face the embrasures with stone, as had recently been done at Purling's Half Moon Battery. That would make the battery far more effective. The island's soil was so heavily laden with salt and nitre that it was almost impossible to find any mixture of earth that would last in the merlons. John Robinson then presented a petition to the Board. The petition follows. Interpretations The usual way to build a battery's parapet was with packed earth, which absorbed cannon shot and was cheap and quick to raise. Tippet proposed to give that up at Munden's Point and face the gun openings in stone, and his letter explains why. The soil of St Helena was so salty, from sea spray and from the island's volcanic rock, that rammed earth would not hold together. Salt crystals formed as the earth dried, and the faces crumbled in the wind and rain. Stone cost more in labour and blasting, which helps explain the stone blasters on the wage bills for the gully works. Tippet pointed to Purling's Half Moon Battery as proof that stone facing worked. A finished example on the island gave the Council a reason to approve the cost. | |
243 | 1772§ §A bad use having been made of the Reward giving§ §Island St. Helena§ | John Robinson petitioned the Governor and Council. He held land on both sides of the main ridge at Sandy Bay. He asked permission to cut a path through the ridge so that he could reach both of his pastures. The Board agreed. The Council had found that the reward for catching runaway slaves was being misused. It therefore ordered a public notice to be issued, dated 10 February 1772. The notice recalled that an earlier notice, published on 9 September 1768, had set a reward for catching runaway slaves. That order had been shamefully abused, and the new notice therefore announced... Interpretations The paymaster's account for the last quarter of 1771 shows how the reward worked in practice. J. Weeden and Jack received 25s for each of two runaways caught after more than a fortnight at large, and Anthony was paid for two more. A fixed bounty for any slave caught after a fortnight invited fraud. An owner or a slave could arrange for a slave to slip away, stay hidden just past the two weeks and then be "caught" by an accomplice who shared the reward. The Company paid out each time, while losing a fortnight's labour. The Council's complaint that the 1768 order had been "shamefully abused" shows that it had seen this happening often enough to change the rules. | |
244 | 10th February§ | The notice of 10 February 1772 went on to tell every inhabitant of the island that the Company and the parish would no longer pay any reward for catching runaway slaves. From then on, the owner of a runaway would have to pay whoever caught the slave, in whatever way the owner thought fit. Matthew Bazett signed the notice as Secretary on the Council's orders. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the minute. Interpretations The Council could have tightened the rules of the old reward, by lengthening the fortnight, lowering the bounty or demanding proof of where a slave had been taken. It chose instead to end the public reward altogether, and the minute gives the reason as the abuse of the old system. The change moved the cost from the Company and the parish to the slave's owner. An owner paying from his own pocket had every reason to check that a capture was genuine and would not reward a catcher he suspected of collusion. The notice also shows that the parish had shared the cost of the rewards with the Company. Recapturing runaways had been treated as a public charge on the whole island, not simply a private matter for the owner. | |
245 | 17th February§ §Having heard that several Cattle have been killed & privately§ §Island St. Helena 17th February 1772.§ §Counted and examined the Honble. Companys Cash for the§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 17 February 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 10 February 1772. Thomas Christian, a private soldier, died on Tuesday 11 February 1772. A ship flying French colours passed the island on Saturday 15 February 1772. The Council had heard that a number of cattle had been killed and sold privately on the island. This undermined the slaughtering list and the supply of beef to the shipping. To stop the practice, the Board ordered a public notice, dated 17 February 1772. The notice stated that several cattle had recently been slaughtered and sold to private buyers. This had done great harm to the supply of the Company's ships, which had been very poorly provisioned over the last two years. The returns for the present year showed that it would be impossible to give the ships proper fresh food. Planters were therefore strictly forbidden to kill cattle privately in future without first obtaining permission from the Governor and Council. Anyone who did so would be fined £2 for each beast. Every planter who held cattle intended for slaughter and had not yet declared them had to send an account to the Secretary's office. The beasts would be entered on the slaughtering list, and their owners would take their turn with the other planters in selling them, under the Company's orders and the regulations made for the purpose. Matthew Bazett signed the notice as Secretary on the Council's orders. The Board then counted and checked the Company's cash for January 1772. The account of that cash follows below. Interpretations The slaughtering list was a rota that fixed when each planter could kill and sell his cattle. Beef went to the Company's ships and the garrison in turn, at prices the Company set. A planter who killed a beast privately could sell the meat to townspeople or a ship's captain at a better price, but the Company then lost an animal it was counting on. The notice of 16 December 1771 had already required planters to declare their cattle for 1772. This new order added a fine of £2 a beast for any killing outside the list. The Council's frank admission that the ships had been badly supplied for two years shows why it cared so much. Fresh beef against scurvy was the main service St Helena gave the India fleet, and the Court of Directors judged the island on it. | |
246 | 17th February§ §1772 Jany. 1st To Balance remaining§ §£ 7714 . 9 . 6§ §Per Contra Cr.§ §1772 Jany. 31 By Balance Remaining vizt.§ §£ 7714 . 9 . 6§ §John Skottowe§ | The Company's cash account for January 1772 showed no movement during the month. 1 January 1772, balance in hand, £7,714 9s 6d Total, £7,714 9s 6d 31 January 1772, balance in hand: In coin, £7,174 14s 6d In cash notes, £539 15s 0d Total, £7,714 9s 6d John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the account. Interpretations Nothing was paid into or out of the treasury in January 1772. No ship called during the month, so no captain paid for supplies and no one bought bills of exchange to send money home. The quarterly pay had been drawn on 31 December 1771, and the next would not fall due until the end of March. The Stagg arrived on 2 February 1772, and Purling's payment of £1,600 for bills followed the next day. The empty month shows how far the island's cash depended on the movement of shipping and on the rhythm of the quarter days. | |
247 | 17th February§ §1772 Jany. 1st To Balance remaining§ §£ 7714 . 9 . 6§ §Per Contra Cr.§ §1772 Jany. 31 By Balance Remaining vizt.§ §£ 7714 . 9 . 6§ §John Skottowe§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 24 February 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 17 February 1772. The minutes recorded two deaths among the matrosses. John Miller died on Tuesday 18 February 1772, and William Saunders on Saturday 22 February 1772. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the minutes. The Council met at the Castle again on Monday 2 March 1772, with the same three members present. They read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 24 February 1772. Thomas Alsworth, a private soldier, died on Wednesday 26 February 1772. On Friday 28 February 1772, at a quarter past three in the afternoon, the boat of the British King came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship British King herself arrived from China on 29 February 1772. Mary, daughter of the planter Gabriel Harper, died on 2 March 1772. Interpretations The British King's boat landed at Banks's Battery the day before the ship anchored in the road. An East Indiaman sighting the island often sent a boat ahead to the nearest landing to announce her arrival and give her name. The boat came in to leeward of Jamestown, under the guns of the battery, where its crew could be checked before anyone went further. This protected the island against an enemy ship flying false colours, a real concern at a time when French ships were passing St Helena, as one had on 15 February 1772. | |
248 | 2d March§ §Invoice of Ship British King§ §China ware Blue & White 5 Boxes§ §No. 1 Dishes to Table Setts 1 size§ §Do. 2 Do.§ §Do. 3 Do.§ §Do. 4 Do.§ §Do. 5 Do.§ §Tureen Dishes 3§ §Tureens§ §Tops§ §2 Tureens§ §Tops§ §Plates§ §3 Baking Dishes§ §Tea Pots§ §Juglets & Basons§ §4 Bowls 2 Quarts§ §Do. 3 Pints§ §Do. 1 Quart§ §Do. 1½ Pint§ §Tea Pots§ §Chamber Pots§ §Sallad Dishes§ §Carried Over§ | The British King brought the following supplies to the island, listed in her invoice. Blue and white china, 5 boxes Box 1: Dishes for table services, size 1, 13 Dishes for table services, size 2, 13 Dishes for table services, size 3, 13 Dishes for table services, size 4, 13 Dishes for table services, size 5, 13 Tureen dishes, 5 Tureens, 2 Tureen lids, 2 Box 2: Tureens, 3 Tureen lids, 3 Plates, 260 Box 3: Baking dishes, 25 Teapots, 4 Goglets and basins, 15 Box 4: Bowls holding 2 quarts, 5 Bowls holding 3 pints, 5 Bowls holding 1 quart, 26 Bowls holding ½ pint, 14 Teapots, 2 Chamber pots, 11 Salad dishes, 20 Carried forward Interpretations The china was Chinese export porcelain, painted in cobalt blue on white at Jingdezhen and shipped from Canton. The Company's ships bought it in bulk and stowed it low in the hold, where its weight steadied the vessel and kept the lighter tea above the bilge water. At St Helena it stocked the Company's warehouse for sale to servants and planters, and replaced breakages at the Castle. A goglet was a long-necked earthenware or porcelain water bottle, a word and an object borrowed from India. Water left in a porous goglet stayed cool as it seeped and evaporated. The plain everyday items in the list, plates, bowls and chamber pots, show that on St Helena even the most ordinary crockery came from China rather than from English potteries. | |
249 | 1772§ §Chamber Pots§ §Breakfast Cups§ §Saucers§ §Tea Cups§ §Saucers§ §5 Boxes China ware Blue & White§ §Table Setts 1 2 3 4 5 / 1 1 1 1 1§ §Tureens§ §Bowls 2 Quarts§ §Do. 3 Pints§ §Do. 1 Quart§ §Do. 1½ Pints§ §Sneakers§ §Tea Pots§ §Breakfast Cups & Saucers§ §Tea Cups & Saucers§ §Baking Dishes§ §Sallad Do.§ §Juglets & Basons§ §Chamber Pots§ §77 . 5 . 2§ §Deduct 2 p Ct. for Breakage§ §75 . 9 . 7 . 0§ §Carried over§ | The invoice of the British King continued with the fifth box and the prices of the china, which were reckoned in Chinese silver currency. Box 5: Sneakers, 150 Chamber pot, 1 Breakfast cups, 100 Saucers, 100 Teacups, 50 Saucers, 50 Prices of the 5 boxes of blue and white china: Table services, sizes 1 to 5, 13 sets at 3 taels each, 39 taels Tureens, 5 at 1 tael each, 5 taels Bowls holding 2 quarts, 5 at 1 mace 5 candareens each, 7 mace 5 candareens Bowls holding 3 pints, 5 at 1 mace 2 candareens each, 6 mace Bowls holding 1 quart, 26 at 9 candareens each, 2 taels 3 mace 4 candareens Bowls holding ½ pint, 14 at 7 candareens each, 9 mace 8 candareens Sneakers, 150 at 3 candareens each, 4 taels 5 mace Teapots, 6 at 1 mace each, 6 mace Breakfast cups and saucers, 100 at 7 candareens 5 cash each, 7 taels 5 mace Teacups and saucers, 50 at 4 candareens 3 cash each, 2 taels 1 mace 5 candareens Baking dishes, 25 at 1 mace 6 candareens each, 4 taels Salad dishes, 20 at 1 mace each, 2 taels Goglets and basins, 15 at 3 mace each, 4 taels 5 mace Chamber pots, 12 at 3 mace each, 3 taels 6 mace Total, 77 taels 5 mace 2 candareens Less 2 per cent for breakage, 1 tael 5 mace 5 candareens Net total, 75 taels 9 mace 7 candareens Carried forward, 75 taels 9 mace 7 candareens Interpretations The china was priced as it had been bought at Canton, in taels, mace and candareens. The tael was a weight of silver used as money in the China trade, divided into 10 mace, each of 10 candareens. A tael was then worth roughly 6s 8d in sterling, so the whole consignment cost the Company about £25. The storekeeper would later convert the invoice into sterling and add the Company's mark-up when he sold the china on the island. The invoice deducted 2 per cent for breakage before the goods were taken into store. The Company expected some porcelain to arrive broken after a voyage of several months and allowed for it in advance rather than counting the pieces. Sneakers were small handleless cups, the kind used for drinking tea in the Chinese manner, and the cheapest item on the list at 3 candareens each. | |
250 | 2d March§ §11 half Chests of Bohea Tea§ §4 Chests of Singlo (Twankay)§ §1 Chest Congo Tea§ §1 Box of Hyson Tea§ §Tales 327 . 9 . 3§ §(signed)§ | The invoice of the British King continued with the tea she brought for the island. Brought forward, 75 taels 9 mace 7 candareens Bohea tea, 11 half chests, by chest number, tare and gross weight: Chest 1, tare 38 lb, gross 191 lb Chest 2, tare 40 lb, gross 196 lb Chest 3, tare 37 lb, gross 193 lb Chest 4, tare 38 lb, gross 183 lb Chest 5, tare 40 lb, gross 190 lb Chest 6, tare 38 lb, gross 192 lb Chest 7, tare 39 lb, gross 188 lb Chest 8, tare 38 lb, gross 172 lb Chest 9, tare 37 lb, gross 188 lb Chest 10, tare 39 lb, gross 197 lb Chest 11, tare 39 lb, gross 182 lb Bohea tea, total tare 423 lb, total gross 2,072 lb Bohea tea, net 1,649 lb, being 12 piculs 36 catties at 12 taels a picul, 148 taels 3 mace 2 candareens Singlo tea (Twankay), 4 chests: Chests 1 and 2, gross 197 lb Chests 3 and 4, gross 196 lb Singlo tea, total gross 393 lb, tare 78 lb Singlo tea, net 315 lb, being 2 piculs 36 catties at 22 taels a picul, 51 taels 9 mace 2 candareens Congou tea, 1 chest, number 1, gross 103 lb, tare 22 lb Congou tea, net 81 lb, being 60 catties at 25 taels a picul, 15 taels Hyson tea, 1 box in canisters, number 36, net 72 lb, being 54 catties at 60 taels a picul, 32 taels 4 mace Canisters for the Hyson tea, 120, 4 taels 3 mace 2 candareens Hyson tea and canisters, total, 36 taels 7 mace 2 candareens Total, 327 taels 9 mace 3 candareens The invoice was signed by Matthew Raper junior, John Bradley Blake, John Bradshaw, William Henry Pigou, John Walton, Thomas Bevan, William Harrison, Alexander Hume, Edward Phipps, Francis Wood junior and William Rous. Interpretations The signatories were the Company's supercargoes at Canton, the council of merchants who bought the season's tea and china there and shipped it home. Their signatures certified the invoice for the Company's accounts. Tea in China was sold by the picul, a load of about 133⅓ lb, divided into 100 catties of about 1⅓ lb each. The tare was the weight of the chest and its lining, deducted to give the net weight of tea on which the price was charged. The four teas show the range of quality the Company bought. Bohea was the cheap black tea of common use at 12 taels a picul. Singlo, also called Twankay after the district it came from, was an ordinary green tea at 22 taels. Congou was a better black tea at 25 taels. Hyson was the finest green tea at 60 taels a picul, five times the price of Bohea. Its small quantity, packed in canisters, was probably meant for the Governor's table and the island's wealthier households. | |
251 | 1772§ §Mr. Purling having met with an Accident§ §Having detected William Jenkins Baker of§ | On 2 March 1772 the Council granted John Price a lease of the piece of ground in James's Valley. The plot measured 40 feet along the front and 50 feet in depth, at a rent of 10s a year. Matthew Purling had sprained his ankle and was still lame. He could not go aboard the British King to muster her crew. The Council appointed William Wrangham to carry out that duty until further notice. The Council had found that William Jenkins, the baker, was cheating the Company's servants and the garrison over the weight of their bread. He put too much water into the dough and did not knead or bake it properly. The bread came out so bad that it was hardly fit to eat. By this means he had made a considerable profit for himself at the expense of the garrison and the servants. The Council dismissed him from the bakehouse. Bakers had often been guilty of such practices in the past. To prevent the same fraud in future, the Board judged it essential to appoint someone to check the quality and weight of the bread on every baking day. It allowed that inspector a small salary of £12 a year. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the order. Interpretations Jenkins's fraud worked through the weight of the loaf. Rations were issued by weight, so every extra pound of water in the dough saved a pound of flour, which he could keep and sell. Bread baked short of time held its water and weighed heavy, while the soldiers received less food than they were owed. The paymaster's account had paid Jenkins £14 1s 8d for baking 169 batches of bread for the garrison in the last quarter of 1771. Dismissing him alone would only have handed the same opportunity to the next baker. The Council said as much and chose a standing check on every baking, paid for at £12 a year, a small cost against the losses it was meant to stop. Mustering a ship's crew meant calling the roll and checking each man against the ship's books. A member of Council usually did it when an East Indiaman called. The muster confirmed the number of men aboard, showed who had died or deserted and guarded against seamen slipping ashore to stay on the island. | |
252 | 9th March§ §The Ponsborne brought Us the following Supplys§ §Invoice of Ship Ponsborne§ §Rice Fine§ §Paddy§ §Wax Candles§ §Batavia Arrack§ §Carried Over§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 9 March 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 1772. On Wednesday 4 March 1772, at half past two in the afternoon, the boat of the Ponsborne came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Ponsborne arrived the same day from Bengal, last from the Cape. A Danish ship passed the island on Thursday 5 March 1772. The Ponsborne brought the following supplies to the island, listed in her invoice. Fine rice, 60 bags, weighing 120 bazaar maunds, at 2 rupees 8 annas a maund, 324 rupees Paddy, 15 bags, weighing 22 factory maunds 20 seers, at 14 annas a maund, 19 rupees 11 annas Wax candles, 4 chests, weighing 8 factory maunds, at 70 rupees a maund, 560 rupees Batavia arrack, 2 leaguers, at [...] a leaguer, 388 rupees 12 annas 9 pies Carried forward, 1,292 rupees 7 annas 9 pies Interpretations The Ponsborne's invoice was made out at Calcutta in Bengal currency and weights. The rupee was divided into 16 annas, each of 12 pies. The maund was the standard Indian weight, about 75 to 82 lb. The bazaar maund used in the markets was heavier than the factory maund used in the Company's own books, so rice bought by the bazaar weight was priced by the factory weight, which raised the sum. A seer was a fortieth part of a maund. The wax candles were made from beeswax in Bengal. They burned brighter and cleaner than tallow and cost far more, at 70 rupees a maund, almost 10d a pound. They were for the Castle and the Governor's table rather than for general sale. Batavia arrack was the strongest and most prized arrack, distilled at the Dutch port of Batavia in Java from rice and molasses. A leaguer was a large cask holding about 150 gallons. The two leaguers would stock the island's arrack, which the store accounts show was drunk in great quantity by soldiers, slaves and labourers alike. | |
253 | 1772§ §Charges Merchandize§ §250 Gunny Bags @ Rs. 14 p %§ §4 Mango Chests 2 ea.§ §3 Pr. Gunnah of 16 Cot. 27 p Corge§ §lb 12 Nails§ §16 Gunneys 24 p %§ §10 Pr. Jute Rope 5 . 3 p Md.§ §6 Jute Twine 4 . 8 p Do.§ §40 Reed Matts 10 p %§ §Cooley hire§ §Packers§ §Weighmen§ §Boathire§ §Godown hire§ §Boon§ §Dust§ §216 . 10 . 6§ §Current Rupees 1509 . 2 . 3§ §Errors Excepted§ §The Expence of Artillery Stores and Stewards§ | The invoice of the Ponsborne concluded with the charges for packing and shipping the goods. Brought forward, 1,292 rupees 7 annas 9 pies Charges on the goods: Gunny bags, 250, at [...] a hundred, 37 rupees 12 annas 9 pies Mango-wood chests, 4, at 2 rupees [...] each, 8 rupees 10 annas 3 pies Garrah cloth, 3 pieces of 16 cubits, at 27 rupees a score, 4 rupees 6 annas Nails, 12, 5 annas 6 pies Gunnies, 16, at 24 rupees a hundred, 3 rupees 13 annas 6 pies Jute rope, 10 [...], at 5 rupees 3 annas a maund, 14 annas Jute twine, 6 seers, at 4 rupees 8 annas a maund, 10 annas 9 pies Reed mats, 40, at 10 rupees a hundred, 4 rupees 0 annas 3 pies Hire of porters, 11 rupees 13 annas Packers, 1 rupee 5 annas Weighmen, 9 annas Boat hire, 4 rupees 5 annas 3 pies [...] hire, 135 rupees [...], 2 rupees 5 annas 3 pies Duty, 7 annas Charges, total, 216 rupees 10 annas 6 pies Total in current rupees, 1,509 rupees 2 annas 3 pies J. Darell junior signed the invoice as sub-accountant, subject to any errors. The accounts of artillery stores used and the steward's accounts for February 1772 were then laid before the Board, which examined and approved them. The accounts follow below. Interpretations The charges show how goods for St Helena were packed at Calcutta. Gunny bags were coarse sacks woven from jute, Bengal's main fibre, and the rice went aboard in them. Garrah was a plain, heavy cotton cloth used for wrapping bales. The reed mats lined the hold to keep the bags off damp timber. Coolies carried the goods to the river, packers and weighmen made up and checked each load, and boats took them out to the ship anchored downstream. Garrah was sold by the score, or corge, a measure of 20 pieces used throughout the Indian cloth trade. The charges added about one-sixth to the cost of the goods, which helps explain why the Company marked up its island prices well above the invoice cost. | |
254 | 9th March§ §Guns fired, 18 Prs., 6 Prs., 4 Prs., 1 Prs., Powder expended lb, Powder expended oz§ §2 Alarm at Prosperous Bay: Guns fired 6, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder expended lb 13, Powder expended oz 0§ §Do. at Purlings Battery: Guns fired 2, 18 Prs. 2, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 9, Powder expended oz 0§ §Arrived the Stagg Frigate: Guns fired 15, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 15, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 24, Powder expended oz 0§ §4 Departed Do. Do.: Guns fired 15, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 15, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 24, Powder expended oz 0§ §7 Alarm for a Ship passing by: Guns fired 2, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 2, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 4, Powder expended oz 0§ §15 Do. for a Do.: Guns fired 6, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder expended lb 13, Powder expended oz 0§ §28 Alarm: Guns fired 6, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder expended lb 13, Powder expended oz 0§ §Arrived the Ship British King: Guns fired 9, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 13, Powder expended oz 8§ §Powder for Sundry Services: Guns fired 0, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 86, Powder expended oz 8§ §Do. for Ladder Hill Road: Guns fired 0, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 126, Powder expended oz 8§ §Total: Guns fired 61, 18 Prs. 2, 6 Prs. 39, 4 Prs. 14, 1 Prs. 6, Powder expended lb 326, Powder expended oz 8§ §Tallow§ §Lead Ball§ §Match§ §Handspikes§ §Tompions§ §Sponge Staves§ §[...] Nails§ §Paper§ §(signed)§ | The artillery stores used in February 1772 were as follows. 2 February 1772, alarm at Prosperous Bay, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb Alarm at Purling's Battery, guns fired 2, 18-pounders 2, powder 9 lb The salute for the arrival of the frigate Stagg used 15 guns, all 6-pounders, and 24 lb of powder. The salute at her departure on 4 February 1772 used the same, 15 six-pounders and 24 lb of powder. 7 February 1772, alarm for a ship passing, guns fired 2, 6-pounders 2, powder 4 lb 15 February 1772, alarm for a ship passing, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb 28 February 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb The salute for the arrival of the British King used 9 guns, all 6-pounders, and 13 lb 8 oz of powder. Powder for various services, 86 lb 8 oz Powder for the Ladder Hill road, 126 lb 8 oz Total, guns fired 61, 18-pounders 2, 6-pounders 39, 4-pounders 14, 1-pounders 6, powder 326 lb 8 oz Tallow, 21 lb Lead ball, 2 lb 13 oz Slow match, 16 lb Handspikes, 7 Tompions, 7 Sponge staves, 21 Nails for the sponges, 30 Paper, 1½ quires James Tippet signed the account as captain of artillery. The next heading, Sundries, begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations February 1772 was a busy month for the island's guns. Alarms sounded four times, twice for ships seen passing without calling. One of them was the French ship that passed on 15 February 1772, and every unknown sail was treated as a possible enemy until it had gone by. Each alarm set the batteries and the signal posts on alert along the coast. The salutes for the Stagg, a King's frigate, were larger than for a Company ship. Fifteen guns greeted the Royal Navy, while nine marked the arrival of the British King. Powder for the Ladder Hill road rose again, from 60 lb in January to 126 lb 8 oz in February. The blasting had picked up after the slower months at the end of 1771. Tompions were wooden plugs fitted into the muzzles of the guns to keep out rain and spray, which on an island exposed to constant sea wind would otherwise rust the bores. | |
255 | 1772§ §36 Bottles Madeira§ §14 Do. Port§ §20 Do. Lisbon§ §8 Do. Mountain§ §14 Do. Beer§ §12½ Gs. Arrack§ §55 lb Beef§ §148 lb Mutton§ §63 Candy§ §450 lb Flour§ §6 Goats§ §Bought for the Table§ §282 lb Beef§ §3 Turkeys§ §18 Fowls§ §6 Ducks§ §3 Pigs§ §£ 30 . 6½§ §Mr. William Wrangham Reports§ | The supplies used at the Company's table in February 1772 were as follows. Madeira, 36 bottles, £3 12s 0d Port, 14 bottles, £1 1s 0d Lisbon wine, 20 bottles, £1 10s 0d Mountain wine, 8 bottles, £0 12s 0d Beer, 14 bottles, £0 2s 7½d Arrack, 12½ gallons, £1 17s 6d Beef, 55 lb, £0 13s 9d Mutton, 148 lb, £3 1s 8d Sugar candy, 63 lb, £1 11s 6d Flour, 450 lb, £3 15s 0d Goats, 6, £3 0s 0d Bought in for the table: Beef, 282 lb, £5 17s 6d Turkeys, 3, £0 15s 0d Fowls, 18, £1 7s 0d Ducks, 6, £0 9s 0d Pigs, 3, £0 15s 0d Total, £30 0s 6½d William Wrangham reported that he had gone aboard the British King and the Ponsborne to muster their crews and search for deserters. He found none. The muster rolls of the two ships follow. Interpretations Searching a homeward ship for deserters was a standard part of the muster at St Helena. Soldiers who wanted to leave the island before their term was up could try to hide aboard an East Indiaman, often with the help of seamen who were paid to conceal them. After the longboat plot of 30 September 1771, the Council made sure that every departing ship was checked. Wrangham's report that he found no one hidden was recorded so that the Council could show the Court of Directors that the precaution had been taken. | |
256 | 9th March§ §Danl. G. Hoar Commander§ §Jo. Baron Boatsn. Mate§ §Fras. Bowland Seaman§ | The muster roll of the British King listed her crew as follows. Daniel G. Hoar, commander Joseph Farrell, chief mate Peter Bryson, second mate Robert Young, third mate George Sampson, fourth mate George Sayce, fifth mate Robert Wigram, surgeon George Taylor, purser Richard Brickling, surgeon's mate Thomas Smith, gunner Thomas Grange, carpenter Robert Scarbrough, boatswain George Hutch, ship's steward Alexander Robinson, captain's steward Robert Orme, captain's cook James Craig, cooper Robert Hardy, midshipman Edward Hodge, midshipman John Pinner, midshipman John Huntingdon, midshipman W. Biggins, midshipman W. van Abendorff, midshipman John Marker, quartermaster John Sparks, quartermaster John Stens, quartermaster John Hardy, quartermaster Thomas Hopkins, caulker Samuel Hayworth, caulker's mate John Turner, cooper's mate John Jeffery, carpenter's mate James Baron, boatswain's mate Christopher Ogleby junior, boatswain's mate Paul Handley, armourer George Davies, caulker James Thompson, caulker's mate W. White, boatswain's yeoman W. Bates, butcher John Braden, baker John Sharp, seaman Thomas Smith, seaman Peter Turner, seaman Frederick Michael, seaman John Devane, seaman Frederick Igner, seaman William Ryan, seaman John Fettes, seaman John Abercromby, seaman Peter Fowler, seaman Joseph McLaughlin, seaman John Snow, seaman Morris Griffith, seaman Joseph Richardson, seaman Thomas Orr, seaman David Pollock, seaman Joseph Jones, seaman John Neal, seaman Joseph Wethart, seaman William Gorney, seaman Joseph Jillings, seaman William Fay, seaman Francis Bowler, seaman Nathaniel Grass, seaman Anthony Peck, seaman John Taylor, seaman Stephen Fox, seaman Joseph West, seaman Robert Jackson, seaman Jacob Anderson, seaman John Robertson, seaman Edward Tinney, seaman Aaron Lawrence, seaman Thomas Renwick, seaman W. Langton, seaman George Matthews, seaman J. Bowdman, seaman Henry Spriggins, seaman John Budens, seaman Joseph Ransom, seaman John Waters, seaman James Medcalf, seaman W. Phillips, seaman John Dalrall, seaman John Biggs, seaman Martin Harty, seaman Joseph Anthony, seaman Thomas Rogers, seaman Robert Richmond, seaman W. Pickman, first mate's servant John Newman, servant Samuel Mulder, servant The roll continues on the next leaf. | |
257 | 1772§ §John Leech Servt.§ §Samuel Watkins Servt.§ §Captn. James Burnet a Passenger§ §Muster Roll of Ship Ponsborne§ §Saml. Hough Commander§ §Robt. Alexander 2d. Master§ §Joseph Winter Seaman§ | The muster roll of the British King concluded with her remaining servants and her passenger. John Manning, servant William McDonell, servant John Leech, servant George Thornton, servant Samuel Watkins, servant Thomas Pembroke, servant Captain James Burnet, passenger Daniel Griffiths Hoare signed the roll as commander. The muster roll of the Ponsborne followed. Samuel Hough, commander Matthew Waghorn, first mate William Rainsworth, second mate Thomas Ley, third mate John Buckley, fourth mate Edward Pyball, fifth mate [...] Wyatt, sixth mate William Fink, surgeon George Bragge, purser John Brandt, midshipman Thomas Hemersly, midshipman William Wait, midshipman Archibald Rea, midshipman John Power, gunner John Bell, carpenter William Holland, boatswain James Nairne, captain's steward R. Payne, captain's cook George Willson, gunner's mate George Gale, quartermaster John Crawford, quartermaster David Hutchinson, quartermaster John Thompson, quartermaster Robert Alexander, quartermaster Joseph Cheesman, quartermaster John Thompson senior, boatswain's mate James Marriott, boatswain's mate Daniel Lewin, carpenter's mate Peter Lindling, carpenter's mate Thomas Gibbs, carpenter's mate James Strachan, carpenter's mate Jonas Heythwright, cooper Edward Strange, butcher Anthony Justin, ship's cook David Young, seaman Robert Bowring, seaman Robert Bruce, seaman Matthew Grant, seaman Mungo Graham, seaman Robert Wood, seaman Joseph Birch, seaman Robert Wills, seaman R. Cowey, seaman Jacob Ransom, seaman James Warner, seaman John Hill, seaman Joseph Winter, seaman James Morrice, seaman Gilbert Sinclair, seaman Timothy Bryant, seaman Peter Tigo, seaman Thomas Lucas, seaman William Hawke, seaman Thomas Juby, seaman Thomas Hewet, seaman Anthony Barnes, seaman Louis Archally, seaman Sebastian Florentine, seaman Baptist Mariano, seaman Peter Ancona, seaman Nicholas Lewson, seaman Thomas Mackaway, seaman Patrick Welsh, seaman John Shrewsbury, seaman James Mitchell, seaman Jacob Pickard, seaman Thomas Lee, seaman Thomas Mayo, seaman Lawrence Frith, seaman The roll continues on the next leaf. Interpretations Several of the Ponsborne's seamen had Italian or Portuguese names, such as Sebastian Florentine, Baptist Mariano and Peter Ancona. East Indiamen that lost men to sickness and desertion in Asian ports made up their crews there with whatever European seamen they could find. Italians, Portuguese and others who had drifted into the Indian trade often signed on for the voyage home. The muster at St Helena checked these men against the ship's books as carefully as the English hands, since a seaman who left the ship on the island could not easily be traced. | |
258 | 9th March§ §John Williams Seaman§ §Chas. Walker Seaman§ §Passengers vizt.§ §Mrs. Eliz. Williams§ §signed§ §The Storekeeper this day delivered the following Account of§ §List of Stores short received from Ship Ponsborne§ §Rice C. qr. lb 6 -§ §Arrack§ §Received 285 Gallons§ | The muster roll of the Ponsborne concluded as follows. John Langford, seaman R. Young, seaman John Curtis, seaman James Penroy, seaman John Barkly, seaman Murdoch Lemon, seaman Thomas Broker, seaman James McKenzie, seaman Charles Mann, seaman John Lesley, seaman John Williams, seaman John Vaughan, seaman John Gravick, seaman Thomas Palmer, seaman Thomas Noble, sailmaker John Gordon, seaman Anthony Francisco, seaman Thomas Baltimore, seaman Peter Manger, seaman William Goodspie, seaman Charles Walker, seaman Emanuel Gomez, seaman William Harvey, seaman Thomas Just, captain's servant Charles Smith, captain's servant Joseph Augustinho, seaman John Shoebrook, seaman John Hines, seaman John Baker, seaman Caesar Angus, seaman Passengers: Mr Robert Colville Mr George Hadley Mr John Bird Mrs Elizabeth Williams Mrs Elizabeth Hadley Mr Samuel Harris Samuel Hough signed the roll as commander. The storekeeper delivered an account that day of stores found short on delivery from the Ponsborne and the British King. The shortfall from the Ponsborne was as follows. Rice, short weight from wastage, 6 [...] Paddy, short weight from wastage, 3 [...] 24 [...] Arrack, leaguer number 1, 149 gallons, short of full by 7 gallons Arrack, leaguer number 2, 147 gallons, short of full by 4 gallons Arrack, total, 296 gallons, short of full by 11 gallons Arrack received, 285 gallons Interpretations The storekeeper weighed and gauged every consignment as it came ashore and recorded any shortfall against the invoice. Rice and paddy lost weight on the voyage as they dried out, and some grain was always spilt or eaten by rats. Casks of spirit leaked and evaporated through the staves, so that a leaguer seldom arrived full. This loss was called wantage. Writing it down formally protected the storekeeper, who would otherwise have been held to account for goods he never received. It also let the Company judge whether the loss was ordinary wastage or a sign that the cargo had been tampered with on the way. | |
259 | 1772§ §William Jenkins Matross this day petitioned§ §At a Consultation held on Thursday the 19th day of March 1772 at§ | The shortfall from the British King was as follows. Meat dishes, 2 Plates, 8 Sneakers, 4 Half-pint cups and saucers, 2 The storekeeper found these broken when he opened the packages, although the packages themselves were in good order. James Pavell signed the account as storekeeper on 9 March 1772. William Jenkins, a matross, petitioned the Board that day for his discharge from the garrison. He had served the Company for the full term of his engagement. The Board agreed, and John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the grant. The Council met at the Castle on Monday 16 March 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 9 March 1772. On Tuesday 10 March 1772 a Danish ship from China arrived, the Queen Sophia Magdalena, under Captain Krog. She was a ship of about 1,100 tons, carrying 26 guns and 160 men, laden with tea, china and silk and bound for Copenhagen. The Company's ship Ponsborne sailed for England on 15 March 1772. Interpretations William Jenkins the matross was probably the same William Jenkins whom the Council dismissed from the bakehouse on 2 March 1772 for cheating the garrison over its bread. A week later he asked for his discharge, and the Board granted it because his term had run out. The Council could punish fraud by taking away his baking contract, but it could not hold a soldier past the end of his engagement. Jenkins chose to leave rather than stay on the island at a matross's pay without his second income. The Queen Sophia Magdalena belonged to the Danish Asiatic Company, which traded to Canton in competition with the English. Denmark was at peace with Britain, and Danish ships could call at St Helena for water and fresh food. The Council still recorded her size, guns and crew in detail. A foreign ship of 1,100 tons with 26 guns and 160 men was larger than most Company ships, and the island kept watch on any armed vessel in its road. Her cargo of tea, china and silk was the same trade as the British King's, bound for a rival market. | |
260 | 12th March§ §We this day Entertained Robert Wood who was§ | On 16 March 1772 the Council issued two sets of bills of exchange drawn on the Court of Directors. One set went to Captain Daniel Griffiths Hoare for £1,300, payable to himself or his order. The other went to James Farrell for £100, also payable to himself or his order. Both were payable 90 days after they were presented in London. The Council also took Robert Wood into the Company's service as a soldier for five years. He had been left on the island from the Ponsborne. He seemed a good man, so the Board gave him a bounty of £5. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the minute. Interpretations Captain Hoare of the British King paid £1,300 into the treasury for bills on London, a large sum from a single man. Commanders of East Indiamen were allowed space in their ships for private trade. Hoare had probably sold goods from China to the island's officers and planters while his ship lay in the road, and turned the proceeds into bills to carry home. James Farrell was probably the British King's chief mate, who did the same on a smaller scale. These sales explain how goods reached St Helena outside the Company's warehouse, and why Purling and others could find buyers and money on the island. Robert Wood appears among the seamen on the Ponsborne's muster roll. Wrangham reported that he found no deserters aboard the ship, so Wood was put ashore openly with his captain's consent. The Council enlisted him with a £5 bounty, half the £10 paid to men re-engaging. Taking men from passing ships was a cheap way to fill the garrison's ranks. The Council made sure first that the man was fit and willing, and the minute records that he "appeared to be a good man". | |
261 | 16th March§ §The Horse brought Us the following Supplies vizt.§ §Invoice of Ship Horse§ §Rice Fine 60 Bags Wt. Bd. Md. 120 @ Rs. 2 . 8 p Md.§ §Paddy 15 Bags Wt. Fy. Md. 22 . 20 @ 4 p Md.§ §Wax Candles 4 Chests Wt. Md. 8 @ 70 p Md.§ §Batavia Arrack 2 Leagrs. @ 180 p Leagr.§ §Carried Over§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 16 March 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 1772. The minutes recorded several movements of shipping. The Company's ship British King sailed for England on Friday 13 March 1772. The same day, at nine in the morning, the boat of the Morse came ashore at Banks's, and the Company's ship Morse herself arrived from Bengal, last from the Cape. On Saturday 14 March 1772 the Danish ship Queen Sophia Magdalena sailed for Copenhagen. The same day a Swedish ship from China arrived, the Adolph Frederick, under Captain [...]. She was a ship of about 1,300 tons, carrying 20 guns and 140 men, laden with tea, china and silk and bound for Gothenburg. The Morse brought the following supplies to the island, listed in her invoice. Fine rice, 60 bags, weighing 120 bazaar maunds, at 2 rupees 8 annas a factory maund, 324 rupees Paddy, 15 bags, weighing 22 factory maunds 20 seers, at 14 annas a maund, 19 rupees 11 annas Wax candles, 4 chests, weighing 8 factory maunds, at 70 rupees a maund, 560 rupees Batavia arrack, 2 leaguers, at 180 rupees a leaguer, 388 rupees 12 annas 9 pies Carried forward, 1,292 rupees 7 annas 9 pies Interpretations The Morse brought exactly the same goods, in the same quantities and at the same prices, as the Ponsborne a fortnight earlier. The Company's council at Calcutta divided the island's yearly supply from Bengal between several ships. If one ship was lost or delayed, the island still received the rest of its rice, arrack and candles. Identical invoices made the consignments simple to check against each other on arrival. The Adolph Frederick belonged to the Swedish East India Company, another rival in the Canton tea trade. Within a week, Danish and Swedish ships from China had both called at St Helena on their way home. The island served all the European East India companies as a watering place, while recording each foreign ship's size, guns and crew for the information of the Court of Directors. | |
262 | 16th March§ §Charges Merchandize§ §4 Mango Chests @ Rs. 2 per§ §50 Gunney Bags 14 p %§ §10 Jute Rope 5 . 8 p Md.§ §16 Jute Twine 4 . 8 p Do.§ §2½ Gunnah of 16 Cubits 27 p Corge§ §12 Nails 18 p Md.§ §16 Gunneys 24 p %§ §40 Reed Matts 10 p %§ §Cooleyhire§ §Packermen§ §Weighmen§ §Boon§ §Boat hire§ §Godown§ §Dust§ §186 . 8§ §Current Rupees 1478 . 15 . 9§ §Errors Excepted§ §Mr. William Wrangham Reports that§ | The invoice of the Morse concluded with the charges for packing and shipping the goods. Brought forward, 1,292 rupees 7 annas 9 pies Charges on the goods: Mango-wood chests, 4, at 2 rupees [...] each, 8 rupees 10 annas 3 pies Gunny bags, 50, at 15 rupees a hundred, 7 rupees 9 annas Jute rope, 10 [...], at 5 rupees 8 annas a maund, 14 annas Jute twine, 16 [...], at 4 rupees 8 annas a maund, 1 rupee 2 annas Garrah cloth, 2⅞ pieces of 16 cubits, at 27 rupees a score, 3 rupees 10 annas 3 pies Nails, 12, at 18 [...], 5 annas 6 pies Gunnies, 16, at 24 rupees a hundred, 3 rupees 13 annas 6 pies Reed mats, 40, at 10 rupees a hundred, 4 rupees 3 annas 3 pies Hire of porters, 11 rupees 13 annas Packers, 1 rupee 5 annas Weighmen, 9 annas Messenger, 2 rupees 5 annas 3 pies Boat hire, 4 rupees 5 annas 3 pies Sloop hire, 135 rupees Duty, 12 annas 9 pies Charges, total, 186 rupees 8 annas Total in current rupees, 1,478 rupees 15 annas 9 pies J. Darell junior signed the invoice as sub-accountant, subject to any errors. William Wrangham reported that he had gone aboard the Morse to muster her crew and search for deserters, and had found none. The ship's muster roll follows. Interpretations Hire of a sloop was by far the largest charge, 135 rupees out of 186. The great East Indiamen could not come up the shallow, shifting Hooghly River to Calcutta. They anchored far downstream, and all their cargo had to be carried down to them in sloops and country boats, a journey of a hundred miles or more. That river passage roughly doubled the cost of getting rice to St Helena. The peon was a messenger or watchman who went with the goods to see them safely aboard. | |
263 | 1772§ §John Walton Commander§ §Willm. Cowan Gunr. Mate§ §Robt. Archibald Seaman§ | The muster roll of the Morse listed her crew as follows. John Watson, commander John Bissell, first mate Henry Furnis, second mate Alexander Calander, third mate Thomas Leonard, fourth mate William Cunninghame, fifth mate Thomas Thompson, sixth mate Thomas Riddell, boatswain W. Halton, gunner James Mills, carpenter James Moore, surgeon John Parker, surgeon's first mate Robert Hughes, armourer Thomas Symonds, caulker James Franklin, ship's steward John Mackery, sailmaker John Haycroft, captain's steward Isaac Stafford, captain's cook Charles Mason, cook's mate Augustus Smith, captain's clerk William Owen, [...] Thomas Bowden, [...] W. Jones, caulker Peter Lovely, [...] mate John Davies, captain's mate W. Abbott, [...] Christopher Walters, boatswain's mate John Williams, boatswain's mate John Johnson, boatswain's yeoman John Cockerell, butcher William Cowan, gunner's mate Jacob Graves, poulterer Henry Hitchman, captain's servant W. Dixey, chief mate's servant James Parrott, surgeon's servant Robert Gunnis, tailor John Pinor, quartermaster Charles Pinor, quartermaster John Taylor, quartermaster John Humphreys, quartermaster David Haynes, quartermaster Henry Davies, midshipman and [...] Richard Wells, midshipman Thomas Bird, midshipman William Forbes, midshipman Jordan Wayne, midshipman W. Parsons, midshipman Samuel Grant, midshipman James Armour, seaman David Nicholas, seaman John Dodd, seaman Joseph Durrant, seaman W. Cox, seaman Neale Campbell, seaman George Glynn, seaman John Grant, seaman Thomas Bassett, seaman John Humphries, seaman Edward Walter, seaman Robert Wood, seaman Robert Archibald, seaman John Turner, seaman Robert Knott, seaman Robert Bowman, seaman Edward Leat, seaman George Hutchinson, seaman William Hoare, seaman J. Gibbons, seaman Michael Mutty, seaman Alexander Faulkner, seaman Joseph Hudson, seaman Edward Mosley, seaman Francis Clarke, seaman John Love, seaman John Pearce, seaman W. Turner, seaman Alexander Fraser, seaman Charles Ishwick, seaman John Hawkins, seaman William Plaw, seaman Benjamin Graves, seaman Thomas Cormorlie, seaman John Shell, seaman John Walker, seaman Edmund Burton, seaman James Burchett, seaman Humphrey Moffatt, seaman John McGregor, seaman Justin Bryant, seaman John Fowler, seaman The roll continues on the next leaf. Interpretations The Morse carried a poulterer among her crew. He looked after the live hens, ducks and geese kept aboard in coops to supply eggs and fresh meat for the officers' table on the long voyage. At St Helena the ship would restock her coops from the island's planters, one reason the Company's table and the ships competed for the same fowls. | |
264 | 16th March§ §Jacob Walters Seaman§ §Hans Gadeen Seaman§ §Passengers vizt.§ §John Grady§ §(signed)§ §The Storekeeper this day delivered the follow. Account of Stores short§ §Accot. of Stores short received from Ship Horse vizt.§ §Arrack§ §Received 272 Gallons§ §16th March 1772 (signed)§ | The muster roll of the Morse concluded with her remaining seamen and her passengers. John Pasley, seaman Archibald McMullen, seaman Isaac Holloway, seaman Thomas Fowler, seaman Jeremiah Burt, seaman Edward Morris, seaman Robert Proctor, seaman Richard Young, seaman William Stone, seaman John Allen, seaman Jacob Walters, seaman John Briggs, seaman John Harris, seaman George Mitchell, seaman Hugh Rose, seaman Samuel Gould, seaman J. Lock, seaman Jacob Randall, seaman William Britton, seaman Charles Pickett, seaman Hans Gadeen, seaman James Hogg, seaman Benjamin Watts, seaman James Browne, seaman W. Read, seaman Robert Millar, seaman John Walter, seaman John Harper, seaman George Foster, seaman Richard Simmons, seaman Passengers: Claud Russell Thomas Kelsall John May Mrs May Miss May Master Lindsay John Grady Mr Henry Charles Palmer Mr Edward Chester John Lambert Servants of the passengers, 11 John Watson signed the roll as commander. The storekeeper delivered an account that day of stores found short on delivery from the Morse. Rice, short weight from wastage, 6 [...] Paddy, short weight from wastage, 3 [...] 24 [...] Arrack, leaguer number 1, 143 gallons, short of full by 6 gallons Arrack, leaguer number 2, 141 gallons, short of full by 6 gallons Arrack, total, 284 gallons, short of full by 12 gallons Arrack received, 272 gallons James Pavell signed the account as storekeeper on 16 March 1772. Interpretations The Morse carried a family party home from Bengal, John May with his wife and daughter, along with other gentlemen returning from the Company's service. The eleven servants who travelled with them were probably Indian, most of them ayahs and bearers who looked after the families on the voyage. Many such servants were left in England afterwards with no means of getting home. The wantage on the Morse's arrack, 12 gallons from two leaguers, was almost the same as the 11 gallons lost from the Ponsborne's. A loss of about 4 per cent seems to have been the normal leakage on the passage from Bengal. | |
265 | 1772§ §To the Worshipful John Skottowe Governor & Council§ §Being satisfied that the Petitioner sets forth is§ §Counted and examined the Honble. Companys§ | The Council received a petition from William Gossip, the carpenter's mate. For more than 14 months he had suffered from a painful swelling in his groin. It was caused by a bruise he received when the longboat fell on him on the beach. The swelling had now grown so bad that he could no longer work. The doctors had tried everything they could, and no other treatment was available on the island. He therefore asked the Governor and Council to consider his case and allow him to leave the island to seek a cure in his own country. The Council was satisfied that his account was true and gave him leave to return to England. The Board then counted and checked the Company's cash for February 1772. The account of that cash follows below. Interpretations Gossip was hurt doing work the Company paid for. The longboats were hauled up and launched on the stony beach by gangs of men, more than 450 labourers' days in the last quarter of 1771 for their repair alone, and a boat that slipped could crush anyone beneath it. As a contracted servant of the Company, Gossip could not simply leave the island when he chose. He needed the Council's permission even to go home for treatment. The Board made sure his account was true before granting it, since leave to return meant giving up a skilled tradesman the island could ill spare. The minute says nothing of any pension or compensation for an injury suffered in the Company's service. | |
266 | 16th March§ §1772 Feby. 1st To Balance remaining§ §To Exchange for a Set of Bills drawn§ §£ 9314 . 9 . 6§ §Per Contra Cr.§ §1772 Feby. 29th By Balance remaining vizt.§ §£ 9314 . 9 . 6§ | The Company's cash account for February 1772 ran as follows. 1 February 1772, balance in hand, £7,714 9s 6d Received in exchange for a set of bills drawn on the Court of Directors, payable to John Purling or his order, £1,600 0s 0d Total, £9,314 9s 6d 29 February 1772, balance in hand: In coin, £8,774 14s 6d In cash notes, £539 15s 0d Total, £9,314 9s 6d Interpretations Matthew Purling's remittance of £1,600 was the only money to pass through the treasury in February 1772. It raised the island's stock of coin by almost a quarter in a single payment. A private councillor's savings could thus do more for the Company's cash on St Helena than a month of its own trade. The cash notes again stood unchanged at £539 15s 0d, as they had since October 1771. The paper money circulated on the island without being presented for payment. | |
267 | John Waters having been left by accident out of the§ §We this day received the following Letter from Captain§ §To the Honble. John Skottowe Esqr. Governor &§ | John Waters had been left behind on the island by accident when the British King sailed. He applied to be taken on as a soldier in the garrison. He was a well-built man, so the Council enlisted him in the Company's service as a soldier for five years. Because he had lost everything he owned, the Board gave him a bounty of £8 to buy clothes and other necessaries. The Council received a letter from Captain John Watson of the Morse, dated at St Helena on 19 March 1772 and addressed to the Governor as President of the Council. Watson enclosed the Company's bill for bullocks, straw, bran and other items he had bought at the Cape of Good Hope for the island. He had paid for them by drawing a bill of exchange, a copy of which he also enclosed. He had no cash with him, and raising money at the Cape any other way would have cost far more than the usual rate of exchange between the Cape and England. He asked the Governor to return the original bill for the bullocks, with a receipt for the 21 animals he had landed on the island. Interpretations Watson had bought cattle at the Cape on the Company's behalf and brought 21 of them alive to St Helena. The straw and bran were their fodder for the voyage. The purchase answered the shortage the Council admitted in its notice of 17 February 1772, when it said that the Company's ships had been badly supplied with beef for two years. Importing live cattle from the Cape topped up the island's herds without waiting for the planters' stock to recover. Watson wanted a receipt so that he could prove the delivery and recover what he had paid, since a bill drawn on his own credit left him personally liable until the Company settled it. John Waters received £8, three pounds more than the £5 given to Robert Wood. The Council said why: Waters had lost all his belongings when his ship sailed without him. The larger bounty let him equip himself as a soldier. | |
268 | 16th March§ §To Petrus Vander Pool§ §40 Young Bullocks at 9 Spanish Dollars p Bullock§ §20 Sacks of Straw§ §3 Schoots to carry the above on board§ §Cooley hire to Do.§ §463§ §Received of Captain John Watson on Account§ | Captain Watson's enclosed bill from the Cape was set out as follows. The Company, debtor to Petrus van der Poel: Young bullocks, 40, at 9 Spanish dollars each, 405 rix-dollars Straw, 20 sacks, 20 rix-dollars Boats to carry the above on board, 3, 30 rix-dollars Hire of porters, 8 rix-dollars Total, 463 rix-dollars The Governor and Council acknowledged that they had received 21 head of black cattle from Captain John Watson on the Company's account. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the receipt. Interpretations Watson paid for 40 bullocks at the Cape but delivered only 21 to St Helena. Nearly half the animals were lost on a passage of two or three weeks, either dying in the hold from the ship's motion and lack of fodder or being killed and eaten aboard when they weakened. The Council's receipt was careful to state only the number actually landed. That left the Company to decide with Watson how the loss should be borne. The bill was made out in the Cape's own currency. The Dutch East India Company kept its accounts at the Cape in rix-dollars, while the price of the cattle was fixed in Spanish dollars, the silver coin used across the Indian Ocean trade. A Spanish dollar was worth a little over a rix-dollar, so each bullock cost 10⅛ rix-dollars. The schuits were small Dutch harbour boats used to ferry the cattle out to the ship at anchor in Table Bay. | |
269 | 23d March§ §Captain Watson having brought Thomas§ §To Captain John Watson Commander of Ship§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 23 March 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 16 March 1772. The Swedish ship Adolph Frederick sailed for Gothenburg on Tuesday 17 March 1772. The Company's ship Morse sailed for England on Friday 20 March 1772. Captain Watson had brought a man named Thomas Rowland from the Cape in the Morse and wanted to leave him on the island. The Governor learned that Rowland was a most unsuitable person to remain there. On Friday 20 March 1772 he therefore sent Watson a written order. The order directed Watson to take Rowland back aboard the Morse and carry him to England. Rowland had been left at the Cape by the Ponsborne and brought on to St Helena by the Morse. The Governor understood him to be an unfit person to stay on the island. Governor Skottowe signed the order at St Helena on 20 March 1772. Interpretations St Helena was the Company's own island, and no one could settle there without its government's consent. Watson wanted to put Rowland ashore, the easy course for a commander with an unwanted passenger. The Governor refused and ordered Watson to carry him on to England. The minute shows the Governor acting on his own authority by letter, on the day the Morse sailed. The order had to reach Watson before the ship left, and there was no time to wait for the next meeting of the Council. The Board recorded the order afterwards. Rowland had already been put off one ship at the Cape, and the Governor took care that the island did not become the place where unwanted men were left. | |
270 | 23d March§ §At a Consultation held on Monday the 30th day of March§ | Edward Steventon and Henry Eanstear, both private soldiers, petitioned the Board that day for their discharge from the garrison. Each had served the Company for the full term of his engagement. The Board agreed, and John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the grant. The Council met at the Castle on Monday 30 March 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 1772. James Miller, a private soldier, died on Friday 27 March 1772. On Saturday 28 March 1772, at eleven in the morning, the boat of the Northumberland came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Northumberland arrived the same day from China, last from the Cape. She brought supplies for the island, listed in her invoice below. | |
271 | 30th March§ §21 Chests Sugar§ §Tare, Gross§ §No. 43: Tare 26, Gross 297§ §44: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §45: Tare 26, Gross 290§ §46: Tare 27, Gross 292§ §47: Tare 26, Gross 292§ §48: Tare 27, Gross 291§ §49: Tare 26, Gross 290§ §50: Tare 27, Gross 291§ §51: Tare 26, Gross 292§ §52: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §Tare 267, Gross 2918§ §Tare 307, Gross 3213§ §Tare 569, Gross 6127§ §No. 53: Tare 30, Gross 294§ §54: Tare 27, Gross 291§ §55: Tare 28, Gross 293§ §56: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §57: Tare 27, Gross 292§ §58: Tare 26, Gross 290§ §59: Tare 26, Gross 291§ §60: Tare 25, Gross 290§ §61: Tare 28, Gross 293§ §62: Tare 29, Gross 295§ §63: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §Tare 307, Gross 3213§ §569§ §Errors Excepted§ §Joseph West Private this day petitioned for§ | The invoice of the Northumberland listed the sugar she brought for the island. Sugar, 21 chests, by chest number, tare and gross weight: Chest 43, tare 26 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 44, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 45, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 46, tare 27 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 47, tare 26 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 48, tare 27 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 49, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 50, tare 27 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 51, tare 26 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 52, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chests 43 to 52, tare 267 lb, gross 2,914 lb Chest 53, tare 30 lb, gross 294 lb Chest 54, tare 27 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 55, tare 28 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 56, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 57, tare 27 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 58, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 59, tare 26 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 60, tare 25 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 61, tare 28 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 62, tare 29 lb, gross 295 lb Chest 63, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chests 53 to 63, tare 302 lb, gross 3,213 lb Sugar, total tare 569 lb, total gross 6,127 lb Sugar, net 5,558 lb, being 41 piculs 68 catties at 4 taels 5 mace a picul, 187 taels 5 mace 6 candareens The invoice was dated at Canton on 24 December 1771, subject to any errors. It was signed by Matthew Raper junior, J. Bradley Blake, John Bradshaw, William Henry Pigou, John Walton, Thomas Bevan, William Harrison, Alexander Hume, Edward Phipps, Francis Wood junior and William Rous. Joseph West, a private soldier, petitioned the Board that day for his discharge from the garrison. He had served the Company for the full term of his engagement. The Board agreed. Interpretations Sugar from China was cheap enough to ship halfway round the world to St Helena. At 4½ taels a picul it cost the Company about 2½d a pound at Canton, before freight. China grew cane sugar in quantity in its southern provinces, and the Company's ships loaded it at Canton as heavy cargo to stow beneath the tea. The island could equally have drawn sugar from the West Indies or Brazil, but the China ships called regularly on their way home and brought it with no extra voyage. The same supercargoes signed this invoice as the British King's, as part of the season's dispatches from Canton. | |
272 | 6th April§ §Mr. William Wrangham Reports that§ §Muster Roll of Ship Northumberland§ §John Stafford Commander§ §James Cullen 4 Mate§ §John Hayler Boatswain§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 6 April 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 30 March 1772. The minutes recorded the following events. On Wednesday 1 April 1772, at ten at night, the boat of the Bute came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Bute arrived from China on Thursday 2 April 1772. William Durham, a matross, died the same day. John Pratt, a private soldier, died on 5 April 1772, and two ships passed the island at a great distance that day. On the night of 5 April 1772, at a quarter past seven, the boat of the Stafford came ashore at Banks's, and the Company's ship Stafford arrived from China. William Wrangham reported that he had gone aboard the Northumberland to muster her crew and search for deserters, and had found none. The ship's muster roll began as follows. John Milford, commander James Rees, first mate Robert Alexander, second mate Richard Coward, third mate James Cullen, fourth mate Joseph Garratt, fifth mate James Grant, surgeon James Welch, purser John Hayter, boatswain James Codling, gunner Thomas Craddock, carpenter William Bruce, midshipman and coxswain The roll continues on the next leaf. Interpretations March and April were the height of the homeward season at St Helena. Ships that left Canton in December and January reached the island about three months later, and the Bute, the Stafford and the Northumberland arrived within ten days of one another. Each needed water, fresh meat and vegetables, and each crew had to be mustered. These weeks put the island's supplies under their heaviest strain of the year, which is why the Council pressed the planters to declare their cattle and stop private sales in the months before. | |
273 | 1772§ §Thos. Williamson Qr. Master§ §William Moore Seaman§ §Passengers vizt.§ | The muster roll of the Northumberland continued as follows. Thomas Norris, midshipman William Thompson, midshipman Robert Barrett, midshipman James Harrison, midshipman George Nelson, ship's steward John Pavelow, captain's steward James Douglass, captain's cook Joseph Baily, ship's cook John Andrews, armourer Thomas Williams, caulker R. Iller, caulker's mate John Talbott, cooper William Legg, cooper's mate Alexander Nichols, boatswain's first mate Thomas Warren, boatswain's second mate John Edwards, carpenter's second mate John McCloud, gunner's mate William Phillips, surgeon's mate John Rowe, sailmaker John Reynolds, butcher Thomas Linton, quartermaster Martin Blow, quartermaster John Gillespie, quartermaster James Coney, quartermaster Thomas Williamson, quartermaster Richard Roberts, quartermaster John Bradford, seaman William Waldron, seaman John Shirley, seaman Robert Duff, seaman Philip Ogilvie, seaman Creswell Hunt, seaman Isaac Buckley, seaman William Spilling, seaman Joseph Myles, seaman Samuel Easton, seaman John Toole, seaman John Campbell, seaman George Prescott, seaman George Robertson, seaman George Perry, seaman Robert Underwood, seaman Thomas Pagett, seaman Samuel Bowers, seaman Thomas Ryan, seaman Richard Morris, seaman William McEver, seaman John Murray, seaman John Davis, seaman Philip Greenhow, seaman Robert Friend, seaman Edward Plumpe, seaman John Matthews, seaman William Moore, seaman Robert Sinclair, seaman David Fell, seaman George Hannam, seaman Thomas Thompson, seaman Joseph Morse, seaman John Donnelly, seaman John Evans, seaman John Edmonds, seaman W. Clancy, seaman Thomas Knight, seaman W. Wills, seaman Richard Belton, seaman George Iresse, seaman Richard Brown, seaman Samuel Waldron, seaman Andrew Lane, seaman W. Scott, seaman George Legg, seaman Grantham Bevering, seaman W. Jackman, seaman Samuel Pulling, seaman Edward Dixon, seaman John Ellis, seaman John Lucomb, seaman Henry Bird, captain's servant Charles Bird, captain's servant John Smith, first mate's servant George Lewis, second mate's servant Alexander Andrews, surgeon's servant William Bobey, carpenter's servant Samuel Brates, boatswain's servant Passengers: Monsieur Costarde, supercargo Monsieur [...], brigadier general Jean, servant to Monsieur [...] John Milford signed the roll as commander. Interpretations The Northumberland carried three French passengers home from China, a supercargo, a brigadier general and his servant. Britain and France were at peace, and the French East India Company had lost its monopoly in 1769. French merchants and officers in the East often had no French ship to take them home and paid for a passage on an English East Indiaman. The Council recorded them by rank because the arrival of a French general at a fortified English island was a matter the Court of Directors would want to know. While the ship lay in the road, he would have had every chance to look over the defences. | |
274 | 6th April§ §Invoice of Ship Bute§ §21 Chests of Sugar§ §Tare, Gross§ §No. 22: Tare 27, Gross 292§ §23: Tare 27, Gross 292§ §24: Tare 28, Gross 293§ §25: Tare 26, Gross 290§ §26: Tare 28, Gross 293§ §27: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §28: Tare 27, Gross 291§ §29: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §30: Tare 26, Gross 290§ §31: Tare 26, Gross 290§ §Tare 271, Gross 2915§ §Tare 296, Gross 3197§ §Tare 567, Gross 6112§ §No. 32: Tare 26, Gross 290§ §33: Tare 28, Gross 288§ §34: Tare 28, Gross 293§ §35: Tare 26, Gross 287§ §36: Tare 27, Gross 287§ §37: Tare 28, Gross 295§ §38: Tare 27, Gross 291§ §39: Tare 27, Gross 291§ §40: Tare 25, Gross 302§ §41: Tare 28, Gross 291§ §42: Tare 26, Gross 292§ §Tare 296, Gross 3197§ §Tare 567§ §Errors Excepted§ | The Bute and the Stafford brought the following supplies to the island. The invoice of the Bute listed her sugar. Sugar, 21 chests, by chest number, tare and gross weight: Chest 22, tare 27 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 23, tare 27 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 24, tare 28 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 25, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 26, tare 28 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 27, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 28, tare 27 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 29, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 30, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 31, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chests 22 to 31, tare 271 lb, gross 2,915 lb Chest 32, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 33, tare 28 lb, gross 288 lb Chest 34, tare 28 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 35, tare 26 lb, gross 287 lb Chest 36, tare 27 lb, gross 287 lb Chest 37, tare 28 lb, gross 296 lb Chest 38, tare 27 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 39, tare 27 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 40, tare 25 lb, gross 302 lb Chest 41, tare 28 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 42, tare 26 lb, gross 292 lb Chests 32 to 42, tare 296 lb, gross 3,197 lb Sugar, total tare 567 lb, total gross 6,112 lb Sugar, net 5,545 lb, being 41 piculs 58 catties at 4 taels 5 mace a picul, 187 taels 1 mace 1 candareen The invoice was dated at Canton on 24 December 1771, subject to any errors. It was signed by William Harrison, Matthew Raper junior, J. Bradley Blake, John Bradshaw, William Henry Pigou, Alexander Hume, Francis Wood junior, Edward Phipps, William Rous, John Walton and Thomas Bevan. The invoice of the Stafford follows. Interpretations The chests on the Bute were numbered 22 to 42 and those on the Northumberland 43 to 63. The supercargoes at Canton bought the island's sugar as a single numbered consignment and divided it between the ships, 21 chests to each. As with the Bengal rice split between the Ponsborne and the Morse, spreading the load protected St Helena's supply against the loss of any one ship. | |
275 | 1772§ §21 Chests of Sugar§ §Tare, Gross§ §No. 1: Tare 31, Gross 291§ §2: Tare 27, Gross 290§ §3: Tare 30, Gross 291§ §4: Tare 29, Gross 288§ §5: Tare 29, Gross 290§ §6: Tare 27, Gross 289§ §7: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §8: Tare 24, Gross 291§ §9: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §10: Tare 27, Gross 292§ §Tare 280, Gross 2906§ §Tare 293, Gross 3196§ §Tare 573, Gross 6102§ §No. 11: Tare 27, Gross 291§ §12: Tare 27, Gross 292§ §13: Tare 27, Gross 293§ §14: Tare 25, Gross 290§ §15: Tare 26, Gross 291§ §16: Tare 27, Gross 293§ §17: Tare 25, Gross 291§ §18: Tare 26, Gross 291§ §19: Tare 29, Gross 288§ §20: Tare 26, Gross 296§ §21: Tare 25, Gross 290§ §Tare 293, Gross 3196§ §Tare 573§ §Errors Excepted§ §Simon Whaley this day presented§ | The invoice of the Stafford listed her sugar. Sugar, 21 chests, by chest number, tare and gross weight: Chest 1, tare 31 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 2, tare 27 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 3, tare 30 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 4, tare 29 lb, gross 288 lb Chest 5, tare 29 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 6, tare 27 lb, gross 289 lb Chest 7, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 8, tare 24 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 9, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 10, tare 27 lb, gross 292 lb Chests 1 to 10, tare 280 lb, gross 2,906 lb Chest 11, tare 27 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 12, tare 27 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 13, tare 27 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 14, tare 25 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 15, tare 26 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 16, tare 27 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 17, tare 28 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 18, tare 26 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 19, tare 29 lb, gross 283 lb Chest 20, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 21, tare 25 lb, gross 290 lb Chests 11 to 21, tare 293 lb, gross 3,196 lb Sugar, total tare 573 lb, total gross 6,102 lb Sugar, net 5,529 lb, being 41 piculs 46 catties at 4 taels 5 mace a picul, 186 taels 5 mace 7 candareens The invoice was dated at Canton on 24 December 1771, subject to any errors. It was signed by William Harrison, Matthew Raper junior, J. Bradley Blake, James Bradshaw, William Henry Pigou, Alexander Hume, Francis Wood junior, Edward Phipps, William Rous, John Walton and Thomas Bevan. Simon Whaley then presented a petition to the Board. The petition follows. Interpretations With the Stafford's chests numbered 1 to 21, the three China ships together brought the whole consignment of 63 chests, more than 16,600 lb of sugar net. That was the island's supply for the year. The store accounts for the last quarter of 1771 alone show some 14,000 lb of sugar and sugar candy sold to servants and planters, issued to the slaves and the hospital, or used at the Company's table. The new consignment arrived just as the old stock would have been running low. | |
276 | 6th April§ §As the above Petitioner was bred up under§ §We this day received the following Letter from§ | Simon Whaley petitioned the Governor and Council on 23 March 1772. He had heard that William Gossip, the carpenter's mate, had been given leave to quit the Company's service and return to England. Whaley wanted the post and asked the Board to take him on in Gossip's place. Whaley had learned his trade under John Robinson, the Company's carpenter, and was well able to serve as carpenter's mate. On 6 April 1772 the Council took him on in that post at the usual salary. The Board also received a letter from the engineer that day. The letter follows. Interpretations The Council filled Gossip's post from the island itself rather than waiting for a tradesman from England, and the minute says why: Whaley had been trained by the Company's own carpenter, so his skill was known. A replacement from England would have taken a year or more to arrive. Whaley had sold 40¾ acres of leased land in January 1772 and now took a salaried post at £12 10s 0d a quarter. For an island-born man, a skilled trade in the Company's service offered a steadier living than farming poor ground. | |
277 | 1772§ §The Works Captain Tippet mentions in his§ | Captain James Tippet wrote to the Governor and Council on 6 April 1772. He reported that over the last quarter his workmen had mostly been building the officers' new barracks, preparing for the new church and finishing the works at Breakneck Gully. With the Council's permission, he meant to spend the coming quarter pressing ahead with the officers' barracks, carrying on the preparations for the church and repairing the damage done by the flood in James's Valley. The Council judged that the works in Tippet's letter needed to be carried on. It ordered him to complete them as quickly as possible. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the order. Interpretations Tippet called the flood a "rage", the word used on St Helena for the sudden torrents that swept down James's Valley after heavy rain on the high ground. Water poured off the steep slopes into the narrow valley and ran through Jamestown to the sea, carrying mud and boulders with it. The danger explains why the officer of the guard could send for the key of the Line Gate only "in case of any rain likely to occasion a flood", as the Deputy Governor told the sergeant on 20 December 1771. The great gate had to be opened to let the water through the Line, or it would back up and flood the town. Repairing the damage now took its place among the engineer's works beside the barracks and the church. | |
278 | 10th April§ §Invoice of Ship Earl of Elgin§ §China ware Blue & White§ §No. 6 Dishes to Table Setts 1 size§ §Do. 2 Do.§ §Do. 3 Do.§ §Do. 4 Do.§ §Do. 5 Do.§ §Tureen Dishes 3§ §Tureens§ §Tops§ §7 Tureens§ §Tops§ §Chamber Pots§ §Plates§ §Tea Pots§ | The Council met at the Castle on Friday 10 April 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 6 April 1772. The minutes recorded the following events. The Company's ship Northumberland sailed for England on Monday 6 April 1772. On Wednesday 8 April 1772 George, son of John Price the gaoler, died, and so did Margaret, daughter of the planter John Seale. At a quarter past four that afternoon the boat of the Earl of Elgin came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Earl of Elgin arrived from China the same day and brought supplies for the island, listed in her invoice. Blue and white china: Box 6: Dishes for table services, size 1, 12 Dishes for table services, size 2, 12 Dishes for table services, size 3, 12 Dishes for table services, size 4, 12 Dishes for table services, size 5, 12 Tureen dishes, 5 Tureens, 4 Tureen lids, 4 Box 7: Tureens, 1 Tureen lids, 1 Chamber pots, 4 Plates, 240 The invoice continues on the next leaf. Interpretations The Council met on a Friday rather than its usual Monday because a Company ship had just arrived. The Earl of Elgin's stores had to be received and her crew mustered while she lay in the road, and her commander would want to sail again within days. The boxes of china were numbered 6 and 7, continuing from the five boxes the British King had brought in March. The supercargoes at Canton had split the island's order for china between the two ships, just as they had divided the sugar. | |
279 | 1772§ §8 Baking Dishes§ §Juglets & Basons§ §Tea Pots§ §Chamber Pots§ §9 Bowls 2 Quarts§ §Do. 3 Pints§ §Do. 1 Quart§ §Do. 1½ Pint§ §Sallad Dishes§ §Chamber Pots§ §Tea Pots§ §10 Sneakers§ §Chamber Pots§ §Breakfast Cups & Saucers§ §Tea Cups & Do.§ §5 Boxes China ware containing vizt.§ §12 Table Setts Nos. 1 2 3 4 5 / 1 1 1 1 1 20 @ Ts. 3§ §5 Tureens§ §5 Bowls 2 Qts.§ §5 Do. 3 Pints§ §26 Do. 1 Quart§ §14 Do. 1½ Pint§ §150 Pint Sneakers§ §6 Tea Pots§ §100 Pr. Breakfast Cups & Saucers§ §50 Do. Tea Cups & Do.§ §25 Baking Dishes§ §30 Sallad Do.§ §15 Juglets & Basons§ §18 Chamber Pots§ §Ts. 77 . 320§ §Deduct 2 p Ct. for Breakage§ §75 . 7 . 7 . 4§ §11 Chests Bohea Tea§ §No. 12 38 187§ §Carried Over§ | The invoice of the Earl of Elgin continued with the rest of the china, its prices and her tea. Box 8: Baking dishes, 25 Goglets and basins, 15 Teapots, 2 Chamber pots, 3 Box 9: Bowls holding 2 quarts, 5 Bowls holding 3 pints, 5 Bowls holding 1 quart, 26 Bowls holding ½ pint, 14 Salad dishes, 30 Chamber pots, 10 Teapots, 2 Box 10: Sneakers, 150 Chamber pot, 1 Breakfast cups and saucers, 100 Teacups and saucers, 50 Prices of the 5 boxes of china: Table services, sizes 1 to 5, 12 sets at 3 taels each, 36 taels Tureens, 5 at 1 tael each, 5 taels Bowls holding 2 quarts, 5 at 1 mace 5 candareens each, 7 mace 5 candareens Bowls holding 3 pints, 5 at 1 mace 2 candareens each, 6 mace Bowls holding 1 quart, 26 at 9 candareens each, 2 taels 3 mace 4 candareens Bowls holding ½ pint, 14 at 7 candareens each, 9 mace 8 candareens Sneakers, 150 at 3 candareens each, 4 taels 5 mace Teapots, 6 at 1 mace each, 6 mace Breakfast cups and saucers, 100 at 7 candareens 5 cash each, 7 taels 5 mace Teacups and saucers, 50 at 4 candareens 3 cash each, 2 taels 1 mace 5 candareens Baking dishes, 25 at 1 mace 6 candareens each, 4 taels Salad dishes, 30 at 1 mace each, 3 taels Goglets and basins, 15 at 3 mace each, 4 taels 5 mace Chamber pots, 18 at 3 mace each, 5 taels 4 mace Total, 77 taels 3 mace 2 candareens Less 2 per cent for breakage, 1 tael 5 mace 4 candareens 6 cash China, net total, 75 taels 7 mace 7 candareens 4 cash Bohea tea, 11 chests, by chest number, tare and gross weight: Chest 12, tare 38 lb, gross 187 lb Chest 13, tare 39 lb, gross 182 lb Chest 14, tare 38 lb, gross 177 lb Chest 15, tare 38 lb, gross 191 lb Chest 16, tare 38 lb, gross 189 lb Chest 17, tare 38 lb, gross 183 lb Chest 18, tare 40 lb, gross 181 lb Chest 19, tare 38 lb, gross 179 lb Chest 20, tare 39 lb, gross 176 lb Chest 21, tare 38 lb, gross 186 lb Chest 22, tare 39 lb, gross 186 lb Bohea tea, total tare 423 lb, total gross 2,028 lb Bohea tea, net 1,605 lb, being 12 piculs 3 catties at 12 taels a picul, 144 taels 3 mace 6 candareens Carried forward, 220 taels 1 mace 3 candareens 4 cash Interpretations The Earl of Elgin brought a second consignment almost identical to the British King's, the same five boxes of china at the same prices and 11 more chests of Bohea numbered 12 to 22. The island's yearly order from Canton was a standing one, repeated in full for each of two ships. A cash, the smallest unit in the reckoning, was a tenth of a candareen. It appears here only because the 2 per cent allowance for breakage did not divide evenly. | |
280 | 10th April§ §4 Chests of Singlo (Twankay)§ §1 Chest Congo Tea§ §1 Box of Hyson Tea§ §Tales 324 . 6 . 5 . 4§ §Errors Excepted§ §Mr. William Wrangham§ | The invoice of the Earl of Elgin concluded with the rest of her tea. Brought forward, 220 taels 1 mace 3 candareens 4 cash Singlo tea (Twankay), 4 chests: Chests 5 and 6, gross 198 lb Chests 7 and 8, gross 201 lb Singlo tea, total gross 399 lb, tare at 19½ lb a chest 78 lb Singlo tea, net 321 lb, being 2 piculs 40 catties at 22 taels a picul, 52 taels 8 mace Congou tea, 1 chest, number 2, gross 102 lb, tare 22 lb Congou tea, net 80 lb, being 60 catties at 25 taels a picul, 15 taels Hyson tea, 1 box, number 2, in 36 canisters, net 72 lb, being 54 catties at 60 taels a picul, 32 taels 4 mace Canisters for the Hyson tea, 36, at 1 candareen 2 cash each, 4 mace 3 candareens 2 cash Hyson tea and canisters, total, 36 taels 7 mace 2 candareens Total, 324 taels 6 mace 5 candareens 4 cash The invoice was dated at Canton on 6 December 1771, subject to any errors. It was signed by William Harrison, Matthew Raper junior, John Bradley Blake, James Bradshaw, William Henry Pigou, Alexander Hume, Edward Phipps, Francis Wood junior, William Rous, John Walton and Thomas Bevan. William Wrangham reported that he had gone aboard the Bute and the Stafford to muster their crews and search for deserters, and had found none. The muster rolls of the two ships follow. | |
281 | 1772§ §Patrick Maitland Commr.§ §Thos. Stringer Sailmaker§ §James Cunningham Seaman§ | The muster roll of the Bute listed her crew as follows. Patrick Maitland, commander Richard Bendy, chief mate Joseph Child Parris, second mate Matthew Bulton, third mate James Fergusson, fourth mate Thomas Watson, fifth mate Alexander Weir, surgeon John Forbes, purser Thomas Irons, boatswain William Crawford, gunner Thomas Edwards, carpenter William Shaw, midshipman and coxswain William Sharp, midshipman Alexander Arbuthnott, midshipman David Matchett, midshipman William Maitland, midshipman George Cooper, midshipman James Gray, quartermaster Jonas Sutton, quartermaster David Johnson, quartermaster John Anderson, quartermaster George Ridley, quartermaster George McKee, quartermaster Robert Smith, ship's steward Richard Steele, captain's steward James Wade, captain's cook John Gardiner, ship's cook Richard Davis, caulker Henry Lovett, cooper John Walker, armourer Thomas Stringer, sailmaker William Gibson, boatswain's first mate William Chamberlain, boatswain's second mate Morgan Morgan, gunner's mate Thomas Leath, carpenter's mate Samuel Underhill, caulker's mate George Spicker, cooper's mate James Gillespie, seaman John Hill, seaman Charles Howard, seaman John Brereton, seaman Alexander Watt, seaman James Muirhead, seaman Anthony Gibson, seaman Anthony Jane, seaman Henry Corbett, seaman Moses Hanley, seaman Michael Hart, seaman Robert Rae, seaman John Siddies, seaman William Stowe, seaman Robert Webb, seaman John Price, seaman Thomas Cope, seaman William McKay, seaman John Moore, seaman Duncan Robertson, seaman Matthew Shields, seaman Hugh Watt, seaman William Stewart, seaman James Cunningham, seaman Michael Walker, seaman Robert Meek, seaman Charles Lind, seaman Francis Morton, seaman Peter Davies, seaman William Slater, seaman Daniel Leech, seaman Thomas Young, seaman John McKay, seaman Benjamin Plate, seaman James Holmes, seaman Alexander Gillies, seaman Thomas Wilson, seaman William Hewett, seaman Jan Jacob Amberg, seaman Thomas Russell, seaman Isaac Chambers, seaman John Orchard, seaman Charles Reid, seaman Edward Aldred, seaman Alexander Kerr, seaman Robert Chappel, seaman Robert Jefferson, seaman William Thomas, seaman Philip Crow, seaman William Terry, seaman Jacob Morrice, seaman Nicholas Cummings, seaman James Gollen, seaman The roll continues on the next leaf. | |
282 | 10th April§ §John Hatton Seaman§ §John White Seaman§ §Passengers vizt.§ §Muster Roll of Ship Stafford§ §Thos. Lull Commander§ §Robt. Miller Carpenters Mate§ §Jo. Nicholson Seaman§ | The muster roll of the Bute concluded as follows. John Vickary, seaman Peter Applegreen, seaman Isaac Abbott, seaman James Merrice, seaman John Hatton, seaman Richard Morgan, seaman George Fry, seaman Robert Shepherd, seaman John Semple, seaman John White, seaman William Ware, seaman John Stevenson, seaman Michael Harding, seaman Passengers: Mr James Foster Pedro, a servant Patrick Maitland signed the roll as commander. The muster roll of the Stafford followed. Thomas Lull, commander James Burgess, chief mate Robert Stone, second mate James Bowley, third mate Robert Ridley, purser George Rowley, surgeon David Agnew, gunner Brian Pigeon, carpenter Thomas Burridge, midshipman John McNeal, midshipman James Stevenson, midshipman William Flew, coxswain Alexander Anderson, quartermaster James Henderson, quartermaster Patrick Prout, quartermaster W. Thompson, boatswain's mate William McCullum, gunner's mate Robert Miller, carpenter's mate Alexander Stewart, carpenter's mate Richard Turner, ship's steward Thomas Miller, cooper Robert Sharp, cooper's mate George Cowley, sailmaker Peter Lindsay, captain's cook James Hayler, ship's cook John Reynolds, butcher Richard Cobb, armourer William Hempthorn, seaman Richard Bridge, seaman Thomas Swain, seaman Samuel Wilson, seaman W. Sheriden, seaman J. Baker, seaman Bartholomew Collins, seaman J. Nicholson, seaman Graves Matthews, seaman John Deacon, seaman David Thomas, seaman Robert Hutchinson, seaman John Shepherd, seaman Joseph Bewley, seaman John McMillan, seaman Benjamin Hall, seaman William Denning, seaman William Upstall, seaman John Robinson, seaman Joseph Sherry, seaman Thomas Taylor, seaman John Griffiths, seaman John Grover, seaman John White, seaman The roll continues on the next leaf. | |
283 | 1772§ §David Oswald Seaman§ §John Chapman Seaman§ §(signed)§ §We this day Granted the following Sets of Bills of Exchange§ | The muster roll of the Stafford concluded as follows. John White the second, seaman William Dobson, seaman William Bryant, seaman John Hawkins, seaman John Freeman, seaman James Cross, seaman Thomas Mitham, seaman Francis Butler, seaman John Storey, seaman Archibald Ballantine, seaman Richard Rainbott, seaman David Oswald, seaman Michael Mahoney, seaman John Lynn, seaman Richard Hamilton, seaman James Neal, seaman Richard Pitcher, seaman William Tremington, seaman Francis Kemp, seaman James Massey, seaman William Cook, second mate's servant W. Speed, gunner's servant John Barry, carpenter's servant John Chapman, seaman George Knight, fourth mate James Heath, third mate's servant George Drew, midshipman Simon Eck, seaman Nathaniel Butler, midshipman Thomas Fisher, fifth mate John White, seaman Peter Rosier, seaman Robert Smith, seaman Peter Hellen, seaman Thomas Lull signed the roll as commander. The Council issued two sets of bills of exchange that day, drawn on the Court of Directors. One set went to William Wrangham for £50 0s 0d, payable to John May or his order. The other went to the Reverend William Bearcroft for £155 16s 0d, payable to Captain John Milford or his order. Both were payable 90 days after they were presented in London. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the minute. Interpretations Neither set of bills was made payable to the man who paid in the money. Wrangham's bill went to John May, the passenger who had sailed in the Morse on 20 March 1772. Bearcroft's went to Captain John Milford of the Northumberland, which had sailed on 6 April 1772. Each man was probably settling a debt in London to someone who had already left the island. Bearcroft, the chaplain, paid £155 16s 0d, more than two quarters of his salary and diet money. He had most likely bought goods from Milford's private trade while the Northumberland lay in the road. The bills worked as a means of paying a creditor at home through the Company's own accounts, without either man having to send coin. | |
284 | 13th April§ §The Glatton brought Us the following Supplies vizt.§ §Invoice of Ship Glatton§ §21 Chests of Sugar§ §Tare, Gross§ §No. 64: Tare 27, Gross 291§ §65: Tare 27, Gross 292§ §66: Tare 29, Gross 293§ §67: Tare 28, Gross 289§ §68: Tare 26, Gross 290§ §69: Tare 26, Gross 291§ §70: Tare 27, Gross 292§ §71: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §72: Tare 27, Gross 297§ §73: Tare 27, Gross 291§ §Tare 272, Gross 2918§ §Tare 295, Gross 3208§ §Tare 567, Gross 6126§ §No. 74: Tare 28, Gross 293§ §75: Tare 25, Gross 290§ §76: Tare 27, Gross 291§ §77: Tare 28, Gross 293§ §78: Tare 27, Gross 292§ §79: Tare 27, Gross 292§ §80: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §81: Tare 28, Gross 291§ §82: Tare 27, Gross 292§ §83: Tare 25, Gross 290§ §84: Tare 24, Gross 291§ §Tare 295, Gross 3208§ §Tare 567§ §Errors Excepted§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 13 April 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 10 April 1772. The minutes recorded the following events. On Friday 10 April 1772, at half past four in the afternoon, the boat of the Glatton came ashore at Banks's, and the Company's ship Glatton arrived from China the same day. On Saturday 11 April 1772 Thomas Hales, a private soldier, died, and the Company's ship Bute sailed for England. The Glatton brought the following supplies to the island, listed in her invoice. Sugar, 21 chests, by chest number, tare and gross weight: Chest 64, tare 27 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 65, tare 27 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 66, tare 29 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 67, tare 28 lb, gross 289 lb Chest 68, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 69, tare 26 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 70, tare 27 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 71, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 72, tare 27 lb, gross 297 lb Chest 73, tare 27 lb, gross 291 lb Chests 64 to 73, tare 272 lb, gross 2,918 lb Chest 74, tare 28 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 75, tare 25 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 76, tare 27 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 77, tare 28 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 78, tare 27 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 79, tare 28 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 80, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 81, tare 28 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 82, tare 27 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 83, tare 25 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 84, tare 24 lb, gross 291 lb Chests 74 to 84, tare 295 lb, gross 3,198 lb Sugar, total tare 567 lb, total gross 6,116 lb Sugar, net 5,549 lb, being 41 piculs 69 catties at 4 taels 5 mace a picul, 187 taels 6 mace 0 candareens 5 cash The invoice was dated at Canton on 4 January 1772, subject to any errors. It was signed by Matthew Raper junior, John Bradley Blake, James Bradshaw, William Henry Pigou, John Walton, Thomas Bevan, William Harrison, Alexander Hume, Edward Phipps, Francis Wood junior and William Rous. Interpretations The Glatton's chests, numbered 64 to 84, completed a consignment of 84 chests of sugar divided equally among four ships. The Stafford, Bute, Northumberland and Glatton each carried 21, and together they brought about 22,000 lb of sugar net for the island's year. The Glatton's invoice was dated 4 January 1772, a month after the others. She left Canton later in the season and reached St Helena last, which spread the arrival of the island's supplies across the busy weeks of the homeward fleet. | |
285 | 1772§ §Account of Stores short received from Ship Earl of§ §The Plantation Account for the Quarter and§ | The storekeeper delivered an account that day of stores found short on delivery from the Earl of Elgin. Meat dish, 1 Tureens and dishes, 2 Meat plates, 9 Baking dish, 1 Salad dishes, 3 Chamber pot, 1 Half-pint cups and saucers, 2 Quart cups and saucers, 2 Bowl, 1 Sneakers, 13 All these pieces were found broken when the packages were opened, although the packages themselves were in good order. James Pavell signed the account as storekeeper on 13 April 1772. The plantation account for the quarter, together with the accounts of artillery stores used and the steward's accounts for March 1772, was then laid before the Board. The members examined and approved them. The accounts follow below. Interpretations The breakage in the Earl of Elgin's china came to 36 pieces, more than twice the 16 broken in the British King's identical consignment. Both invoices had already deducted 2 per cent of the value for breakage at Canton. The storekeeper still recorded every broken piece so that his stock matched the goods actually received, and so that the Court could see whether the allowance was enough. The sneakers, the thinnest and cheapest pieces, broke most often. | |
286 | 13th April§ §Neat Cattle Bulls, Neat Cattle Cows, Neat Cattle Calves, Neat Cattle Yearlings, Neat Cattle Heifers, Neat Cattle Steers, Neat Cattle Oxen, Neat Cattle Total, Sheep Ewes, Sheep Weathers, Sheep Lambs, Sheep Rams, Sheep Total, Goats Ewes, Goats Weathers, Goats Kids, Goats Rams, Goats Total, Hogs Sows, Hogs Boars, Hogs Pigs, Hogs Barrows, Hogs Total, Horses Horses, Horses Mares, Horses Total, Poultry Fowls, Poultry Ducks, Poultry Turkeys, Poultry Geese§ §Remaining 1st Jany.: Neat Cattle Bulls 7, Neat Cattle Cows 96, Neat Cattle Calves 29, Neat Cattle Yearlings 21, Neat Cattle Heifers 18, Neat Cattle Steers 34, Neat Cattle Oxen 13, Neat Cattle Total 212, Sheep Ewes 219, Sheep Weathers 25, Sheep Lambs 26, Sheep Rams 9, Sheep Total 279, Goats Ewes 109, Goats Weathers 34, Goats Kids 31, Goats Rams 7, Goats Total 181, Hogs Sows 4, Hogs Boars 2, Hogs Pigs 18, Hogs Barrows 1, Hogs Total 25, Horses Horses 6, Horses Mares 7, Horses Total 13, Poultry Fowls 99, Poultry Ducks 14, Poultry Turkeys 21, Poultry Geese 2§ §Encreased: Neat Cattle Bulls 0, Neat Cattle Cows 0, Neat Cattle Calves 17, Neat Cattle Yearlings 0, Neat Cattle Heifers 0, Neat Cattle Steers 0, Neat Cattle Oxen 0, Neat Cattle Total 17, Sheep Ewes 0, Sheep Weathers 0, Sheep Lambs 43, Sheep Rams 0, Sheep Total 43, Goats Ewes 0, Goats Weathers 0, Goats Kids 19, Goats Rams 0, Goats Total 19, Hogs Sows 0, Hogs Boars 0, Hogs Pigs 11, Hogs Barrows 0, Hogs Total 11, Horses Horses 0, Horses Mares 0, Horses Total 0, Poultry Fowls 43, Poultry Ducks 6, Poultry Turkeys 4, Poultry Geese 0§ §Recd. from the Ship Horse: Neat Cattle Bulls 0, Neat Cattle Cows 0, Neat Cattle Calves 0, Neat Cattle Yearlings 4, Neat Cattle Heifers 0, Neat Cattle Steers 17, Neat Cattle Oxen 0, Neat Cattle Total 21, Sheep Ewes 0, Sheep Weathers 12, Sheep Lambs 0, Sheep Rams 0, Sheep Total 12, Goats Ewes 0, Goats Weathers 0, Goats Kids 0, Goats Rams 0, Goats Total 0, Hogs Sows 0, Hogs Boars 0, Hogs Pigs 0, Hogs Barrows 0, Hogs Total 0, Horses Horses 0, Horses Mares 0, Horses Total 0, Poultry Fowls 0, Poultry Ducks 0, Poultry Turkeys 0, Poultry Geese 0§ §Total: Neat Cattle Bulls 7, Neat Cattle Cows 96, Neat Cattle Calves 46, Neat Cattle Yearlings 25, Neat Cattle Heifers 18, Neat Cattle Steers 51, Neat Cattle Oxen 13, Neat Cattle Total 256, Sheep Ewes 219, Sheep Weathers 37, Sheep Lambs 69, Sheep Rams 9, Sheep Total 334, Goats Ewes 109, Goats Weathers 34, Goats Kids 50, Goats Rams 7, Goats Total 200, Hogs Sows 4, Hogs Boars 2, Hogs Pigs 29, Hogs Barrows 1, Hogs Total 36, Horses Horses 6, Horses Mares 7, Horses Total 13, Poultry Fowls 142, Poultry Ducks 20, Poultry Turkeys 25, Poultry Geese 2§ §Killed: Neat Cattle Bulls 0, Neat Cattle Cows 2, Neat Cattle Calves 0, Neat Cattle Yearlings 0, Neat Cattle Heifers 0, Neat Cattle Steers 2, Neat Cattle Oxen 0, Neat Cattle Total 4, Sheep Ewes 13, Sheep Weathers 25, Sheep Lambs 0, Sheep Rams 0, Sheep Total 38, Goats Ewes 4, Goats Weathers 10, Goats Kids 2, Goats Rams 0, Goats Total 16, Hogs Sows 0, Hogs Boars 2, Hogs Pigs 7, Hogs Barrows 0, Hogs Total 9, Horses Horses 0, Horses Mares 0, Horses Total 0, Poultry Fowls 15, Poultry Ducks 14, Poultry Turkeys 6, Poultry Geese 0§ §Dead: Neat Cattle Bulls 0, Neat Cattle Cows 1, Neat Cattle Calves 0, Neat Cattle Yearlings 1, Neat Cattle Heifers 0, Neat Cattle Steers 3, Neat Cattle Oxen 0, Neat Cattle Total 5, Sheep Ewes 4, Sheep Weathers 0, Sheep Lambs 8, Sheep Rams 0, Sheep Total 12, Goats Ewes 3, Goats Weathers 2, Goats Kids 5, Goats Rams 0, Goats Total 10, Hogs Sows 0, Hogs Boars 0, Hogs Pigs 1, Hogs Barrows 0, Hogs Total 1, Horses Horses 0, Horses Mares 0, Horses Total 0, Poultry Fowls 49, Poultry Ducks 0, Poultry Turkeys 1, Poultry Geese 0§ §Remaining 31st March: Neat Cattle Bulls 7, Neat Cattle Cows 93, Neat Cattle Calves 46, Neat Cattle Yearlings 24, Neat Cattle Heifers 18, Neat Cattle Steers 46, Neat Cattle Oxen 13, Neat Cattle Total 247, Sheep Ewes 202, Sheep Weathers 12, Sheep Lambs 61, Sheep Rams 9, Sheep Total 284, Goats Ewes 102, Goats Weathers 22, Goats Kids 43, Goats Rams 7, Goats Total 174, Hogs Sows 4, Hogs Boars 0, Hogs Pigs 21, Hogs Barrows 1, Hogs Total 26, Horses Horses 6, Horses Mares 7, Horses Total 13, Poultry Fowls 78, Poultry Ducks 6, Poultry Turkeys 18, Poultry Geese 2§ §Changed the Species: Neat Cattle Bulls 7, Neat Cattle Cows 102, Neat Cattle Calves 22, Neat Cattle Yearlings 18, Neat Cattle Heifers 35, Neat Cattle Steers 47, Neat Cattle Oxen 16, Neat Cattle Total 247, Sheep Ewes 211, Sheep Weathers 27, Sheep Lambs 36, Sheep Rams 10, Sheep Total 284, Goats Ewes 110, Goats Weathers 39, Goats Kids 18, Goats Rams 7, Goats Total 174, Hogs Sows 4, Hogs Boars 5, Hogs Pigs 16, Hogs Barrows 1, Hogs Total 26, Horses Horses 6, Horses Mares 7, Horses Total 13, Poultry Fowls 78, Poultry Ducks 6, Poultry Turkeys 18, Poultry Geese 2§ §Slaves Born 1 Girl named Patt§ §Yam Expended for the Slaves§ §Do. for the Stock§ §Errors Excepted§ | The Company's stock of cattle and other animals between 1 January and 31 March 1772 was as follows. Cattle in hand at the start: bulls 7, cows 96, calves 29, yearlings 21, heifers 18, steers 34, oxen 13, total 218 Cattle added by birth: calves 17, total 17 Cattle received from the ship Morse: yearlings 4, steers 17, total 21 Cattle in all: bulls 7, cows 96, calves 46, yearlings 25, heifers 18, steers 51, oxen 13, total 256 Cattle killed: bulls 0, cows 2, calves 0, yearlings 0, heifers 0, steers 2, oxen 0, total 4 Cattle died: bulls 0, cows 1, calves 0, yearlings 1, heifers 0, steers 3, oxen 0, total 5 Cattle in hand at the end: bulls 7, cows 93, calves 46, yearlings 24, heifers 18, steers 46, oxen 13, total 247 Cattle regraded by age: bulls 7, cows 102, calves 22, yearlings 18, heifers 35, steers 47, oxen 16, total 247 Sheep in hand at the start: ewes 219, wethers 25, lambs 26, rams 9, total 279 Sheep added by birth: lambs 43, total 43 Sheep received from the ship Morse: wethers 12, total 12 Sheep in all: ewes 219, wethers 37, lambs 69, rams 9, total 334 Sheep killed: ewes 13, wethers 25, lambs 0, rams 0, total 38 Sheep died: ewes 4, wethers 0, lambs 8, rams 0, total 12 Sheep in hand at the end: ewes 202, wethers 12, lambs 61, rams 9, total 284 Sheep regraded by age: ewes 211, wethers 27, lambs 36, rams 10, total 284 Goats in hand at the start: nannies 109, wethers 34, kids 31, billies 7, total 181 Goats added by birth: kids 19, total 19 Goats in all: nannies 109, wethers 34, kids 50, billies 7, total 200 Goats killed: nannies 4, wethers 10, kids 2, billies 0, total 16 Goats died: nannies 3, wethers 2, kids 5, billies 0, total 10 Goats in hand at the end: nannies 102, wethers 22, kids 43, billies 7, total 174 Goats regraded by age: nannies 110, wethers 39, kids 18, billies 7, total 174 Hogs in hand at the start: sows 4, boars 2, pigs 18, barrows 1, total 25 Hogs added by birth: pigs 11, total 11 Hogs in all: sows 4, boars 2, pigs 29, barrows 1, total 36 Hogs killed: sows 0, boars 2, pigs 7, barrows 0, total 9 Hogs died: sows 0, boars 0, pigs 1, barrows 0, total 1 Hogs in hand at the end: sows 4, boars 0, pigs 21, barrows 1, total 26 Hogs regraded by age: sows 4, boars 5, pigs 16, barrows 1, total 26 Horses throughout the quarter: horses 6, mares 7, total 13 Poultry in hand at the start: fowls 99, ducks 14, turkeys 21, geese 2 Poultry added: fowls 43, ducks 6, turkeys 4, geese 0 Poultry in all: fowls 142, ducks 20, turkeys 25, geese 2 Poultry killed: fowls 15, ducks 14, turkeys 6, geese 0 Poultry died: fowls 49, ducks 0, turkeys 1, geese 0 Poultry in hand at the end: fowls 78, ducks 6, turkeys 18, geese 2 Slaves born: 1 girl named Patt, 1 boy named Dick Slaves died: 1 woman named Christian, 1 girl named Patt Yams used for the slaves, 67,390 Yams used for the stock, 11,745 Daniel Corneille signed the account, subject to any errors. Interpretations The 21 cattle received from the Morse were the bullocks that Captain Watson bought at the Cape, 4 yearlings and 17 steers. The 12 wethers from the same ship were probably Cape sheep bought with them. Without them the Company's herd would have fallen again over the quarter. With them it ended at 247, up from 218, and only four cattle were killed in three months. The Company was still sparing its herd and drawing beef for its table and the ships from the planters. The line headed "changed the species" regraded the animals at the end of the quarter as they grew older. Calves became yearlings, yearlings became heifers or steers, and lambs and kids moved into the adult classes. The totals did not change, but the next quarter's account started from the new grades. A slave girl named Patt was born and another girl of the same name died in the same quarter, perhaps the same child. Of the poultry, 49 fowls died against 15 killed for use, a loss of more than a third of the flock. | |
287 | 1772§ §Guns fired, 18 Prs., 6 Prs., 4 Prs., 1 Prs., Powder Expended lb, Powder Expended oz§ §4 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Arrived the Ponsborne: Guns fired 9, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §5 An Alarm for a Dane passed by: Guns fired 6, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §10 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Do. at Turks Cap: Guns fired 2, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 2, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 4, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Arrived a Dane: Guns fired 9, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §11 Departed the Ponsborne: Guns fired 9, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §13 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Do. at Turks Cap: Guns fired 2, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 2, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 4, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Do. at Purlings Battery: Guns fired 2, 18 Prs. 2, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 6, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Arrived the Horse: Guns fired 9, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Departed the British King: Guns fired 9, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §14 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Do. at Turks Cap: Guns fired 2, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 2, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 4, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Do. at Purlings Battery: Guns fired 2, 18 Prs. 2, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 6, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Arrived a Swede Ship: Guns fired 8, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 8, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 12, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Departed a Dane: Guns fired 9, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §17 Departed a Swede Ship: Guns fired 8, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 8, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 12, Powder Expended oz 0§ §20 Do. the Horse: Guns fired 11, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 11, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 16, Powder Expended oz 8§ §28 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Arrived the Northumberland: Guns fired 9, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §31 An Alarm for six Ships passing by: Guns fired 15, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 10, 1 Prs. 5, Powder Expended lb 22, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Powder for Ladder Hill: Guns fired 0, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 126, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Do. for Sundry Services: Guns fired 0, 18 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 94, Powder Expended oz 2§ §Total: Guns fired 151, 18 Prs. 4, 6 Prs. 90, 4 Prs. 40, 1 Prs. 17, Powder Expended lb 539, Powder Expended oz 10§ §Tallow§ §Lead Ball§ §Paper§ §Handspikes§ §Vinegar§ §Match§ §Bitts§ §Tompions§ §Sponge Staves§ §Sponge Heads§ §Rammer Do.§ §Sponge Nails§ §Iron Ginn Bolts§ §(signed)§ | The artillery stores used in March 1772 were as follows. 4 March 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb The salute for the arrival of the Ponsborne used 9 guns, all 6-pounders, and 13 lb 8 oz of powder. 5 March 1772, alarm for a Danish ship passing, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb 10 March 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb Alarm at Turk's Cap, guns fired 2, 4-pounders 2, powder 4 lb Salute for the arrival of a Danish ship, guns fired 9, 6-pounders 9, powder 13 lb 8 oz The salute at the departure of the Ponsborne on 11 March 1772 used 9 guns, all 6-pounders, and 13 lb 8 oz of powder. 13 March 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb Alarm at Turk's Cap, guns fired 2, 4-pounders 2, powder 4 lb Alarm at Purling's Battery, guns fired 2, 18-pounders 2, powder 6 lb The salutes for the arrival of the Morse and the departure of the British King each used 9 guns, all 6-pounders, and 13 lb 8 oz of powder. 14 March 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb Alarm at Turk's Cap, guns fired 2, 4-pounders 2, powder 4 lb Alarm at Purling's Battery, guns fired 2, 18-pounders 2, powder 6 lb Salute for the arrival of a Swedish ship, guns fired 8, 6-pounders 8, powder 12 lb Salute for the departure of a Danish ship, guns fired 9, 6-pounders 9, powder 13 lb 8 oz 17 March 1772, salute for the departure of a Swedish ship, guns fired 8, 6-pounders 8, powder 12 lb The salute at the departure of the Morse on 20 March 1772 used 11 guns, all 6-pounders, and 16 lb 8 oz of powder. 28 March 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb The salute for the arrival of the Northumberland used 9 guns, all 6-pounders, and 13 lb 8 oz of powder. 31 March 1772, alarm for 6 ships passing, guns fired 15, 4-pounders 10, 1-pounders 5, powder 22 lb 8 oz Powder for the Ladder Hill road, 126 lb 0 oz Powder for various services, 94 lb 2 oz Total, guns fired 151, 18-pounders 4, 6-pounders 90, 4-pounders 40, 1-pounders 17, powder 539 lb 10 oz Tallow, 3 lb 12 oz Lead ball, 1 lb 2 oz Paper, 1½ quires Handspikes, 3 Vinegar, ½ gallon Slow match, 17 lb Bits, 4 Tompions, 3 Sponge staves, 3 Sponge heads, 1 Rammer heads, 1 Tacking nails, 30 Iron gun-carriage bolt at Lemon Valley, 1 James Tippet signed the account as captain of artillery. The next heading, Sundries, begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations March 1772 was the busiest month in the artillery accounts, with 151 guns fired and almost 540 lb of powder used. The homeward ships from Bengal and China were passing the island, and each sail sighted set off an alarm until it was identified. The alarm of 31 March was for six ships seen passing at once. The Danish and Swedish ships that called received the same 9-gun salute as a Company ship on arrival and departure. Saluting them was a courtesy between friendly nations, but every salute also cost powder. Turk's Cap was a headland and battery on the windward east coast. On 13 and 14 March the alarm was raised there and at Purling's Battery as well as from the main post, which shows the signal passing from one battery to the next around the island. | |
288 | 13th April§ §67 Bottles Madeira§ §18 Do. Port§ §14 Do. Lisbon§ §2 Do. Mountain§ §22 Do. Beer§ §17½ Galls. Arrack§ §24 lb Beef§ §124 lb Mutton§ §6 Turkeys§ §3 Fowls§ §8 Ducks§ §80 lb Candy§ §522 lb Flour§ §1 Kid§ §6 Pigs§ §9 Goats§ §Bought for the Table vizt.§ §2 Turkeys§ §33 Fowls§ §14 Ducks§ §1 Pig§ §174½ lb Beef§ §146 lb Turtle§ §£ 40 . 19 . 4¼§ §Mr. William Roberts this day brought in the§ | The supplies used at the Company's table in March 1772 were as follows. Madeira, 67 bottles, £6 14s 0d Port, 18 bottles, £1 7s 0d Lisbon wine, 14 bottles, £1 1s 0d Mountain wine, 2 bottles, £0 3s 0d Beer, 22 bottles, £0 4s 1½d Arrack, 17½ gallons, £2 12s 6d Beef, 40 lb, £0 10s 0d Mutton, 122 lb, £2 10s 10d Turkeys, 6, £1 10s 0d Fowls, 3, £0 4s 6d Ducks, 8, £0 12s 0d Sugar candy, 80 lb, £2 0s 0d Flour, 522 lb, £4 7s 0d Kid, 1, £0 5s 0d Pigs, 6, £1 10s 0d Goats, 9, £3 10s 0d Bought in for the table: Turkeys, 2, £0 10s 0d Fowls, 33, £2 9s 0d Ducks, 14, £1 1s 0d Pig, 1, £0 5s 0d Beef, 174½ lb, £3 12s 7¼d Turtle, 146 lb, £3 0s 10d Total, £40 19s 4¾d William Roberts brought in the account of the late James Hogg, carpenter's mate, that day. The account follows. Interpretations The table's bill for March 1772 was the highest of the season, more than £40 against about £30 in earlier months. The Governor kept open table for the commanders and passengers of the many ships in the road, and Madeira consumption doubled to 67 bottles. The 146 lb of turtle was a delicacy bought for these guests. Green turtles came from Ascension Island, about 700 miles north-west, where ships stopped to catch them on the beaches as they came ashore to lay. They were carried alive in the hold and sold on at St Helena, and turtle soup and turtle steaks were the grand dishes of an East India captain's table. | |
289 | 1772§ §To Cash paid sundry Persons for Debts§ §To Willm. Roberts for disposing of his Effects and§ §9 . 11 . 2§ §To Balance to be paid to his Friends by the§ §£ 62 . 15 . 6§ §Per Contra Cr.§ §By Cash received the amount of his Effects§ §By Do. received as his Salary§ §By Do. received of Jno. Preston for a Woman§ §By Cash found in his Chest§ §By Do. Recd. of James Millar for House§ §£ 62 . 15 . 6§ §Errors Excepted§ | The account of the late James Hogg, carpenter's mate, was set out as follows. Payments: Paid to various persons for debts they claimed, £7 19s 8d Paid to William Roberts for selling the effects and collecting the money, £1 11s 6d Payments, total, £9 11s 2d Balance to be paid to his relatives by the Company in England, £53 4s 4d Total, £62 15s 6d Receipts: Received from the sale of his effects at public auction, £28 8s 1d Received as his salary, £6 9s 5d Received from John Preston for a slave woman, £22 15s 0d Cash found in his chest, £4 15s 0d Received from James Millar for house rent, £0 8s 0d Total, £62 15s 6d William Roberts signed the account at St Helena on 13 April 1772, subject to any errors. Interpretations James Hogg, a carpenter's mate earning a modest wage, owned a slave woman, and she was the most valuable thing he left. John Preston, the mason's mate, bought her for £22 15s 0d, almost as much as all Hogg's other goods fetched at auction. Even a junior tradesman in the Company's service could own a slave on St Helena, and at his death she was sold off with his tools and clothes to settle his estate. The minutes record nothing of her name. When a Company servant died on the island without a will or an executor there, an officer settled the estate for a fee. Roberts sold the goods, paid the debts and took 2½ per cent for his trouble. The balance did not go to Hogg's relatives directly. It was paid into the Company's treasury and would be paid out in England, so that his family received the money through the Company's accounts without the risk of shipping cash. | |
290 | 13th April§ §Ordered the following Advertisement to§ §Island St. Helena 13th April 1772§ §William Medcalf, Arundel Carnes, John Peavy§ | The Council paid the balance of £53 4s 4d from James Hogg's estate into the Company's treasury. The Board then wrote it off to the London account so that the money could be paid to his relatives in England. The Council also ordered a public notice, dated 13 April 1772. It required all the island's inhabitants to meet in vestry at the chapel in James's Valley the following Monday to choose the parish officers for the coming year. They were also to put forward three of the leading inhabitants, one of whom would be chosen to serve as sheriff. They were also to choose a suitable person as constable. Matthew Bazett signed the notice as Secretary on the Council's orders. William Medcalf, Arundel Cairns and John Pury, private soldiers, John Wilson, a matross, and Joseph Purdy, a drummer, petitioned the Board that day for their discharge from the garrison. Each had served the Company for the full term of his engagement. The Board agreed, and John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille and Matthew Purling signed the grant. Interpretations The vestry met each year to elect the parish officers, but it met only when the Council called it. The notice shows how far the Council controlled even this local business. The inhabitants did not elect the sheriff outright. They put forward three names, and the Governor and Council chose one of them. The arrangement gave the planters a voice while leaving the final choice, and with it the island's chief law officer outside the garrison, in the government's hands. The constable chosen at the same meeting was the officer who kept the tally of rats and mice destroyed and collected the bounty paid for them. The discharge of five men at once, all at the end of their engagements, came at the height of the homeward season. Discharged soldiers could take passage to England in the ships then lying in the road, so the Council released them while transport was at hand. | |
291 | 16th April§ §The Dutton brought Us the following§ | The Council met at the Castle on Thursday 16 April 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 13 April 1772. The minutes recorded the following events. The Company's ship Stafford sailed for England on Monday 13 April 1772. Mrs Mary Seale, a widow, died on Tuesday 14 April 1772. At a quarter past one on the night of 15 April 1772 the boat of the Dutton came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Dutton arrived the same night from Bombay, last from the Cape. The Company's ship Lord Camden also arrived from England. On the morning of 16 April 1772 the Council received a packet of letters from the Court of Directors, which the members opened and read. Following the Court's orders, Matthew Bazett took his seat on the Board as fourth member of Council. The Council also informed William Bearcroft, James Tippet and James Pavell of the Court's instructions concerning each of them. The Dutton brought supplies for the island, listed in her invoice below. Interpretations The Court of Directors' packet added a fourth member to the Council, and Matthew Bazett, the Secretary, took his seat at once. Until then the Board had only three members. With so few, a councillor whose own business came before it could not stand aside without leaving it unable to act. Purling had sat in judgement on the renewal and sale of his own leases in November and December 1771. A fourth seat gave the Board room to work without him, and it also gave a voice to the Bazett family, which already held several posts in the government and garrison. The packet came out in the Lord Camden, the first ship of the season direct from England, which explains why the Court's orders and the new appointment arrived together. Mary Seale was the mother of William Seale junior. Under his will, proved on 16 December 1771, she held his land and stock for her lifetime only. Her death now passed the house and land to his brother George Seale. The cattle, sheep, hogs and poultry were to be shared between George and their niece Mary Yates. | |
292 | 16th April§ §Rice beaten fine 45 Bags of lb 300 Surat Mds.§ §Batty 32 bags each 3 parahs is 3 . 21 @ 20 Rups. p Md.§ §Charges on Merchandize vizt.§ §Gunny Bags &c.§ §Lascarage§ §Hamallage§ §Boathire§ §61 . 1 . 10§ §Rupees 538 . 30§ §Errors Excepted§ §Mr. William Wrangham Reports§ §Muster Roll of Ship Dutton§ §Henry Rice Commander§ §Thos. Foster Surgeon§ §Wm. Cole Capt. Steward§ | The invoice of the Dutton listed the rice she brought from Bombay and the charges on it. Fine cleaned rice, 45 bags, weighing 300 Surat maunds, at 24 rupees for 18 Surat maunds, 400 rupees Batty, 32 bags of 3 parahs each, being 96 parahs at 20 [...] a parah, 76 rupees 3 quarters 20 reas Charges on the goods: Gunny bags and other packing, 51 rupees 2 quarters 20 reas Lascarage, 4 rupees 2 quarters Hamallage, 2 rupees 2 quarters 90 reas Boat hire, 2 rupees 2 quarters Charges, total, 61 rupees 1 quarter 10 reas Total, 538 rupees 0 quarters 30 reas W. D. Draper signed the invoice as accountant, subject to any errors. William Wrangham reported that he had gone aboard the Dutton, the Glatton and the Earl of Elgin to muster their crews and search for deserters, and had found none. The muster roll of the Dutton began as follows. Henry Rice, commander David Elphinstone, first mate George Simson, second mate Matthew Lord, third mate John Lewis, fourth mate George Dundas, fifth mate Thomas Foster, surgeon John Browne, purser Joseph Bean, carpenter Richard Nash, gunner William Gibbons, boatswain Frederick Drake, ship's steward William Cole, captain's steward Peter Lowe, captain's cook John Wellington, ship's cook Thomas Turner, sailmaker John Fisher, cooper Robert Allison, armourer The roll continues on the next leaf. Interpretations The Dutton's invoice was made out at Bombay in that presidency's own reckoning, which differed from Bengal's. The Bombay rupee was divided into 4 quarters, each of 100 reas, and rice was weighed by the Surat maund rather than the Bengal maund. Batty was the Malabar coast name for rice still in the husk, the same as the paddy shipped from Bengal, and it was measured by the parah, a measure of volume. Lascarage paid the lascars, the Indian seamen and dock hands who loaded the cargo, and hamallage paid the hamals, or porters, who carried it to the boats. With rice coming from both Bengal and Bombay, the island's staple was drawn from two presidencies, so a poor harvest in one did not leave St Helena short. | |
293 | 1772§ §William Crisp Midshipman§ §Wm. Smith 2 Seaman§ §Passengers vizt.§ §Mr. Pemberton§ §signed§ | The muster roll of the Dutton continued as follows. John Morrison, joiner Nicholas Reaves, carpenter's first mate W. Phillips, carpenter's second mate Archibald Bralcomb, gunner's first mate Thomas Browne, gunner's second mate George Walker, boatswain's first mate Thomas Thomas, boatswain's second mate Richard Heather, caulker Joseph Bygott, cooper's mate Charles Evans, butcher Abraham Thompson, poulterer Lewis Crookshanks, tailor George Yatman, baker John Hare, barber Thomas Holden, captain's servant Robert Pyton, captain's servant George Holcome, captain's servant Owen Lucas, captain's servant J. L. Barker, surgeon's servant James Franks, carpenter's servant James Seabourne, gunner's servant Charles Little, boatswain's servant W. Godfrey, midshipman and coxswain William Stevens, midshipman Michael Thomas, midshipman George Abernethie, midshipman Stephen Collins, midshipman William Crisp, midshipman George Balderston, midshipman Thomas Clap, quartermaster Thomas Davis, quartermaster W. Welch, quartermaster Luke Edrington, quartermaster Thomas Self, quartermaster John Jackson, quartermaster W. Jones, seaman Thomas Ives, seaman Robert Donaldson, seaman Thomas Hill, seaman Thomas Williams, seaman W. Bassett, seaman John Harris, seaman Thomas Smith, seaman W. Workman, seaman Joseph Harris, seaman John Bowman, seaman W. Barnes, seaman Matthew Winney, seaman Hugh Hughes, seaman John Brand, seaman John Moore, seaman James Savage, seaman W. Smith, seaman Thomas Langdon, seaman Charles Robinson, seaman W. Smith the second, seaman R. Jenkes, seaman Owen ap Morris, seaman James Nash, seaman Alexander Taylor, seaman W. Talbot, seaman Nicholas Stratton, seaman James Green, seaman Thomas Abercrombie, seaman Alexander Robinson, seaman J. Hackman, seaman Andrew Gray, seaman John Pitts, seaman John Hughes, seaman Peter Jansson, seaman Benjamin Hood, seaman W. Bird, seaman W. Chambers, seaman Patrick Field, seaman W. Booth, seaman William Grant, seaman Reynold Peach, seaman James Wren, seaman Pembroke, captain's servant Linton, chief mate's servant Francisco, second mate's servant Andrew Brown, seaman Passengers: Lieutenant Colonel [...] Lieutenant Colonel Hay Mr Newland Mr Newland Mr Arott Mr Smith Mr Pemberton Mr Loveland Mr Wandale Mr Scott Servants, 5 H. Rice signed the roll as commander. Interpretations The Dutton carried two lieutenant colonels home from Bombay. Senior officers of the Company's armies in India commonly returned to England in the homeward Indiamen after their service. At St Helena they would dine at the Governor's table while the ship lay in the road, which accounts for some of the extra Madeira and turtle bought for the Company's table in the busy months of March and April. | |
294 | 16th April§ §Richd. Dayton Commander§ §Willm. Penny Midshipman§ §John Manning Seaman§ §(signed)§ | The muster roll of the Glatton was as follows. Richard Dayton, commander William Ross, chief mate Ralph Day, second mate Henry Bennett, third mate James Wozencraft, fourth mate Abraham Mills, fifth mate Thomas Wozencraft, purser Jeremy Bright, surgeon Joseph Reed, surgeon's mate William Tozer, carpenter Henry Bixley, gunner John Martin, boatswain Thomas Mansell, caulker John Savage, cooper Joseph Seager, armourer Barnaby Walker, ship's steward Thomas Fry, captain's steward Samuel Bixley, captain's cook W. Thurley, sailmaker Thomas Fisher, poulterer James Wright, butcher George Gummet, carpenter's mate James Polley, cooper's mate W. Ewald, boatswain's mate John Duffer, gunner's mate George Gardiner, quartermaster J. Davis, quartermaster Peter Parrott, quartermaster James Moore, quartermaster John Perry, quartermaster Griffith Roberts, quartermaster W. Dark, midshipman and coxswain Michael Turner, midshipman George Bickerdon, midshipman William Penny, midshipman Daniel Blackham, seaman Joseph Drake, seaman John Gray, seaman W. Pearson, seaman W. Taylor, seaman Barny Gorman, seaman Jeffrey Richardson, seaman Richard Birkhead, seaman W. Corbishly, seaman W. Hinton, seaman W. Perkins, seaman Benjamin Stevens, seaman Thomas Osgood, seaman John Cooper, seaman John Jefferys, seaman James Boyd, seaman John Walker, seaman Charles Colley, seaman John Evans, seaman Samuel Haggis, seaman John Avery, seaman Morgan Ralston, seaman Samuel Moe, seaman David Anderson, seaman Anthony Nix, seaman John McDonald, seaman W. Race, seaman Thomas Goodlet, seaman Andrew Taylor, seaman W. Welbourne, seaman Richard Walker, seaman John Russell, seaman Thomas Jones, seaman John Manning, seaman Thomas Snell, seaman Peter Ording, seaman Amos Perkins, seaman Samuel Ashworth, seaman W. Wilson, seaman Andrew Dibyer, seaman John Wheeler, seaman W. Wells, seaman Mark Collinson, seaman Philip Davis, seaman John Randall, seaman Edward Terry, seaman David Hopkins, seaman Daniel McBride, seaman W. Brand, seaman Robert Archie, seaman Alexander McIntosh, seaman W. Crawford, seaman Edward Conney, seaman Moses Laborde, seaman Stephen Robinson, seaman Robert Harding, seaman Samuel Richmond, seaman W. Cranmore, seaman W. French, seaman James Harding, captain's servant Benjamin Burrough, captain's servant Thomas Wilkinson, first mate's servant Peter Inch, second mate's servant John Lucliss, surgeon's servant John Davis, carpenter's servant Henry Bixley, gunner's servant R. Astell, boatswain's servant Richard Dayton signed the roll as commander. | |
295 | 1772§ §Matt. Wilkinson Commander§ §Robt. White Carpt. Mate§ §Alex. Biggs Seaman§ §Passengers vizt.§ §(signed)§ | The muster roll of the Earl of Elgin was as follows. Matthew Wilkinson, commander David Allen, first mate William Storry, second mate James Dutky, third mate George Ballantine, fourth mate James Collie, surgeon Andrew Morel, gunner Alexander Baxter, boatswain Richard Jenkins, carpenter Thomas Benham, captain's steward Robert Lyner, ship's steward William Chantry, midshipman Thomas Rivington, midshipman W. Wagstaff, midshipman W. Fallow, midshipman Christopher Lyster, midshipman J. Belford, midshipman W. Moore, quartermaster David Moore, quartermaster John Whitford, quartermaster John Armstrong, quartermaster Samuel Hunter, quartermaster James Sugger, gunner's mate J. Rathbone, caulker Thomas Rathbone, caulker's mate W. Coulter, captain's cook John Gillies, cook's mate W. Simpson, ship's cook John Marsh, armourer Robert White, carpenter's mate Richard Wilson, carpenter's second mate Henry Gore, cooper Edmund Carver, butcher Thomas Collings, poulterer George Pery, boatswain's first mate Patrick Wallace, boatswain's second mate Andrew Frazer, seaman John Craig, seaman George Sweeny, seaman Henry Hope, seaman W. Fitzgerald, seaman Luke Owen, seaman W. Chapman, seaman Robert Norton, seaman Aaron Aronson, seaman W. Brooks, seaman George Thomas, seaman Joshua Smith, seaman J. Walker, seaman Charles Bent, seaman John Jackson, seaman J. Clark, seaman John Crane, seaman Peter Stewart, seaman W. Brown, seaman W. Goodman, seaman Alexander Todd, seaman Alexander Biggs, seaman W. Harper, seaman John Sperling, seaman John Frazer, seaman John Monro, seaman Ralph Banks, seaman Peter Holland, seaman Andrew McGuin, seaman David Jones, seaman W. Smith, seaman Robert Bowker, seaman George Carmichael, seaman J. Lowery, seaman J. Orr, seaman Daniel Dailey, seaman James Cummings, seaman John Cornell, seaman W. Cline, seaman John Dolby, seaman Charles Conner, seaman John Smith, captain's servant Benjamin Boston, first mate's servant Henry Bullock, captain's servant Henry Morris, gunner's servant John Allen, carpenter's servant J. Little, boatswain's servant Richard Berry, seaman Peter Drew, surgeon's servant Richard Gale, seaman Passengers: Mr Nathaniel Barlow Mungo, a servant Matthew Wilkinson signed the roll as commander. The next entry, headed Ordered, begins at the foot of the page. | |
296 | 16th April§ §Island St. Helena 16th April 1772 -§ §The Storekeeper this day delivered the following§ §Account of Stores short received from Ship§ | On 16 April 1772 the Council ordered a public notice to be issued. The Court of Directors had considered the different prices at which the Company's stores were sold on the island. It had now ordered that the planters and all other inhabitants should in future enjoy the same terms as the Company's servants. Everyone would buy from the stores at 10 per cent above the invoice cost. Matthew Bazett signed the notice as Secretary on the Council's orders. The storekeeper delivered an account that day of stores found short on delivery from the Dutton. Rice, short weight from wastage, 2 cwt 2 qr 23 lb Paddy received, 48 cwt 1 qr James Pavell signed the account as storekeeper on 16 April 1772. Interpretations The Court's order ended the system of three prices that the storekeeper's accounts had shown all through 1771. Until then the Company's servants paid cost plus 10 per cent, while the planters paid 25 or 40 per cent for the same goods. For staples such as flour and sugar, a planter had paid about half as much again as a soldier. The Court in London overrode the island's practice and put every inhabitant on the servants' footing. The change was a real gain for the planters, who had no other regular source of imported goods. It may also have been meant to make them readier to supply cattle to the Company at its set prices, the issue that had troubled the Council all season. The order came out in the packet received that morning, and the Council published it the same day. | |
297 | 1772§ §At a Consultation held on Monday the 20th day of April 1772 at§ §Mr. Matthew Bazett this day took the§ §The Storekeeper this day brought in his Collections &§ | Captain Rice of the Dutton brought 36 sheep from the Cape on the Company's account, at 15s each, a total of £27 0s 0d. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. The Council met at the Castle on Monday 20 April 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 16 April 1772. Matthew Bazett took the oath of loyalty to the Company that day. The storekeeper presented his record of sales and the paymaster his accounts for the quarter from 1 January to 31 March 1772. The Board examined and approved them. The accounts follow below. Interpretations Bazett took his seat on the Board on 16 April 1772, as soon as the Court's orders were read, and signed the minutes that day. He swore the oath of fidelity only at the next meeting. The Court's appointment was what gave him the right to sit. The oath bound him personally to keep the Company's secrets and act in its interest, and the Council recorded it so that the Court could see the formality had been completed. | |
298 | 20th April§ §Sold to the Honble. Compys. Servants at 10 p Ct.§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §Flour vizt.§ §Rice & Paddy vizt.§ §Candles lb 419§ §Sope lb 88½§ §Starch lb 21½§ §Salt 3¾ Bushls.§ §Pepper lb 52§ §Coffee lb 95§ §Tea vizt.§ §Carried over§ | The goods sold and issued from the Company's warehouses between 1 January and 31 March 1772 were as follows. Sold to the Company's servants at 10 per cent above cost: Sugar, 442 lb, £7 7s 4d Sugar candy, 7,872 lb, £164 0s 0d Sugar and sugar candy, total, £171 7s 4d Flour, 7,232 lb, £60 5s 4d Flour issued as baked bread, 442 cwt 2 qr 24 lb, £413 4s 0d Flour, total, £473 9s 4d Rice, 74 cwt 1 qr 11 lb, £43 13s 11d Paddy, 24 cwt, £6 4s 0d Rice and paddy, total, £49 17s 11d Candles, 419 lb, £52 16s 2d Soap, 88½ lb, £2 14s 7d Starch, 21½ lb, £0 13s 9d Salt, 3¾ bushels, £0 11s 9d Pepper, 52 lb, £1 9s 3d Coffee, 95 lb, £4 13s 0d Bohea tea, 100 lb, £3 19s 2d Singlo tea, 27 lb, £2 2s 9d Hyson tea, 1 catty, £0 7s 7d Tea, total, £6 9s 6d Carried forward, £764 2s 7d Interpretations Sales of sugar fell sharply against the last quarter of 1771. The servants bought 442 lb of sugar and 7,872 lb of sugar candy, against 1,942 lb and 11,266 lb in the three months before. The store was running down its old stock, and the new sugar from China did not land until the Stafford, Bute, Northumberland and Glatton arrived between late March and mid April. Tea sales fell for the same reason, to 127 lb against almost 300 lb, until the British King and the Earl of Elgin brought fresh supplies. The garrison's flour now went out as baked bread, about 49,600 lb, where the earlier account had shown flour issued as rations. The change in wording probably reflects the bakehouse supplying the ration loaf directly, under the inspection ordered after William Jenkins was dismissed on 2 March 1772. | |
299 | 1772§ §Oil vizt.§ §Chelloes 8 Pieces§ §Pease 6½ Bushls.§ §Shalloon 32½ Pieces§ §Leather vizt.§ §Blankets 7§ §Copper Money 2330 Irish Halfpence§ §Cordage lb 331½§ §Lead vizt.§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §Twine vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £764 2s 7d Oil of turpentine, ⅛ gallon, £0 0s 7d Train oil, 1¾ gallons, £0 7s 9d Florence oil, 4 bottles, £0 11s 0d Linseed oil, 67½ gallons, £15 0s 4d Oil, total, £15 19s 8d Chelloes, 8 pieces, £4 16s 10d Peas, 6½ bushels, £2 15s 9d Shalloon, 32½ yards, £4 5s 4d Sole leather, 264½ lb, £18 3s 3d Calf skins, 2, £1 3s 6d Leather, total, £19 7s 2d Blankets, 7, £2 6s 11d Copper money, 2,330 Irish halfpence, £4 17s 11d Rope, 331 lb, £8 5s 10d Sheet lead, 228¾ lb, £2 12s 5d Small shot, 127 lb, £1 6s 5d Lead, total, £3 18s 10d Pitch, 27 lb, £0 3s 11d Tar, 9½ gallons, £0 8s 8d Rosin, 56 lb, £0 11s 8d Turpentine, 7 lb, £0 0s 4d Pitch and tar, total, £1 4s 7d Twine, 56 skeins, £1 17s 4d Cotton wick, 2 lb, £0 5s 0d Twine, total, £2 2s 4d Carried forward, £834 3s 9d Interpretations The copper coin issued to the island was Irish halfpence. The 2,330 coins sold for £4 17s 11d, almost exactly a halfpenny each at face value. Ireland had its own copper coinage, struck to a slightly lower standard than the English, and the Company bought it cheaply in bulk for its distant settlements, where any copper served for small change. The same practice lay behind the 3,122 halfpence sold in the previous quarter. Linseed oil also jumped, from 55½ gallons to 67½, perhaps as householders repainted after the flood in James's Valley that Tippet reported on 6 April 1772. | |
300 | 20th April§ §Beef & Pork vizt.§ §Hosiers ware 34 Pr. Mens Ordy. Black Do.§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £834 3s 9d Salt beef, 2,198 pieces, £219 16s 0d Salt pork, 4,015 pieces, £401 10s 0d Beef and pork, total, £621 6s 0d Men's thread stockings, 34 pairs, £5 11s 2d Mousetraps, 6, £0 4s 0d Spring rat traps, 7, £0 11s 9¾d Chest locks, 9, £1 10s 6¾d [...] locks, 7, £0 3s 11¼d Blank keys, 12, £0 7s 3d Hand hatchets, 7, £0 13s 3¼d Pickaxe, 1, £0 3s 10½d Spades, 2, £0 8s 3d H hinges, 6 pairs, £0 10s 3d Wool cards, 3 pairs, £0 6s 6d Small frying pans, 4, £0 8s 5d Bellows, 2 pairs, £0 8s 0d Flour of emery, ½ lb, £0 0s 5¾d Tinned tacks, 1½ thousand, £0 3s 10½d Wood screws, 3 dozen, £0 1s 1½d Iron rim locks with brass knobs, 2, £0 13s 10½d Brass closet locks, 2, £0 12s 2½d Dovetail hinges, 6 pairs, £0 4s 1½d Garden shears, 1 pair, £0 4s 0d Wood axe, 1, £0 2s 1½d Binding wire, ½ lb, £0 0s 9½d Iron wire of various sizes, ¼ lb, £0 0s 2½d Plate iron, 4 lb, £0 0s 9d Ironmongery, total, £8 11s 11d Carried forward, £1,469 12s 10d Interpretations Flour of emery was emery ground to a fine powder, used with oil to polish metal and to clean and brighten the bores and locks of muskets. Soldiers bought it to keep their arms in the state demanded at inspection. | |
301 | 1772§ §Camblet vizt.§ §Tin Ware vizt.§ §Earthen Ware 2 Milk Pans§ §Glass ware vizt.§ §Braziers ware vizt.§ §Serge vizt.§ §Hats 1 Mans Fine§ §Canvas 9½ Yds. English§ §Oars 1§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,469 12s 10d Scarlet camlet, 13⅝ yards, £2 13s 0d Dark brown camlet, 1⅛ yards, £0 3s 8d Camlet, total, £2 16s 8d Quart funnels, 4, £0 5s 6d Single sheets of tin, 3, £0 1s 1½d Horn lanterns, 2, £0 7s 3½d Watering pots, 2, £0 7s 7½d Dripping pans, 2, £0 4s 5d Gallon funnel, 1, £0 2s 2½d Tinware, total, £1 8s 7d Earthenware milk pans, 2, £0 3s 1d Candle shades, 2, £0 13s 11d Panes of glass, 11 by 12 inches, 7, £0 7s 8d Glassware, total, £1 1s 7d Three-pint tea kettle, 1, £0 13s 7d Brass wire, 1 lb, £0 3s 4d Brass and copper wares, total, £0 16s 11d Blue serge, 4¾ yards, £1 6s 7d Green serge, 3 yards, £2 1s 4d Scarlet serge, 9½ yards, £2 18s 9d Serge, total, £6 6s 8d Men's fine hat, 1, £0 19s 3d English canvas, 9½ yards, £0 11s 10d Oar, 1, £0 4s 1d Carried forward, £1,488 1s 6d Interpretations Candle shades were glass chimneys placed over candles to shield the flame from draughts. In the constant trade wind of St Helena a candle in an open room or on a verandah would gutter and blow out without one, and the glass also caught falling wax. A pair cost almost 14s, more than a week's pay for a private soldier, so they belonged in the houses of officers and the better-off townspeople. | |
302 | 20th April§ §Bunting vizt.§ §Deals vizt.§ §Thread vizt.§ §Buckram 1 Yard§ §Corks ½ Gross§ §Nails vizt.§ §Hooks & Lines vizt.§ §Hooks & Lines Carried over£§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,484 1s 6d White bunting, 1 yard, £0 0s 7d Blue bunting, 5 yards, £0 3s 2d Bunting, total, £0 3s 9d Double deals, 20, £3 15s 10d Single deals, 2, £0 4s 5d Deals, total, £4 0s 3d Coloured thread, 3 lb, £0 10s 3d White and brown thread, ½ lb, £0 3s 7d Thread, total, £0 13s 10d Buckram, 1 yard, £0 0s 11d Short corks, ½ gross, £0 0s 4d Twopenny nails, 20 lb, £0 19s 2d Threepenny nails, 23 lb, £1 19s 2d Fourpenny nails, 35 lb, £2 13s 5d Sixpenny nails, 48 lb, £1 10s 0d Tenpenny nails, 5 lb, £0 2s 7½d Twentypenny nails, 25 lb, £0 10s 11½d Fortypenny nails, 2 lb, £0 3s 4d Glaziers' brads, 3¼ lb, £0 5s 11½d Flooring brads, 11 lb, £0 9s 0d Dog nails, 9 lb, £0 6s 7d Nails, total, £3 5s 2d Fish hooks, size 8, 575 Fish hooks, size 9, 250 Fish hooks, size 12, 225 Hooks and lines carried forward Carried forward, £1,497 5s 9d | |
303 | Brought Over§ §Hooks and Lines brought over§ §Shoes vizt.§ §Paint vizt.§ §Shirts vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,497 5s 9d Fish hooks, size 14, 2,175 Fish hooks, size 15, 1,000 Fish hooks, size 10, 50 Fish hooks, size 13, 25 Fish hooks, total, £3 19s 8d Fishing lines, size 2, 14 Fishing lines, size 3, 61 Hand lead, 1 Lines and hand lead, total, £1 8s 10d Hooks and lines, total, £5 8s 6d Men's ordinary shoes, 514 pairs, £132 4s 11d Women's Spanish leather shoes, 2 pairs, £0 8s 6d Women's calf leather shoes, 1 pair, £0 2s 10d Shoes, total, £132 16s 3d Chalk, 32 lb, £0 2s 0d Logwood, 3 lb, £0 0s 3¼d White lead mixed in oil, 2 lb, £0 0s 10d Blue smalts, 34¾ lb, £3 3s 11½d Blacking, 42 papers, £0 6s 9d White lead, dry, 18 lb, £0 6s 9d Whiting, 84 lb, £0 3s 6d Copperas, 2 lb, £0 2s 2d Alum, ½ lb, £0 0s 1¼d Indigo, 3½ lb, £0 6s 2½d Umber, 6 lb, £0 1s 1½d Stone-coloured paint, 130 lb, £3 15s 10d Olive-coloured paint, 23 lb, £2 4s 4d Paint, total, £12 14s 6d Brown holland, 7 yards, £0 15s 5½d Soldiers' shirts, 225, £52 11s 10½d Irish linen, 1 piece, £2 16s 3d Shirts and linen, total, £62 3s 7d Carried forward, £1,710 8s 7d Interpretations The soldiers bought 225 ready-made shirts in the quarter, twice as many as the 112 in the last three months of 1771. New shirts had probably arrived in the first ships of the season, and the men replaced worn ones as soon as stock was available. Stone-coloured paint, a pale grey-buff ready mixed, was bought in quantity, 130 lb. It was the usual finish for house fronts, doors and shutters, perhaps for repairs after the flood in James's Valley. Logwood was the heartwood of a Central American tree, chipped and boiled to make black, purple and blue dyes. Alum fixed the dye in the cloth, so households were buying both to colour their own fabrics. | |
304 | 20th April§ §Sailors Cloaths 2 Pr. Boys Drawers§ §Cutlery vizt.§ §Broad Cloth vizt.§ §Iron Pots vizt.§ §Arrack 143 Gallons§ §Long Cloth vizt.§ §Books 1 Small Bible§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §Turners ware Carrd. over§ §Carrd. Over§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,710 8s 7d Boys' drawers, from the sailors' clothing, 2 pairs, £0 2s 6d Buckling combs, 13, £0 4s 4d Shoemakers' knives, 9, £0 3s 6¾d Butchers' knives, 2, £0 1s 3d Pruning knife, 1, £0 1s 4½d Leather garters, 24 pairs, £0 13s 0d Cutlery, total, £1 3s 6d Scarlet broadcloth, 2½ yards, £3 2s 6d Blue broadcloth, ⅝ yard, £0 7s 5d Light French grey broadcloth, 2½ yards, £2 3s 4d Parson's grey broadcloth, 1 yard, £1 0s 4d Broadcloth, total, £6 13s 7d Iron pot weighing 6 lb, 1, £0 1s 3d Large iron kettles, 2, £1 19s 7d Iron pots, total, £2 0s 10d Arrack, 143 gallons, £35 15s 0d Long cloth, number 9, ½ piece, £0 7s 3d Long cloth, marked L, ¾ piece, £4 0s 10d Long cloth, marked H, ½ piece, £1 7s 3d Long cloth, total, £5 15s 4d Small Bible, 1, £0 4s 1d Hair brooms, 4, £0 11s 5d Birch brooms, 3, £0 2s 3½d Paint brushes, 12, £0 7s 3½d Shoe brushes, 12, £0 10s 0d Plasterers' brushes, 5, £0 5s 6¼d Wooden and household wares carried forward, £1 16s 6¼d Carried forward, £1,762 8s 5d Interpretations The servants bought 143 gallons of arrack in the quarter, against 5⅜ gallons in the last three months of 1771. The store had been almost empty of spirits for sale until the Ponsborne and the Morse landed four leaguers of Batavia arrack in March 1772. Once stock arrived, soldiers and servants bought it in quantity at the Company's 10 per cent mark-up, cheaper than the punch houses could sell it. Buckling combs were used to dress the hair into buckles, the stiff rolled curls worn above the ears in the military fashion of the day. A soldier's hair had to be curled, greased and powdered for parade, and each man needed his own comb. Parson's grey was a sober dark grey broadcloth worn by clergymen and others who wanted plain dress, perhaps here for the chaplain, William Bearcroft. | |
305 | 1772§ §Turners Ware brought over£ 1 . 16 . 6¼§ §China ware vizt.§ §Haberdashery vizt.§ §£ 1774 . 12§ | The record of goods sold to the Company's servants concluded as follows. Brought forward, £1,762 8s 5d Wooden and household wares brought forward, £1 16s 6¼d Scrubbing brushes, 2, £0 5s 9½d Punch ladles, 5, £0 3s 1½d Mops, 2, £0 2s 9d Labourers' baskets, 3, £0 4s 1¾d Buckle brushes, 2, £0 1s 3½d Ox bows, 2, £0 2s 7½d Wooden and household wares, total, £2 16s 3d Oblong dishes and plates, 2 sets, £2 4s 3d Soup plates, 42, £1 2s 9d Bowls, 9, £0 7s 0d Salad dishes, 3, £0 2s 6d Tureens and dishes, 3, £1 1s 7½d Baking dishes, 3, £0 9s 3d Soup dish, 1, £0 6s 6d Sneakers, 4, £0 0s 11½d China, total, £5 16s 2d Whalebone, 1¾ lb, £0 9s 10¾d White buckram, 21 yards, £1 5s 9¾d Silk, 35 skeins, £1 0s 5d Mohair thread, 15 skeins, £0 7s 6d Shirt buttons, ½ gross, £0 1s 4d Mohair coat buttons, 4 dozen, £0 3s 0d Mohair breast buttons, 5 dozen, £0 1s 10½d Waistcoat buttons, ½ gross, £0 1s 4d Haberdashery, total, £3 11s 2d Total sold to the Company's servants, £1,774 12s 0d The next heading, Sold, begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations Sales to the Company's servants came to £1,774 12s 0d for the quarter, about £660 less than the £2,433 17s 3d of the last three months of 1771. Most of the fall came from three staples that ran short before the season's ships arrived: salt meat fell by about £150, flour by about £95 and sugar by about £94. Wine, which had brought in almost £200 in the previous quarter, did not appear at all. No ship from Madeira or Lisbon had yet restocked the cellar, so the servants spent their money on the arrack that the Bengal ships had just landed instead. | |
306 | 20th April§ §Leather lb 6 Sole§ §Thread 1 Coloured§ §Blankets 4§ §Sold at 40 p Cent§ §Candy lb 1113§ §Flour lb 409§ §Rice C. qr. lb 4 . . 13§ §Oil vizt.§ §Coffee lb 8§ §Twine vizt.§ §Cordage lb 79½§ §Lead vizt.§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §Candles lb 5§ §Pepper lb 2§ §Oars 3§ §Coals 5 Chaldron§ §Carried over§ | The goods sold to the planters at 25 per cent above cost were as follows. Sole leather, 6 lb, £0 9s 4d Coloured thread, 1 lb, £0 3s 10d Blankets, 4, £1 10s 5d The goods sold at 40 per cent above cost were as follows. Sugar candy, 1,113 lb, £32 12s 2d Flour, 409 lb, £5 2s 3d Rice, 4 cwt 0 qr 13 lb, £3 9s 9d Train oil, ¼ gallon, £0 1s 5d Linseed oil, 10¼ gallons, £2 13s 6d Oil, total, £2 19s 11d Coffee, 8 lb, £0 9s 4d Twine, 3 skeins, £0 2s 9d Cotton wick, 1 lb, £0 3s 3d Twine, total, £0 6s 0d Rope, 79½ lb, £1 18s 1d Sheet lead, 8 lb, £0 2s 4d Small shot, 4 lb, £0 1s 1d Lead, total, £0 3s 5d Pitch, 3 lb, £0 0s 7½d Rosin, 6 lb, £0 1s 8½d Pitch and rosin, total, £0 2s 4d Candles, 5 lb, £0 16s 0d Pepper, 2 lb, £0 1s 6d Oars, 3, £0 15s 9d Coal, 3 chaldrons, £15 15s 0d Carried forward, £66 15s 1d Interpretations This was the last quarter in which the planters paid the higher rates. The Court's order published on 16 April 1772 put them on the servants' 10 per cent from then on. The cost of the old system shows plainly in the coal, which the planters bought at £5 5s 0d a chaldron. The Company's own ships had paid £3 3s 0d a chaldron at the 40 per cent rate the quarter before. The planters probably bought the coal to burn lime for building, since the island had almost no firewood left. | |
307 | 1772§ §Brought Over§ §£ 66 . 15 . 1§ §Tin ware vizt.§ §1 Dripping Pan§ §2 . 10§ §1 Horn Lanthorn§ §4 . 11§ §7 . 9§ §Cutlery vizt.§ §7 Shoe Knives§ §3 . 9½§ §2 Butchers Do.§ §1 . 7½§ §5 . 5§ §Nails vizt.§ §lb 1 2§ §1 . 3§ §3 4§ §7§ §2 6§ §1 . 7½§ §1 10§ §8½§ §½ Glaz. Brads§ §1 . 2§ §11 . 9§ §Iron ware ½ lb Tinned Tacks§ §8§ §Long Cloth 1 Ps. L§ §6 . 9 . 4§ §Hooks & Lines vizt.§ §50 No. 12§ §125 8§ §150 14 Hooks§ §25 7§ §12 Large§ §13 . 1§ §1 Hambro§ §6 No. 3 Lines§ §6 4§ §13§ §1 . 6 . 1§ §Tea vizt.§ §lb 10 Bohea§ §10 . 5§ §4 Singlo§ §9 . 4§ §19 . 9§ §Carried Over§ §£ 77 . 8 . 10§ | The record of goods sold at 40 per cent above cost continued as follows. Brought forward, £66 15s 1d Dripping pan, 1, £0 2s 10d Horn lantern, 1, £0 4s 11d Tinware, total, £0 7s 9d Shoemakers' knives, 7, £0 3s 9¾d Butchers' knives, 2, £0 1s 7½d Cutlery, total, £0 5s 5d Twopenny nails, 1 lb, £0 1s 3d Fourpenny nails, 3 lb, £0 7s 0d Sixpenny nails, 2 lb, £0 1s 7½d Tenpenny nails, 1 lb, £0 0s 8½d Glaziers' brads, ½ lb, £0 1s 2d Nails, total, £0 11s 9d Tinned tacks, ½ thousand, £0 0s 8d Long cloth, marked L, 1 piece, £6 9s 4d Fish hooks, size 12, 50 Fish hooks, size 2, 125 Fish hooks, size 14, 150 Fish hooks, size 3, 25 Fish hooks, large, 12 Fish hooks, total, £0 13s 1d Hamburg line, 1 Fishing lines, size 3, 6 Fishing lines, size 4, 6 Lines, total, £0 13s 0d Hooks and lines, total, £1 6s 1d Bohea tea, 10 lb, £0 10s 5d Singlo tea, 4 lb, £0 9s 4d Tea, total, £0 19s 9d Carried forward, £77 8s 10d | |
308 | 20th April§ §Glass ware 1 Sqr. 10 by 12§ §Paint lb 5 Blue Smalts§ §Braziers ware ¼ Brass Wire§ §Sold at 50 p Cent§ §Tar 1 Barrel§ §Coals 12 Bushel§ §£ 80 . 18 . 6§ §Sold to the Honble. Companys Ships vizt.§ §Elm Plank ¼ Piece§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §Oil 8 Gallons Linseed§ §Nails vizt.§ §£ 13 . 9 . 11§ | The record of goods sold at 40 per cent above cost concluded as follows. Brought forward, £77 8s 10d Pane of glass, 10 by 12 inches, 1, £0 1s 5d Blue smalts, 5 lb, £0 12s 6d Brass wire, ¾ lb, £0 3s 3d The goods sold at 50 per cent above cost were as follows. Tar, 1 barrel, £1 13s 9d Coal, 12 bushels, £0 13s 9d Total sold at 40 and 50 per cent, £80 12s 6d The goods sold to the Company's ships were as follows. Elm plank, ¼ piece, £0 15s 8d Pitch, 1 barrel, £1 13s 6d Tar, 5 barrels, £7 17s 6d Pitch and tar, total, £9 11s 0d Linseed oil, 8 gallons, £2 5s 8d Fourpenny nails, 8 lb, £0 7s 10d Sixpenny nails, 4 lb, £0 3s 3d Tenpenny nails, 6 lb, £0 4s 3d Twentypenny nails, 4 lb, £0 2s 3d Nails, total, £0 17s 7d Total sold to the Company's ships, £13 9s 11d The next heading, Charges, begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations Tar and coal were sold to private buyers at 50 per cent above cost, a fourth rate above the three seen before. Both were bulky goods that came out from England as dead weight, and the island had no substitute for either. The Company priced them highest because every barrel and bushel sold privately was one less for its own boats, forges and lime kilns. The ships bought only a little this quarter, £13 9s 11d against £244 2s 3d in the last three months of 1771. The homeward fleet had arrived from Bengal and China already well supplied, and it needed tar and pitch for repairs rather than provisions. | |
309 | 1772§ §Candles vizt.§ §Candy lb 98 for the Groom, Garden & Doct. Shop§ §Tea lb 6 Bohea for the Do. & Do.§ §Sope lb 50 for Linnen§ §Starch lb 21 Do.§ §Arrack 31 Gs. for sundry Men employed in§ §Iron lb 120 for the Smiths Shop Ladder hill§ §Twine vizt.§ §Paint vizt.§ §Blankets 1 for the Doctors Shop§ §Coals 90 Bushel for the Smiths Do.§ §Hooks & Lines vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the Company's own use between 1 January and 31 March 1772, and charged to general expenses, were as follows. Candles for the Castle, 174 lb Candles for the Council, 160 lb Candles for the chaplain, 30 lb Candles for the doctor's shop, 25 lb Candles for the Secretary's office, 4 lb Candles, total, 393 lb, £45 0s 3d Sugar candy for the Governor, the gardener and the doctor's shop, 98 lb, £1 16s 9d Bohea tea for the Governor and the Deputy Governor, 6 lb, £0 4s 3d Soap for washing linen, 50 lb, £1 9s 2d Starch for the linen, 21 lb, £0 12s 3d Arrack for the men working in the stores and the doctor's shop, 31 gallons, £4 13s 0d Iron for the smiths' shops at Ladder Hill and the bakehouse, 180 lb, £1 10s 0d Twine for the [...], 4 skeins, £0 2s 5d Cotton wick for the Castle, 1 lb, £0 2s 3d Twine and wick, total, £0 4s 8d Blue smalts for the linen, 5 lb, £0 8s 8d Chalk for cleaning the plate, 30 lb, £0 1s 3d Paint, total, £0 9s 11d Blanket for the doctor's shop, 1, £0 6s 1d Coal for the smiths' shops, 90 bushels, £5 12s 6d Fish hooks, size 3, for the fishermen of the Governor and the Deputy Governor, 125, £0 7s 3½d Fish hooks, size 13, for the same, 100, £0 0s 11d Fish hooks, size 15, for the same, 100, £0 0s 3¼d Fishing lines, size 2, for the same, 42, £0 14s 0d Fishing lines, size 3, for the same, 6, £0 2s 6¼d Sea line, for the same, 1 piece, £0 5s 0d Hooks and lines, total, £1 10s 5d Carried forward, £63 9s 5d Interpretations The Company supplied hooks and lines to the private fishermen of the Governor and the Deputy Governor, and charged them to general expenses. Fresh fish for the two senior officers' households was treated as part of the cost of government, like the candles that lit the Castle. The coal for the smiths' shops was the largest item after the candles, 90 bushels in a quarter. The smiths at Ladder Hill sharpened the drills and repaired the tools blunted by blasting the road, and with no firewood left on the island their forges burned imported English coal. | |
310 | 20th April§ §Haberdashery 3 Sks. Silk Fishermen§ §Oil vizt.§ §Lead vizt.§ §Pewter 1 Quart Pot Store use§ §Tin ware vizt.§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the Company's own use continued as follows. Brought forward, £63 9s 8d Silk for the fishermen, 3 skeins, £0 1s 3d Train oil for the Castle and the Council, 16 gallons, £3 4s 4d Linseed oil for the smiths' shop, ½ gallon, £0 2s 0d Oil, total, £3 6s 4d Sheet lead for the fishermen, 13 lb, £0 3s 2d Small shot for the Castle, 10 lb, £0 1s 10d Lead, total, £0 5s 0d Pewter quart pot for the stores, 1, £0 3s 0d Solder, 3 lb, £0 2s 7½d Sal ammoniac, ½ lb, £0 0s 9½d Tinware, total, £0 3s 5d Rubber files for the smiths' shop, 4, £4 1s 3d Bastard files for the smiths' shop, 6, £1 6s 6d Pickaxes for Ladder Hill, 6, £1 1s 0d Set of punches for the Company's use, 1, £0 16s 10d Files for the smiths' shop, 48, £1 4s 0d Augers for the carpenters' shop, 3, £0 3s 6d [...] locks for the carpenters' shop, 2, £0 1s 0d Mousetraps for the Castle, 2, £0 1s 2½d Cooper's axe for the coopers' shop, 1, £0 3s 10d Drawing knife for the coopers' shop, 1, £0 1s 9d Spokeshave for the coopers' shop, 1, £0 2s 0d Coopers' vices for the coopers' shop, 2, £0 1s 2d Notching adze for the coopers' shop, 1, £0 2s 9d Rounding adze for the coopers' shop, 1, £0 2s 8½d Sail needle for the doctor's shop, 1, £0 0s 0½d Smiths' hand hammers for the smiths' shop, 2, £0 4s 4¾d Ironmongery, total, £9 19s 4d Carried forward, £77 8s 5d Interpretations Bastard files had a medium cut, coarser than a smooth file and finer than a rubber file. The smiths used the three grades in turn to shape and finish ironwork. The coopers' adzes, drawing knife and spokeshave were the tools used to shape and bevel the staves of casks. The coopers' shop made and repaired the casks for the island's salt meat, water and spirits, and the casks supplied to visiting ships. | |
311 | 1772§ §China ware vizt.§ §Glass ware 1 Candle Shade Castle§ §Nails vizt.§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §Corks 1½ Gross Do.§ §Chelloes 2 Ps. for Rubbers§ §Cordage lb 231 for Crane Ropes & Store use§ §Canvas 3¼ Yds. Ticklenburgs for Packets§ §£ 93 . 15 . 9§ | The stores issued for the Company's own use concluded as follows. Brought forward, £77 8s 5d Sneakers for the Castle, 18, £0 3s 9d Oblong dishes and plates for the Castle, 3 sets, £3 1s 9d Goglets and basins for the Castle, 6, £0 13s 0d Baking dishes for the Castle, 12, £0 13s 0d Half-pint cups and saucers for the Castle, 4 dozen, £1 4s 0d Quart cups and saucers for the Castle, 3 dozen, £0 10s 6d Bowls for the Castle, 12, £0 9s 0d Chamber pots for the Castle, 4, £0 8s 0d Octagonal soup plates for the Castle, 3 dozen, £0 17s 9d Octagonal meat plates for the Castle, 40, £1 0s 3d China, total, £9 1s 5d Candle shade for the Castle, 1, £0 6s 4d Twopenny nails for the coopers' shop and the storehouse, 12 lb, £0 10s 3d Sixpenny nails for the same, 2 lb, £0 1s 1d Coopers' rivets for the same, 12, £0 6s 6d Nails, total, £0 17s 10d Mops for the Castle, 2, £0 2s 6d Labourers' baskets for Ladder Hill, 8, £0 9s 10d Birch broom for the bakehouse, 1, £0 0s 5d Plasterer's brush for the bakehouse, 1, £0 0s 3d Wooden wares, total, £0 13s 5d Pitch for the Castle, 2 lb, £0 0s 3d Rosin for the Castle, 6 lb, £0 1s 1d Pitch and rosin, total, £0 1s 4d Corks for the Castle, 1½ gross, £0 3s 5d Chelloes for rubbing cloths, 2 pieces, £1 6s 2d Rope for the crane ropes and the storehouse, 231 lb, £3 17s 0d Tecklenburg canvas for wrapping the packets, 5¼ yards, £0 4s 7d Total charged to general expenses, £93 15s 9d The next heading, Repairs, begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations The Castle drew a large share of the new china from the British King and the Earl of Elgin at cost, more than £9 worth in a single quarter. The Company's table had to serve the commanders and passengers of every ship in the road during the busy season, and breakages at so many dinners had to be made good. Tecklenburg was a coarse linen canvas from Westphalia in Germany. The Council used it to wrap the packets of letters and accounts sent home to the Court of Directors, so that the papers stayed dry through the long voyage in a ship's hold. | |
312 | 20th April§ §Nails vizt.§ §Paint vizt.§ §£ 2 . 8§ §Diet Expences Dr. for the following Stores Issued§ §Flour lb 1460§ §Arrack 68 Galls.§ §Rice lb 526§ §Coffee lb 50§ §Salt 1½ Bushl.§ §Pease ½ Do.§ §Beef & Pork vizt.§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §Pepper lb 10§ §Tea vizt.§ §Oil 6 Bott. Florence§ §£ 57 . 16 . 10§ | The stores issued for repairs between 1 January and 31 March 1772 were as follows. Threepenny nails for the Castle, 1 lb, £0 0s 9d Sixpenny nails for the Castle, 3 lb, £0 1s 8d Nails, total, £0 2s 5d Umber for the Castle, 12 lb, £0 0s 1d Whiting for the Castle, 6 lb, £0 0s 2d Paint, total, £0 0s 3d Total charged to repairs, £0 2s 8d The stores issued for diet between 1 January and 31 March 1772 were as follows. Flour, 1,460 lb, £12 3s 4d Arrack, 63 gallons, £10 4s 0d Rice, 526 lb, £2 15s 0d Coffee, 50 lb, £2 1s 8d Salt, 1½ bushels, £0 4s 3d Peas, ½ bushel, £0 4s 2d Salt beef, 40 pieces, £7 12s 6d Salt pork, 44 pieces, £6 14s 9d Beef and pork, total, £14 7s 3d Sugar candy, 545 lb, £10 4s 4d Sugar, 261 lb, £3 16s 2d Sugar and sugar candy, total, £14 0s 6d Pepper, 10 lb, £0 5s 0½d Hyson tea, 2 canisters, £0 13s 10d Singlo tea, 2 lb, £0 2s 10d Tea, total, £0 16s 8d Florence oil, 6 bottles, £0 15s 0d Total charged to diet, £57 16s 10d Interpretations Repairs cost less than 3s in the quarter, against almost £28 in the last three months of 1771, when the storehouse cellar was rebuilt with imported deals and balks. Little building timber remained in store until fresh supplies arrived. The engineer's men spent the quarter on the officers' barracks and the church rather than on mending existing buildings. The diet account shows the Company's table drawing Hyson tea, the finest grade, which had just arrived in canisters by the British King. | |
313 | 1772§ §Tea lb 115½ Bohea for the Barr. & Guards§ §Oil vizt.§ §Canvas 55 Yds. English for Cots§ §Nails vizt.§ §Candles lb 54 for Officers on Duty§ §Lines 12 No. 3 for Whips§ §Glass ware 1 Sqr. 10 by 12 for an out Guard§ §Deals vizt.§ §Twine 2 Skains for Cots§ §Tin ware vizt.§ §Soldiers Cloaths vizt.§ §Hats 3 Soldiers§ §Shoes 2 Pr. Mens ordy.§ §Shirts 2 Soldiers§ §Carried over§ | The stores issued to the garrison between 1 January and 31 March 1772 were as follows. Bohea tea for the barracks and the guards, 115½ lb, £4 11s 5d Train oil for the same, 95 gallons, £19 2s 0d Linseed oil for the same, 19¼ gallons, £3 17s 10d Oil, total, £22 19s 10d English canvas for cots, 55 yards, £3 2s 9d Threepenny nails for cots and coffins, 13 lb, £0 13s 6d Fourpenny nails for cots and coffins, 9 lb, £0 5s 7½d Twentypenny nails for cots and coffins, 6 lb, £0 2s 4½d Nails, total, £1 1s 6d Candles for officers on duty, 54 lb, £5 3s 9d Lines for hoisting tackle, size 3, 12, £0 4s 1d Pane of glass, 10 by 12 inches, for an outlying guard post, 1, £0 1s 0d Single deals, 10, £1 17s 7d Double deals, 2, £0 6s 10d Deals, total, £2 4s 5d Twine for cots, 2 skeins, £0 1s 3d Solder for Banks's guard, ¾ lb, £0 2s 11d Sal ammoniac for Banks's guard, ½ lb, £0 0s 9d Tinware, total, £0 3s 8d Gunner's coat and breeches for a recruit, 1 set, £2 6s 2d Soldiers' coats and breeches for recruits, 2 sets, £2 18s 9d Soldiers' clothing, total, £5 4s 11d Soldiers' hats for recruits, 3, £0 2s 3d Men's ordinary shoes for recruits, 2 pairs, £0 14s 0d Soldiers' shirts for recruits, 2, £0 9s 5d Carried forward, £46 11s 8d Interpretations The uniforms, hats, shoes and shirts issued for recruits were for the men enlisted from passing ships during the quarter. Robert Wood was taken on from the Ponsborne on 12 March 1772, and John Waters, left behind by the British King, about a week later. Waters had lost everything he owned, and the £8 bounty he received went towards fitting him out. The garrison account bore the cost of a first uniform, so that a new soldier could stand on parade at once. | |
314 | 20th April§ §Blankets 2 for Recruits§ §Hosiery 1 Pr. ordy. Thd. Stockgs. Do.§ §Turners ware 1 Birch Broom out Gd.§ §Arrack 13 G. for Muster Drams§ §Pork 296 Ps. deficient in weight to the Garrison§ §Haberdashery vizt.§ §£ 95 . 12 . 3§ §Blacks Dr. for the following Stores Issued from§ §Sope lb 2 for the Lieut. Govr. Servants§ §Rice lb 14007§ §Beef & Pork vizt.§ §Arrack 329½ Galls.§ §Sugar lb 48§ §Tea lb 11 Bohea§ §Thread 1 White & Brown§ §Pepper lb 3§ §Salt ½ Bushel§ §Shoes 4 Pr. Mens ordy.§ §Long Cloth ½ Ps. W§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued to the garrison concluded as follows. Brought forward, £46 10s 8d Blankets for recruits, 2, £0 12s 2d Men's ordinary thread stockings for a recruit, 1 pair, £0 3s 0d Birch broom for an outlying guard post, 1, £0 0s 5d Arrack for drams at muster, 13 gallons, £1 19s 0d Pork found short in issuing to the garrison, 296 pieces, £45 6s 6d Broad worsted lace for hats, ½ gross, £0 3s 10½d Narrow worsted lace for hats, ½ gross, £0 3s 1½d Cockades and loops, 36, £0 13s 6d Haberdashery, total, £1 0s 6d Total charged to the garrison, £95 12s 3d The stores issued for the Company's slaves between 1 January and 31 March 1772 were as follows. Soap for the Deputy Governor's servants, 8 lb, £0 4s 8d Rice, 14,007 lb, £73 9s 9d Salt beef, 1,014 pieces, £193 5s 10d Salt pork, 1,214 pieces, £185 17s 10d Beef and pork, total, £379 3s 8d Arrack, 329½ gallons, £49 8s 6d Sugar, 43 lb, £0 14s 0d Bohea tea, 11 lb, £0 7s 10d White and brown thread, 1 lb, £0 6s 7d Pepper, 3 lb, £0 1s 6d Salt, ½ bushel, £0 0s 9d Men's ordinary shoes, 4 pairs, £0 18s 8d Long cloth, number 6, ½ piece, £0 15s 0d Carried forward, £505 10s 11d Interpretations The casks of salt pork were again found short when opened for issue, by 296 pieces worth £45 6s 6d. In the last quarter of 1771 the shortfall had been 440 pieces. Two quarters running, the loss came to about a sixth of the pork issued to the garrison. That was too large and too regular to be leakage. Casks were probably being packed short in England, or meat was being stolen on the voyage. Whichever it was, the island could only write it off, since the casks were already ashore before anyone counted the pieces. The slaves' rations of imported food fell against the previous quarter. Rice dropped from about 19,500 lb to 14,000 lb, and the slaves received only 4 pairs of shoes against 126. In the same three months the yams issued to them rose to 67,390 from 64,740. The Company was leaning more on its own plantation and less on its stores while rice and meat ran low before the season's ships arrived. | |
315 | 1772§ §Oil vizt.§ §Lines 12 No. for Punishing Slaves§ §£ 506 . 16 . 8§ §Mallay Dr. for the following Stores Issued from 1st January§ §Rice lb 310§ §Beef 13 Pieces§ §Sugar & Candy vizt.§ §Arrack 9¾ Galls.§ §Tea lb 4 Bohea§ §Sope lb 8§ §Flour lb 30§ §Coffee lb 4§ §Pepper lb 2§ §Candles lb 20§ §Paint 1 lb Blue Smalts§ §Haberdashery 4 Sks. Silk§ §Lines 12 No. 2§ §Hooks vizt.§ §£ 10 . 3 . 3§ | The stores issued for the Company's slaves concluded as follows. Brought forward, £505 10s 11d Train oil, 4¾ gallons, £0 19s 2d Linseed oil, ¾ gallon, £0 3s 1d Oil, total, £1 2s 3d Lines for punishing slaves, 12, £0 3s 6d Total charged for the slaves, £506 16s 8d The stores issued for the Malays between 1 January and 31 March 1772 were as follows. Rice, 312 lb, £1 12s 9d Salt beef, 13 pieces, £2 9s 7d Sugar, 52 lb, £0 15s 2d Sugar candy, 13 lb, £0 5s 7d Sugar and sugar candy, total, £1 0s 9d Arrack, 9¾ gallons, £1 9s 3d Bohea tea, 4 lb, £0 2s 10d Soap, 8 lb, £0 4s 8d Flour, 30 lb, £0 5s 0d Coffee, 4 lb, £0 3s 4d Pepper, 2 lb, £0 1s 0d Candles, 20 lb, £2 5s 10d Blue smalts, 1 lb, £0 1s 9d Silk, 4 skeins, £0 2s 2d Fishing lines, size 2, 12, £0 3s 6d Fish hooks, size 14, 50, £0 0s 5½d Fish hooks, size 15, 50, £0 0s 4½d Fish hooks, total, £0 0s 10d Total charged for the Malays, £10 3s 3d The next heading, Plantation, begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations Another 12 lines for punishing slaves were issued this quarter, the same number as in the last three months of 1771. The cords wore out and had to be replaced at a steady rate, which shows that flogging was a regular part of the discipline of the Company's slaves. The Malays again received goods that the other slaves did not, among them candles, coffee, flour and blue smalts for whitening linen, as well as fishing tackle. The tackle suggests that some of them fished for the households they served. | |
316 | 20th April§ §Rice & Paddy vizt.§ §Beef 13 Ps. for the Steward§ §Cordage lb 50 for hand. Cattle§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Cutlery 2 Shoe Knives for Haymakers§ §Oil ¼ G. Train for the Stables§ §Deals 2 Single for Carts§ §Nails vizt.§ §Iron Pots 1 Wt. lb 39 for boiling§ §Tin ware 3 Watg. Pots for Gardens§ §Turnery 4 Birch Brooms Stables§ §Lines 1 No. 4 for the Gardens§ §Tar 1 Gallon for Carts§ §£ 26 . 11 . 4§ | The stores issued for the Company's plantation between 1 January and 31 March 1772 were as follows. Rice for the overseers, the steward, the poultry and the horses, 708 lb, £3 14s 3d Paddy for the same, 7,396 lb, £15 8s 4d Rice and paddy, total, £19 2s 7d Salt beef for the steward, 13 pieces, £2 9s 7d Rope for handling cattle, 50 lb, £0 16s 8d Garden rake for the fields and gardens, 1, £0 2s 2¾d Scythe stones for the same, 17, £0 3s 11d Blank key for the same, 1, £0 0s 7½d Spades for the same, 4, £0 15s 0d Garden hoes for the same, 4, £0 5s 2d Spring rat traps for the same, 4, £0 6s 1d Hooks for the hay yard, 4, £0 2s 7¾d Ironmongery, total, £1 15s 9d Short knives for the haymakers, 2, £0 0s 9d Train oil for the stables, ½ gallon, £0 1s 0d Single deals for the carts, 2, £0 4s 0d Fortypenny nails for Longwood and the pasture gates, 10 lb, £0 3s 9d Fourpenny nails for the same, 8 lb, £0 5s 0d Sixpenny nails for the same, 14 lb, £0 7s 10½d Tenpenny nails for the same, 3 lb, £0 1s 4½d Twentypenny nails for the same, 6 lb, £0 2s 5d Nails, total, £1 0s 5d Iron pot weighing 39 lb, for boiling yams for the poultry, 1, £0 7s 4d Watering pots for the gardens, 2, £0 10s 5d Birch brooms for the stables, 4, £0 1s 8d Fishing line, size 4, for the gardens, 1, £0 0s 4d Tar for the carts, 1 gallon, £0 0s 10d Total charged to the plantation, £26 11s 4d Interpretations The plantation's poultry were fed on boiled yams, cooked in a large iron pot bought for the purpose. The plantation account for the quarter shows 11,745 yams issued for the stock. Yams fed the slaves and the animals alike, and cooking them made them easier for fowls to eat. Despite the care taken, the same account records that 49 fowls died in the quarter, a third of the flock. The nails for the pasture gates at Longwood went to fencing the high eastern grazing, where the Company's cattle were kept apart from the planters' herds. | |
317 | 1772§ §Sugar lb 447§ §Flour lb 447§ §Rice lb 447§ §Tea lb 15 Bohea§ §Salt ¾ Bushel§ §Oil vizt.§ §Deals vizt.§ §Twine ½ lb Cotn. Wick§ §Iron ware 1 Wood Ax§ §Turners ware 1 Hair Broom§ §Nails vizt.§ §£ 17 . 2 . 11§ §Boats Dr. for the following Stores Issued from 1st January to§ §Cordage lb 666 for Boats in Genl.§ §Twine 3 Sks. Do.§ §Arrack 8½ G. given for haul. up & launch. Lg. Boats§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the hospital between 1 January and 31 March 1772 were as follows. Sugar, 447 lb, £6 10s 4d Flour, 447 lb, £3 14s 6d Rice, 447 lb, £2 7s 0d Bohea tea, 15 lb, £0 10s 7d Salt, ¾ bushel, £0 2s 2d Train oil, 10½ gallons, £2 1s 3d Linseed oil, 2½ gallons, £0 9s 1d Oil, total, £2 10s 4d Double deals, 3, £0 10s 3d Single deals, 2, £0 4s 0d Deals, total, £0 14s 3d Cotton wick, ½ lb, £0 1s 2d Wood axe, 1, £0 2s 10d Hair broom, 1, £0 2s 7d Tenpenny nails, ½ lb, £0 0s 11d Sixpenny nails, 2 lb, £0 1s 1½d Fourpenny nails, 3 lb, £0 1s 10½d Dog nails, 5 lb, £0 3s 3d Nails, total, £0 7s 2d Total charged to the hospital, £17 2s 11d The stores issued for the boats between 1 January and 31 March 1772 were as follows. Rope for the boats in general, 666 lb, £11 2s 0d Twine, 2 skeins, £0 1s 10d Arrack for the men hauling up and launching the boats, 8½ gallons, £1 5s 6d Carried forward, £12 9s 4d Interpretations The hospital drew exactly the same weight of sugar, flour and rice, 447 lb of each. The previous quarter's issue had likewise been 425 lb of each. The allowance was evidently fixed by the number of patient-days, with each sick man entitled to equal daily portions of the three, so the quantities moved together with the number of patients in the wards. A rise from 425 to 447 lb points to a little more sickness in the first three months of 1772. The deaths of several soldiers and matrosses recorded in the minutes over the same weeks bear this out. | |
318 | 20th April§ §Deals vizt.§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Lead lb 10 Sheet Do.§ §Pitch & Tar vizt.§ §Braziers ware 1 Brass Cock§ §Leather lb 8½ Sole§ §Thread ½ lb Coloured§ §Nails vizt.§ §Carried over§ | The stores issued for the boats continued as follows. Brought forward, £12 9s 4d Balks, 2, £0 17s 3d Double deals, 7, £1 3s 11d Pieces of timber for the longboats, 6, £1 4s 5d Elm boards, 3, £0 12s 7d Timber, total, £3 18s 7d Iron chain for the longboat, 1, £2 6s 7½d Hand hatchet for the longboat, 1, £0 1s 10½d Ironmongery, total, £2 8s 6d Sheet lead for the longboat, 10 lb, £0 2s 1d Tar, 1 barrel, £1 2s 6d Rosin, 54 lb, £0 10s 1d Pitch, 1 barrel, £1 3s 11d Pitch and tar, total, £2 16s 6d Brass cock, 1, £0 3s 3d Sole leather, 8½ lb, £0 10s 4d Coloured thread, ½ lb, £0 1s 6d Fourpenny nails, 11 lb, £0 6s 7½d Tenpenny nails, 12 lb, £0 5s 6d Sixpenny nails, 13 lb, £0 7s 8d Twopenny nails, 6 lb, £0 5s 1½d Twentypenny nails, 3 lb, £0 1s 2d Threepenny nails, 2 lb, £0 1s 6d Dog nails, 3 lb, £0 1s 11d Glaziers' brads, ½ lb, £0 0s 10d Nails, total, £1 10s 4d Carried forward, £24 0s 10d Interpretations The iron chain bought for the longboat cost more than £2, the dearest single item in the boats' account. After the plot to seize a longboat on 30 September 1771, the Company's boats were kept chained and padlocked on the beach when not in use. A heavy chain made it impossible for a small party to launch a boat quietly at night. | |
319 | 1772§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §Oil vizt.§ §Oars 1 Small§ §Paint vizt.§ §£ 28 . 7 . 4§ §Fortifications Dr. for the following Stores Issued from 1st§ §Oil vizt.§ §Bunting vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the boats concluded as follows. Brought forward, £24 0s 10d Scrubbing brush, 1, £0 2s 7½d Paint brushes, 2, £0 1s 3½d Birch brooms, 2, £0 0s 10d Brushes and brooms, total, £0 4s 9d Train oil, 3½ gallons, £0 14s 1d Linseed oil, 2½ gallons, £0 10s 1d Oil, total, £1 4s 2d Small oar, 1, £0 3s 9d Chalk, 3 lb, £0 0s 1d Stone-coloured paint, 32 lb, £0 16s 8d Verdigris, 8 lb, £1 16s 10d Whiting, 12 lb, £0 0s 3d Paint, total, £2 13s 10d Total charged to the boats, £28 7s 4d The stores issued for the fortifications between 1 January and 31 March 1772 were as follows. Train oil for painting the gun carriages, 1 gallon, £0 4s 0d Linseed oil for the same, 10 gallons, £3 16s 9d Oil of turpentine for the same, ½ gallon, £0 1s 7d Oil, total, £4 2s 4d White bunting for flags, 1 piece, £1 2s 0d Red bunting for flags, 1 piece and 1 yard, £1 12s 10d Bunting, total, £2 14s 10d Carried forward, £6 17s 2d Interpretations The 8 lb of verdigris was the costliest paint issued to the boats. Verdigris was a copper compound, and boat-builders mixed it into the paint for hulls because copper poisoned the shipworm and the weed that fouled timber in warm seas. It served the same purpose as the brimstone, pitch and tar boiled for the boats' bottoms the quarter before. The new bunting replaced signal flags already worn out by the trade wind since the large issue of seven pieces in the last quarter of 1771. | |
320 | 20th April§ §Canvas 3 Yds. English§ §Thread lb 3 Coloured§ §Twine 31 Sks. for mendg. Lime Bags§ §Candles 1½ lb waxg. Do. for Do.§ §Cordage lb 540 Artily. use§ §Paint vizt.§ §Lines vizt.§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §Blocks 2 Threefold Artily. use§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the fortifications continued as follows. Brought forward, £6 17s 2d English canvas, 8 yards, £0 8s 10d Coloured thread, 3 lb, £0 9s 3d Twine for mending lime bags, 31 skeins, £1 10s 10d Candles for waxing the thread for the same, 1½ lb, £0 3s 5d Rope for the artillery, 540 lb, £9 0s 0d Stone-coloured paint for painting the gun carriages, 172 lb, £4 9s 8d Blacking for the same, 32 papers, £0 16s 0d Whiting for the same, 12 lb, £0 0s 3d Verdigris for the same, 4 lb, £0 18s 5d White lead mixed in oil for the same, 30 lb, £0 11s 3d Paint, total, £6 15s 7d Deep-sea lines, 3 dozen, £0 15s 0d Log line, 1, £0 1s 0d Lines, total, £0 16s 0d Wood axe for Sandy Bay, 1, £0 2s 10d Iron rim lock, bolted, for the magazine, 1, £1 2s 5d Sail needles for mending lime bags, 36, £0 0s 9d Rolled iron for the drawbridge, 6 lb, £1 2s 11d Small frying pan for the lime kiln, 1, £0 1s 11d Stone saws for Sandy Bay, 6, £1 4s 0d Ironmongery, total, £3 14s 10d Threefold blocks for the artillery, 2, £0 17s 3d Paint brushes, 14, £0 9s 1d Birch brooms, 12, £0 5s 0d Brushes and brooms, total, £0 14s 1d Carried forward, £31 7s 8d Interpretations The stone saws sent to Sandy Bay show stone being cut for the defences as well as for the church. Captain Tippet had reported on 10 February 1772 that earth merlons crumbled in the island's salty soil, and proposed facing the embrasures with stone instead. Sandy Bay, on the exposed south coast, was one of the few beaches where an enemy could land. Its batteries were probably being refaced in the same way. The threefold blocks were pulleys with three sheaves each. Rove together with the 540 lb of rope, a pair of them gave a sixfold purchase strong enough to lift a heavy gun onto its carriage or haul it up a cliff to a battery. Painting the gun carriages took 172 lb of stone-coloured paint, a sign that the carriages at many batteries were being repainted together after the wet season, when the island's damp salt air rotted unprotected wood. | |
321 | 1772§ §Arrack 7 Galls. Given to Men when§ §Nails vizt.§ §Lead lb 13 Sheet Do.§ §Iron & Steel vizt.§ §£ 34 . 5§ §Barracks Dr. for the following Stores Issued from 1st§ §Deals vizt.§ §Nails vizt.§ §Carried over§ | The stores issued for the fortifications concluded as follows. Brought forward, £31 7s 8d Arrack for the men carrying cannon to Lemon Valley, 7 gallons, £1 1s 0d Fortypenny nails for the artillery, 8 lb, £0 3s 0d Fourpenny nails for the artillery, 2 lb, £0 1s 3d Spikes for the artillery, 12 lb, £0 3s 9d Nails, total, £0 8s 0d Sheet lead for the artillery, 12 lb, £0 3s 9d Steel for the portcullis, 43 lb, £0 15s 0d Iron for the portcullis, 30 lb, £0 5s 0d Iron and steel, total, £1 0s 0d Total charged to the fortifications, £34 0s 5d The stores issued for the barracks between 1 January and 31 March 1772 were as follows. Double deals, 424, £72 8s 8d Single deals, 52, £5 2s 11d Balks, 14½, £6 3s 1d [...], 11, £2 6s 9d Elm boards, 2, £0 3s 5d Timber, total, £86 14s 10d Fourpenny nails, 20 lb, £0 12s 6d Twentypenny nails, 73 lb, £1 3s 11d Fortypenny nails, 33 lb, £0 12s 5d Tenpenny nails, 16 lb, £0 7s 4d Glaziers' brads, 1 lb, £0 1s 8d Nails, total, £3 2s 10d Carried forward, £89 17s 8d Interpretations The barracks took 424 double deals in a single quarter, against 40 in the last three months of 1771. The officers' new barracks had reached the stage of floors, roofs and partitions, when timber was needed in quantity. All of it was imported, since St Helena had long since lost the forest that once covered it. The timber for this one building cost more than £86, by far the largest charge to any of the works. | |
322 | 20th April§ §Paint vizt.§ §Cordage lb 134§ §Pitch lb 31§ §Oil vizt.§ §Turners ware vizt.§ §Lines vizt.§ §Iron and Steel vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the barracks continued as follows. Brought forward, £89 17s 8d White lead mixed in oil, 16 lb, £0 6s 0d Blacking, 12 papers, £0 6s 0d Olive-coloured paint, 32 lb, £2 16s 8d Whiting, 24 lb, £0 0s 6d Stone-coloured paint, 66 lb, £1 14s 4d Chalk, 3 lb, £0 0s 1d Paint, total, £5 3s 7d Rope, 134 lb, £2 4s 8d Pitch, 31 lb, £0 3s 10d Linseed oil, 15 gallons, £3 0s 7½d Train oil, ½ gallon, £0 2s 0d Oil of turpentine, ¼ gallon, £0 1s 0½d Oil, total, £3 3s 8d Paint brushes, 4, £0 2s 7d Labourers' baskets, 42, £2 11s 7d Birch broom, 1, £0 0s 5d Wooden wares, total, £2 14s 7d Lines, size 3, 24, £0 8s 2d Lines, size 4, 24, £0 9s 0d Lines, total, £0 17s 2d Iron, 642 lb, £5 7s 0d Steel, 41 lb, £0 12s 10d Iron and steel, total, £5 19s 10d Carried forward, £110 5s 0d | |
323 | 1772§ §Tin Ware 1 Watering Pot§ §Iron ware vizt.§ §£ 110 . 14 . 8§ §St. Helena Errors Excepted§ §List of the Honble. Companys Officers and Servants upon the§ §John Skottowe Esqr. Governor Salary§ §Danl. Corneille Esqr. Lieut. Govr.§ §Matthew Purling Esqr. of Council§ §Carried Over§ | The stores issued for the barracks concluded as follows. Brought forward, £110 5s 0d Watering pot, 1, £0 3s 6d [...] lock, 1, £0 0s 6d Masons' beech mallets, 2, £0 3s 11d Hand hatchet, 1, £0 1s 9d Ironmongery, total, £0 6s 2d Total charged to the barracks, £110 14s 8d James Pavell, the storekeeper, signed the account at St Helena on 31 March 1772, subject to any errors. The Company's officers and servants on St Helena, with their salaries, diet money and other allowances for the quarter ending 31 March 1772, began as follows. John Skottowe, Governor, salary, £150 0s 0d John Skottowe, allowance for servants, £31 14s 9d John Skottowe, total, £181 14s 9d Daniel Corneille, Deputy Governor, salary, £62 10s 0d Daniel Corneille, diet money, £25 0s 0d Daniel Corneille, total, £87 10s 0d Matthew Purling, member of Council, salary, £32 10s 0d Matthew Purling, as accountant, £17 10s 0d Matthew Purling, diet money, £15 0s 0d Matthew Purling, gratuity, £15 0s 0d Matthew Purling, total, £80 0s 0d Carried forward, £349 4s 9d | |
324 | 20th April§ §William Bearcroft Chaplain§ §Matthew Bazett Secy.§ §James Powell Storekeeper§ §William Wrangham Paymaster§ §James Tippet Engineer§ §Jonathan Doveton Factor§ §Britannicus Wright Factor§ §Carried Over§ | The list of the Company's officers and servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £349 4s 9d William Bearcroft, chaplain, salary, £40 0s 0d William Bearcroft, diet money, £15 0s 0d William Bearcroft, total, £55 0s 0d Matthew Bazett, secretary, salary, £27 10s 0d Matthew Bazett, diet money, £15 0s 0d Matthew Bazett, house rent, £2 10s 0d Matthew Bazett, total, £45 0s 0d James Pavell, storekeeper, salary, £27 10s 0d James Pavell, diet money, £15 0s 0d James Pavell, house rent, £2 10s 0d James Pavell, total, £45 0s 0d William Wrangham, paymaster, salary, £27 10s 0d William Wrangham, diet money, £15 0s 0d William Wrangham, house rent, £2 10s 0d William Wrangham, as assistant to the Governor, £10 0s 0d William Wrangham, total, £55 0s 0d James Tippet, engineer, salary, £50 0s 0d James Tippet, house rent, £2 10s 0d James Tippet, total, £52 10s 0d Jonathan Doveton, factor, salary, £12 10s 0d Jonathan Doveton, diet money, £10 0s 0d Jonathan Doveton, house rent, £2 10s 0d Jonathan Doveton, as assistant storekeeper, £5 0s 0d Jonathan Doveton, total, £30 0s 0d Britannicus Wright, factor, salary, £12 10s 0d Britannicus Wright, diet money, £10 0s 0d Britannicus Wright, house rent, £2 10s 0d Britannicus Wright, as collector of customs, £12 10s 0d Britannicus Wright, total, £37 10s 0d Carried forward, £669 4s 9d | |
325 | 1772§ §John Goodwin Factor§ §George Bazett Writer§ §James Desfountain Writer§ §William Webber Doveton Writer§ §Robert Barclay Surgeon§ §John Pritchard Do. Mate§ §John Congreve Judge Advocate§ §Thomas Bazett Superintendt. of the Works§ §Carried Over§ | The list of the Company's officers and servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £669 4s 9d John Goodwin, factor, salary, £12 10s 0d John Goodwin, diet money, £10 0s 0d John Goodwin, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Goodwin, total, £25 0s 0d George Bazett, writer, salary, £7 10s 0d George Bazett, diet money, £10 0s 0d George Bazett, house rent, £2 10s 0d George Bazett, as clerk of the works, £6 16s 10½d George Bazett, total, £26 16s 10½d James Desfontaine, writer, salary, £7 10s 0d James Desfontaine, diet money, £10 0s 0d James Desfontaine, house rent, £2 10s 0d James Desfontaine, total, £20 0s 0d William Webber Doveton, writer, salary, £7 10s 0d William Webber Doveton, diet money, £10 0s 0d William Webber Doveton, total, £17 10s 0d Robert Barclay, surgeon, salary, £19 15s 0d Robert Barclay, diet money, £10 0s 0d Robert Barclay, house rent, £2 10s 0d Robert Barclay, total, £32 5s 0d John Pritchard, surgeon's mate, salary, £13 15s 0d John Pritchard, diet money, £10 0s 0d John Pritchard, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Pritchard, total, £26 5s 0d John Congreve, judge advocate, salary, £12 10s 0d John Congreve, as schoolmaster, £7 10s 0d John Congreve, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Congreve, total, £22 10s 0d Thomas Bazett, superintendent of the works, £25 0s 0d Carried forward, £864 11s 7½d | |
326 | 20th April§ §Philip Mahoney Clerk of the Peace§ §Solomon F. Maurice Master at Arms§ §Saml. Alexander Overseers§ §John Worrall§ §John Robinson Carpenter§ §William Gurnsey Carpentr. Mate§ §Edward Daniel Mason§ §John Paxton Do. Mate§ §John Daniel Do. Apprentice§ §Joseph Griffith Cooper§ §Hugh Jones Superintendt. of the Blacks§ §James Carmichael Gardener§ §Robert Leech Steward§ §James Miller Patron of the Long Boat§ §Thomas Yates Clerk of the Church§ §William Craft Groom§ §John Joyce Clock & Instrumt. Cleaner§ §To the Drum Major for instructing§ §John Price Marshal & Gaoler§ §First Company vizt.§ §Daniel Corneille Captain§ §Solomon F. Maurice Lieut.§ §Carried Over§ | The list of the Company's officers and servants continued as follows. Brought forward, £864 11s 7½d Philip Mahony, clerk of the peace, salary, £27 7s 6d Philip Mahony, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Philip Mahony, house rent, £2 10s 0d Philip Mahony, total, £36 14s 4½d Solomon T. Maurice, master at arms, £6 5s 0d Samuel Alexander, overseer, £7 10s 0d John Worrall, overseer, £15 0s 0d John Robinson, carpenter, £25 0s 0d William Gossip, carpenter's mate, £12 10s 0d Edward Daniells, mason, £30 0s 0d John Preston, mason's mate, £20 0s 0d John Daniells, mason's apprentice, £5 0s 0d Joseph Griffith, cooper, £15 0s 0d Hugh Jones, superintendent of the slaves, £10 0s 0d James Carmichael, gardener, £10 0s 0d Robert Leech, steward, £8 10s 0d James Miller, coxswain of the longboats, to his death on 27 March 1772, £7 3s 0d Thomas Yates, parish clerk, £5 0s 0d William Crabb, groom, £2 0s 0d John Joyce, cleaner of clocks and instruments, £1 5s 0d The drum major, for teaching the young drummers, £1 0s 0d John Price, marshal and gaoler, £7 10s 0d The list continued with the officers of the First Company. Daniel Corneille, captain, £59 6s 3d Solomon T. Maurice, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Solomon T. Maurice, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Solomon T. Maurice, total, £34 4s 4½d Carried forward, £1,153 9s 7½d Interpretations William Gossip drew a full quarter's pay as carpenter's mate, although the Council gave him leave on 16 March 1772 to go home for treatment. His wages ran until he actually left the island. Simon Whaley, appointed in his place on 6 April 1772, would be paid from the next quarter. The coxswain of the longboats died on 27 March 1772, and his pay was cut to the day, as with the soldiers who died in service. | |
327 | 1772§ §Chas. Ross Stewart Lieut.§ §Willm. Caldwell Lieut. from§ §William Roberts Town Adjutant§ §Richard Powell Cadet§ §Serjeants vizt.§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Drummers vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the officers and men of the First Company. Brought forward, £1,153 9s 7½d Charles Ross Stewart, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Charles Ross Stewart, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Charles Ross Stewart, as adjutant, £18 5s 0d Charles Ross Stewart, total, £52 9s 4½d William Caldwell, lieutenant, pay, diet money and house rent, total, £27 8s 0d William Roberts, town adjutant, £32 3s 1½d Richard Powell, cadet, £7 11s 8d Henry Howell, sergeant, £7 11s 8d John Allman, sergeant, £7 11s 8d George Seale, sergeant, £7 11s 8d Thomas Mears, sergeant, £7 11s 8d Thomas Pearce, sergeant, to his discharge on 11 March 1772, £5 13s 4d James Mannaton, sergeant, £7 11s 8d Abraham Jervis, sergeant, from his promotion in March 1772, £5 16s 2d Sergeants, total, £49 12s 10d Andrew Alexander, corporal, £5 6s 2d Timothy Walters, corporal, £5 6s 2d Thomas Rhodes, corporal, £5 6s 2d Christopher Smith, corporal, £5 6s 2d William Hardie, corporal, from his promotion, £4 2s 6d Corporals, total, £25 7s 2d John Searle, drummer, £5 6s 2d Richard Platfoot, drummer, £5 6s 2d George Watts, drummer, £5 6s 2d Drummers, total, £15 18s 6d Carried forward, £1,394 0s 3½d Interpretations The clerk left blank the date and the separate figures for Lieutenant William Caldwell and entered only his total of £27 8s 0d. A lieutenant's full quarter came to £36 14s 4½d. The shortfall of about £9 matches the month's suspension the Council imposed on 23 December 1771, which ran on into January 1772. Caldwell lost his pay, diet money and rent for the whole month. Every full quarter's pay in this list is a little lower than in the last, a sergeant's £7 11s 8d against £7 13s 4d. The Company paid by the day, and 1772 was a leap year. The three months from January to March had 91 days, one fewer than October to December, so each man lost a day's pay. The promotions also followed one another down the ranks. Thomas Pearce left in March, Corporal Abraham Jervis took his place as sergeant, and Private William Hardie was promoted to fill the gap among the corporals. | |
328 | 20th April§ §Private vizt.§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the private soldiers of the First Company. Brought forward, £1,394 0s 3½d Richard Ashton, private, £3 15s 10d John Attwood, private, £3 15s 10d Moses Biffin, private, £3 15s 10d John Bell, private, £3 15s 10d Timothy Bryan, private, £3 15s 10d Emanuel Bonner, private, £3 15s 10d William Benson, private, £3 15s 10d Richard Brown, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Barwick, private, £3 15s 10d Mark Belle, private, £3 15s 10d Joseph Burcham, private, £3 15s 10d Stephen Barrett, private, £3 15s 10d Joseph Botesham, private, £3 15s 10d Patrick Conner, private, £3 15s 10d John Charlton, private, £3 15s 10d William Coffin, private, £3 15s 10d Anthony Clarke, private, £3 15s 10d Arundel Cairns, private, £3 15s 10d John Croucher, private, £3 15s 10d John Coleman, private, £3 15s 10d Ralph Channing, private, £3 15s 10d William Cuton, private, £3 15s 10d Richard Craigs, private, £3 15s 10d John Davis, private, £3 15s 10d John Dore, private, £3 15s 10d James Drake, private, £3 15s 10d Adam Evans, private, £3 15s 10d Henry Eanstear, private, to his discharge on 23 March 1772, £3 9s 2d John Ellis, private, £3 15s 10d Privates carried forward, £109 12s 6d Carried forward, £1,394 0s 3½d Interpretations Henry Eanstear's pay ran to 23 March 1772, the day the Council granted his discharge at the end of his engagement. He was paid 83 days at 10d a day, and nothing for the rest of the quarter. A soldier's pay ended the day he left the service, even if he had to wait some weeks on the island for a passage home. | |
329 | 20th April§ §Private vizt.§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried Over§ | The list of private soldiers in the First Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,394 0s 3½d Privates brought forward, £109 12s 6d William French, private, £3 15s 10d William Fisher, private, £3 15s 10d Robert Frost, private, £3 15s 10d William Greenwood, private, £3 15s 10d John Grainger, private, £3 15s 10d John Griffiths, private, £3 15s 10d John Houston, private, £3 15s 10d Philip Hayes, private, £3 15s 10d Francis Hancock, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Hinching, private, £3 15s 10d Edward Hayles, private, £3 15s 10d William Jones, private, £3 15s 10d John Johnson, private, £3 15s 10d John Jones, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Love, private, £3 15s 10d Patrick Lynch, private, £3 15s 10d Duncan McLaren, private, £3 15s 10d William Mumford, private, £3 15s 10d James Miller, private, to his death on 27 March 1772, £3 12s 6d William Mudge, private, £3 15s 10d W. Page, private, £3 15s 10d Charles Pelleter, private, £3 15s 10d Richard Palmer, private, £3 15s 10d John Potts, private, £3 15s 10d William Phillips, private, to his discharge on 11 March 1772, £2 19s 2d Thomas Rogers, private, £3 15s 10d William Robinson, private, £3 15s 10d Anthony Reynolds, private, £3 15s 10d George Roe, private, £3 15s 10d Privates carried forward, £218 11s 2d Carried forward, £1,394 0s 3½d Interpretations James Miller appears twice in the quarter's lists, as a private of the First Company and as coxswain of the longboats, both paid to his death on 27 March 1772. He was a serving soldier who also commanded the boats' crews for an extra £7 10s 0d a quarter. As with Thomas Yates the gunner and parish clerk, the Company drew its skilled hands from the ranks and paid them twice. | |
330 | 20th April§ §Private Brought over§ §327 . 8 . 4§ §Carried over§ | The list of private soldiers in the First Company concluded as follows. Brought forward, £1,394 0s 3½d Privates brought forward, £213 11s 8d John Robinson, private, to his discharge on 11 March 1772, £2 19s 2d William Saxby, private, £3 15s 10d John Stewart, private, £3 15s 10d Edward Steventon, private, to his discharge on 23 March 1772, £3 9s 2d Stephen Redding, private, to his discharge on 11 March 1772, £2 19s 2d Joseph Stacy, private, £3 15s 10d James Snell, private, £3 15s 10d William Snell, private, including pay omitted last quarter, £7 12s 6d Gregory Southernwood, private, £3 15s 10d Carolus Siebert, private, £3 15s 10d John Santon, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Townsend, private, £3 15s 10d John Thistlewood, private, £3 15s 10d William Thomas, private, £3 15s 10d John Taylor, private, £3 15s 10d Joseph Valentine, private, £3 15s 10d Benjamin Wise, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Windall, private, £3 15s 10d George Wall, private, £3 15s 10d Bartholomew Welch, private, £3 15s 10d John Waters, private, £3 15s 10d Henry Wood, private, £3 15s 10d John White, private, £3 15s 10d John Waterfield, private, £3 15s 10d Edward Wickenden, private, £3 15s 10d William Westbury, private, £3 15s 10d William Warner, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Wallington, private, £3 15s 10d Robert Wood, private, from his enlistment on 12 March 1772, £0 16s 8d Privates, total, £327 8s 4d Carried forward, £1,721 8s 7½d Interpretations William Snell had been left off the pay list for the last quarter of 1771, and he now received both quarters together, £3 16s 8d for the old one and £3 15s 10d for this. The paymaster corrected the omission openly in the next list rather than making a private payment, so that the Court's books would show every penny paid. Robert Wood, put ashore from the Ponsborne, was paid from 12 March 1772, the day the Council enlisted him, 20 days at 10d. Three other men of the company were discharged at the end of their engagements in March, which shows how the garrison renewed itself through the homeward season: old soldiers left in the passing ships, and new ones were taken from them. | |
331 | 1772§ §Second Company vizt.§ §Henry Bazett Captain§ §Thos. Lambert Lieut.§ §John Bazett Lieut.§ §Lachlin Leslie Lieut.§ §Serjeants vizt.§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Drummers vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the officers and men of the Second Company. Brought forward, £1,721 8s 7½d Henry Bazett, captain, £59 6s 3d Thomas Lambert, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Thomas Lambert, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Thomas Lambert, house rent, £2 10s 0d Thomas Lambert, total, £36 14s 4½d John Bazett, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d John Bazett, diet money, £6 16s 10½d John Bazett, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Bazett, total, £36 14s 4½d Lauchlin Leslie, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Lauchlin Leslie, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Lauchlin Leslie, house rent, £2 10s 0d Lauchlin Leslie, total, £36 14s 4½d William Merrick, sergeant, £7 11s 8d Thomas Seale, sergeant, £7 11s 8d Joseph Whaley, sergeant, £7 11s 8d James Elgin, sergeant, £7 11s 8d William Wills, sergeant, £7 11s 8d Sergeants, total, £37 18s 4d Joseph McElroy, corporal, £5 6s 2d William Stones, corporal, £5 6s 2d Jacob Shearn, corporal, £5 6s 2d John Stone, corporal, £5 6s 2d Samuel Warren, corporal, £5 6s 2d Corporals, total, £26 10s 10d Benjamin Seale, drummer, £5 6s 2d John Ryall, drummer, £5 6s 2d Drummers, total, £10 12s 4d Carried forward, £1,965 19s 6d Interpretations The officers' pay did not change with the leap year. A lieutenant drew the same £27 7s 6d and £6 16s 10½d as in the 92-day quarter before, because officers were paid a fixed sum each quarter, while sergeants and men were paid by the day. The difference shows that the Company treated its officers as salaried gentlemen and its soldiers as daily wage-earners. | |
332 | 20th April§ §Private vizt.§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the private soldiers of the Second Company. Brought forward, £1,965 19s 6d Thomas Alsworth, private, to his death, £2 6s 8d Timothy Atherton, private, £3 15s 10d William Brooks, private, £3 15s 10d Daniel Bye, private, £3 15s 10d Henry Batchelor, private, £3 15s 10d John Blevin, private, £3 15s 10d James Beard, private, £3 15s 10d Charles Bruner, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Brown, private, £3 15s 10d William Carter, private, £3 15s 10d John Cunningham, private, £3 15s 10d James Chillis, private, £3 15s 10d John Coffee, private, £3 15s 10d Loving Clamp, private, £3 15s 10d William Children, private, to his discharge, £2 19s 2d William Drinnan, private, £3 15s 10d John Daily, private, £3 15s 10d William Daniels, private, £3 15s 10d Daniel Doe, private, £3 15s 10d Peter Ellam, private, £3 15s 10d David Evans, private, £3 15s 10d James Every, private, £3 15s 10d John Evans, private, £3 15s 10d Jacob Edwards, private, £3 15s 10d John Forbes, private, £3 15s 10d William Fullwood, private, £3 15s 10d John Goodale, private, £3 15s 10d John Gray, private, £3 15s 10d Robert Green, private, £3 15s 10d Privates carried forward, £107 13s 4d Carried forward, £1,965 19s 6d Interpretations Thomas Alsworth received 56 days' pay at 10d, which takes him to 26 February 1772, the day the Council recorded his death. William Children's £2 19s 2d was 71 days' pay, ending on 11 March 1772. He was discharged on the same day as Thomas Pearce, John Robinson, Stephen Redding and William Phillips of the First Company. A group of men whose engagements ran out together was released at once, while the Ponsborne was in the road to carry them home. | |
333 | 1772§ §Private brought over§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried Over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Second Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £1,965 19s 6d Privates brought forward, £107 13s 4d Philip Gleason, private, £3 15s 10d David Grant, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Griffiths, private, £3 15s 10d Robert Richard Grosvenor, private, £3 15s 10d William Harris, private, £3 15s 10d Samuel Hyles, private, £3 15s 10d John Holbrook, private, £3 15s 10d James Hudson, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Hayler, private, £3 15s 10d John Ham, private, £3 15s 10d Augustine Hitchcock, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Hart, private, £3 15s 10d Robert Hardie, private, £3 15s 10d John Haynge, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Harrison, private, £3 15s 10d Charles Holloway, private, £3 15s 10d George Hatch, private, £3 15s 10d Edward Hughes, private, £3 15s 10d Samuel Instone, private, £3 15s 10d William Johnson, private, £3 15s 10d John James, private, £3 15s 10d John Jacobs, private, £3 15s 10d John Jones, private, £3 15s 10d Jasper Jesseman, private, to his discharge, £2 19s 2d Richard Jerrams, private, £3 15s 10d Samuel Kitson, private, £3 15s 10d Henry Kirkham, private, £3 15s 10d John King, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Little, private, £3 15s 10d Privates carried forward, £216 13s 10d Carried forward, £1,965 19s 6d | |
334 | 20th April§ §Private brought over§ §324 . 9 . 2§ §Carried over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Second Company concluded as follows. Brought forward, £1,965 19s 6d Privates brought forward, £216 15s 10d John Lockhart, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Lee, private, £3 15s 10d John Morris, private, £3 15s 10d John McCullen, private, £3 15s 10d William McBeath, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Morgan, private, £3 15s 10d Francis Mears, private, £3 15s 10d Peter Mahan, private, £3 15s 10d Joseph Millar, private, £3 15s 10d Pierce Osborne, private, £3 15s 10d John Pury, private, £3 15s 10d Jacob Peters, private, £3 15s 10d Samuel Parker, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Palmer, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Penson, private, £3 15s 10d Richard Page, private, £3 15s 10d John Pratt, private, £3 15s 10d William Peddow, private, £3 15s 10d John Roberts, private, £3 15s 10d John Christian Stoffe, private, £3 15s 10d Frederick Schaffer, private, £3 15s 10d John Robinson, private, to his death, £0 16s 8d John Salisbury, private, £3 15s 10d Benjamin Thomas, private, £3 15s 10d Mark Trueman, private, £3 15s 10d John Vaughan, private, £3 15s 10d Francis Smith, private, £3 15s 10d Richard White, private, £3 15s 10d John Waters, private, from his enlistment, £0 13s 4d William Kingcott, private, £3 15s 10d Privates, total, £324 9s 2d Carried forward, £2,290 8s 8d Interpretations John Robinson was paid 20 days, to his death on 20 January 1772, the date the minutes recorded. John Waters, left behind by the British King, drew 16 days' pay, which dates his enlistment to 16 March 1772, the day of the Council's meeting. Two men of the same company thus entered the pay list at opposite ends of the quarter, one dying in January and the other replacing a loss from a passing ship in March. | |
335 | 1772§ §Third Company vizt.§ §Richard Beale Captain§ §Thos. Bazett Lieut.§ §Thos. Statham Lieutenant§ §Richard Mason Lieut.§ §Serjeants vizt.§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the officers and non-commissioned officers of the Third Company. Brought forward, £2,290 8s 8d Richard Beale, captain, £59 6s 3d Thomas Bazett, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Thomas Bazett, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Thomas Bazett, house rent, £2 10s 0d Thomas Bazett, total, £36 14s 4½d Thomas Statham, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Thomas Statham, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Thomas Statham, house rent, £2 10s 0d Thomas Statham, total, £36 14s 4½d Richard Mason, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Richard Mason, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Richard Mason, house rent, £2 10s 0d Richard Mason, total, £36 14s 4½d William Clifton, sergeant, £7 11s 8d James Goudy, sergeant, £12 2s 8d David Scott, sergeant, £7 11s 8d Thomas Hughes, sergeant, £7 11s 8d William Bell, sergeant, £7 11s 8d Thomas Blake, sergeant, £7 11s 8d Sergeants, total, £50 1s 0d George Short, corporal, until reduced, £4 4s 0d Hatton Walker, corporal, £5 6s 2d David Patton, corporal, £5 6s 2d James York, corporal, £5 6s 2d John Merrill, corporal, £5 6s 2d Joseph Burton, corporal, from his promotion, £4 2s 2d Corporals, total, £29 10s 10d Carried forward, £2,559 9s 10½d Interpretations Corporal George Short was reduced to the ranks during the quarter, and Joseph Burton was promoted in his place. Short received corporal's pay for 72 days, which places his demotion around mid-March 1772. Burton's pay as corporal began a few days later. Reduction was the usual punishment for a non-commissioned officer's misconduct, imposed by the commanding officer without a court martial, and the Council's minutes record no hearing. Its effect appears only here, in the cut to the man's pay. | |
336 | 20th April§ §Drummers vizt.§ §Private vizt.§ §Private Carried over§ §Carried over§ | The list continued with the drummers and private soldiers of the Third Company. Brought forward, £2,539 9s 10½d George Varney, drummer, £5 6s 2d John Marten, drummer, £5 6s 2d Drummers, total, £10 12s 4d James Ashford, private, £3 15s 10d Richard Anderson, private, £3 15s 10d John Aston, private, £3 15s 10d Jacob Bull, private, £3 15s 10d John Blackhorn, private, £3 15s 10d Frederick William Beard, private, £3 15s 10d James Brown, private, £3 15s 10d Robert Barff, private, £3 15s 10d Joseph Barber, private, £3 15s 10d William Bailey, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Bale, private, £3 15s 10d Robert Brown, private, £3 15s 10d John Cole, private, £3 15s 10d Philip Cork, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Connell, private, £3 15s 10d Robert Cooke, private, £3 15s 10d Benjamin Courtney, private, £3 15s 10d George Chariott, private, £3 15s 10d James Curtis, private, £3 15s 10d Maurice Downey, private, £3 15s 10d Robert Downs, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Davy, private, £3 15s 10d Peter Dilly, private, £3 15s 10d William Edwards, private, £3 15s 10d Charles Edgill, private, £3 15s 10d Privates carried forward, £94 15s 10d Carried forward, £2,550 2s 2½d | |
337 | 1772§ §Private Brought over§ §Private Carrd. Over§ §Carried Over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Third Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £2,550 2s 2½d Privates brought forward, £94 15s 10d Thomas Elliott, private, £3 15s 10d John Ford, private, £3 15s 10d John Ferguson, private, £3 15s 10d Owen Griffiths, private, £3 15s 10d Charles Grierson, private, £3 15s 10d Felix Hyder, private, £3 15s 10d William Hepburn, private, £3 15s 10d Joseph Holloway, private, £3 15s 10d Peter Higgins, private, £3 15s 10d John Hilliard, private, £3 15s 10d Edward Hazell, private, £3 15s 10d Samuel Harsant, private, £3 15s 10d John House, private, £3 15s 10d James Hadley, private, to his discharge, £2 19s 2d Richard Hunter, private, £3 15s 10d William Hamilton, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Hayes, private, £3 15s 10d William Johnson, private, £3 15s 10d Samuel Johnson, private, £3 15s 10d Richard Johnson, private, to his death, £0 6s 8d John Johnson, private, to his discharge, £2 19s 2d John Jacks, private, £3 15s 10d William Jameson, private, £3 15s 10d Joseph Jones, private, £3 15s 10d James Kemp, private, £3 15s 10d Bryan Lynch, private, £3 15s 10d Edward Lambourn, private, £3 15s 10d George Littleton, private, to his death, £1 0s 10d John Lane, private, £3 15s 10d Privates carried forward, £196 17s 6d Carried forward, £2,550 2s 2½d Interpretations The broken payments match the deaths in the Council's minutes. Richard Johnson was paid for 8 days, to his death on 8 January 1772, and George Littleton for 25 days, to his death on 25 January 1772. James Hadley and John Johnson each received 71 days' pay, ending on 11 March 1772, the day when a group of time-expired men from several companies was discharged together. | |
338 | 20th April§ §Private brought over§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Third Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £2,550 2s 2½d Privates brought forward, £196 17s 6d William Livingston, private, to his death, £0 13s 4d Richard Moyer, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Morris, private, £3 15s 10d Abraham Major, private, £3 15s 10d Joseph Martin, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Matthews, private, £3 15s 10d William Medcalf, private, £3 15s 10d Charles Morris, private, £3 15s 10d Abraham Millar, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Nash, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Owens, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Perry, private, £3 15s 10d William Peebles, private, £3 15s 10d James Proctor, private, £3 15s 10d Richard Penny, private, £3 15s 10d William Powell, private, £3 15s 10d Richard Parker, private, £3 15s 10d Samuel Pickling, private, £3 15s 10d Adam Scott, private, £3 15s 10d Arthur Shield, private, £3 15s 10d Richard Slaughter, private, £3 15s 10d Richard Spike, private, £3 15s 10d Stephen Seymour, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Smith, private, £3 15s 10d John Saunders, private, £3 15s 10d George Short, private, 19 days, £0 15s 10d David Stein, private, £3 15s 10d John Sherland, private, £3 15s 10d John Thompson senior, private, £3 15s 10d Privates carried forward, £300 14s 2d Carried forward, £2,550 2s 2½d Interpretations George Short appears here as a private for the last 19 days of the quarter, after 72 days as a corporal. The two entries together make up the full 91 days, which confirms that he was reduced on 13 March 1772. William Livingston was paid 16 days, to his death on 16 January 1772. | |
339 | 1772§ §Private Brought over§ §Fourth Company vizt.§ §John Howard Captain§ §Saml. Desfountain Lieut.§ §James Greentree Lieutenant§ §Robert Gosling Lieut.§ §Serjeants vizt.§ §Carrd. over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Third Company concluded, followed by the officers and sergeants of the Fourth Company. Brought forward, £2,550 2s 2½d Privates brought forward, £300 14s 2d Thomas Taylor, private, £3 15s 10d George Towns, private, £3 15s 10d John Thompson junior, private, £3 15s 10d Jacob Thompson, private, £3 15s 10d Richard Vincent, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Ward, private, £3 15s 10d William Waller, private, £3 15s 10d Richard White, private, £3 15s 10d Francis Wainwright, private, £3 15s 10d Privates, total, £334 16s 8d John Howard, captain, £59 6s 3d Samuel Desfontaine, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Samuel Desfontaine, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Samuel Desfontaine, house rent, £2 10s 0d Samuel Desfontaine, total, £36 14s 4½d James Greentree, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d James Greentree, diet money, £6 16s 10½d James Greentree, house rent, £2 10s 0d James Greentree, total, £36 14s 4½d Robert Gosling, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Robert Gosling, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Robert Gosling, house rent, £2 10s 0d Robert Gosling, total, £36 14s 4½d John Deale, sergeant, £7 11s 8d John Terry, sergeant, £7 11s 8d Thomas Williams, sergeant, £7 11s 8d George Ward, sergeant, £7 11s 8d Benjamin Garrard, sergeant, until reduced, £6 15s 10d William Sharpe, sergeant, from his promotion, £5 15s 8d Sergeants, total, £42 13s 2d Carried forward, £3,097 6s 5d Interpretations Benjamin Garrard had been promoted on 9 December 1771, when Sergeant Thomas Kilock was reduced to the ranks. Little more than three months later Garrard himself lost the rank, after 81 days as sergeant, and Corporal William Sharpe took his place. Two sergeants of the same company were broken in succession within a single season, which suggests a troubled company, or a commanding officer who used reduction freely. | |
340 | 20th April§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Drummers vizt.§ §Private vizt.§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carried over§ | The list continued with the corporals, drummers and private soldiers of the Fourth Company. Brought forward, £3,097 6s 5d George Smith, corporal, £5 6s 2d William Tucker, corporal, until reduced, £4 19s 10d William Taylor, corporal, £5 6s 2d James Yoad, corporal, £5 6s 2d Corporals, total, £20 18s 4d James Moyse, drummer, £5 6s 2d John Harper, drummer, £5 6s 2d Drummers, total, £10 12s 4d John Allen, private, £3 15s 10d John Anderson, private, £3 15s 10d George Bennet, private, £3 15s 10d James Blackwell, private, £3 15s 10d John Bowler, private, £3 15s 10d William Blackman, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Bailey, private, £3 15s 10d Richard Bickerstaff, private, £3 15s 10d William Caleb Baldwin, private, £3 15s 10d James Boyce, private, £3 15s 10d Jacob Bonze, private, £3 15s 10d Jonathan Butcher, private, £3 15s 10d John Bates, private, £3 15s 10d Robert Buckle, private, £3 15s 10d John Bird, private, £3 15s 10d Henry Bayfield, private, to his discharge, £2 19s 2d Thomas Christian, private, to his death, £1 15s 0d William Cooksey, private, £3 15s 10d Privates carried forward, £65 7s 6d Carried forward, £3,128 17s 1d Interpretations The Fourth Company lost a third non-commissioned officer this season. Corporal William Tucker was reduced near the end of the quarter, just as Sergeants Kilock and Garrard had been in turn. Thomas Christian was paid 42 days, to his death on 11 February 1772, the date recorded in the minutes. | |
341 | 1772§ §Private brought over§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carrd. over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Fourth Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £3,128 17s 1d Privates brought forward, £65 7s 6d Richard Close, private, £3 15s 10d Josiah Cummings, private, £3 15s 10d John Clemans, private, £3 15s 10d John Crampton, private, £3 15s 10d Samuel Clare, private, £3 15s 10d John Collins, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Dawson, private, £3 15s 10d James Dennis, private, £3 15s 10d John Deane, private, £3 15s 10d John Eastman, private, to his discharge, £2 19s 2d Charles Field, private, £3 15s 10d Henry Friendly, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Ferris, private, £3 15s 10d Francis Flynn, private, £3 15s 10d George Green, private, £3 15s 10d John Gilmore, private, £3 15s 10d Edward Germain, private, £3 15s 10d Robert Goodfellow, private, £3 15s 10d Frederick Gallion, private, £3 15s 10d William Golding, private, £3 15s 10d Edward Groves, private, £3 15s 10d Henry Harrenburg, private, £3 15s 10d Roger Haydon, private, £3 15s 10d Henry Hamilton, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Hilliard, private, £3 15s 10d William Hales, private, £3 15s 10d Christian Johnson, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Johnson, private, £3 15s 10d John Johnson, private, £3 15s 10d Privates carried forward, £174 10s 0d Carried forward, £3,128 17s 1d | |
342 | 20th April§ §Private Brought over§ §Private Carrd. over§ §Carrd. over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Fourth Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £3,128 17s 1d Privates brought forward, £174 10s 0d John Joyce, private, £3 15s 10d James Jordan, private, £3 15s 10d John Jones, private, £3 15s 10d George Germain, private, promoted, £4 2s 2d R. Kempton, private, £3 15s 10d Michael Keary, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Hylock, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Lyne, private, £3 15s 10d Charles Lewellen, private, £3 15s 10d Murdoch McCleod, private, to his discharge, £2 19s 2d John Marsh, private, to his discharge, £2 19s 2d Thomas McDearman, private, £3 15s 10d Robert May, private, £3 15s 10d William Morgan, private, £3 15s 10d John Moyes, private, £3 15s 10d John Newton, private, £3 15s 10d John Oswald, private, £3 15s 10d Daniel Patrick, private, £3 15s 10d William Parker, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Pritchard, private, £3 15s 10d John Pink, private, £3 15s 10d Stephen Price, private, £3 15s 10d William Powell, private, £3 15s 10d Michael Perkins, private, £3 15s 10d James Richardson, private, £3 15s 10d William Seaman, private, £3 15s 10d William Steadman, private, £3 15s 10d James Sea, private, £3 15s 10d Charles Smith, private, £3 15s 10d Privates carried forward, £283 2s 2d Carried forward, £3,128 17s 1d Interpretations George Germain was paid £4 2s 2d, more than a private's full quarter of £3 15s 10d. His promotion came within the quarter, and the clerk entered his whole pay on one line, part at the private's rate and the rest at a corporal's 1s 2d a day. He probably filled the corporal's place left by William Tucker's reduction, the third change of rank in the Fourth Company this season. | |
343 | 1772§ §Private brought over§ §Artillery Company vizt.§ §James Tippet Captain§ §Thos. Leech Lieut.§ §John Shirley Lieut.§ §Robert Gilson Lieut.§ §Carried Over§ | The list of private soldiers in the Fourth Company concluded, followed by the officers of the Artillery Company. Brought forward, £3,128 17s 1d Privates brought forward, £283 2s 2d James Sheppard, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Stevens, private, £3 15s 10d John Stockdale, private, promoted, £4 2s 2d John Turner, private, £3 15s 10d Stephen Vanderhorst, private, £3 15s 10d William Waite, private, £3 15s 10d Thomas Watts, private, £3 15s 10d James Wilson, private, £3 15s 10d Samuel Wilson, private, £3 15s 10d John Wood, private, £3 15s 10d Peter White, private, £3 15s 10d John West, private, to his discharge, £3 15s 0d John Windall, private, £3 15s 10d John Wilkinson, private, £3 15s 10d Robert Woody, private, £3 15s 10d Privates, total, £340 5s 2d James Tippet, captain, £59 6s 3d Thomas Leech, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Thomas Leech, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Thomas Leech, house rent, £2 10s 0d Thomas Leech, total, £36 14s 4½d John Shatley, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d John Shatley, diet money, £6 16s 10½d John Shatley, house rent, £2 10s 0d John Shatley, total, £36 14s 4½d Robert Gilson, lieutenant, pay, £27 7s 6d Robert Gilson, diet money, £6 16s 10½d Robert Gilson, house rent, £2 10s 0d Robert Gilson, total, £36 14s 4½d Carried forward, £3,638 11s 7½d Interpretations John West was paid 90 days, to 30 March 1772, the day the Council granted the discharge he petitioned for at the end of his term. John Stockdale's promotion completed the chain of changes in the Fourth Company. William Sharpe moved up to sergeant in place of Benjamin Garrard, and Stockdale and George Germain moved up from the ranks to fill the corporals' places left by Sharpe and William Tucker. Stephen Vanderhorst, one of the two men rewarded in October 1771 for exposing the longboat plot, was still serving in the company. | |
344 | 20th April§ §Serjeants vizt.§ §Corporals vizt.§ §Bombardiers vizt.§ §Gunners vizt.§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the non-commissioned officers and gunners of the Artillery Company. Brought forward, £3,638 11s 7½d John Whitchurch, sergeant, £9 2s 0d John Turner, sergeant, £9 2s 0d James Pafft, sergeant, £9 2s 0d Thomas Innes, sergeant, £9 2s 0d Sedgwick Wetherall, sergeant, promoted, £6 17s 0d Sergeants, total, £43 5s 0d Benjamin Holmes, corporal, promoted, £6 17s 0d Samuel Cosgrove, corporal, £6 16s 6d James Waller, corporal, £6 16s 6d William Pink, corporal, promoted, £6 16s 6d William Crabb, corporal, promoted, £6 16s 6d John Fox, corporal, promoted, £6 16s 6d William Stapleford, corporal, promoted, £6 16s 6d Corporals, total, £47 16s 0d John Smith, bombardier, promoted, £6 1s 6d Thomas Yates, bombardier, promoted, £6 1s 6d Philip Conway, bombardier, promoted, £6 1s 6d William Rankin, bombardier, promoted, £6 1s 6d Bombardiers, total, £24 6s 0d John Towns, gunner, £6 1s 4d Charles Abraham, gunner, £6 1s 4d William Rowsing, gunner, £6 1s 4d James Graham, gunner, £6 1s 4d Thomas Price, gunner, promoted, £4 17s 0d John Anderson, gunner, promoted, £4 11s 4d John Wright, gunner, promoted, £5 15s 8d Edward Ware, gunner, promoted, £4 11s 4d George Street, gunner, promoted, £4 11s 4d Gunners, total, £48 12s 0d Carried forward, £3,802 10s 7½d Interpretations The Artillery Company was reorganised during the quarter, with promotions through every rank. In the last quarter of 1771 it had four sergeants and four corporals. It now had five sergeants and seven corporals. Corporal Sedgwick Wetherall became the fifth sergeant, all four bombardiers became corporals, four gunners became bombardiers, and five matrosses moved up to gunner. A reorganisation on this scale needed the authority of the Court of Directors and probably came in its orders. It strengthened Tippet's artillery at the expense of the foot companies, the cause he had argued against Corneille through 1771. Each step up brought higher daily pay, from the matross's 1s to the gunner's 1s 4d and the sergeant's 2s. | |
345 | 1772§ §Drummers vizt.§ §Matrosses vizt.§ §Matrosses Carried over§ §Carried Over§ | The list continued with the drummers and matrosses of the Artillery Company. Brought forward, £3,802 10s 7½d Joseph Purdie, drummer, £5 6s 2d Joseph Brandon, drummer, £5 6s 2d William Gessing, fifer, £4 11s 0d Drummers and fifer, total, £15 3s 4d William Allen, matross, £4 11s 0d Thomas Allsworth, matross, £4 11s 0d Benjamin Burton, matross, £4 11s 0d William Blevin, matross, £4 11s 0d Joseph Bowman, matross, £4 11s 0d Thomas Bowen, matross, £4 11s 0d John Cope, matross, £4 11s 0d Robert Cunningham, matross, £4 11s 0d Matthew Charlton, matross, £4 11s 0d Matthew Craven, matross, £4 11s 0d John Coleman, matross, £4 11s 0d John Corbett, matross, £4 11s 0d William Durham, matross, £4 11s 0d James Dunn, matross, £4 11s 0d James Dawson, matross, £4 11s 0d John Dorse, matross, £4 11s 0d John Easton, matross, £4 11s 0d Patrick Etherington, matross, £4 11s 0d Joseph Fellows, matross, £4 11s 0d Joseph Finlinson, matross, £4 11s 0d Thomas Farr, matross, £4 11s 0d William Faircliff, matross, £4 11s 0d Christian Greenwald, matross, £4 11s 0d Matrosses carried forward, £104 13s 0d Carried forward, £3,817 13s 11½d Interpretations William Durham drew a full quarter's pay, although the minutes recorded his death on 2 April 1772. He died two days after the quarter closed, so his estate was owed the whole three months. John Easton was the matross who shared the reward with Stephen Vanderhorst for exposing the longboat plot in October 1771. | |
346 | 20th April§ §Matrosses brought over§ §Matrosses Carrd. over§ §Carried over§ | The list of matrosses in the Artillery Company continued as follows. Brought forward, £3,817 13s 11½d Matrosses brought forward, £104 13s 0d Thomas Gorrell, matross, £4 11s 0d James Gilmore, matross, £4 11s 0d James Griffiths, matross, £4 11s 0d Nicholas Godfrey, matross, £4 11s 0d Thomas Green, matross, £4 11s 0d Owen Howard, matross, £4 11s 0d Alexander Henderson, matross, £4 11s 0d Francis Harding, matross, £4 11s 0d William Harrison, matross, £4 11s 0d Robert Harmer, matross, £4 11s 0d Maynard Hayes, matross, £4 11s 0d Mullis Hopper, matross, £4 11s 0d William Hurst, matross, £4 11s 0d Matthew Kernan, matross, £4 11s 0d William Jenkins, matross, to his discharge, £3 9s 0d John Miller, matross, to his death, £2 11s 0d George Marshall, matross, £4 11s 0d John Moore, matross, £4 11s 0d Richard Morgan, matross, £4 11s 0d John Mann, matross, £4 11s 0d James Munnings, matross, £4 11s 0d John Mackay, matross, £4 11s 0d Thomas Nimble, matross, £4 11s 0d Robert Nicholls, matross, £4 11s 0d James Peacock, matross, £4 11s 0d Richard Pearce, matross, £4 11s 0d John Parker, matross, £4 11s 0d William Phillips, matross, £4 11s 0d William Robinson, matross, £4 11s 0d Robert Riley, matross, £4 11s 0d Charles Russell, matross, £4 11s 0d Matrosses carried forward, £242 12s 0d Carried forward, £3,817 13s 11½d Interpretations William Jenkins, the matross and baker dismissed from the bakehouse on 2 March 1772 for short-weighting the garrison's bread, was paid 69 days, to 9 March 1772. That was the day the Council granted his discharge at the end of his engagement. | |
347 | 1772§ §Matrosses brought over§ §Pensioners vizt.§ §£ 4201 . 1 . 9½§ | The list of matrosses in the Artillery Company concluded, followed by the pensioners. Brought forward, £3,817 13s 11½d Matrosses brought forward, £242 12s 0d Abraham Renew, matross, £4 11s 0d William Shore, matross, £4 11s 0d John Snell, matross, £4 11s 0d Godfrey Smith, matross, £4 11s 0d William Smith senior, matross, £4 11s 0d William Smith junior, matross, £4 11s 0d John Smith, matross, £4 11s 0d Thomas Sebrey, matross, £4 11s 0d Michael Scully, matross, £4 11s 0d William Saunders, matross, to his death, £2 13s 0d Richard Waterhouse, matross, £4 11s 0d Samuel Wood, matross, £4 11s 0d William Whiston, matross, £4 11s 0d Thomas Wade, matross, £4 11s 0d John Wilkinson, matross, £4 11s 0d John White, matross, £4 11s 0d John Wilson senior, matross, £4 11s 0d John Wilson junior, matross, £4 11s 0d Andrew Shores, matross, £4 11s 0d Jonathan Mallet, matross, £4 11s 0d Stephen Swartzen, matross, £4 11s 0d Enos Martin, matross, £4 11s 0d Matrosses, total, £340 16s 0d Nathan Inshall, pensioner, £13 15s 11d Michael Frost, pensioner, £13 15s 11d Mary Peak, pensioner, £7 10s 0d Elizabeth Kennedy, pensioner, £7 10s 0d Pensioners, total, £42 11s 10d Grand total, £4,201 1s 9½d The paymaster's account follows on the next leaf. Interpretations The quarter's establishment cost £4,201 1s 9½d, about £60 less than the £4,261 19s 9½d of the last three months of 1771. One fewer day in the leap-year quarter saved a day's pay for every soldier. Deaths and the discharge of time-expired men in March took several more off the list for part of the quarter. The cost of the reorganised artillery, with its extra sergeant and corporals, absorbed part of these savings. | |
348 | 20th April§ §1772 March 31st To Cash from the Chest§ §Carried over§ | The paymaster's account for the quarter opened with the money he received. William Wrangham, debtor 31 March 1772, cash drawn from the treasury chest, £5,219 16s 3½d Carried forward, £5,219 16s 3½d Interpretations Wrangham drew £5,219 16s 3½d from the chest on 31 March 1772, about £180 more than the £5,037 10s 0½d of the previous quarter, although the pay list itself was £60 smaller. The difference lay in the other payments he had to make from the same sum. The busy shipping season brought heavier bills for the Company's table, for labour on the works and for fresh provisions. | |
349 | 1772§ §1772 Jany. 16 To Cash paid for three new Lamps & mendg. six old ones§ §By Do. pd. Will for taking a Runaway Black who had§ §Feby. 24th By Do. pd. Storment a Man Slave for discovering the Person§ §By Do. pd. Capt. Hough for twelve Cape Sheep§ §By Do. pd. Capt. Hoare of Ship British King for the§ §By Do. pd. James Campbell an Invalid left out of Ship§ §By Do. pd. the Lieut. Governor for Mutton§ §By Do. pd. for Expresses upon Alarms§ §By Do. pd. for redeeming one of the Compys. Hogs that was pounded§ §By Do. pd. the Fife Major for teaching the Young Fifers§ §By Do. pd. Thos. Jordan for work 73 days in the Long Wood§ §By Do. pd. Noguieda Pelelum & Hasspanger their Allowance§ §Carried over§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out began as follows. 16 January 1772, paid for three new lamps and for mending six old ones, £0 3s 0d Paid to Will for catching a runaway slave who had been gone more than a fortnight, £1 5s 0d 24 February 1772, paid to Stormont, a slave, for discovering the person who had taken some young pheasants, £0 5s 0d Paid to Captain Hough for 12 Cape sheep, £6 0s 0d Paid to Captain Hoare of the British King for the passage to England of the following invalid soldiers: Thomas Pearce, £5 0s 0d Stephen Redding, £5 0s 0d William Phillips, £5 0s 0d John Robinson, £5 0s 0d Jasper Jesseman, £5 0s 0d William Children, £5 0s 0d John Hadley, £5 0s 0d John Johnson, £5 0s 0d Henry Bayfield, £5 0s 0d Murdoch McCleod, £5 0s 0d John Marsh, £5 0s 0d John Eastman, £5 0s 0d Passages, total, £60 0s 0d Paid to James Campbell, an invalid left behind by the Lord Mansfield, for his keep in the hospital from 1 January to 10 March 1772, £2 0s 10d Paid to the Deputy Governor for mutton, £3 0s 0d Paid for messengers sent express on alarms, £3 7s 6d Paid for releasing one of the Company's hogs from the pound, £0 5s 0d Paid to the fife major for teaching the young fifers, £2 5s 0d Paid to Thomas Jordan for 76 days' work at Longwood, £3 16s 0d Paid to [...] and [...] for their allowance in place of salt provisions and for house rent, £6 11s 0d Carried forward, £93 13s 4d Interpretations The Company paid Captain Hoare £5 a head to carry home the twelve soldiers discharged on 11 March 1772. Most of them had come to the end of their engagements, but the account calls them invalids, men no longer fit for service. Paying their passage was part of the bargain that drew recruits to a remote garrison. The Company took a man out to St Helena and undertook to bring him back when his service ended, and the commander of an East Indiaman was paid for each passenger he carried in this way. A slave named Stormont received 5s for exposing whoever had taken young pheasants. Pheasants had been brought to the island and preserved as game for the Governor and his officers. The reward shows that the Company used informers among its slaves as well as its soldiers, and that the theft of game counted as an offence worth paying to detect. | |
350 | 20th April§ §1772 March 31st To Cash brought over§ §Carried over§ | The receipts side of William Wrangham's account carried its single entry forward unchanged. William Wrangham, debtor 31 March 1772, cash brought forward, £5,219 16s 3½d Carried forward, £5,219 16s 3½d | |
351 | 1772§ §Brought over§ §1772 March 31 By Cash paid for the following for the Honble. Companys§ §By Do. pd. for eight Gross Corks§ §By Do. pd. for 38 dozen Bottles§ §By Do. pd. John Anderson and John Walters two§ §By Do. pd. Capt. Milford for 15 Cape Sheep @ 10s.§ §By Do. pd. for 50 Bushels Wheat @ 3/9§ §By Do. pd. John Price Gaoler for Punishments and§ §By Do. pd. Do. as Sexton for making Graves for nine§ §Carried over§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out continued as follows. Brought forward, £93 13s 4d 31 March 1772, paid for supplies for the Company's table: Fowls, 7 dozen and 1, £6 7s 6d Pigs, 7, £1 15s 0d Turkeys, 12, £3 0s 0d Pork, 67½ lb, £1 13s 9d Tongues, 13, £3 10s 6d Ducks, 51, £3 16s 6d Spice, ½ lb, £0 8s 0d Eggs, 32 dozen, £2 8s 0d Beef, 625¾ lb, £12 15s 11d Hams, 2, weighing 33½ lb, £2 1s 10d Partridges, 2, £0 3s 0d Geese, 6, £1 10s 0d Butter, 1 firkin, £3 10s 0d Turtle, 136 lb, £3 0s 10d Pickles, 1 case, £2 10s 0d Supplies for the table, total, £48 10s 10d Paid for eight brass cocks, £1 3s 4d Paid for 38 dozen bottles, £2 17s 0d Paid to John Anderson and John Walters, two seamen left behind by the British King, for two days' keep, £0 1s 6d Paid to Captain Milford for 15 Cape sheep at 10s each, £7 10s 0d Paid to the same for 50 bushels of wheat at 3s 9d a bushel, £9 7s 6d Paid to John Price, gaoler, for punishments and imprisonments, £0 6s 3d Paid to John Price as sexton for digging graves for 9 dead soldiers at 2s 6d each, £1 2s 6d Carried forward, £164 12s 3d Interpretations The table account for the quarter came to almost £50, against less than £12 in the last three months of 1771. The Governor's table entertained the commanders and passengers of every ship that called between February and April. More than 600 lb of beef, 51 ducks and 85 fowls were bought from the planters in a single quarter, and turtle, hams and pickles were added for the guests. The wheat and sheep bought from Captain Milford of the Northumberland came from the Cape, which supplied grain and livestock that the island could not raise in quantity. Two seamen left behind by the British King were fed for two days before the Council decided what to do with them. One of them was presumably the John Waters who enlisted soon afterwards. The sexton dug nine soldiers' graves in the quarter, in line with the deaths noted in the minutes and the broken payments in the pay list. | |
352 | 20th April§ §1772 March 31st To Cash brought over§ §Carried over§ | On Wrangham's receipts side the cash from the chest again passed forward unchanged. William Wrangham, debtor 31 March 1772, cash brought forward, £5,219 16s 3½d Carried forward, £5,219 16s 3½d | |
353 | 1772§ §Brought over§ §1772 March 31 By Cash paid for a Brass Wire Seive for the use§ §By Do. pd. Edward Daniels his House Rent§ §By Do. pd. for Baking 173 Batches Bread @ 20d. p Batch§ §By Do. pd. Captain Milford for the Passage of William§ §By Do. pd. 41 Days work in bringing up Stores from the§ §By Do. pd. the following discharged Men for Enlisting to§ §Carried over§ §Carried over§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out continued as follows. Brought forward, £164 12s 3d 31 March 1772, paid for a brass wire sieve for the bakehouse, £0 15s 0d Paid to Edward Daniells for his house rent, £5 0s 0d Paid for baking 173 batches of bread at 20d a batch, £14 8s 4d Paid to Captain Milford for the passage to England of William Gossip, an invalid, £5 0s 0d Paid for 41 days' work bringing up stores from the crane, received from the British King, the Ponsborne and the Morse, £2 1s 0d Carried forward, £191 16s 7d The following discharged men received a bounty for re-enlisting as soldiers in the Company's service for five more years under the Articles of War, from the dates shown. William Brooks, from 1 January 1772, £10 0s 0d R. Platfoot, from 13 January 1772, £10 0s 0d Richard Waterhouse, from 13 February 1772, £10 0s 0d James York, from 13 February 1772, £10 0s 0d William Benson, from 13 February 1772, £10 0s 0d Samuel Instone, from 13 February 1772, £10 0s 0d Jacob Bull, from 13 February 1772, £10 0s 0d Benjamin Burton, from 13 February 1772, £10 0s 0d John Cope, from 13 February 1772, £10 0s 0d Thomas McDearman, from 23 February 1772, £10 0s 0d William Blackman, from 9 March 1772, £10 0s 0d Charles Lewellen, from 23 March 1772, £10 0s 0d John Moore, from 23 March 1772, £10 0s 0d Samuel Parker, from 23 March 1772, £10 0s 0d Charles Field, from 23 March 1772, £10 0s 0d Re-enlistment bounties, total, £150 0s 0d Interpretations Fifteen soldiers re-engaged for five years in a single quarter at £10 each, while twelve others took their discharge and a passage home at £5 apiece. The Company's choice of terms shows why it encouraged men to stay. A re-enlisted soldier cost £10 once and was already trained and seasoned to the island. A recruit from England cost his passage out, months of waiting and the risk that he would fall sick on arrival. Seven men signed on again on the same day, 13 February 1772, which suggests that their original engagements had begun together on the same ship. The new bakery kept the old rate of 20d a batch. William Jenkins had been paid the same for 169 batches in the last three months of 1771. The Council changed the baker and added an inspector, but not the price. William Gossip's passage was paid to Captain Milford, so the injured carpenter's mate sailed in the Northumberland on 6 April 1772. | |
354 | 20th April§ §1772 March 31st To Cash brought over§ §Carried over§ | The receipts side of Wrangham's account showed only the sum from the chest, carried on to the next page. William Wrangham, debtor 31 March 1772, cash brought forward, £5,219 16s 3½d Carried forward, £5,219 16s 3½d | |
355 | 1772§ §Brought over§ §1772 March 31 Men Relisted brought over§ §By Cash paid the following Men for Enlisting to serve§ §By Do. pd. for the following Work at Ladder Hill Road vizt.§ §By Do. pd. for the following Work at the Officers Barracks vizt.§ §Carried over§ §Carried over§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out continued as follows. Brought forward, £191 16s 7d Re-enlistment bounties brought forward, £150 0s 0d John Joyce, from 23 March 1772, £10 0s 0d John McCullen, from 23 March 1772, £10 0s 0d John Ham, from 23 March 1772, £10 0s 0d Thomas Pritchard, from 23 March 1772, £10 0s 0d Joseph Holloway, from 23 March 1772, £10 0s 0d Thomas Townsend, from 23 March 1772, £10 0s 0d Samuel Ringrow, from 23 March 1772, £10 0s 0d Re-enlistment bounties, total, £220 0s 0d Paid to the following men for enlisting as soldiers in the Company's service for 5 years under the Articles of War: Robert Wood, from 12 March 1772, £5 0s 0d John Waters, from 16 March 1772, £8 0s 0d Enlistment bounties, total, £13 0s 0d Paid for work on the new road at Ladder Hill: Masons, 333½ days at 3s, £50 1s 3d Stone blasters, 358¾ days at 1s 6d, £26 18s 2d Smiths, 44 days at 1s 6d, £3 6s 0d Overseers, 73 days at 1s 6d, £5 17s 0d Labourers, 1,930 days, £92 12s 6d Ladder Hill road, total, £179 0s 11d Paid for work on the officers' barracks: Carpenters, 214 days at 1s 6d, £16 1s 0d Sawyers, 121½ days at 1s 6d, £9 2s 3d Masons, 339 days at 1s 6d, £25 8s 6d Carpenters, 40 days at 1s 3d, £2 10s 0d Officers' barracks carried forward, £53 1s 9d Carried forward, £603 17s 6d Interpretations Twenty-two soldiers re-enlisted during the quarter, at a cost of £220 in bounties, against only two new men taken from the ships. The garrison renewed itself mainly from its own ranks. Seven of the men signed on together on 23 March 1772, while the Morse and the China ships were in the road, perhaps after watching their discharged comrades embark for home. Labour on the Ladder Hill road cost almost £180 in the quarter, against £151 6s 3d in the last three months of 1771. Labourers' days rose from 892 to 1,930. The heavy blasting of late 1771 had given way to masonry and the clearing of spoil, as the road moved from cutting rock to building retaining walls and laying its surface. | |
356 | 20th April§ §1772 March 31 To Cash Brought over§ §£ 5219 . 16 . 3½§ | Wrangham's receipts side closed on the one sum he drew from the chest. William Wrangham, debtor 31 March 1772, cash brought forward, £5,219 16s 3½d Total, £5,219 16s 3½d | |
357 | 1772§ §Brought over§ §Brought over£ 53 . 1 . 9§ §By Cash paid for the following Work at Breakneck§ §By Do. pd. for the following Work in the Long Boats vizt.§ §By Do. pd. 45 days Labourers Work repairing a Shed for§ §By Do. pd. 150 days Stone Sawyers for the new Church§ §By Do. pd. 77 Do. Smiths Work cleaning and repairing§ §By Do. pd. for carrying 572 Loads of Dirt for the Lieut.§ §Carried Over§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out continued as follows. Brought forward, £603 17s 6d Officers' barracks brought forward, £53 1s 9d Stone blasters, 237¾ days at 1s 6d, £17 16s 8d Smiths, 93 days at 1s 6d, £6 19s 6d Overseers, 117¾ days at 1s 6d, £8 16s 7d Painters, 38 days at 1s 6d, £2 17s 0d Labourers, 2,935¼ days at 1s, £146 15s 3d Officers' barracks, total, £236 6s 9d Paid for work at Breakneck Valley: Stone blasters, 113 days, £8 9s 6d Smiths, 9 days, £0 13s 6d Labourers, 60 days, £3 0s 0d Lime burning, 91 days, £6 16s 6d Overseers, 91 days, £4 11s 0d Breakneck Valley, total, £23 10s 6d Paid for work on the longboats: Labourers bringing lime, 254 days, £12 14s 0d Labourers getting ballast, 192¾ days, £9 12s 9d Painting, 6 days, £0 9s 0d Carpenters repairing the boats, 77 days, £5 15s 6d Longboats, total, £28 11s 3d Paid for 45 days of labourers' work repairing a shed for the poultry, £2 5s 0d Paid to stone sawyers for the new church, [...] days, £61 5s 9d Paid for 77 days of smiths' work cleaning and repairing small arms, £5 15s 6d Paid for carrying 372 loads of stone for the Deputy Governor's house at Longwood, £14 6s 0d Carried forward, £975 18s 3d Interpretations Labour on the officers' barracks cost £236 6s 9d in the quarter, against £142 1s 0d in the last three months of 1771. Labourers' days rose from about 2,190 to more than 2,930. With the 424 double deals issued from the stores, the figures show the building at its height, as Captain Tippet's letter of 6 April 1772 described. The stone sawyers' bill of over £60 shows the church preparations moving from quarrying to cutting. In the last quarter of 1771 the paymaster had paid chiefly for stone blasters at the church site. Now the sawyers were dressing the quarried stone into blocks with the stone saws issued from the stores. Another 372 loads of stone went up to Longwood for the Deputy Governor's new house, on top of the 234 loads carried in the previous quarter. | |
358 | 20th April§ §1772 March 31 To Cash Brought over§ | On the receipts side, Wrangham's account again showed the cash he drew from the chest, brought forward from the previous page. William Wrangham, debtor 31 March 1772, cash brought forward, £5,219 16s 3½d | |
359 | 1772§ §Brought over§ §1772 March 31 By Cash paid for 41 Loads dirt for the Lt. Govr. House§ §By Do. pd. 20 days Lab. securg. Dirt for Do.§ §By Do. pd. 16½ Do. Overseers repairg. the Bridge§ §By Do. pd. 114 Do. Labourers for Do.§ §By Do. pd. 32 Do. Painting Gun Carriages§ §By Do. pd. 60 Do. Labourers transportg. Guns to Lemon Valley§ §By Do. pd. 7 Do. turning Bannisters for the Hospital§ §By Do. pd. 57 Do. Labourers removing Purbeck Stones from§ §By Do. pd. 28½ Do. getting Stones to repair the Glacis§ §By Do. pd. for the following Work at Mundens Battery vizt.§ §By Do. pd. 5 days Labourers repairg. the Guard Room§ §By Do. pd. 2½ Do. Masons Do.§ §By Do. pd. 32 Do. Carpt. repairg. Soldiers Cots§ §By Do. pd. John Steventon Henry Earnshaw and Joseph§ §1018 . 14 . 6§ §By Amount of the Pay Account§ §£ 5219 . 16 . 3½§ §Island St. Helena§ §Counted and examined the Honble. Companys Cash§ | The paymaster's account of money paid out concluded as follows. Brought forward, £975 18s 3d 31 March 1772, paid for 41 loads of earth for the Deputy Governor's house at Longwood, at 3d a load, £0 10s 3d Paid for 20 days of labourers' work ramming earth for the same, £1 0s 0d Paid for 16½ days of overseers' work repairing the bridge, £1 4s 9d Paid for 114 days of labourers' work on the same, £5 14s 0d Paid for 32 days' work painting gun carriages, £2 8s 0d Paid for 60 days of labourers' work carrying guns to Lemon Valley, £3 0s 0d Paid for 7 days' work turning banisters for the hospital, £0 10s 6d Paid for 57 days of labourers' work moving Purbeck stones from the wharf, £2 17s 0d Paid for 28½ days' work getting stones for [...], £1 8s 6d Paid for work at Munden's Battery: Overseers, 27 days, £2 0s 6d Masons, 15½ days, £1 3s 3d Labourers, 350½ days, £17 10s 3d Munden's Battery, total, £20 14s 0d Paid for 5 days of labourers' work repairing the guard room, £0 5s 0d Paid for 2½ days of masons' work on the same, £0 3s 4d Paid for 32 days of carpenters' work repairing soldiers' cots, £2 7s 6d Paid for the keep of Edward Steventon, Henry Eanstear and Joseph West, discharged soldiers, for 26 days, £0 13s 0d Total of payments, £1,018 14s 6d Total of the pay list, £4,201 1s 9½d Total, £5,219 16s 3½d William Wrangham signed the account as paymaster at St Helena on 31 March 1772, subject to any errors. The Board then counted and checked the Company's cash for March 1772. The account of that cash follows below. Interpretations The Purbeck stones were paving slabs from the quarries of the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. A homeward East Indiaman sailed in ballast, but an outward ship often carried heavy stone low in the hold to steady it. Purbeck stone shipped this way reached St Helena almost free of freight. The island's own volcanic rock was hard to dress flat, so imported slabs were used for floors and steps in the Castle and the new buildings. Labourers had to carry the stones up from the wharf by hand. The three discharged soldiers were fed at the Company's expense for 26 days while they waited for a passage home. That came to 2d a day for each man. Once a soldier's pay stopped on discharge, he had no wage to live on, so the Company kept him until a ship could take him. The Munden's Battery entry shows Tippet beginning the stone facing of the embrasures he had proposed on 10 February 1772. Much of the work there was labourers carrying stone to the point. | |
360 | 20th April§ §1772 March 1st To Balance Remaining§ §9 To Ship Ponsborne§ §12 To Exchange for two Sets of Bills drawn upon the§ §To Ship British King§ §19 To Ship Horse§ §31 To James Powell recd. of him for Stores Sold in the§ §To Plantation for Provision Sold§ §To Licences§ §To Customs recd. on 306¼ Galls. Spirituous Liquors§ §£ 12641 . 1 . 3§ §Per Contra Cr.§ §1772 Mar. 31 By Sundry Accounts Advanced the Paymaster§ §By Balance Remaining vizt.§ §£ 12641 . 1 . 3§ | The Company's cash account for March 1772 ran as follows. The receipts side showed the money held at the start of the month and the money paid in. 1 March 1772, balance in hand, £9,314 9s 6d On 9 March 1772 the Ponsborne paid in £6 0s 6d. 12 March 1772, received in exchange for two sets of bills drawn on the Court of Directors: One set payable to Captain Daniel Griffiths Hoare, £1,300 0s 0d One set payable to James Farrell, £100 0s 0d Total of bills, £1,400 0s 0d The British King paid in £6 18s 2d. On 19 March 1772 the Morse paid in £1 16s 6d. 31 March 1772, received from James Pavell for stores sold in the quarter to this date, £1,855 10s 6d Received from the plantation for provisions sold, £6 10s 1d Received for licences, £11 10s 0d Received in customs duty on 306¼ gallons of spirits, £38 6s 0d Total, £12,641 1s 3d The other side showed the money paid out and the balance in hand at the end of the month. 31 March 1772, advanced to the paymaster for salaries and other charges for the quarter to this date, £5,219 15s 3½d Balance in hand: In coin, £6,881 10s 11½d In cash notes, £539 15s 0d Balance, total, £7,421 5s 11½d Total, £12,641 1s 3d The heading Pursuant begins in the margin at the foot of the page. Interpretations Customs duty on spirits rose sharply. In the last quarter of 1771 the treasury took 11s 1½d on 44½ gallons of arrack, about 3d a gallon. In this quarter it took £38 6s 0d on 306¼ gallons, 2s 6d a gallon, ten times the earlier rate. The homeward ships brought far more private spirits ashore in the busy season, and the higher rate shows the Council taxing that trade much harder. A duty this heavy protected the Company's own sales of arrack from the stores. It also made cheap drink harder to come by in Jamestown, a constant concern in a garrison where drunkenness on duty had cost Lieutenant Caldwell a month's pay. Store sales brought in £1,855 10s 6d, about £660 less than in the previous quarter. Sugar, flour and salt meat ran short before the new supplies landed, and there was no wine to sell. The coin in the treasury fell by almost £1,900 over the month despite the £1,400 paid in for Hoare's and Farrell's bills. The quarter's pay was still the largest single drain on the island's cash. | |
361 | 1772§ §Messrs. Benjamin Mason§ §We appointed Mr. Benjamin Mason to serve the Office§ §Bought on Account of the Honble. Company§ §We this day Granted the following Bills of§ | The Council's order of 13 April 1772 had called the inhabitants together. On 20 April 1772 they met at the chapel in James's Valley to choose the parish officers for the coming year. They also put forward three of the leading inhabitants, one of whom would be chosen as sheriff, and chose a suitable person as constable. They returned the following names. Benjamin Mason, nominated for sheriff Isaac Doveton, nominated for sheriff Richard Bagley, nominated for sheriff James Pritchard, constable Orlando Bagley, nominated for churchwarden Richard Beale, nominated for churchwarden Charles Ross Stewart, nominated for churchwarden William Wrangham, nominated for churchwarden John Desfontaine, nominated for overseer of the East Division Robert Gosling, nominated for overseer of the East Division Gabriel Leache, nominated for overseer of the West Division John Goodwin, nominated for overseer of the West Division John Bagley, nominated for overseer of the South Division John Seale, nominated for overseer of the South Division The Council appointed Benjamin Mason to serve as sheriff. It ordered warrants to be drawn appointing Orlando Bagley and Richard Beale as churchwardens. It also appointed John Desfontaine, Gabriel Leache and John Bagley as overseers. The Council bought 265 pieces of salt meat from Captain Henry Rice of the Dutton on the Company's account. They cost 2s a piece, £26 10s 0d in all. The Council also issued sets of bills of exchange that day, drawn on the Court of Directors, and they are listed below. Interpretations Each time, the Council chose the first name the vestry put forward. Mason headed the three nominated for sheriff, and Orlando Bagley and Richard Beale headed the four for churchwarden. In every division, the overseer appointed was the first of the pair returned. The vestry probably listed its nominees in order of preference, and the Council accepted that order without exception. In form, the government made the choice. In practice, the inhabitants decided who would serve, while the Council kept the power to refuse a name it disliked. The two Company servants nominated as churchwardens, Charles Ross Stewart and William Wrangham, were placed lower down the list and passed over. Parish offices went to planters and officers who were not on the civil establishment. The salt meat bought from Captain Rice made up for the Company's shortage before fresh supplies arrived from England. The Company paid 2s a piece, the same price at which it sold salt meat to its servants. That left no margin on the purchase, so the stores probably bought it simply to keep the garrison's rations going. | |
362 | 20th April§ §Being much in want of an Armourer§ | The Council issued four sets of bills of exchange on 20 April 1772, drawn on the Court of Directors. All were payable 90 days after they were presented in London. Matthew Purling, payable to John Purling or his order, £460 0s 0d Captain Richard Dayton, payable to himself or his order, £1,000 0s 0d Captain Henry Rice, payable to himself or his order, £200 0s 0d John Browne, payable to himself or his order, £100 0s 0d The garrison badly needed an armourer. Captain Dayton recommended Joseph Seager, the armourer of his ship, the Glatton, as a sober and good man. The Council therefore took Seager on as the Company's armourer for five years, at the usual salary of £60 a year. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations The Council recruited a skilled tradesman straight from a passing ship, with the commander's consent, rather than writing to London and waiting a year for one. Seager appears on the Glatton's muster roll as her armourer. A captain could release a man only if he could spare him for the rest of the voyage, and Dayton's willingness to do so was itself the recommendation the Council needed. The armourer kept the garrison's muskets and other arms in working order. The paymaster's accounts show smiths being paid by the day to clean and repair small arms, which was costly and less skilled work. A salaried armourer at £60 a year cost more than a private soldier's wage several times over, but he could do the work properly and all year round. With these bills, Matthew Purling had sent £2,660 to John Purling in London in six months. Captain Dayton's £1,000, like Captain Hoare's £1,300 in March, was the proceeds of a commander's private trade at the island. John Browne, the Dutton's purser, did the same on a smaller scale. | |
363 | 27th April§ §Invoice of Ship Crattenden§ §16 Chests of Sugar Candy§ §Tare, Gross§ §No. 15: Tare 32, Gross 295§ §16: Tare 26, Gross 291§ §17: Tare 28, Gross 289§ §18: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §19: Tare 28, Gross 290§ §20: Tare 29, Gross 290§ §21: Tare 28, Gross 290§ §22: Tare 28, Gross 288§ §23: Tare 29, Gross 293§ §Carried Over: Tare 256, Gross 2618§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 27 April 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 20 April 1772. The minutes recorded the following events. The Company's ship Earl of Elgin sailed for England on Tuesday 21 April 1772, and William Harris, a private soldier, died the same day. The Company's ships Glatton and Dutton sailed for England on Wednesday 22 April 1772, and Robert Brown, a private soldier, died that day. On Thursday 23 April 1772 four ships passed the island at a great distance and were thought to be French. At three in the afternoon on Saturday 25 April 1772 the boat of the Cruttenden came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Cruttenden arrived from China the same day and brought supplies for the island, listed in her invoice. Sugar candy, 16 chests, by chest number, tare and gross weight: Chest 15, tare 32 lb, gross 295 lb Chest 16, tare 26 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 17, tare 28 lb, gross 289 lb Chest 18, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 19, tare 28 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 20, tare 29 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 21, tare 28 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 22, tare 28 lb, gross 288 lb Chest 23, tare 29 lb, gross 293 lb Carried forward, tare 256 lb, gross 2,618 lb Interpretations Four ships seen together far out at sea, and thought to be French, would have put the garrison on alert. The French had held their own East India trade until 1769, and their ships still passed St Helena on the way home from the Île de France and China. A squadron of four kept its distance and did not call, so the batteries could only watch it pass. The Council noted their probable nationality because a French force near the island was always a possible threat in the Court's eyes, whatever the state of peace in Europe. | |
364 | 27th April§ §Brought over: Tare 256, Gross 2618§ §No. 24: Tare 28, Gross 290§ §25: Tare 28, Gross 295§ §26: Tare 27, Gross 288§ §27: Tare 28, Gross 291§ §28: Tare 29, Gross 293§ §29: Tare 28, Gross 290§ §30: Tare 30, Gross 290§ §Tare 454, Gross 4655§ §Tare 454§ §Errors Excepted§ §The Lieutenant Governor this day presented the§ §To John Skottowe Esqr. Governor &c. and§ | The invoice of the Cruttenden concluded as follows. Brought forward, tare 256 lb, gross 2,618 lb Chest 24, tare 28 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 25, tare 28 lb, gross 295 lb Chest 26, tare 27 lb, gross 288 lb Chest 27, tare 28 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 28, tare 29 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 29, tare 28 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 30, tare 30 lb, gross 290 lb Sugar candy, total tare 454 lb, total gross 4,655 lb Sugar candy, net 4,201 lb, being 31 piculs 50 catties at 6 taels a picul, 189 taels The invoice was dated at Canton on 24 January 1772, subject to any errors. It was signed by William Harrison, Matthew Raper junior, John Bradley Blake, James Bradshaw, William Henry Pigou, Alexander Hume, Edward Phipps, Francis Wood junior, William Rous, John Walton and Thomas Bevan. The Deputy Governor presented a letter to the Board that day. Corneille wrote that he had been confined to James's Valley all the previous year, for a reason the Council knew well. His family could not be housed in the two rooms at Longwood. He and his family had suffered greatly in health from being shut up in the valley through the summer. He therefore made a request of the Board, which appears in the rest of his letter. Interpretations The opening of Corneille's letter explains where the alteration he asked for was to be made. The two rooms he had at Longwood were too few for a family, so he had stayed in Jamestown throughout 1771. James's Valley is a deep, narrow cleft between bare rock walls. In the southern summer it trapped the heat and kept out the trade wind, while the high plateau at Longwood stayed cool and breezy. The kitchen he wanted turned into a bedroom was beside those two rooms. One more room would let his family live on the upland during the hot months while the new house was built. The sugar candy cost 6 taels a picul, a third more than the 4½ taels paid for plain sugar. Sugar candy was refined sugar crystallised slowly on threads into hard, clear lumps. It kept far better on a long voyage and in a damp store than loose sugar, which helps explain why the island's servants bought it in much greater quantity. | |
365 | 1772§ §Being sensible of the great inconveniencys Mr.§ §We this day appointed Mr. Britannicus Alexr. Wright§ §As the Honble. Court of Directors have been pleased to§ | Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille wrote to the Governor and Council on 27 April 1772 about his living quarters. He asked permission to turn an existing kitchen, next to the house he occupied, into a bedroom and to build a small place for cooking. He said that the cost would be very slight. He pointed out that no house could be ready for him for the next three years because of the public works then in hand. He hoped that neither the Court of Directors nor the Council would think the request unreasonable. If they did, he was ready to repay the cost of so small an alteration. He was convinced that the change was necessary for his own health and his family's. The Council recognised the great inconvenience Corneille had suffered, since he could not have a house of his own for some time. The alteration would cost little, so the Board agreed that the work should be started and finished at the Company's expense. The Council appointed Britannicus Wright, a factor, as Secretary to the Board, judging him well qualified for the post. The Court of Directors had appointed Matthew Bazett to the Council, and the Board thought he should have charge of a department of his own. It therefore made him accountant. Wright's promotion left a vacancy, so the Council appointed John Goodwin as assistant under Bazett. As the next senior factor, Goodwin also became collector of the Company's customs. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations Corneille offered to pay for the alteration himself if the Court objected, but the Council chose to charge it to the Company. The minute gives the reason. Corneille's new house at Longwood would take years to finish, because the engineer's men and materials were tied up in the barracks, the church and the defences. The paymaster's accounts show stone and earth being carried to the Longwood site in small amounts over two quarters. Spending a little on his present quarters was cheaper and quicker than diverting labour to hurry the new house, and it spared the Deputy Governor's family a damp and crowded lodging in the meantime. The new appointments rearranged the civil offices to fit the larger Council. Bazett gave up the post of Secretary to take charge of the accounts, and Wright moved up from collector of customs to Secretary, with Goodwin taking his place as collector. The accountant's work had been Purling's, for which he drew £17 10s 0d a quarter. The Court's decision to bring Bazett onto the Board probably meant that Purling lost that office, and its pay, to the new councillor. Promotion by seniority among the factors decided each step, so a single change at the top passed down through every grade. | |
366 | 29th April§ §The Spike, Sea Horse and Asia brought§ | The Council met at the Castle on Wednesday 29 April 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 27 April 1772. The minutes recorded the following events. At half past seven on the evening of Monday 27 April 1772 the boat of the Sykes came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Sykes arrived from Bengal on 28 April 1772. At half past three that afternoon the boat of the Sea Horse came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Sea Horse arrived from China the same day, and three ships thought to be Dutch passed the island. At eleven on the morning of 29 April 1772 the boat of the Asia came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Asia arrived from Bengal the same day. Thomas Biffin, a private soldier, died that day. The Sykes, the Sea Horse and the Asia brought supplies for the island, listed in their invoices below. | |
367 | 1772§ §Rice Fine§ §Paddy§ §Wax Candles§ §Batavia Arrack§ §1227 . 13§ §Charges Merchandize§ §140 Gunny Bags @ 14 Rs. p %§ §6 Sr. Jute Twine @ 5 Rs. p Md.§ §15 Jute Rope @ 3 . 8 p Do.§ §16 Gunnys @ 24 p %§ §4 Mango Chests @ 2 . 8 p Chest§ §12 lb Nails @ 18 p Md.§ §2½ Gunnahs of 16 Cubits @ 37 p Corge§ §20 Reed Matts @ 10 p %§ §Cooley Hire§ §Packermen§ §Weightmen§ §Boon§ §Coopers Work§ §Dust§ §Godown Hire§ §Boathire§ §198 . 13§ §Current Rupees 1426 . 10§ §Errors Excepted§ | The invoice of the Sykes listed the goods she brought from Bengal and the charges on them. Fine rice, 60 bags, weighing 120 bazaar maunds, at 20 [...], 259 rupees 5 annas 3 pies Paddy, 15 bags, weighing 22 factory maunds 20 seers, at 14 annas a maund, 19 rupees 11 annas Wax candles, 4 chests, weighing 8 factory maunds, at 70 rupees a maund, 560 rupees Batavia arrack, 2 leaguers, at 180 rupees a leaguer, 388 rupees 12 annas 9 pies Goods, total, 1,227 rupees 13 annas Charges on the goods: Gunny bags, 140, at 14 annas [...], 19 rupees Jute twine, 6 seers, at 5 rupees a maund, 12 annas Jute rope, 15 seers, at 3 rupees 8 annas a maund, 1 rupee 0 annas 9 pies Gunnies, 16, at 24 rupees a hundred, 3 rupees 13 annas 6 pies Mango-wood chests, 4, at 2 rupees 8 annas each, 10 rupees 12 annas 9 pies Nails, 12 seers, at 18 [...] a maund, 5 annas 6 pies Garrah cloth, 2⅞ pieces of 16 cubits, at 27 rupees a score, 4 rupees Reed mats, 20, at 10 rupees a hundred, 2 rupees 2 annas 6 pies Hire of porters, 10 rupees 9 annas Packers, 1 rupee 5 annas Weighmen, 9 annas Messengers, 2 rupees 2 annas 6 pies Coopers' work, 2 rupees 2 annas 6 pies Duty, 12 annas 9 pies Sloop hire, 135 rupees Boat hire, 4 rupees 5 annas 3 pies Charges, total, 198 rupees 13 annas Total in current rupees, 1,426 rupees 10 annas J. Darell junior signed the invoice as sub-accountant, subject to any errors. Interpretations The Sykes was the third ship that season to carry an identical Bengal consignment of rice, paddy, wax candles and two leaguers of Batavia arrack, after the Ponsborne and the Morse. The fine rice cost less this time, about 259 rupees against 324, which suggests a better harvest or a lower price in the Calcutta market when this lot was bought. Coopers' work appears as a new charge. The arrack leaguers probably needed hooping or repair before they went aboard, a precaution against the leakage that had cost 11 and 12 gallons on the two earlier shipments. | |
368 | 29th April§ §21 Chests of Sugar§ §Tare, Gross§ §No. 85: Tare 25, Gross 291§ §86: Tare 27, Gross 290§ §87: Tare 29, Gross 294§ §88: Tare 26, Gross 290§ §89: Tare 32, Gross 293§ §90: Tare 29, Gross 292§ §91: Tare 26, Gross 291§ §92: Tare 28, Gross 291§ §93: Tare 29, Gross 294§ §94: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §Tare 275, Gross 2918§ §Tare 303, Gross 3205§ §Tare 578, Gross 6123§ §No. 95: Tare 26, Gross 292§ §96: Tare 27, Gross 293§ §97: Tare 26, Gross 291§ §98: Tare 29, Gross 291§ §99: Tare 28, Gross 291§ §100: Tare 29, Gross 290§ §101: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §102: Tare 30, Gross 291§ §103: Tare 26, Gross 290§ §104: Tare 28, Gross 292§ §105: Tare 26, Gross 292§ §Tare 303, Gross 3205§ §Tare 578§ §Errors Excepted§ | The invoice of the Sea Horse listed the sugar she brought for the island. Sugar, 21 chests, by chest number, tare and gross weight: Chest 85, tare 25 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 86, tare 27 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 87, tare 29 lb, gross 294 lb Chest 88, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 89, tare 32 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 90, tare 29 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 91, tare 26 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 92, tare 28 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 93, tare 29 lb, gross 294 lb Chest 94, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chests 85 to 94, tare 275 lb, gross 2,918 lb Chest 95, tare 26 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 96, tare 27 lb, gross 293 lb Chest 97, tare 26 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 98, tare 29 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 99, tare 28 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 100, tare 29 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 101, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 102, tare 30 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 103, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 104, tare 28 lb, gross 292 lb Chest 105, tare 26 lb, gross 292 lb Chests 95 to 105, tare 303 lb, gross 3,205 lb Sugar, total tare 578 lb, total gross 6,123 lb Sugar, net 5,545 lb, being 41 piculs 58 catties at 4 taels 5 mace a picul, 187 taels 1 mace 1 candareen The invoice was dated at Canton on 12 January 1772, subject to any errors. It was signed by Alexander Hume, Edward Phipps, Francis Wood junior, William Rous, John Walton, Thomas Bevan, William Harrison, Matthew Raper junior, John Bradley Blake, James Bradshaw and William Henry Pigou. The invoice of the Asia follows. Interpretations The Sea Horse's chests, numbered 85 to 105, show that the island's sugar from Canton was split across five ships, not four. The Stafford, Bute, Northumberland, Glatton and Sea Horse each carried 21 chests, 105 in all and roughly 27,700 lb net. The Cruttenden added 16 chests of sugar candy, numbered separately. With the sugar spread across so many ships, the loss of one would have cost the island only a fifth of its supply. | |
369 | Invoice of Ship Asia§ §Rice Fine§ §Paddy§ §Wax Candles§ §Batavia Arrack§ §1227 . 11§ §Charges Merchandize§ §150 Gunny Bags @ 14 Rs. p %§ §6 Sr. Jute Twine @ 5 Rs. p Md.§ §10 Do. Rope @ 3 . 12 p Do.§ §12 Nails @ 18 p Do.§ §4 Mango Chests @ 2 . 8 p Do.§ §16 Gunnys @ 24 Rs. p %§ §3 Pr. Gunnahs of 16 Cubits @ 27 Rs. p Corge§ §40 Reed Matts 10 p %§ §Boon§ §Weightmen§ §Packmen§ §Cooley Hire§ §Coopers Work§ §Dust§ §Godown Hire§ §Boathire§ §204 . 15 . 9§ §Current Rupees 1432 . 10 . 9§ §Errors Excepted§ | The invoice of the Asia listed the goods she brought from Bengal and the charges on them. Fine rice, 60 bags, weighing 120 bazaar maunds, at 20 [...], 259 rupees 3 annas 3 pies Paddy, 15 bags, weighing 22 factory maunds 20 seers, at 14 annas a maund, 19 rupees 11 annas Wax candles, 4 chests, weighing 8 factory maunds, at 70 rupees a maund, 560 rupees Batavia arrack, 2 leaguers, at 180 rupees a leaguer, 388 rupees 12 annas 9 pies Goods, total, 1,227 rupees 11 annas Charges on the goods: Gunny bags, 150, at 14 annas [...], 22 rupees 10 annas 9 pies Jute twine, 6 seers, at 5 rupees a maund, 12 annas Jute rope, 10 seers, at 3 rupees 12 annas a maund, 14 annas Nails, 12 seers, at 18 [...] a maund, 5 annas 6 pies Mango-wood chests, 4, at 2 rupees 8 annas each, 10 rupees 12 annas 9 pies Gunnies, 16, at 24 rupees a hundred, 3 rupees 13 annas 6 pies Garrah cloth, 3 pieces of 16 cubits, at 27 rupees a score, 4 rupees 6 annas Reed mats, 40, at 10 rupees a hundred, 4 rupees 5 annas 3 pies Messengers, 2 rupees 2 annas 6 pies Weighmen, 9 annas Packers, 1 rupee 5 annas Hire of porters, 10 rupees 9 annas Coopers' work, 2 rupees 2 annas 6 pies Duty, 14 annas 9 pies Sloop hire, 135 rupees Boat hire, 4 rupees 5 annas 3 pies Charges, total, 204 rupees 15 annas 9 pies Total in current rupees, 1,432 rupees 10 annas 9 pies J. Darell junior signed the invoice as sub-accountant, subject to any errors. The next entry begins at the foot of the page. | |
370 | 29th April§ §To the Honble. Warren Hastings Esqr.§ | The ten working days allowed under the charter party for unloading the Lord Camden had run out. The Council therefore gave Captain John Bedall written sailing orders. He was to make his way to Canton in China, following the orders he had received from the Court of Directors. The Council also gave him letters for the several presidencies in India. The first letter went to the President, Governor and Council of Fort William in Bengal, dated at St Helena on 29 April 1772. The Council had last written to them by the Calcutta on 16 April 1771, and the stores sent since then had all arrived safely. It asked Bengal to send six pipes of Madeira wine each year, with eight maunds of the best wax candles and the usual quantity of arrack and rice in each ship. It also asked them to raise the paddy to 40 bags a ship, because the island now used far more of it. The letter would reach them by way of China, and the Council enclosed a list of the ships that had called at the island since 16 April 1771. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the letter. Interpretations A charter party was the contract under which the Company hired a ship from her owners for a voyage. It fixed how many days she could be kept at each port of call. The Lord Camden had been allowed ten working days at St Helena to land her stores for the island. Beyond that, the Company would owe her owners demurrage, a daily charge for keeping the ship idle. The Council gave Bedall his orders as soon as the time ran out, so that the Company would not pay for a single extra day in the road. The request for more paddy followed from the island's own accounts. The plantation used paddy to feed its horses and poultry, and in the first quarter of 1772 it drew more than 7,000 lb, against some 5,700 lb in the last three months of 1771. Fifteen bags a ship no longer covered the need. The letter had to go round by China because the Lord Camden was bound for Canton. From there the Company's council would send it on to Calcutta by the next ship, so the request would take most of a year to reach Bengal. | |
371 | 1772§ §To the Honble. William Hornby Esqr. President§ | The second letter went to Josias Du Pré, President, Governor and Council of Fort St George, dated at St Helena on 29 April 1772. The Council had last written to them by the Calcutta on 16 April 1771, and their letters since then had all arrived. It asked Fort St George to send the following long cloth for the island's use, with the usual quantity of arrack, rice and paddy. Long cloth, at 12 pagodas a piece, 20 pieces Long cloth, at 10 pagodas a piece, 20 pieces Long cloth, at 8 pagodas a piece, 30 pieces Long cloth, at 6 pagodas a piece, 50 pieces Long cloth, at 3½ pagodas a piece, 60 pieces Long cloth, at 2½ pagodas a piece, 60 pieces This letter too would reach them by way of China, and the Council enclosed a list of the ships that had called at the island since 16 April 1771. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed it. The third letter went to William Hornby, President, Governor and Council of Bombay. The Council had last written to them by the Calcutta on 16 April 1771. The rest of the letter continues on the next leaf. Interpretations The pagoda was the gold coin of the Madras presidency, worth roughly 8s. The Council ordered long cloth in six grades, from fine cloth at 12 pagodas a piece down to coarse at 2½ pagodas. The grades explain the numbers and letters attached to long cloth in the store accounts, such as "number 7", "number 9" or "marked L". The finer grades went to shirts and household linen for officers and servants. The coarse grades, ordered in the largest quantities, clothed the Company's slaves and labourers. The Coromandel coast around Madras was the centre of Indian cotton weaving, so the Council sent its cloth order to Fort St George and its orders for rice, wax and Batavia arrack to Bengal. | |
372 | 29th April§ §To the President and other Supra Cargoes§ | The letter to William Hornby and the Council at Bombay went on to say that their several letters had all arrived. The Council asked Bombay to send 100 pieces of Surat chelloes for the island's use, with the usual quantity of rice and paddy. It enclosed a list of the ships that had arrived at and left the island since 16 April 1771. The letter was dated at St Helena on 29 April 1772 and signed by John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett. The fourth letter went to the President and the other supercargoes of the Council at Canton. Their several letters of the season had arrived, together with the papers sent with them. The island now used much more tea, sugar and sugar candy because the garrison had been enlarged. The Council therefore asked Canton to send the following, in place of the order that would come to them from England. Sugar, 350 hundredweight Sugar candy, 200 hundredweight Singlo tea, 12 piculs Congou tea, 12 piculs Bohea tea, 30 piculs Meat dishes and plates of an oblong pattern, 40 sets The Council enclosed the Lord Camden's manifest of goods, her charter party and her victualling bill. The letter continues on the next leaf. Interpretations The Council gave its reason for asking for more: the Court had enlarged the garrison. The quarter's pay list shows the Artillery Company raised to five sergeants and seven corporals, and new men were taken from the passing ships. Every soldier drew sugar and tea, so a larger garrison raised the island's needs at once. Canton had sent about 105 chests of sugar that season, roughly 250 hundredweight net, besides 16 chests of sugar candy. The new order asked for 350 hundredweight of sugar and 200 of candy, an increase of about half. Ordering directly from Canton, instead of waiting for the order from England, saved a year. An order sent home went to London and back out to China before any goods were bought. A letter carried by the Lord Camden would reach Canton in time for the coming season's ships. The Council asked for oblong dishes and plates because the store accounts show these were the pattern in use at the Castle, so new pieces would match the services already there. | |
373 | 1772§ | Besides the Lord Camden's papers, the Council sent Canton Captain Bedall's instructions and a packet from the Court of Directors. It also sent its letters for the several presidencies in India and asked the supercargoes to forward them by the first opportunity. A list of the ships that had called at the island since 16 April 1771 went with the letter for their information. The letter was dated at St Helena on 29 April 1772 and signed by John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett. The four members also signed the minutes of the meeting. Interpretations The Council used Canton as its post office for India. The Company's outward ships from England went straight to China, and from Canton the supercargoes could send letters to Calcutta, Madras and Bombay by the many country ships trading between India and China. St Helena saw homeward ships from India every season, but few outward ones. Its letters to the presidencies therefore went the long way round, through China, and the supercargoes acted as the Company's clearing house for correspondence between its eastern settlements. | |
374 | 2d May§ §Mr. Matthew Bazett Reports that he§ §Muster Roll of Ship Crattenden§ §Wm. Baker Commander§ §Wm. Hewson Surg. Mate§ §Geo. Green Qr. Master§ | The Council met at the Castle on Saturday 2 May 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 29 April 1772. The minutes recorded the following events. On 1 May 1772 a ship flying Dutch colours passed the island. At half past four that morning the boat of the Thames came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Thames arrived from China the same day. John Hartland, a private soldier, died on 2 May 1772. Matthew Bazett reported that he had gone aboard the Cruttenden, the Sea Horse, the Sykes and the Asia to muster their crews and search for deserters, and had found none. The muster roll of the Cruttenden began as follows. William Baker, commander Robert Willson, chief mate William Tatwell, second mate Robert Blackwell, third mate Charles Timson, fourth mate John Jones, fifth mate Robert Pell, sixth mate Alexander Kinnaird, surgeon John Bell, purser John Pope, boatswain John Hawkins, gunner Thomas Brigmore, carpenter Joseph Hobson, ship's steward William Henson, surgeon's mate W. Steers, midshipman and coxswain James Jolles, midshipman Henry Wakeman, midshipman John Higgins, midshipman Frank Holmes, midshipman John Graham, midshipman Robert Mapp, midshipman James Blakeman, midshipman Andrew Bewald, quartermaster George Henderson, quartermaster Richard Fitzgerald, quartermaster Alexander Grieves, quartermaster George Green, quartermaster Patrick Sinclair, quartermaster Thomas Goodwin, caulker Pierce Johnston, cooper John Rea, sailmaker William Brashy, captain's cook Cornelius Cohen, ship's cook Samuel Overtone, butcher Benjamin Gregory, poulterer James Morley, gunner's mate Robert Anderson, gunner's second mate John Waters, boatswain's mate Thomas Isley, boatswain's second mate The roll continues on the next leaf. Interpretations Matthew Bazett, not William Wrangham, mustered the ships this time. Wrangham had done the work since 2 March 1772, standing in for Purling while his ankle healed. Now that the Court had added a fourth member to the Council, the duty passed to the newest councillor. Mustering every homeward ship in the busy season was heavy work, and a larger Board could share it among its own members rather than handing it to a junior officer. | |
375 | 1772§ §John Haylon Seaman§ §Chas. Bartwell Seaman§ §(signed)§ §Muster Roll of Ship Sea Horse§ §Edw. Ompsey Commander§ §Joseph Davis Caulker§ §Nichs. Waters Gunr. Mate§ | The muster roll of the Cruttenden concluded as follows. John Hore, caulker's mate William Harrison, carpenter's second mate Thomas Patterson, carpenter's mate Samuel Connell, cooper's mate Peter Seavey, seaman Thomas Grover, seaman Joseph Willis, seaman W. Nims, seaman Richard Smart, seaman James Benefield, seaman Charles Peterson, seaman James Dawson, seaman William Bedman, seaman James Newton, seaman James Carey, seaman W. Cender, seaman John Abbart, seaman Joseph Archer, seaman William Edmondson, seaman Andrew Pepper, seaman Thomas Eyre, seaman John Hayton, seaman Maurice Hutchinson, seaman Samuel Martin, seaman David Brown, seaman Abraham Hutchings, seaman James Durning, seaman Abraham Favour, seaman John Fennell, seaman William Dennie, seaman James Cass, seaman Thomas Manchester, seaman James Frame, seaman John Leger, seaman John Porter, seaman Frederick Green, seaman George Lewis, seaman Robert Swale, seaman Stephen Ludlow, seaman John Wheeler, seaman Robert McGrey, seaman Edward Gaskell, seaman Paul Bone, seaman Charles Bartwell, seaman Robert Lodge, seaman John Burn, seaman James Kelly, seaman John Black, seaman Thomas Bobbing, seaman Thomas Nichols, seaman R. Buckingham, seaman Robert Kelsom, seaman Nicholas Jacobs, seaman James Reed, captain's servant Thomas Wigg, captain's servant Richard Cook, captain's servant Thomas Neal, captain's servant Peter McIntire, chief mate's servant John Kelly, second mate's servant James Blundy Peters, surgeon's servant William Smith, gunner's servant John Pell, boatswain's servant W. Donaldson, carpenter's servant Henderson Reeve, seaman William Baker signed the roll as commander. The muster roll of the Sea Horse began as follows. Edward Rumpsey, commander James Harrington, chief mate John Bristed, second mate Henry Willows, third mate Archibald Connolly, fourth mate Henry Wren, midshipman John Williams, surgeon John Hill, purser Thomas Blundell, carpenter William Grindwell, boatswain John Harrison, gunner Joseph Davis, caulker James McGregor, sailmaker William Ronald, cooper Samuel Hutchinson, captain's steward Robert Stewart, ship's steward Zachary Butler, captain's cook Peter March, ship's cook Henry Cruikshank, carpenter's first mate John Cable, carpenter's second mate James Letton, surgeon's mate James West, boatswain's mate Nicholas Waldron, gunner's mate John Fidey, cooper's mate Moses Everet, armourer Nicholas Sinclair, midshipman Robert Miller, midshipman James Anstruther, midshipman William Main, midshipman and coxswain Christopher Pritchard, quartermaster John March, quartermaster John Legg, quartermaster John McGrover, quartermaster The roll continues on the next leaf. | |
376 | 2d May§ §Simon James Seaman§ §Jno. Ellis Gunr. Servt.§ §(signed)§ §Muster Roll of Ship Spike§ §Jeffery Jackson Commander§ §Geo. Ramsey Mid. & Coxsn.§ §Andw. Sanders Gunr. 2 Do.§ | The muster roll of the Sea Horse concluded as follows. James Cuff, butcher George White, tailor John Thomas, barber R. Seacomb, seaman John Arnold, seaman John Garret, seaman William Watts, seaman John Green, seaman Philip Boyles, seaman John Jones, seaman Charles Young, seaman John Noble, seaman John Jacob, seaman R. Nicholson, seaman James Davis, seaman John Sight, seaman James Stockham, seaman James Stevenson senior, seaman James Stevenson junior, seaman James Turner, seaman William Warren, seaman John Chabot, seaman Thomas Middleton, seaman Simon James, seaman William Smith, seaman Thomas Jordan, seaman William Cole, seaman John Putney, seaman Henry Myers, seaman David Price, seaman John Gray, seaman Mark White, seaman John Favour, seaman William Harrell, seaman Abraham Arms, seaman William Lipscomb, seaman George Sutcliff, seaman James Mosley, seaman John Meston, seaman W. Hatton, seaman Robert Sturlock, seaman John Hughes, captain's servant Robert Freeman, captain's servant Thomas Stevens, chief mate's servant Isaac Smith, second mate's servant John Green, surgeon's servant James Ellis, gunner's servant James Hutchins, boatswain's servant Robert Milbourne, seaman James Webster, seaman George Bentley, seaman William Bridges, seaman Richard Cowell, seaman Edward Long, seaman Henry Spires, seaman Archibald McLean, seaman John Collins, seaman John Bishop, seaman Richard Ramsey, seaman Thomas Horton, seaman John Robert Jervis, seaman W. Brand, seaman Andrew Bellen, seaman Thomas Brown, seaman Michael Hughes, seaman John Malloney, seaman Richard Wood, seaman Thomas Howard, seaman Thomas McMullen, seaman Edward Dampier signed the roll as commander. The muster roll of the Speke began as follows. Jeffery Jackson, commander John Hall, chief mate William Jackson, second mate Alexander Milne, third mate Anthony Johnson, fourth mate Daniel Bond, surgeon John Turbell, purser Ralph Reed, gunner John Walthew, boatswain Thomas Hill, carpenter George Ramsey, midshipman and coxswain George Pitt, midshipman Thomas Cole, midshipman John Erbie, midshipman James Vane, surgeon's mate John Bishop, caulker James Whitstone, carpenter's mate Mark Leader, caulker's mate Samuel Gardiner, boatswain's mate William Wilton, gunner's mate Andrew Anderson, gunner's second mate Robert Alexander, captain's steward John Anderson, captain's cook Peter Peterson, ship's cook Joseph Downes, cooper W. Knowles, cooper's mate [...] Trimble, sailmaker Clement Taylor, armourer William Harris, poulterer John Simonds, butcher The roll continues on the next leaf. | |
377 | 1772§ §Saml. Holderstream Seaman§ §Willm. Hall Seaman§ §Passengers§ | The muster roll of the Speke concluded as follows. Alexander Shaw, quartermaster John Rymer, quartermaster John Trotter, quartermaster David Webb, quartermaster Peter Orton, quartermaster David Easton, quartermaster William Phillips, quartermaster Alexander Brown, quartermaster Alexander Sinclair, quartermaster George Bruce, baker Edward Richardson, seaman Adam Clutton, seaman John Fenton, seaman David Miller, seaman Samuel Sexton, seaman Joseph Conner, seaman Thomas Cockerall, seaman Thomas Bell, seaman Humphrey Holton, seaman James Boyce, seaman W. Brown, seaman John Blandall, seaman Thomas Butler, seaman Thomas Nicholls, seaman Robert Reed, seaman Samuel Holderstream, seaman Thomas Walks, seaman Robert Bewitt, seaman John Plumber, seaman Alexander Craig, seaman Francis Brunch, seaman Thomas Arms, seaman James Smith, seaman Thomas Johnson, seaman William Wilson, seaman William Jackson, seaman William Joyner, seaman Robert Coleman, seaman John Conner, seaman Michael Power, seaman Jacob Bluymere, seaman Frederick Dufour, seaman John Connolly, seaman Thomas Nichols, seaman Thomas Jones, seaman John Sanders, seaman Thomas Jenkins, seaman Joshua Sealy, seaman Michael Newell, seaman William Hall, seaman W. Brown, seaman Charles Napper, seaman John Newcombe, seaman Henry Bear, seaman James Ross, seaman John Clements, seaman John Johnston, seaman Samuel Legg, seaman Robert Bruce, seaman John Carey, captain's servant Edward Gunter, captain's servant John Sedgwick, first mate's servant Robert Griffith, second mate's servant Matthew Hardy, surgeon's servant John Stewart, carpenter's servant Thomas Parret, gunner's servant Alexander Findlay, boatswain's servant John Hunter, midshipman Daniel Conner, seaman Pomfrey Shake, seaman John Smith, seaman Henry Wood, seaman John Hall, seaman Thomas Batwell, seaman Passengers: Miss Pool Joseph Isbell Thomas Fowles Captain Molloy Captain Judge Mr Allen Mr Vanderhaden Mr Edwards Mr Parker Servants, 3 Jeffery Jackson signed the roll as commander. | |
378 | 2d May§ §Robt. Preston Commander§ §John Sinclair Caulk. Mate§ §Matt. Christopher Seaman§ §Passengers vizt.§ | The muster roll of the Asia was as follows. Robert Preston, commander George Boyes, chief mate George Cadman, second mate Frederick Dowden, third mate George Fellough, fourth mate Charles Gregory, fifth mate James Ross, surgeon Patrick Boyle, purser John Wilson, gunner John Wilson, boatswain Charles Gane, carpenter W. Hodsor, midshipman and coxswain Samuel Whitacre, midshipman Henry Willard, midshipman John Peake, midshipman Charles Mitchel, midshipman George Green, sailmaker James Halbeck, caulker William Patterson, cooper Michael Lawrence, quartermaster Joseph Lee, quartermaster George Coates, quartermaster W. Alexander, quartermaster William Gardiner, quartermaster J. Cromarty, quartermaster James McNabb, captain's steward James McIntyre, ship's steward John Thomson, boatswain's mate Francis Graham, boatswain's second mate Andrew Douglass, gunner's mate Alexander Anderson, gunner's second mate Michael Larkins, carpenter's mate W. Smith, carpenter's second mate John Sinclair, caulker's mate Andrew Mitchell, captain's cook James Drummond, ship's cook John Brand, armourer John Christy, seaman Robert Thompson, seaman Hugh Craig, seaman Gabriel Thomson, seaman James Mountjoy, seaman John Rand, seaman George Reed, seaman John Simpson, seaman James Contolm, seaman Henry Cooper, seaman James Taylor, seaman Thomas Gregory, seaman W. Henry, seaman James Findlay, seaman Richard Court, seaman W. Alloway, seaman W. McDougal, seaman Roger Cullen, seaman Hugh Davis, seaman W. Vane, seaman Samuel Fletcher, seaman James Brown, seaman James Findlayson, seaman Alexander McPherson, seaman Adam Blackater, seaman John Taylor, seaman Robert Williams, seaman W. Taylor, seaman John Arms, seaman Matthew Christopher, seaman Francis Ware, seaman John Matthews, seaman John McCauley, seaman George Grainger, seaman Edward Ellis, seaman Isidore Bassoes, seaman John Reed, seaman Manuel Salvee, seaman John Cavanagh, seaman Cornelius Johnson, seaman James Pepper, seaman Frederick Gisnough, seaman Charles Johnson, seaman Ignace Pealter, seaman Ivan Bluff, seaman Francisco Sinck, seaman James Headrick, seaman Pierre Cordelette, seaman Alexander Webster, captain's servant Stephen Dansford, captain's servant James Scarborough, first mate's servant Matthew Heineman, second mate's servant Thomas Cockran, servant Joseph May, servant James Littlehay, surgeon's servant Isaac White, carpenter's servant Walter Agnew, gunner's servant John Bowlock, boatswain's servant George Arnott, seaman W. Gillespie, seaman John Willson, seaman George Waterman, seaman Passengers: Captain Isaac Garven Mr Edmund Whall Major John Grant Captain A. Gray Mr John Bruce Mr Peter Young Robert Preston signed the roll as commander. Interpretations The Asia's crew included several men with Portuguese, French, Spanish and German names, such as Manuel Salvee, Pierre Cordelette, Francisco Sinck and Ignace Pealter. The ship had come from Bengal, where an East Indiaman that lost men on the outward voyage made up her crew from whatever European seamen were to be found in Calcutta. Among her passengers were a major and two captains, probably officers of the Company's Bengal army going home, like those in the Dutton a fortnight earlier. | |
379 | 1772§ §Invoice of Ship Thames§ §12 Chests of Sugar Candy§ §Tare, Gross§ §No. 31: Tare 30, Gross 297§ §32: Tare 28, Gross 294§ §33: Tare 29, Gross 288§ §34: Tare 30, Gross 296§ §35: Tare 28, Gross 290§ §36: Tare 29, Gross 293§ §Tare 174, Gross 1758§ §Tare 169, Gross 1758§ §Tare 343, Gross 3516§ §No. 37: Tare 26, Gross 290§ §38: Tare 28, Gross 301§ §39: Tare 27, Gross 291§ §40: Tare 29, Gross 287§ §41: Tare 29, Gross 290§ §42: Tare 30, Gross 293§ §Tare 169, Gross 1752§ §Tare 343§ §4 Chests Superfine Chinchew Sugar Candy§ §No. 43: Tare 29, Gross 274§ §44: Tare 29, Gross 272§ §45: Tare 28, Gross 258§ §46: Tare 29, Gross 263§ §Tare 115, Gross 1067§ §Tare 115§ §Tales 210 . 5 . 8§ §Errors Excepted§ §Mr. Jonathan Doveton this day applied to Us to§ §Agreeable to the Honble. Companys directions We§ | The Thames brought the following supplies to the island, listed in her invoice. Sugar candy, 12 chests, by chest number, tare and gross weight: Chest 31, tare 30 lb, gross 297 lb Chest 32, tare 28 lb, gross 294 lb Chest 33, tare 29 lb, gross 288 lb Chest 34, tare 30 lb, gross 296 lb Chest 35, tare 28 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 36, tare 29 lb, gross 293 lb Chests 31 to 36, tare 174 lb, gross 1,758 lb Chest 37, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 38, tare 28 lb, gross 301 lb Chest 39, tare 27 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 40, tare 29 lb, gross 287 lb Chest 41, tare 31 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 42, tare 30 lb, gross 293 lb Chests 37 to 42, tare 168 lb, gross 1,752 lb Sugar candy, total tare 342 lb, total gross 3,510 lb Sugar candy, net 3,168 lb, being 23 piculs 76 catties at 6 taels a picul, 142 taels 5 mace 6 candareens Superfine Chinchew sugar candy, 4 chests, by chest number, tare and gross weight: Chest 43, tare 29 lb, gross 274 lb Chest 44, tare 27 lb, gross 273 lb Chest 45, tare 28 lb, gross 255 lb Chest 46, tare 29 lb, gross 263 lb Superfine sugar candy, total tare 113 lb, total gross 1,068 lb Superfine sugar candy, net 955 lb, being 7 piculs 16 catties at 9 taels 5 mace a picul, 68 taels 0 mace 2 candareens Total, 210 taels 5 mace 8 candareens The invoice was signed, subject to any errors, by Matthew Raper junior, John Bradley Blake, James Bradshaw, William Henry Pigou, John Walton, Thomas Bevan, William Harrison, Alexander Hume, Edward Phipps, Francis Wood junior and William Rous. Jonathan Doveton applied that day to pay £147 15s 0d into the Company's treasury. The Council received the money and gave him bills of exchange drawn on the Court of Directors. They were payable to Captain Richard Dayton or his order, 90 days after they were presented in London. Following the Company's instructions, the Council discharged William Rowsing, a gunner, from the garrison that day. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations Chinchew was the European name for Quanzhou in Fujian province, the source of the finest Chinese sugar candy. The superfine candy cost 9½ taels a picul, more than twice the price of plain sugar. It was probably meant for the Governor's table and the better households rather than the garrison. Rowsing was discharged on the Court's own order, not on a petition that his term had expired. He had drawn a full quarter's pay as a gunner, so his time was not yet up. The Court's packet of 16 April 1772 had evidently named him for release, perhaps at the request of his family or on some interest at home. Doveton's bills were made payable to Captain Dayton of the Glatton, who had sailed on 22 April 1772. He was settling in London a debt incurred to Dayton on the island, probably for goods from the captain's private trade. | |
380 | 1772§ §Invoice of Ship Thames§ §12 Chests of Sugar Candy§ §Tare, Gross§ §No. 31: Tare 30, Gross 297§ §32: Tare 28, Gross 294§ §33: Tare 29, Gross 288§ §34: Tare 30, Gross 296§ §35: Tare 28, Gross 290§ §36: Tare 29, Gross 293§ §Tare 174, Gross 1758§ §Tare 169, Gross 1758§ §Tare 343, Gross 3516§ §No. 37: Tare 26, Gross 290§ §38: Tare 28, Gross 301§ §39: Tare 27, Gross 291§ §40: Tare 29, Gross 287§ §41: Tare 29, Gross 290§ §42: Tare 30, Gross 293§ §Tare 169, Gross 1752§ §Tare 343§ §4 Chests Superfine Chinchew Sugar Candy§ §No. 43: Tare 29, Gross 274§ §44: Tare 29, Gross 272§ §45: Tare 28, Gross 258§ §46: Tare 29, Gross 263§ §Tare 115, Gross 1067§ §Tare 115§ §Tales 210 . 5 . 8§ §Errors Excepted§ §Mr. Jonathan Doveton this day applied to Us to§ §Agreeable to the Honble. Companys directions We§ | The Thames brought the following supplies to the island, listed in her invoice. Sugar candy, 12 chests, by chest number, tare and gross weight: Chest 31, tare 30 lb, gross 297 lb Chest 32, tare 28 lb, gross 294 lb Chest 33, tare 29 lb, gross 288 lb Chest 34, tare 30 lb, gross 296 lb Chest 35, tare 28 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 36, tare 29 lb, gross 293 lb Chests 31 to 36, tare 174 lb, gross 1,758 lb Chest 37, tare 26 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 38, tare 28 lb, gross 301 lb Chest 39, tare 27 lb, gross 291 lb Chest 40, tare 29 lb, gross 287 lb Chest 41, tare 31 lb, gross 290 lb Chest 42, tare 30 lb, gross 293 lb Chests 37 to 42, tare 168 lb, gross 1,752 lb Sugar candy, total tare 342 lb, total gross 3,510 lb Sugar candy, net 3,168 lb, being 23 piculs 76 catties at 6 taels a picul, 142 taels 5 mace 6 candareens Superfine Chinchew sugar candy, 4 chests, by chest number, tare and gross weight: Chest 43, tare 29 lb, gross 274 lb Chest 44, tare 27 lb, gross 273 lb Chest 45, tare 28 lb, gross 255 lb Chest 46, tare 29 lb, gross 263 lb Superfine sugar candy, total tare 113 lb, total gross 1,068 lb Superfine sugar candy, net 955 lb, being 7 piculs 16 catties at 9 taels 5 mace a picul, 68 taels 0 mace 2 candareens Total, 210 taels 5 mace 8 candareens The invoice was signed, subject to any errors, by Matthew Raper junior, John Bradley Blake, James Bradshaw, William Henry Pigou, John Walton, Thomas Bevan, William Harrison, Alexander Hume, Edward Phipps, Francis Wood junior and William Rous. Jonathan Doveton applied that day to pay £147 15s 0d into the Company's treasury. The Council received the money and gave him bills of exchange drawn on the Court of Directors. They were payable to Captain Richard Dayton or his order, 90 days after they were presented in London. Following the Company's instructions, the Council discharged William Rowsing, a gunner, from the garrison that day. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations Chinchew was the European name for Quanzhou in Fujian province, the source of the finest Chinese sugar candy. The superfine candy cost 9½ taels a picul, more than twice the price of plain sugar. It was probably meant for the Governor's table and the better households rather than the garrison. Rowsing was discharged on the Court's own order, not on a petition that his term had expired. He had drawn a full quarter's pay as a gunner, so his time was not yet up. The Court's packet of 16 April 1772 had evidently named him for release, perhaps at the request of his family or on some interest at home. Doveton's bills were made payable to Captain Dayton of the Glatton, who had sailed on 22 April 1772. He was settling in London a debt incurred to Dayton on the island, probably for goods from the captain's private trade. | |
381 | 1772§ §Muster Roll of Ship Thames§ §Dan. Clarke Commander§ §John Sharpe Coopers Mate§ §Peter Conner Seaman§ | Matthew Bazett reported that he had gone aboard the Thames and the Calcutta to muster their crews and search for deserters, and had found none. The muster roll of the Thames began as follows. Daniel Clarke, commander William Gamage, first mate James Elliott, second mate Charles Le Fort, third mate John Wood, fourth mate John Venner, fifth mate Daniel Williams, sixth mate William Evans, surgeon Henry Habell, purser William Walker, gunner Robert Williamson, carpenter Charles Ramsey, boatswain John Toft, ship's steward Robert Motley, surgeon's mate William Kelley, midshipman and coxswain Charles Plaggett, midshipman James Miller, midshipman Thomas Tondent, midshipman W. Jervis, midshipman W. Roberson, midshipman James Butcher, midshipman John Mortimer, midshipman James Smith, midshipman John Read, midshipman Thomas Hulme, caulker James Ostgrave, cooper Peter Gattys, caulker's mate Samuel Jackson, carpenter's mate John Hill, carpenter's second mate John Sharpe, cooper's mate Abraham Green, armourer Robert Wild, quartermaster Robert Cully, quartermaster Daniel Robinson, quartermaster Patrick Johnson, quartermaster David Johnson, quartermaster John Johnson, gunner's mate John Roote, boatswain's first mate Thomas Brookley, boatswain's second mate Thomas Bird, captain's steward Andrew McCully, ship's cook George Allworthy, butcher Patrick Campbell, baker James Sandwich, tailor Henry Weathers, seaman Robert Black, seaman Robert Gaskeen, seaman John Aspley, seaman James Bridges, seaman Christopher Ross, seaman Anthony Pace, seaman George Hall, seaman James Fennett, seaman James Johnson, seaman Alexander Kelley, seaman Cornelius Forbands, seaman Michael Mahoney, seaman James Catton, seaman Peter Conner, seaman Samuel Newton, seaman W. Adams, seaman Thomas Smith, seaman W. Allen, seaman John Parker, seaman George Jones, seaman James Freeman, seaman George Royer, seaman Samuel Page, seaman W. Bird, seaman John Cureb, seaman George Taylor, seaman John Warrington, seaman Duncan McLane, seaman Bartholomew Pinstone, seaman John Molone, seaman W. Pollard, seaman Edward Orr, seaman W. Cowley, seaman Robert Richardson, seaman John Robinson, seaman W. Sherry, seaman Lawrence Dunn, seaman James Owenson, seaman W. Mitcheson, seaman Timothy Henley, seaman Joseph Hillister, seaman Walter Welch, seaman The roll continues on the next leaf. | |
382 | 4th May§ §Geo. Turnbull Seaman§ §Jo. London 1 Mates Servt.§ §(signed)§ §Muster Roll of Ship Calcutta§ §Willm. Thomson Commander§ §Alex. Magnus Qr. Master§ §Thos. Ashby Seaman§ | The muster roll of the Thames concluded as follows. Robert Weldon, seaman Joseph Billington, seaman James Gardner, seaman William Jones, seaman Daniel Tilley, seaman George Turnbull, seaman John Monro, seaman W. Braithwaite, captain's servant John Bailey, captain's servant James Lowdon, first mate's servant W. Master, gunner's servant W. Cole, boatswain's servant W. Camper, carpenter's servant Black Sam, surgeon's servant Daniel Clarke signed the roll as commander. The muster roll of the Calcutta began as follows. William Thomson, commander David Thomson, first mate William Wheeler, second mate James William Sherman, third mate Joseph Wilson, fourth mate Frederick L. Hopkins, fifth mate James Thomas, sixth mate Charles Moores, surgeon John Raley, purser Thomas Scollard, midshipman Andrew Stein, midshipman Thomas Davidson, midshipman Patrick Duncan, midshipman Archibald Anderson, midshipman William Davidson, surgeon's mate Benjamin Jameson, boatswain Robert Magee, gunner Thomas Draper, carpenter Garven White, gunner's mate John Dean, boatswain's mate W. Peason, carpenter's mate Peter Anderson, carpenter's second mate Henry Wakeford, ship's steward Michael Wilkes, quartermaster James Curtis, quartermaster John Morett, quartermaster Alexander Magnes, quartermaster George Lettis, quartermaster John Symons, quartermaster John End, cooper John Grammond, cooper's mate Richard Knight, caulker Christopher Ellet, caulker's mate James Robertson, captain's steward Peter Bird, butcher George Fotheringham, tailor Thomas Pollard, armourer R. Garven, boatswain's second mate John Page, poulterer James White, baker Robert Strong, ship's cook John Nicholson, seaman Francis Brooks, seaman Francis Antonia, seaman Peter Guy, seaman Samuel Chambers, seaman George Robinson, seaman Thomas Tullen, seaman John Harris, seaman Robert Steward, seaman William Lewis, seaman Samuel Farnham, seaman Thomas Ashby, seaman Robert Wells, seaman John Lester, seaman W. Bastard, seaman Andrew Fringnal, seaman John Gray, seaman Robert Lott, seaman James Watson, seaman George Wilson, seaman John Waugh, seaman Archibald Nobb, seaman Michael Gorman, seaman Francis Bulleen, seaman James Flood, seaman Eric Walter, seaman James Dixon, seaman Patrick Bennett, seaman Hugh Bird, seaman William Ellinger, seaman Robert Thomson, seaman Peter Hillard, seaman Thomas Watts, seaman Thomas Featherstone, seaman Thomas Anderson, seaman James Poole, seaman Peter Luke, seaman The roll continues on the next leaf. Interpretations The surgeon's servant aboard the Thames was entered only as "Black Sam". A black servant listed by a nickname and no surname was probably a slave or a former slave taken aboard in India or at the Cape. He was mustered with the crew, but under a name that marked his colour rather than his identity. | |
383 | 1772§ §Chas. Mackey Seaman§ §John Haig Capt. Servt.§ §Captain Russell a Passenger§ §John Bagley Senr. this day presented the following§ §To the Worshipful John Skottowe Esqr. Governor &c. Council§ | The muster roll of the Calcutta concluded as follows. James Hayes, seaman John Johnston, seaman Thomas Morrison, seaman Alexander Wilkinson, seaman Alexander Patterson, seaman John Grimes, seaman Samuel Shepherd, seaman John Powers, seaman William Wilson, seaman William Coran, seaman Charles Mackey, seaman William Rhodes, seaman Michael Welch, seaman William Spencer, seaman James Green, seaman John Smith, seaman John Kennedy, seaman James Bigg, seaman Alexander Pettigrew, seaman W. Scott, captain's servant John Haig, captain's servant W. Stewart, first mate's servant Thomas Davidson, second mate's servant Joseph Newell, surgeon's servant James Mayer, gunner's servant James Watson, boatswain's servant John Holmes, carpenter's servant William Hayward, seaman Ralph Wyles, seaman William Gregg, seaman Passengers: Captain Russell William Thomson signed the roll as commander. John Bagley senior presented a petition to the Governor and Council on 4 May 1772. He wished to sell his interest in a lease of about eight acres in the South Division of the island. He asked the Board to accept William Jenkins as the new tenant. The Board agreed, and John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the grant. Interpretations William Jenkins was probably the matross dismissed from the bakehouse on 2 March 1772 for giving the garrison short-weight bread, and discharged at the end of his term a week later. He did not take a passage home with the other discharged men. He stayed on the island and took up eight acres as a planter, perhaps with money saved from the baking contract. The Council made no objection to the change of tenant. A soldier who had served his time could settle on St Helena, and the Company welcomed men willing to farm, since the island always needed more planters to supply the garrison and the ships. Bagley had been appointed overseer of the South Division only a fortnight earlier, on 20 April 1772. | |
384 | 6th May§ §The Storekeeper this day delivered the following Account§ §Account of Stores short received from the following§ §Ship Lord Camden vizt.§ | The Council met at the Castle on Wednesday 6 May 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 4 May 1772. At two in the afternoon on Tuesday 5 May 1772 the boat of the Pacific came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Pacific arrived from China the same day. The storekeeper delivered an account that day of stores found short on delivery from the Lord Camden, the Speke and the Asia. The shortfall from the Lord Camden was as follows. Scythe stones, 9, found broken Water glasses, 5, found broken Wine glasses, 2, found broken Panes of glass, 8 by 10 inches, 103, found broken Salt, 9 bushels, short measure from wastage Soap, 7½ lb, short weight from wastage Blistered steel, 27 lb, short weight from wastage Iron, 20 lb, short weight from wastage Rope, 54 lb, short weight from drying Red teapots, 24, short packed Cream-coloured teapots, 24, short packed Milk pans, 12, short packed Bottoms for chairs, 8, short packed Elm plank, 6 inches thick, 1, short delivered Elm board, 1 inch thick, 1, short delivered The broken goods were found on opening packages that were themselves in good order. The salt was short although its casks were sound. The rope had lost weight by drying, although the coils matched the invoice in number and size. The account of the wine continues on the next leaf. Interpretations The storekeeper sorted each loss by its cause, and the cause decided who bore it. Breakage in sound packages and wastage in sound casks were the ordinary risks of the voyage, and the Company wrote them off. Goods short packed had never been put in the cases in London, so the fault lay with the Company's own warehouse or its suppliers at home. Goods short delivered had been loaded but did not come ashore, so the ship's commander had to answer for them under the charter party. Recording the reason against each item let the Court in London recover the loss from whoever was responsible. The red teapots and cream-coloured teapots were English earthenware from the Staffordshire potteries. The red ware was fine unglazed stoneware made in imitation of Chinese Yixing teapots. The cream-coloured ware was the new lead-glazed creamware that Josiah Wedgwood had made fashionable in the 1760s. Both cost far less than porcelain. The island drew its fine china from Canton, but it took plainer everyday pottery like this from England. Blistered steel was made by baking bars of wrought iron in charcoal, which left their surface covered in blisters. Smiths used it for tools and edges that had to hold hardness. | |
385 | 1772§ §No. 4 1 Hhd. Lisbon Gages Galls. 60 wants to fill Galls. 2§ §No. 5 ½ Hhd. Mountain Gages Galls. 29 wants to fill Galls. 1§ §Ship Spike vizt.§ §Arrack§ §Ship Asia vizt.§ §Arrack§ §St. Helena (signed)§ | The account of stores short received went on with the wine from the Lord Camden. Cask 1, half hogshead of port, gauged 30 gallons, short of full by 1 gallon Cask 2, hogshead of port, gauged 60 gallons, short of full by 1 gallon Cask 3, hogshead of port, gauged 59 gallons, short of full by 1 gallon Port, total gauged 149 gallons, short of full by 3 gallons Port received, 146 gallons Cask 4, hogshead of Lisbon wine, gauged 60 gallons, short of full by 2 gallons Lisbon wine received, 58 gallons Cask 5, half hogshead of mountain wine, gauged 29 gallons, short of full by 1 gallon Mountain wine received, 28 gallons The shortfall from the Speke was as follows. Rice, short weight from wastage, 3 cwt 2 qr 17 lb Paddy, short weight from wastage, 0 cwt 2 qr 22 lb Candles, short weight from wastage, 4 lb Arrack, leaguer number 1, 155 gallons, short of full by 2 gallons Arrack, leaguer number 2, 133 gallons, short of full by 6 gallons Arrack, total, 288 gallons, short of full by 8 gallons Arrack received, 280 gallons The shortfall from the Asia was as follows. Rice, short weight from wastage, 6 cwt 2 qr 12 lb Paddy, short weight from wastage, 0 cwt 3 qr 20 lb Candles, short weight from wastage, 4 lb Arrack, leaguer number 1, 134½ gallons, short of full by 11 gallons Arrack, leaguer number 2, 137½ gallons, short of full by 9 gallons Arrack, total, 272 gallons, short of full by 20 gallons Arrack received, 272 gallons James Pavell signed the account as storekeeper at St Helena on 6 May 1772. Interpretations The Asia's two leaguers lost 20 gallons of arrack between them on the passage from Bengal, almost twice the 11 and 12 gallons lost from the same casks in the Ponsborne and the Morse. The coopers' work charged on the Sykes and the Asia at Calcutta had not stopped the leaks. The storekeeper recorded each leaguer separately, so the Council could show Bengal which casks had failed and press for better ones in future. | |
386 | 6th May§ §Mr. George Davidson Surgeon of the§ | The Council issued four sets of bills of exchange on 6 May 1772, drawn on the Court of Directors. All were payable 90 days after they were presented in London. Matthew Bazett, payable to Miss Mary Bazett or her order, £130 0s 0d Robert Barclay, payable to Captain Robert Preston or his order, £140 12s 6d Captain John Bedall, payable to himself or his order, £500 0s 0d John Hall, payable to himself or his order, £337 10s 0d George Davidson, surgeon of the Lord Camden, asked to be paid the usual fee of 5s for each recruit. The Council directed the paymaster to pay him the amount due, £7 5s 0d. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations Davidson's fee shows that the Lord Camden had brought 29 recruits from England, the men who enlarged the garrison and lay behind the Council's larger order for sugar and tea from Canton. The Company paid a ship's surgeon 5s for every recruit landed alive and fit. Soldiers crowded between decks on a voyage of three or four months often fell sick, and a fee for each man delivered gave the surgeon a direct interest in keeping them well. Robert Barclay, the island's surgeon, sent £140 12s 6d to Captain Preston of the Asia, far more than his quarter's pay. He had probably bought medicines and other goods from Preston's private trade while the Asia lay in the road, to stock the hospital he supplied at his own charge. Captain Bedall's £500 came from an outward ship, which could sell English goods at St Helena on the way to China, just as homeward commanders sold Eastern goods. | |
387 | 9th May§ §Mr. Matthew Bazett Reports that he has been on§ §Muster Roll of Ship Pacific§ §Thos. Buckley Commander§ §Thos. Lavalley§ §Geo. Clynton§ | The Council met at the Castle on Saturday 9 May 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 6 May 1772. The Company's ships Asia, Speke and Thames sailed for England on 8 May 1772. On 9 May 1772 the Company's ship Lord Camden sailed for China, and a ship passed the island at a great distance. Matthew Bazett reported that he had gone aboard the Pacific to muster her crew and search for deserters, and had found none. Her muster roll, which gave no ranks below the commander, began as follows. Thomas Buckley, commander David Bethune James Brown Joseph Bailey William Hodge Ralph Robinson John Cordery John Allardice James Prichard Thomas Neville Thomas Stevenson James Allen John Beaumont John Watkins Robert Smith Robert Hay John Durham John King Richard Gatehouse Thomas Lovalley John Walker Alexander Briggs George Fletcher John Rockwell William Wrangles John Brookes James Mason William Randle William Slater John Henderson Robert Telford Joseph Hartwell Isaac Cousins John Strachan James Bow John Dibworth William Anderson Joseph Fury George Clynton Edward Kemp Andrew Davidson John Kelly Henry Jones Robert Richards James McNamara John James Alexander Mitchell William Bell Francis Stokes W. Bland Henry Carmichael Henry Nichols Adam Thomson Robert Crawford W. Bryne Isaac Estridge James Sikes The roll continues on the next leaf. | |
388 | 9th May§ §William Ball§ §Dan. McMillan§ §(signed)§ §The Storekeeper this day delivered the following Account§ §Account of Stores short received from Ship Calcutta§ §William Hill Private this day§ §Bought on Account of the Honble. Company§ | The muster roll of the Pacific concluded as follows. John Thompson Samuel Coleman Joseph Powell Andrew Leighton Jeremiah Organ John McQueen John Weldon Robert Wiggs Charles Johnstone Robert Alford Charles William Barclay John Moore William Ball William Broadbridge Richard Fisher Matthew Wilson James Martin Alexander Watson Malcolm McAuley Joseph Long George Barnes John Scott Frederick Johnstone William Thompson William Newton Daniel McMillan George Smith William Savage John Brooks John Hayden John Mead W. Russell Robert Penny Joannes Othello George Bowman William Robinson David Mallock Charles Barkley signed the roll as commander. The storekeeper delivered an account that day of stores found short on delivery from the Calcutta. Sugar, short weight from wastage, 0 cwt 1 qr 21 lb James Pavell signed the account as storekeeper on 9 May 1772. William Hill, a private soldier, petitioned the Board that day for his discharge from the garrison. He had served the Company for the full term of his engagement. The Board agreed. The Council bought 1,200 pieces of salt meat from Captains Thomson and Barkley on the Company's account, at 2s a piece, £120 0s 0d in all. Interpretations The Council bought 1,200 pieces of salt meat from the commanders of the Calcutta and the Pacific, on top of the 265 bought from Captain Rice in April. The casks from England had been found short by hundreds of pieces two quarters running, and the 29 recruits from the Lord Camden had added to the number drawing rations. Homeward captains carried more salt provisions than they needed for the last leg of the voyage, and the island bought their surplus at the same price it charged its own servants. The purchase kept the garrison fed until the next supply from England, though it gave the Company no margin. | |
389 | 1772§ | The Council issued three sets of bills of exchange on 9 May 1772, drawn on the Court of Directors. All were payable 90 days after they were presented in London. Captain Charles Barkley, payable to himself or his order, £107 12s 0d Captain William Thomson, payable to himself or his order, £600 0s 0d Captain William Thomson, payable to himself or his order, £500 0s 0d John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations The two commanders who had just sold the Company 1,200 pieces of salt meat for £120 were given bills on London the same day. The bills probably included what the Company owed them for the meat, together with the proceeds of their private sales on the island. Paying a ship's commander in bills drawn on the Court, rather than in coin, kept the island's scarce silver in the treasury. The captains were content with the arrangement, since a bill was safer to carry home than a chest of dollars. Captain Thomson of the Calcutta took £1,100 in two sets, so that if one set was lost on the voyage the other would still be paid. | |
390 | 11th May§ §The Executors to the last Will and Testament of§ §In the Name of God Amen§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 11 May 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 9 May 1772. The Company's ships Pacific and Calcutta sailed for England on 10 May 1772. The executors of the late Mrs Mary Seale presented her will that day and asked for it to be proved. The Board proved it on the oaths of the witnesses. The will follows. Mary Seale, a widow of St Helena, made her will on 3 March 1772. She was ill in body but of sound mind and memory. Mindful that everyone must die, she commended her soul to God. She asked her executors to bury her body decently and in a Christian manner as they thought fit, in the sure hope of rising again at the general resurrection. She then disposed of the worldly goods God had given her. To her son George Seale she first left two men slaves, named Mountain and Peter. She also left him a black boy named Jack, who was to live as a servant. The terms of that bequest continue on the next leaf. Interpretations Mary Seale had held her late son William's land and stock only for her lifetime, under his will proved on 16 December 1771. That property passed to George Seale and Mary Yates on her death whatever she wrote. Her own will could dispose only of what she owned outright, and the slaves were part of that. The land on which they worked went to George under William's will, and the men to work it came to him under hers. | |
391 | 1772§ | Mary Seale's bequest of the boy Jack went on to set out his future. Jack was to serve her son George Seale until George died. He was then to have his freedom and was never to be sold as a slave. She left £10 0s 0d to her grandson William Peddon, to be paid to him when he was in real need of it. She left £10 0s 0d to her granddaughter Mary Yates for her own use, to be paid to her alone when she was truly in need. She left £10 0s 0d to her granddaughter Frances Bland, then in England, to be sent to her as soon as possible after her death. If Frances had died by then, the legacy was to go to her sister Susannah Bland, also in England. All the rest of her personal estate, with her movable goods and household furniture, went to her son George Seale. Her dwelling house in James's Valley was to be sold at public auction. The proceeds would pay the legacies, her funeral expenses and her debts, and her executors were to settle these as soon as she died. She named her son George Seale and her brother-in-law Benjamin Seale as her executors and revoked all earlier wills. Mary Seale signed with her mark. James Pritchard, John Sanfall and John Terry witnessed the will. They noted that it was made without stamped paper, because none could be had on the island. Interpretations Mary Seale freed Jack in her will, but not at once. He was to serve her son for the whole of George's life and gain his liberty only when George died. She also forbade his sale, so that George could not turn him into money or pass him to another owner. A delayed release of this kind kept a servant's labour in the family while promising freedom in the end. Jack's liberty now depended on outliving his master, and the will gave him no means of support once he was free. Her two adult men slaves, Mountain and Peter, received no such promise. Her cash legacies to two of her grandchildren were to be paid only when each was in real distress. The money worked less as a gift than as a reserve against hard times, held by the executors and released at their judgement. The note that no stamps could be had refers to the stamp duty that English law levied on legal documents, which had to be written on paper bearing an official stamp. St Helena had no supply of stamped paper. The witnesses recorded its absence so that the will could not later be challenged on that ground in an English court. | |
392 | 11th May§ §This day we Inlisted John Power left here out of§ §Samuel Knipe Junr. this day presented the§ §To the Worshipful John Skottowe Esqr. Governor§ §The Expence of Artillery Stores and Stewards§ | On 6 May 1772 the Council enlisted Quinwright Querney, who had been left behind on the island by the Asia. He would serve the Company as a soldier for five years. He seemed a fine-looking man, so the Board gave him a bounty of £5 to buy what he needed. On 11 May 1772 the Council enlisted John Powers, who had been left behind by the Calcutta, to serve the Company as a soldier for five years. He was a fine-looking man and came strongly recommended by Captains Russell and Thomson. The Board gave him a bounty of £10 to buy what he needed. Samuel Knipe junior petitioned the Governor and Council on 11 May 1772. He wished to sell his interest in four leases covering 41½ acres in the East Division of the island. He asked the Board to accept William Hayes senior as the new tenant. The Board agreed. The accounts of artillery stores used and the steward's accounts for April 1772 were then laid before the Board, which examined and approved them. The accounts follow below. Interpretations The Council paid Powers twice the bounty it gave Querney. Both men had been left behind by ships, both had a good appearance and both signed for five years. The difference was the recommendation of two commanders, Russell and Thomson, who had seen Powers at work on the voyage. Their word gave the Council confidence that he was sober and reliable, and it paid him the full £10 given to a seasoned soldier re-enlisting. The size of the bounty reflected how much the Board trusted the recruit. Powers appears among the seamen on the Calcutta's muster roll, so his commander released him openly rather than losing him as a deserter. | |
393 | 1772§ §Guns fired, 9 Prs., 6 Prs., 4 Prs., 1 Prs., Powder Expended lb, Powder Expended oz§ §1 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §2 Arrived the Bute: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §3 An Alarm: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 6, 1 Prs. 3, Powder Expended lb 16, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Arrived the Stafford: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Departed the Northumberland: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §6 An Alarm for the E. of Elgin no Salute: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §10 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §11 Arrived the Glatton: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Departed the Bute: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §13 Departed the Stafford: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §15 An Alarm: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 6, 1 Prs. 3, Powder Expended lb 16, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Arrived the Lord Camden & Dutton: Guns fired 18, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 18, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 27, Powder Expended oz 0§ §21 Departed the Elgin Dutton & Glatton: Guns fired 18, 9 Prs. 1, 6 Prs. 17, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 27, Powder Expended oz 8§ §23 An Alarm for four Ships passing by: Guns fired 15, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 10, 1 Prs. 5, Powder Expended lb 22, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Do. at Turks Cap: Guns fired 4, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 4, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 8, Powder Expended oz 0§ §25 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Do. Doubled: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Arrived the Crattenden: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §28 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Arrived the Spike: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Do. Doubled: Guns fired 3, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 2, 1 Prs. 1, Powder Expended lb 4, Powder Expended oz 0§ §An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Arrived the Sea Horse: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §29 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Arrived the Asia: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Powder for Ladder Hill Road: Guns fired 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 150, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Do. for Companys Service: Guns fired 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 73, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Total: Guns fired 227, 9 Prs. 1, 6 Prs. 135, 4 Prs. 62, 1 Prs. 25, Powder Expended lb 614, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Tallow§ §Match§ §Lead Ball§ §Sponge Staves§ §Do. Heads§ §Rammer Do.§ §Sheep Skins§ §Sponge Nails§ §Vinegar for Mortars§ §(signed)§ | The artillery stores used in April 1772 were as follows. The alarms and other charges ran as follows. 1 April 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb 3 April 1772, alarm, guns fired 9, 4-pounders 6, 1-pounders 3, powder 16 lb 8 oz 8 April 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb 10 April 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb 15 April 1772, alarm, guns fired 9, 4-pounders 6, 1-pounders 3, powder 16 lb 8 oz 23 April 1772, alarm for four ships passing, guns fired 13, 4-pounders 10, 1-pounders 3, powder 22 lb 8 oz 23 April 1772, alarm at Turk's Cap, guns fired 4, 4-pounders 4, powder 8 lb 25 April 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb 25 April 1772, alarm doubled, guns fired 3, 4-pounders 2, 1-pounders 1, powder 4 lb 25 April 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb 28 April 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb 28 April 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb 28 April 1772, alarm doubled, guns fired 3, 4-pounders 2, 1-pounders 1, powder 4 lb 29 April 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 13 lb The 8 April alarm was raised for the Earl of Elgin, and no salute was fired for her. Salutes of 9 guns, all 6-pounders, each using 13 lb 8 oz of powder, marked the arrival of the Bute on 2 April 1772, the arrival of the Stafford and the departure of the Northumberland on 3 April 1772, the arrival of the Glatton and the departure of the Bute on 11 April 1772, and the departure of the Stafford on 13 April 1772. An 18-gun salute of 6-pounders, using 27 lb of powder, marked the arrival of the Lord Camden and the Dutton on 15 April 1772. An 18-gun salute, one 18-pounder and 17 six-pounders, using 27 lb 8 oz of powder, marked the departure of the Earl of Elgin, the Dutton and the Glatton on 21 April 1772. Further 9-gun salutes of 6-pounders, each using 13 lb 8 oz of powder, marked the arrival of the Cruttenden on 25 April 1772, the Speke and the Sea Horse on 28 April 1772, and the Asia on 29 April 1772. Powder for the Ladder Hill road, 150 lb Powder for various services, 73 lb Total, guns fired 271, 18-pounders 1, 6-pounders 156, 4-pounders 68, 1-pounders 25, powder 614 lb Tallow, 5 lb Slow match, 14 lb Lead ball, 2 lb 10 oz Sponge staves, 2 Sponge heads, 2 Rammer heads, 2 Sheepskins, 2 Tacking nails, 40 Vinegar for the mortars, 1 gallon James Tippet signed the account as captain of artillery. The next heading, Sundries, begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations The garrison fired 271 guns in April 1772, almost twice the 151 of March and the most of any month in the record. Ten Company ships arrived or sailed in four weeks, and every arrival was preceded by an alarm when her sails were first sighted. When two or three ships came or went together, the salute was doubled to 18 guns rather than fired separately for each. That saved powder while still honouring every ship. A "doubled" alarm was a second, shorter signal fired when more sails appeared behind the first, warning the batteries that the number of approaching ships had grown. | |
394 | 11th May§ §62 Bott. Mountain§ §9 Do. Port§ §14 Do. Lisbon§ §1 Do. Mountain§ §15 Do. Beer§ §16½ Gs. Arrack§ §126 lb Beef§ §127 Mutton§ §3 Turkeys§ §4 Ducks§ §79 lb Candy§ §537 lb Flour§ §1 Lamb§ §3 Pigs§ §9 Goats§ §Bought for the Table§ §147¾ lb Beef§ §3 Turkeys§ §29 Fowls§ §12 Ducks§ §1 Goose§ §2 Pigs§ §£ 36 . 17 . 9½§ §John Skottowe§ | The supplies used at the Company's table in April 1772 were as follows. Madeira, 63 bottles, £6 6s 0d Port, 9 bottles, £0 13s 6d Lisbon wine, 14 bottles, £1 1s 0d Mountain wine, 1 bottle, £0 1s 6d Beer, 15 bottles, £0 2s 9¾d Arrack, 16½ gallons, £2 9s 6d Beef, 126 lb, £2 12s 6d Mutton, 127 lb, £2 12s 11d Turkeys, 3, £0 15s 0d Ducks, 4, £0 6s 0d Sugar candy, 79 lb, £1 19s 6d Flour, 537 lb, £4 9s 6d Lamb, 1, £0 10s 0d Pigs, 3, £0 15s 0d Goats, 9, £4 10s 0d Bought in for the table: Beef, 147¾ lb, £3 1s 6¾d Turkeys, 2, £0 15s 0d Fowls, 29, £2 3s 6d Ducks, 12, £0 18s 0d Goose, 1, £0 5s 0d Pigs, 2, £0 10s 0d Total, £36 17s 9½d John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the account. Interpretations The table cost less in April 1772 than in March, despite the busiest month of shipping in the season. The Madeira stayed high at 63 bottles, since the Governor still entertained the commanders and passengers, but there was no turtle this month. The table drew more on the Company's own stock: 126 lb of beef from its herd, against 40 lb in March, and nine goats. The cattle brought from the Cape in the Morse and the Dutton had eased the pressure on the Company's herd, so it could afford to kill more of its own beasts. | |
395 | 15th May§ §Lieutenant Thomas Bazett this day applied to Us to pay§ §Mr. Matthew Bazett Reports that he has been on§ §Muster Roll of Ship Horsendon§ §Alex. Jamieson Commander§ §Walter Gondie Surgeon§ §Pendock Neale Midshipman§ | The Council met at the Castle on Friday 15 May 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 11 May 1772. The minutes recorded the following events. At half past three on the morning of Wednesday 13 May 1772 the boat of the Horsendon came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Horsendon arrived the same day from China, last from the Cape, and a ship passed the island at a great distance. At one in the afternoon on 14 May 1772 the boat of the York came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship York arrived from China the same day. Thomas Coleman, a private soldier, died on 15 May 1772. Lieutenant Thomas Bazett applied that day to pay £100 into the Company's treasury. The Council received the money and gave him bills of exchange drawn on the Court of Directors. They were payable to Captain William Thomson or his order, 90 days after they were presented in London. Matthew Bazett reported that he had gone aboard the Horsendon to muster her crew and search for deserters, and had found none. Her muster roll began as follows. Alexander Jameson, commander James Baldwin, first mate John Riggs, second mate Richard Williams, third mate George Scott, fourth mate John Waldoly, fifth mate Walter Goudie, surgeon John Henderson, purser Matthew Rogers, gunner Benjamin Hoar, carpenter Benjamin Parsons, carpenter's mate W. Crawford, midshipman and coxswain Pendock Neale, midshipman James Jameson, midshipman Henry Thompson, midshipman James Anderson, ship's steward Henry Bryson, caulker James Albrecht, cooper The roll continues on the next leaf. Interpretations Lieutenant Thomas Bazett sent £100 to Captain William Thomson of the Calcutta, who had sailed for England on 10 May 1772. Like Doveton and Barclay before him, he was settling in London a debt run up with a commander's private trade while the ship lay in the road. The pattern recurs through the season: officers on the island bought goods from the visiting captains on credit and paid through bills on the Court. The Company's treasury thus served as the island's bank for private debts as well as public ones. | |
396 | 15th May§ §Willm. Smith Seaman§ §Wm. Townsend Seaman§ §Passengers§ §(signed)§ | The muster roll of the Horsendon concluded as follows. Henry Mann, sailmaker George Hetherington, armourer W. Spencer, captain's cook James Spence, gunner's mate Dunham Fay, carpenter's first mate James Hon, carpenter's second mate James Sackett, boatswain's first mate Thomas Kellian, boatswain's second mate Christopher Rex, cooper's mate W. Burgess, caulker's mate John Bulmerdell, quartermaster James Morgan, quartermaster Daniel Carr, quartermaster Thomas Holland, quartermaster W. Robinson, seaman John Thompson, seaman John Goodwin, seaman Francis Wilmot, seaman James Manning, seaman John Athyns, seaman James Leech, seaman John Bath, seaman Henry Connell, seaman Robert Rae, seaman W. Cross, seaman Robert Burdett, seaman Alexander Shepherd, seaman William Smith, seaman Abraham Gay, seaman John Hastendale, seaman Edward Rice, seaman Andrew Davidson, seaman John Waugh, seaman Thomas Hyde, seaman John Angus, seaman William Palmerio, seaman Duncan McFarlin, seaman W. Owen, seaman John Mole, seaman John McCullen, seaman W. Russell, seaman James Sachel, seaman Timothy Malone, seaman Arnold Cowling, seaman W. Perkins, seaman Richard Knight, seaman Richard Cole, seaman W. Rose, seaman W. Chambers, seaman James Wilson, seaman W. Wattenburg, seaman W. Bossin, seaman W. Phillips, seaman W. Townsend, seaman W. Pitchford, seaman W. Clement, seaman William Mitchell, seaman John Wilson, seaman John Purdie, seaman John Wells, seaman William Williamson, seaman John Evans, seaman John Norton, seaman John Leighton, seaman Thomas Chance, seaman James Allison, seaman Thomas Williams, seaman Isaac Colledge, seaman James Lockhart, seaman Charles Mitchell, seaman William Anderson, seaman John Hector, seaman Thomas Gyles, seaman Richard Brown, seaman Andrew Anderson, seaman Anthony Joseph, seaman John Williams, seaman Richard Bailey, seaman W. Sydman, seaman John Rider, seaman Passengers: Mr Christopher D'Castro Mrs Isabella D'Castro Michael, their servant Mary, their servant Alexander Jameson signed the roll as commander. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minutes of the meeting. | |
397 | [Dark stain at the upper right corner.] 18th May§ §Mr. Benjamin Mason was this day sworn§ §Mr. Matthew Purling this day§ §Counted and examined the Honorable§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 18 May 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 15 May 1772. The Company's ship Horsendon sailed for England on 17 May 1772, and a ship passed the island at a great distance on 18 May 1772. Benjamin Mason was sworn in as sheriff that day. Orlando Bagley and Richard Beale were sworn in as churchwardens, and James Pritchard as constable. Matthew Purling applied to pay £412 17s 0d into the Company's treasury. The Council received the money and gave him bills of exchange drawn on the Court of Directors. They were payable to John Purling or his order, 90 days after they were presented in London. The Board then counted and checked the Company's cash for April 1772. The account of that cash follows below. Interpretations The new parish officers were sworn before the Governor and Council, not before the vestry that had chosen them. Their authority came from the government's warrant, and the oath bound them to it. With this remittance, Purling had sent John Purling more than £3,000 in under eight months: £600 in October 1771, £1,600 in February, £460 in April and now £412 17s 0d. His salary and allowances came to £320 a year. The rest must have come from his leases, his land and his trade with the ships, and the regular flow of bills shows a councillor turning an island fortune into money at home. | |
398 | 18th May§ §1772 April 1st To Balance remaining§ §6 To Ship Northumberland§ §10 To Ship Bute§ §To Exchange for two Sets of Bills drawn§ §13 To Ship Stafford§ §To James Hogg received the Produce of his Effects§ §18 To Ship Earl of Elgin§ §19 To Ship Dutton§ §20 To Ship Glatton§ §To Exchange for four Sets of Bills drawn upon§ §£ 9559 . 4 . 8½§ | The Company's cash account for April 1772 began with the money held at the start of the month and the money paid in. 1 April 1772, balance in hand, £7,421 5s 11½d On 6 April 1772 the Northumberland paid in £7 12s 3d. On 10 April 1772 the Bute paid in £26 4s 1d. 10 April 1772, received in exchange for two sets of bills drawn on the Court of Directors: One set payable to John May, £50 0s 0d One set payable to Captain John Milford, £145 16s 0d Total of bills, £195 16s 0d On 13 April 1772 the Stafford paid in £10 11s 11d. 13 April 1772, received from the estate of James Hogg, the proceeds of his effects, £53 4s 4d On 18 April 1772 the Earl of Elgin paid in £78 15s 2d. On 19 April 1772 the Dutton paid in £2 17s 6d. On 20 April 1772 the Glatton paid in £2 17s 6d. 20 April 1772, received in exchange for four sets of bills drawn on the Court of Directors: One set payable to John Purling, £460 0s 0d One set payable to Captain Richard Dayton, £1,000 0s 0d One set payable to Captain Henry Rice, £200 0s 0d One set payable to John Browne, £100 0s 0d Total of bills, £1,760 0s 0d Carried forward, £9,559 4s 8½d Interpretations The ships paid in only small sums for what they took from the island. The Earl of Elgin's £78 15s 2d was the largest. The Dutton and the Glatton paid £2 17s 6d each, little more than a token. Most of the fresh food and water supplied to homeward ships was charged to their accounts and settled in London, so only odd items bought for cash appeared in the island's chest. The bills of exchange, by contrast, brought in almost £2,000 in a fortnight. In April the treasury's coin came mainly from commanders and officers converting their private profits into bills on London, far more than from selling the Company's own stores or services. | |
399 | 1772§ §1772 April 30th By Balance remaining viz.§ §£ 9559 . 4 . 8½§ | The other side of the account showed the balance in hand at the end of April 1772 and the form in which it was held. 30 April 1772, balance in hand: In coin, £9,019 9s 8½d In cash notes, £539 15s 0d Balance, total, £9,559 4s 8½d Total, £9,559 4s 8½d Interpretations Nothing was paid out of the treasury in April 1772, and the coin in the chest rose by more than £2,100 over the month. The whole of the increase came from money paid in for bills on London and the small sums from ships and from James Hogg's estate. The quarter's pay had been drawn at the end of March, so the next large drain would not fall until the end of June. Until then, the bills bought by commanders and officers in the busy shipping season refilled the chest that the March pay day had emptied. | |
400 | 18th May§ §To the Worshipful John Skottowe Esqr.§ §Agreed to Recommend the Petitioner as§ | Lieutenant Thomas Lambert presented a petition to the Governor and Council on 18 May 1772. He had served in the Company's army for more than seven years. He now wished to return to his native country, because age, deafness and failing sight had made him unfit for duty. He asked the Board to recommend him to the Military Fund as a deserving case. He promised his lasting gratitude for the favour. The Council agreed to recommend Lambert as a proper person to be placed on the Military Fund. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the decision. Interpretations The Military Fund was probably the pension fund that the Company had set up in 1770 with the legacy Lord Clive received from the Nawab of Bengal. It paid allowances to officers and soldiers of the Company's armies who were worn out or disabled in its service, and to their widows. The Council on St Helena could not grant a pension itself. It could only certify to the Court that the man deserved one. Lambert's petition therefore went home with the island's dispatches, and his support in old age depended on the Court accepting the Council's word. Lambert had drawn a lieutenant's full pay, diet money and house rent each quarter while too deaf and short-sighted to serve. A garrison with no pension of its own could not easily dismiss an old officer who had nowhere else to go. Recommending him to the Fund let the Council release him from the establishment without leaving him destitute. | |
401 | 21st May§ §Mr. Matthew Bazett Reports that he has§ §Muster Roll of Ship York§ §Geo. Hayter Commander§ §Robt. Shepherd Gunr. Mate§ §David Frazer Seaman§ | The Council met at the Castle on Thursday 21 May 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 1772. Matthew Bazett reported that he had gone aboard the York to muster her crew and search for deserters, and had found none. Her muster roll began as follows. George Hughes, commander Edward Lewis, first mate Michael Lascelles, second mate John Congalton, third mate John Comer, fourth mate John Monteith, fifth mate John Pomeroy, purser John Bradford, surgeon John Boby, surgeon's mate James Steele, boatswain Adam Strachan, gunner Henry Senton, midshipman and coxswain Thomas Sargent, midshipman Edward Simpson, midshipman Thomas Holliday, midshipman Crawford Hardy, midshipman James Foster, quartermaster Thomas Bowlin, quartermaster James Johnson, quartermaster William Potts, quartermaster William Anderson, quartermaster Michael Fitzgerald, boatswain's mate Robert Shepherd, gunner's mate Jacob Warner, gunner's second mate Thomas Skinner, cooper David Dear, cooper's mate Thomas Silleman, caulker James Durand, carpenter James McCormagh, carpenter's mate Thomas Dudley, sailmaker Robert Bodman, armourer James Moores, captain's steward Thomas Mitchel, captain's cook Alexander Smith, ship's steward James Everest, ship's cook Robert Curtis, seaman George Crookes, seaman James Hales, seaman James Walker, seaman Andrew Anderson, seaman John Pebley, seaman James Carter, seaman Humphrey Hallum, seaman Patrick Henry, seaman David Frazer, seaman Thomas Paisley, seaman Robert Belson, seaman Isaac Moon, seaman James Collins, seaman Robert Cumberledge, seaman Joseph Fearnier, seaman Hartwell Cowell, seaman W. Pritchard, seaman W. Bayley, seaman James Gregory, seaman Joseph Wright, seaman W. Gardner, seaman Frederick Brooks, seaman James Bell, seaman W. Oral, seaman John Lowder, seaman Erasmus Rogers, seaman William Saunders, seaman Thomas Sargent, seaman John Barrett, seaman Jerry Cumberbatch, seaman The roll continues on the next leaf. | |
402 | 21st May§ §Thos. George Seaman§ §Edw. Stedman Gunr. Servt.§ §(signed)§ §We this day Inlisted Joseph Dayley left here out of the§ §Captain George Hayter this day applied to Us§ | The muster roll of the York concluded as follows. Charles Oakes, seaman Thomas Rand, seaman W. Alsop, seaman Hugh Galloway, seaman James Bond, seaman George Gifford, seaman Charles White, seaman Samuel Cox, seaman Alexander Gordon, seaman Lewis Burnet, seaman John Robinson, seaman Joseph Thompson, seaman Thomas George, seaman W. Fitchett, seaman John Barnes, seaman Henry Tisdall, seaman James Bostick, seaman W. Felton, seaman Peter Brooks, seaman Thomas Ribbon, seaman Thomas Cookson, captain's servant James Moran, captain's servant W. Shufflebottom, first mate's servant Francis Cummins, second mate's servant Thomas Newton, surgeon's servant Peter Stedman, gunner's servant W. Cowman, boatswain's servant William Cowman, carpenter's servant J. Wilkinson, seaman John Hall, seaman Jacob Rogers, seaman James Mitchell, seaman James Ward, seaman Benjamin Rogers, seaman John Coffee, seaman Daniel Gibbs, seaman Hans Johnson, seaman George Hayter signed the roll as commander. On 21 May 1772 the Council enlisted Joseph Cayley, who had been left behind on the island by the York. He would serve the Company as a soldier for five years. He seemed a fine-looking man, so the Board gave him a bounty of £10 to buy what he needed. Captain George Hayter applied the same day to pay £69 0s 0d into the Company's treasury. The Council received the money and gave him bills of exchange drawn on the Court of Directors, payable to himself or his order, 90 days after they were presented in London. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations Cayley was the fifth man in a month to be enlisted from a passing ship, after Robert Wood, John Waters, Quinwright Querney and John Powers. The busy season let the Council fill gaps in the garrison as the homeward fleet went by, at a cost of £5 to £10 a man. Cayley received the full £10 without any captain's recommendation, unlike Querney's £5 on 6 May 1772. The Council seems to have set the bounty by its own judgement of the man, and paid more for one who looked strong and fit. | |
403 | 25th May§ §At a Consultation held on Monday the 1st day of June 1772 at§ §Mr. Jonathan Doveton this day§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 25 May 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 21 May 1772. The Company's ship York sailed for England on Thursday 21 May 1772. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minutes. The Council met at the Castle again on Monday 1 June 1772, with the same four members present. They read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 25 May 1772. Jonathan Doveton presented a petition to the Board that day. The petition follows. Interpretations The meeting of 25 May 1772 recorded nothing but the York's departure. She was the last of the season's homeward ships, and with her gone the road was empty. The press of business that had brought the Council together two or three times a week since February ended at once, and its next meeting a week later returned to the ordinary affairs of the island. | |
404 | 1st June§ | Jonathan Doveton petitioned the Governor and Council on 1 June 1772. He held a lease of a piece of ground in James's Valley measuring 15 feet long and 13 feet wide. He asked the Board for permission to transfer it to John Whitchurch. The Board agreed, and John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the grant. Interpretations A plot only 15 feet by 13 was too small for a house. It was more probably the site of a small shop, store or outbuilding in the crowded town. John Whitchurch was the senior sergeant of the Artillery Company. A non-commissioned officer could hold a Company lease in Jamestown on the same terms as an officer or a planter, and the Council treated his application like any other. Even the smallest plot needed its consent, because every foot of ground in the narrow valley belonged to the Company. | |
405 | 8th June§ §The Expence of Artillery Stores and§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 8 June 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 1 June 1772. The minutes recorded the following arrivals. At half past ten on the morning of Friday 5 June 1772 the boat of the Grenville came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Grenville arrived the same day from China, last from the Cape. At half past eight on the evening of Saturday 6 June 1772 the boat of the Queen came ashore at Banks's, and the Company's ship Queen arrived from China the same day. At nine that night the boat of the Salisbury came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Salisbury arrived from China on 7 June 1772. The accounts of artillery stores used and the steward's accounts for May 1772 were laid before the Board that day. The members examined and approved them. The accounts follow below. Interpretations Three more China ships arrived in June, after the road had stood empty for a fortnight. These were the late sailings of the Canton season, ships that had left China after the main fleet in January and February. Their arrival in the southern winter meant the island had to supply fresh provisions at the time of year when its pastures and gardens yielded least. | |
406 | 8th June§ §Guns fired, 24 Prs., 18 Prs., 9 Prs., 6 Prs., 4 Prs., 1 Prs., Powder Expended lb, Powder Expended oz§ §1 A Double Alarm at Prosperous Bay: Guns fired 9, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 6, 1 Prs. 3, Powder Expended lb 21, Powder Expended oz 0§ §An Alarm at Purlings Battery: Guns fired 2, 24 Prs. 2, 18 Prs. 2, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 6, Powder Expended oz 6§ §Arrived the Thames: Guns fired 9, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §3 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 14, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Arrived the Calcutta: Guns fired 9, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Departed the Sea Horse & Crattenden: Guns fired 18, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 18, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 27, Powder Expended oz 0§ §5 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 14, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Arrived the Pacific: Guns fired 9, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §8 Departed the Thames Asia & Spike: Guns fired 27, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 3, 6 Prs. 24, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 46, Powder Expended oz 0§ §9 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 14, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Departed the Lord Camden: Guns fired 9, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §11 Departed the Calcutta & Pacific: Guns fired 18, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 18, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 27, Powder Expended oz 0§ §13 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 14, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Arrived the Horsendon: Guns fired 9, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §14 An Alarm at Prosp. Bay also at Purlings Battery: Guns fired 8, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 2, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 21, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Arrived the York: Guns fired 9, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §17 Departed the Horsendon: Guns fired 9, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §18 An Alarm at Prosp. Bay also at Purlings Battery: Guns fired 8, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 2, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder Expended lb 21, Powder Expended oz 0§ §21 Departed the York: Guns fired 9, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 13, Powder Expended oz 8§ §Powder for Ladder Hill: Guns fired 0, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 117, Powder Expended oz 0§ §Do. for Sundry Services: Guns fired 0, 24 Prs. 0, 18 Prs. 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder Expended lb 76, Powder Expended oz 9§ §Total: Guns fired 186, 24 Prs. 2, 18 Prs. 6, 9 Prs. 21, 6 Prs. 128, 4 Prs. 30, 1 Prs. 15, Powder Expended lb 528, Powder Expended oz 15§ §Tallow§ §Bees Wax§ §Match§ §Paper§ §Sheep Skins§ §Sponge Nails§ §Howitzer Fuzes§ §Do. Shells§ §Grape Shot 32 Prs.§ §Rammer Heads§ §Vinegar§ §Lead Ball§ §(signed)§ | The artillery stores used in May 1772 were as follows. The alarms and other charges ran as follows. 1 May 1772, double alarm at Prosperous Bay, guns fired 9, 4-pounders 6, 1-pounders 3, powder 21 lb 1 May 1772, alarm at Purling's Battery, guns fired 2, 18-pounders 2, powder 6 lb 6 oz 3 May 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 14 lb 8 oz 5 May 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 14 lb 8 oz 9 May 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 14 lb 8 oz 13 May 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 14 lb 8 oz 14 May 1772, alarm at Prosperous Bay and at Purling's Battery, guns fired 8, 18-pounders 2, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 21 lb 18 May 1772, alarm at Prosperous Bay and at Purling's Battery, guns fired 8, 18-pounders 2, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 21 lb Salutes of 9 guns, all 6-pounders, each using 13 lb 8 oz of powder, marked the arrival of the Thames on 1 May 1772, the Calcutta on 3 May, the Pacific on 5 May, the Horsendon on 13 May and the York on 14 May. Salutes of the same size marked the departure of the Lord Camden on 9 May, the Horsendon on 17 May and the York on 21 May 1772. An 18-gun salute of 9-pounders, using 27 lb of powder, marked the departure of the Sea Horse and the Cruttenden on 3 May 1772. A salute of 27 guns, three 9-pounders and 24 six-pounders, using 46 lb of powder, marked the departure of the Thames, the Asia and the Speke on 8 May 1772. An 18-gun salute of 6-pounders, using 27 lb of powder, marked the departure of the Calcutta and the Pacific on 11 May 1772. Powder for the Ladder Hill road, 117 lb Powder for various services, 76 lb 9 oz Total, guns fired 186, 24-pounders 2, 18-pounders 6, 9-pounders 21, 6-pounders 123, 4-pounders 30, 1-pounders 15, powder 528 lb 15 oz Tallow, 24 lb Beeswax, 2 lb Slow match, 4 lb Paper, 7 quires Sheepskins, 2 Tacking nails, 40 Howitzer fuses, 22 Howitzer shells, 4 Grapeshot of 32 lb, 1 Rammer heads, 1 Vinegar, 2 gallons Lead ball, 3 lb 3 oz James Tippet signed the account as captain of artillery. Interpretations The account issued howitzer fuses and shells, which had not appeared in earlier months. A howitzer was a short gun that threw an explosive shell in a high arc, so it could drop shot onto boats or men sheltering below a cliff where a flat-firing cannon could not reach. The fuse was a wooden tube packed with slow-burning composition and cut to length so that the shell burst over the target. Tippet was probably proving his howitzers or training the reorganised artillery in their use. On an island whose landing places lay at the foot of steep ravines, plunging fire suited the defence better than ordinary cannon. The grapeshot was a cluster of iron balls in a canvas bag, fired at close range against men in boats or on a beach. | |
407 | 1772§ §60 Bottles Madeira§ §14 Do. Port§ §11 Do. Lisbon§ §7 Do. Mountain§ §22 Do. Porter§ §16 Galls. Arrack§ §96 lb Beef§ §156 lb Mutton§ §86 lb Candy§ §512 lb Flour§ §1 Lamb§ §8 Goats§ §Bought for the Table§ §8 Turkeys§ §31 Fowls§ §10 Ducks§ §1 Goose§ §1 Pig§ §136½ lb Beef§ §£ 34 . 13 . 7¼§ §John Skottowe§ | The supplies used at the Company's table in May 1772 were as follows. Madeira, 60 bottles, £6 0s 0d Port, 14 bottles, £1 1s 0d Lisbon wine, 11 bottles, £0 16s 6d Mountain wine, 7 bottles, £0 10s 6d Porter, 22 bottles, £0 5s 3½d Arrack, 16 gallons, £2 8s 0d Beef, 96 lb, £1 4s 0d Mutton, 156 lb, £3 5s 0d Sugar candy, 86 lb, £2 3s 0d Flour, 512 lb, £4 7s 0d Lamb, 1, £0 10s 0d Goats, 8, £4 0s 0d Bought in for the table: Turkeys, 8, £2 0s 0d Fowls, 31, £2 6s 6d Ducks, 10, £0 15s 0d Goose, 1, £0 5s 0d Pig, 1, £0 5s 0d Beef, 136½ lb, £2 16s 7¾d Total, £34 13s 7¼d John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the account. Interpretations Porter appeared on the table for the first time, in place of the beer of earlier months. Porter was a strong, dark London beer brewed from roasted malt, which kept better on long voyages than ordinary ale. The Lord Camden, the season's only ship direct from England, had landed in April and probably brought it out. The table stayed busy through May, with 60 bottles of Madeira and eight turkeys bought in, because seven Company ships called during the month and the Governor kept open table for their commanders. | |
408 | 11th June§ §Bought of Captain Abercromby on Account of the§ §The Honble. Company§ §9 Casks of 177 Ps. Salt Pork§ §6 Do. of 252 Ps. Do. Beef§ §28 Sheep§ §29 Bolts of English Canvas§ §A Long Boat wt. Mast Sails &c.§ §£ 179 . 2 . 2§ §Errors Excepted and§ §Daniel Corneille Esqr. this day§ | The Council met at the Castle on Thursday 11 June 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 1772. The Council bought the following goods from Captain Abercromby on the Company's account on 11 June 1772. Salt pork, 9 casks, 177 pieces, at 2s a piece, £17 14s 0d Salt beef, 6 casks, 252 pieces, at 2s a piece, £25 4s 0d Sheep, 28, at 9s each, £12 12s 0d English canvas, 29 bolts, at 39s 10d a bolt, £57 15s 2d Longboat, with mast, sails and fittings, 1, £30 0s 0d Total, £179 3s 2d George Angus signed the account for Captain Abercromby, subject to any errors, and acknowledged payment. Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille applied that day to pay £27 17s 0d into the Company's treasury. The Council received the money and gave him bills of exchange drawn on the Court of Directors. They were payable to Messrs Staniforth, Gibson and Staniforth or their order, 90 days after they were presented in London. Interpretations The Council bought a complete longboat, with its mast and sails, from a homeward ship. The island's own boats were in constant use and suffered heavily from being hauled up and launched on the stony beach. The store accounts show months of repairs, coating and new timber spent on them. A ship nearing the end of her voyage could spare a boat, and buying one ready-made was quicker and probably cheaper than building another on an island with no timber of its own. The 29 bolts of English canvas would make sails, tents and lime bags. The salt meat added to the hundreds of pieces already bought from the passing ships to make good the shortages in the casks from England. | |
409 | 1772§ §Muster Roll of Ship Grenville§ §Burnet Abercromby Commr.§ §David Ross Cooper§ §John Paterson Seaman§ §(signed)§ | Matthew Bazett reported that he had gone aboard the Grenville, the Queen and the Salisbury to muster their crews and search for deserters, and had found none. The muster roll of the Grenville was as follows. Burnet Abercromby, commander Ralph Dundas, chief mate Thomas Audley, second mate John Haig, third mate William Ochterlony, fourth mate James Reid, fifth mate George Dundas, sixth mate George Angus, purser Robert Wilkinson, surgeon James Crawford, gunner James Hunter, carpenter Robert Meldrum, boatswain Robert Mitchell, ship's steward James Moffat, captain's steward William Barrow, captain's cook James Younger, midshipman W. Hume, midshipman George Lindsay, midshipman James Walker, midshipman James Winter, midshipman and coxswain John Welch, quartermaster Thomas Lamb, quartermaster Ralph Douglass, quartermaster James Bain, quartermaster William Ferguson, quartermaster Henry Pole, quartermaster James Bartholomew, quartermaster James Warton, quartermaster Daniel Johnson, gunner's mate Robert Sturgeon, carpenter's mate David Ross, cooper James Purves, cooper's mate James Haggis, caulker Robert Wilson, boatswain's mate William Brown, boatswain's second mate W. Ulinder, armourer James Perry, ship's cook Benjamin Holbrook, seaman Richard Burn, seaman Matthew Small, seaman John Valley, seaman William Harris, seaman John Wilson, seaman Henry Nowling, seaman John Cowan, seaman John Davis, seaman John White, seaman George Gibbons, seaman John Mayes, seaman John Greig, seaman Charles Cooper, seaman Thomas Mitchelson, seaman Andrew Collins, seaman Richard Ashford, seaman Martin Dixon, seaman James Pooley, seaman William Lithall, seaman George Hillsed, seaman James Little, seaman William Hardcastle, seaman Alexander Duncan, seaman John Paterson, seaman David Ghost, seaman James Williamson, seaman James Keller, seaman Robert Witherhead, seaman Robert White, seaman Thomas Seaman, seaman William Newcomb, seaman James Whittard, seaman Mark Salvert, seaman George Mercer, seaman William Waugh, seaman Peter Pennock, seaman John Gullo, seaman Freeman Mear, seaman Charles Stallaby, seaman John Dundy, seaman John Cosfield, seaman John Seeby, seaman James Hollis, seaman James Harper, seaman Lewis Lawson, seaman W. Hastings, seaman Ripon, captain's servant James Varon, first mate's servant James Gray, second mate's servant James Harvey, gunner's servant Hugh Wishart, carpenter's servant James Breck, boatswain's servant Burnet Abercromby signed the roll as commander. | |
410 | 11th June§ §Geo. Stainforth Commander§ §Adam Blagedon Surg. Mate§ §Matt. Tolbert Seaman§ | The muster roll of the Queen began as follows. George Staniforth, commander Clement Hall, first mate Robert Puntel, second mate John Cochran, third mate Francis Leigh, fifth mate Robert Dagley, sixth mate Nathaniel Webb, surgeon Richard Jones, purser William Pontin, gunner Isaac Simpson, boatswain William Adams, carpenter Samuel Lloyd, midshipman John Ossell, midshipman William Holmes, midshipman William Moland, midshipman Daniel Warner, midshipman William Swinbank, midshipman and coxswain John Armstrong, quartermaster R. Harton, quartermaster Anthony Jerome, quartermaster George Mason, quartermaster John Ridley, quartermaster James Ever, quartermaster James Bilby, caulker Robert White, cooper James Forsyth, ship's steward James Beventh, armourer James Farmer, butcher John Petrie, sailmaker Richard Carpenter, captain's steward Robert Collingsby, ship's cook Thomas Pyke, captain's cook Adam Plagedo, surgeon's mate Robert Phillips, carpenter's first mate James Jones, boatswain's first mate William Munby, boatswain's second mate John Finn, cooper's mate James Nicholls, poulterer John Strickland, joiner Andrew Barnett, seaman William Oakley, seaman Richard Daniel, seaman Nicholas Brown, seaman Peter Elliott, seaman James Baxter, seaman Hans Benson, seaman James Wolesley, seaman Charles Hayes, seaman Peter Hughes, seaman Andrew Craggey, seaman Andrew Fores, seaman Robert Higgins, seaman John Sarace, seaman John Mellen, seaman Robert Robinson, seaman Richard Perry, seaman Samuel Grant, seaman Thomas Randall, seaman W. Yardley, seaman James Orlandy, seaman John Jones, seaman James Coe, seaman William Ballantine, seaman John Athyns, seaman Matthew Tolleck, seaman Philip Mares, seaman John Pavell, seaman Charles Cooper, seaman Peter Verino, seaman David Durrant, seaman Alexander Alexander, seaman Thomas Malcomb, seaman John Goddard, seaman James Holt, seaman John Cornell, seaman John Lloyd, seaman Nicholas Chantry, seaman William Griffiths, seaman Robert Castles, seaman James Aitkins, seaman Peter Davies, seaman John Tucker, seaman William Willson, seaman Thomas Chippendale, seaman John Howard, seaman Anthony Austen, seaman Thomas Evans, seaman Peter Lilea, seaman John Garadlinofe, seaman Frederick Lenburg, seaman James Pook, seaman Thomas Mitchell, seaman James Purcell, seaman Thomas Morris, seaman Thomas Crank, seaman John Goodman, seaman The roll continues on the next leaf. Interpretations The Queen's commander was George Staniforth. On the same day Deputy Governor Corneille paid £27 17s 0d into the treasury for bills payable to Messrs Staniforth, Gibson and Staniforth in London. The firm was probably the commander's family business or his agents at home. Corneille had bought goods from Staniforth's private trade while the Queen lay in the road and paid for them through the captain's own house in London. That way the money reached the captain without either man having to handle coin on the island. | |
411 | 1772§ §Ernest Casper Seaman§ §Willm. Waugh Capt. Servt.§ §(signed)§ §Muster Roll of Ship Salisbury§ §Philip Bromfield Commander§ §Geo. Fitzgerald Qr. Master§ §Geo. Gunning Seaman§ | The muster roll of the Queen concluded as follows. John Wade, seaman Claude De Voisey, seaman Barnet Dalmonte, seaman Andreas or Frisman, seaman Frederick Hope, seaman Ernest Casper, seaman Edward Blyth, seaman George Jackson, seaman Richard Hill, captain's servant Isaiah Jones, captain's servant William Waugh, captain's servant Walter Neilson, first mate's servant Ferryal, surgeon's servant Thomas Golding, carpenter's servant Andrew Murrell, boatswain's servant George Staniforth signed the roll as commander. The muster roll of the Salisbury began as follows. Philip Bromfield, commander John Jones, chief mate John Beard, second mate Edmund Fewest, third mate Booth Gibbins, fourth mate Anthony James, fifth mate John Martin, sixth mate John Mallet, surgeon Thomas Shippen, purser W. Dawson, boatswain Peter Gosport, gunner John Clark, carpenter Samuel Thorncastle, ship's steward John Pernobar, captain's steward Thomas Pritchard, surgeon's mate John Hunter, midshipman and coxswain Edward Platt, midshipman James Burrough, midshipman Joshua Gay, midshipman Joseph Marley, midshipman Thomas Eaton, midshipman John Malcolm, quartermaster John Carr, quartermaster James Horrall, quartermaster George Fitzgerald, quartermaster Samuel Bloom, quartermaster R. Nicholson, quartermaster Ambrose Cogley, boatswain's mate George Brown, boatswain's second mate Patterson Douglass, gunner's mate John Godfrey, caulker Thomas Evans, carpenter's mate Robert Amey, carpenter's second mate Joseph Kenal, joiner William Batchelor, cooper William Griffiths, armourer William Robinson, butcher John Griffiths, poulterer Robert Osborne, captain's cook Matthew Smith, ship's cook William Sheriden, baker William Scofield, seaman John Paston, seaman William Carr, seaman John Brookman, seaman William Watson, seaman John Aldridge, seaman Peter Whitehead, seaman George Gunning, seaman John Clements, seaman Thomas Gummett, seaman James Hope, seaman Robert Ross, seaman William Cowell, seaman Nathaniel Smith, seaman John Baker, seaman William Leach, seaman William Pendlebury, seaman Hants Nelson, seaman William Hunt, seaman John Simpson, seaman James Doran, seaman Thomas Holmes, seaman George Rogers, seaman Edward Brightwell, seaman William Brown, seaman Lawrence Curde, seaman John Corn, seaman Richard McGill, seaman William Mills, seaman John Collins, seaman Edmund Wilson, seaman The roll continues on the next leaf. | |
412 | 11th June§ §Geo. Lush Seaman§ §Fras. Ford Taylor§ §Passengers viz.§ §(signed)§ | The muster roll of the Salisbury concluded as follows. Andrew Insleton, seaman Edward Norman, seaman Robert Padey, seaman Thomas Ainsworth, seaman Thomas Cavanagh, seaman William Frobey, seaman James Silking, seaman John Norgrove, seaman Valentine Eggleston, seaman Francis Christopher, seaman George Lush, seaman John Bees, seaman Bartholomew Dwine, seaman Cornelius Lutwick, seaman Alexander Sinclair, seaman John Griggs, seaman Richard Wilmot, seaman John Carney, seaman William Megston, seaman Francis Ford, tailor Thomas Staley, barber Luke Wilmerhurst, first mate's servant Leonard Wardell, second mate's servant James Paul, boatswain's servant Thomas Hornsby, gunner's servant John Gray, carpenter's servant Eusebius Holmes, surgeon's servant George Reed, captain's servant Thomas Blatt, captain's servant Passengers: Mrs Stone Miss Stone Mrs Taylor Sylvanna Philip Bromfield signed the roll as commander. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minutes of the meeting. | |
413 | 13th June§ §John Skottowe Esqr. this day§ | The Council met at the Castle on Saturday 13 June 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 1772. The Company's ship Grenville sailed for England that day. Governor Skottowe applied the same day to pay £600 into the Company's treasury. The Council received the money and gave him bills of exchange drawn on the Court of Directors. They were payable to Captain Nicholas Skottowe or his order, 90 days after they were presented in London. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations The Governor took part in approving his own remittance, as Purling had with his. The bills went to Captain Nicholas Skottowe, probably a relative who managed the Governor's affairs in England. £600 matched a full year's salary at £150 a quarter. Skottowe kept the Company's table at its expense and drew an allowance for his servants, so he could send home almost all his pay. The bills made the treasury the channel for the Governor's private savings, on the same terms as any officer or ship's captain. | |
414 | 15th June§ §John Oswald Private this day Petitioned§ §Counted and Examined the§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 15 June 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 13 June 1772. Charles, son of the planter Benjamin Seale, died on 14 June 1772. John Oswald, a private soldier, petitioned the Board that day for his discharge from the garrison. He had served the Company for the full term of his engagement. The Board agreed. The Board then counted and checked the Company's cash for May 1772. The account of that cash follows below. Interpretations Benjamin Seale was the brother-in-law whom Mary Seale named as one of her executors in the will proved on 11 May 1772. The loss of his son came a month after the Seale family had buried Mary herself, and a few months after William Seale junior and Margaret, daughter of John Seale. Four members of one planting family had died in under a year, a reminder of how small the island's settler community was and how heavily a run of deaths could fall on a single household. | |
415 | Cash Dr.§ §1772 May 1st To Balance Remaining§ §2 To Exchange for a Set of Bills drawn upon the§ §To Ship Sea Horse§ §To Ship Crattenden§ §6th To Exchange for four Sets of Bills drawn as above§ §7th To Ship Spike§ §To Ship Asia§ §To Ship Thames§ §9th To Exchange for three Sets of Bills drawn as above§ §Carried Over§ §Per Contra Cr.§ §1772 May 9th By Balance Remaining viz.§ §£ 12064 . 9 . 7½§ | The Company's cash account for May 1772 began with the money held at the start of the month and the money paid in. 1 May 1772, balance in hand, £9,559 4s 8½d 2 May 1772, received in exchange for a set of bills drawn on the Court of Directors, payable to Captain Richard Dayton or his order, £147 15s 0d The Sea Horse paid in £7 19s 1d, and the Cruttenden paid in £5 11s 3d. 6 May 1772, received in exchange for four sets of bills drawn on the Court of Directors: One set payable to Miss Mary Bazett, £130 0s 0d One set payable to Captain Robert Preston, £140 12s 6d One set payable to Captain John Bedall, £500 0s 0d One set payable to John Hall, £337 10s 0d Total of bills, £1,108 2s 6d On 7 May 1772 the Speke paid in £7 4s 4d, the Asia £10 10s 10d and the Thames £10 9s 11d. 9 May 1772, received in exchange for three sets of bills drawn on the Court of Directors: One set payable to Captain Charles Barkley, £107 12s 0d One set payable to Captain William Thomson, £600 0s 0d One set payable to Captain William Thomson, £500 0s 0d Total of bills, £1,207 12s 0d Total, £12,064 9s 7½d The other side showed the balance in hand on 9 May 1772. 9 May 1772, balance in hand: In coin, £11,524 14s 7½d In cash notes, £539 15s 0d Balance, total, £12,064 9s 7½d Interpretations By 9 May 1772 the coin in the treasury stood at more than £11,500, the highest in the record and more than half as much again as at the start of the year. Almost all of the rise came from bills of exchange bought by commanders and officers during the homeward season, nearly £2,500 in the first nine days of May alone. The ships themselves paid in only a few pounds each. The island's stock of silver depended far more on private men turning their profits into bills on London than on any sale of the Company's goods. | |
416 | 15th June§ §1772 May 9th To Cash brought Over§ §10th To Ship Lord Camden§ §To Ship Calcutta§ §To Ship Pacific§ §15th To Exchange for a Set of Bills drawn upon the Honble. the Court of§ §To Ship Horsendon§ §18th To Exchange for a Set of Bills drawn as above payable to John§ §21 To Ship York§ §To Exchange for a Set of Bills drawn as above payable to§ §£ 12673 . 3 . ½§ §Per Contra Cr.§ §1772 May 31st By Balance remaining Viz.§ §£ 12673 . 3 . ½§ §John Skottowe§ | The Company's cash account for May 1772 continued as follows. 9 May 1772, cash brought forward, £12,064 9s 7½d On 10 May 1772 the Lord Camden paid in £2 17s 6d, the Calcutta £2 7s 4d and the Pacific £4 17s 1d. 15 May 1772, received in exchange for a set of bills drawn on the Court of Directors, payable to Captain William Thomson or his order, £100 0s 0d The Horsendon paid in £6 16s 0d. 18 May 1772, received in exchange for a set of bills drawn on the Court of Directors, payable to John Purling or his order, £412 17s 0d On 21 May 1772 the York paid in £3 18s 6d. 21 May 1772, received in exchange for a set of bills drawn on the Court of Directors, payable to Captain George Hayter or his order, £69 0s 0d Total, £12,673 3s 0½d The other side showed the balance in hand at the end of the month. 31 May 1772, balance in hand: In coin, £12,133 8s 0½d In cash notes, £539 15s 0d Balance, total, £12,673 3s 0½d Total, £12,673 3s 0½d John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the account. Interpretations The page before closed the account on 9 May 1772 and struck a balance. That was the day the last group of the fleet, the Calcutta and the Pacific, had its bills issued. The clerk carried the figure forward and went on with the rest of the month on this sheet. By 31 May 1772 the coin in the chest reached £12,133 8s 0½d, almost £5,000 more than at the end of March. No money had gone out since the quarter's pay day. Much of the new coin would leave again at the end of June, when the paymaster drew the next quarter's salaries and wages. | |
417 | 22d June§ §Mr. Matthew Bazett Reports that§ §Muster Roll of Ship Duke of Richmond§ §Thos. Hindman Commander§ §Isaac Scott 3 Mate§ §Mark Wm. Wood Surgeon§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 22 June 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 15 June 1772. The minutes recorded the following events. On Tuesday 16 June 1772 the Company's ships Queen and Salisbury sailed for England. The same day the boat of the Duke of Richmond came ashore at Banks's at eight in the morning, and the boat of the Grosvenor at half past eight. The Company's ships Duke of Richmond and Grosvenor arrived from China. A Danish ship from Bengal, the Kingdom's Wish, also arrived under Captain Sunderin. She was a ship of 600 tons, carrying 18 guns and 75 men, laden with Bengal goods and bound for Copenhagen. At half past nine on the morning of Friday 19 June 1772 the boat of the Talbot came ashore at Banks's, and the Company's ship Talbot arrived from China the same day. On Saturday 20 June 1772 a French ship from Mauritius, the Ange, arrived under the Baron de Clugny. Matthew Bazett reported that he had gone aboard the Duke of Richmond, the Grosvenor and the Talbot to muster their crews and search for deserters, and had found none. The muster roll of the Duke of Richmond began as follows. Thomas Hindman, commander Robert Collet, first mate William Fennell, second mate Francis Scott, third mate John Preston, fourth mate Thomas Yate, fifth mate Mark Nevin, surgeon James Smith, carpenter Robert Bryant, boatswain The roll continues on the next leaf. Interpretations The French ship came from Mauritius, which the French called the Île de France. It was their main base in the Indian Ocean, with a naval station and garrison, and the only power in the region that could seriously threaten St Helena. A French ship calling openly in time of peace could take water and provisions, but her officers would also see the batteries and the strength of the garrison. The Council recorded her name and commander just as it recorded the size and guns of every Danish and Swedish ship, so that the Court of Directors would know who had looked at the island's defences. | |
418 | 22d June§ §David Marshall Seaman§ §Anthy. Barnes Seaman§ §(signed)§ §Muster Roll of Ship Grosvenor§ §David Saunders Commander§ §Edw. Blake 6 Mate§ §Alex. Smith Ships Stewd.§ | The muster roll of the Duke of Richmond concluded as follows. Thomas Brown, gunner Francis Nichols, caulker James Smith, cooper James Ashman, ship's steward W. Tyson, captain's cook John Hill, ship's cook Benjamin Peterson, carpenter's first mate James Cummings, carpenter's second mate Lewis Williams, surgeon's mate Charles Moore, cooper's mate Thomas Duncan, boatswain's first mate Griffith Rees, gunner's mate George Straight, armourer Gilbert Elliott, midshipman Peter Frier, midshipman James Woolmore, midshipman James Patch, midshipman W. Dunn, quartermaster Charles Stuart, quartermaster and coxswain Alexander Cummings, quartermaster David Pringle, quartermaster William Pawson, sailmaker Fabian Whitehead, seaman John Ross, seaman William Oliphant, seaman John Leish, seaman Hugh Bayley, seaman David Marshall, seaman Thomas Wells, seaman James Gahagan, seaman Bartholomew McCann, seaman Daniel Carthy, seaman William Clarke, seaman John Gilbert, seaman William Davenport, seaman Humphrey Donnald, seaman Nicholas Gray, seaman James Widdlecomb, seaman Robert Barry, seaman Daniel Donaldson, seaman Moses Conner, seaman Henry Jacks, seaman Robert Bencroft, seaman Lawrence Jameson, seaman Matthew Jones, seaman W. Heneman, seaman Thomas Deagney, seaman James Saville, seaman Thomas Ashman, seaman Samuel Johnson, seaman John Welch, seaman George Crawford, seaman Thomas Henson, seaman Edward Williams, seaman Robert Reid, seaman Anthony Barnes, seaman Moses Flanders, seaman James Butterworth, seaman W. Kingsley, seaman Robert Wooldridge, seaman Christopher Bremer, seaman John Heylin, seaman Arthur Quigley, seaman Daniel Boyce, seaman James Orr, seaman Richard Witherall, seaman Andrew Angus, seaman John Parker, seaman John Jones, seaman W. Jameson, seaman John Pace, seaman W. Curry, seaman William Eemon, seaman John Gower, seaman Thomas Mullah, captain's servant W. Clipper, captain's servant James Chubb, first mate's servant William Bemish, second mate's servant James Stockton, surgeon's servant W. Rushley, carpenter's servant William Lightbound, boatswain's servant Samuel Goff, gunner's servant Thomas Hindman signed the roll as commander. The muster roll of the Grosvenor began as follows. David Saunders, commander James Beever, chief mate Thomas Ward, second mate Duncan Drummond, third mate James Haines, fourth mate John Inchford, fifth mate Edward Blake, sixth mate W. Thomson, surgeon Alexander Mitchell, purser John Adams, gunner John Bebin, carpenter Anthony Smith, boatswain Alexander Smith, ship's steward James King, captain's steward Samuel Hutch, surgeon's mate George Butcher, midshipman and coxswain Stephen Mosford, midshipman Brady Hepworth, midshipman The roll continues on the next leaf. | |
419 | 1772§ §Chas. Eggleston Seaman§ §Jo. Pennie Seaman§ §(signed)§ §Muster Roll of Ship Talbot§ §Chas. Hudson Commander§ §Geo. Barnes Purser§ §John Scott Sailmaker§ | The muster roll of the Grosvenor concluded as follows. Thomas Forbes, midshipman Alexander Logee, midshipman Richard Stephens, midshipman James Bruce, quartermaster David Brown, quartermaster James Manhood, quartermaster Archibald Dempster, quartermaster James Naughty, quartermaster Edward Hughes, caulker James Story, cooper Henry Dean, captain's cook W. Stephens, ship's cook Nathaniel Sykes, sailmaker James McLaughlin, armourer Thomas Dykes, poulterer W. Colins, butcher George Mowat, gunner's mate James Webb, carpenter's first mate Leighton Seabury, carpenter's second mate W. Toby, joiner James Ellis, cooper's mate Philip Patterson, boatswain's first mate Thomas Jaques, boatswain's second mate James Craighead, seaman Edward Salter, seaman Henry Gutchell, seaman Thomas Ewan, seaman John Green, seaman Charles Eggleston, seaman Charles Allen, seaman Peter Cobb, seaman Philip Thandesef, seaman William Jones, seaman William Rawlins, seaman William German, seaman Robert Joseph, seaman Thomas Ingg, seaman James Murphy, seaman James Rance, seaman Michael Martin, seaman Thomas Cille, seaman Jeffery Jacques, seaman David Morrison, seaman James Moodie, seaman Joseph Turner, seaman Bertrand Hayes, seaman Henry Gardner, seaman Thomas Schaller, seaman James Simpson, seaman David Willock, seaman Isaac Sloan, seaman Edward Hayes, seaman James Cruickshanks, seaman George Matthews, seaman Alexander Ogilvie, seaman Hartman Beard, seaman Lawrence Neal, seaman James Pennee, seaman James Forrest, seaman Adam Sinclair, seaman James Gordon, seaman John Miller, seaman W. Drummond, seaman Thomas White, seaman John Neil, seaman Thomas Black, seaman Joseph Macklewrath, seaman John Dick, seaman James Schofield, seaman Richard Conaway, seaman David Arnot, seaman John Roberts, seaman John Still, seaman Thomas Walker, seaman Joseph Dunn, captain's servant John Evans, captain's servant James Leath, chief mate's servant James Abbey, second mate's servant Charles Ashley, surgeon's servant James Ranch, carpenter's servant Alexander Williams, boatswain's servant George Davies, gunner's servant Thomas Peat, seaman John Mitchel, seaman Thomas Harrison, seaman David Saunders signed the roll as commander. The muster roll of the Talbot began as follows. Charles Hudson, commander James Handy, first mate Edward Robertson, third mate Justinian Nutt, third mate Thomas Delbridge, fourth mate Francis Anstruther, fifth mate George Barnes, purser James Clarke, surgeon W. Read, carpenter James Tucker, boatswain Andrew Fox, gunner Thomas Poulter, caulker John Scott, sailmaker Gilbert Haslop, cooper W. McKee, ship's steward George Magor, captain's steward James Bartholomew, ship's cook Thomas Combe, ship's steward The roll continues on the next leaf. | |
420 | 22d June§ §Willm. Griggs Seaman§ §Thos. Tepler Seaman§ §Mr. Walton a Passenger§ | The muster roll of the Talbot concluded as follows. John Gray, carpenter's mate James Farrell, surgeon's mate Richard Ashley, caulker's mate Robert Lavender, boatswain's mate W. Leydon, boatswain's second mate Henry Castles, gunner's mate Michael Flemming, gunner's second mate Charles Cooper, quartermaster John Moore, quartermaster Richard Hicks, quartermaster James Thomas, quartermaster Richard Night, quartermaster George Meathers, quartermaster Thomas Penlock, armourer Charles Hudson, midshipman and coxswain James Barret, midshipman Richard Underwood, midshipman John Appleby, midshipman Francis Ellis, midshipman James Cameron, seaman Charles Gladwin, seaman W. Bennett, seaman Samuel Tyler, seaman John Doford, seaman Christopher Shakespear, seaman W. Gurney, seaman John Barlow, seaman William Wait, seaman William Griggs, seaman James Gladen, seaman James Watbraugh, seaman James Farlam, seaman W. Moore, seaman John Faran, seaman John Hardy, seaman James Ansel, seaman William Williams, seaman James Newgar, seaman W. McBraly, seaman Jonas Willson, seaman Lawrence Darr, seaman James Eldred, seaman Peter Chuckett, seaman Erick Ratholm, seaman Friend Tomlen, seaman Samuel Neal, seaman Anthony Ennes, seaman Joseph Doravon, seaman John Marriott, seaman Michael Day, seaman Simon Fox, seaman W. Curry, seaman W. Bakeford, seaman Benjamin Sprawley, seaman James Sprawley, seaman Thomas Tepler, seaman James Sporg, seaman John Baker, seaman Robert Taylor, seaman Robert Barker, seaman Alexander Nelson, seaman Joseph Land, seaman John Bennet, seaman James Casper, seaman George Elden, seaman W. Pritchard, seaman John Freeman, seaman James Garden, seaman W. Rumsby, seaman Thomas Narres, seaman David Wilkinson, seaman James King, seaman John Walker, seaman Samuel Guy, first mate's servant James Anderson, second mate's servant W. Clarke, surgeon's servant Thomas Myles, carpenter's servant John Payne, boatswain's servant Thomas Punnet, gunner's servant W. Draper, seaman Robert Dowset, seaman David Young, seaman Berkshire, captain's servant Passengers: Mr Walton Charles Hudson signed the roll as commander. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minutes of the meeting. | |
421 | 27th June§ §We this day Granted the following Bills of§ | The Council met at the Castle on Saturday 27 June 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 22 June 1772. The Company's ship Grosvenor sailed for England on Tuesday 23 June 1772, and the Danish ship Kingdom's Wish sailed for Copenhagen the same day. The Company's ship Duke of Richmond sailed for England on Thursday 25 June 1772. The Council issued two sets of bills of exchange that day, drawn on the Court of Directors. Both were payable 90 days after they were presented in London. Matthew Purling, payable to Captain Thomas Hindman or his order, £100 0s 0d William Wrangham, payable to R. Collet or his order, £152 16s 3d John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations Both bills were made payable to officers of the Duke of Richmond, which had sailed two days earlier. Thomas Hindman was her commander and Robert Collet her first mate. Purling and Wrangham had evidently bought goods from the ship's private trade while she lay in the road. They paid for them after she sailed by bills on London, so the money would be waiting for Hindman and Collet when the ship reached England. Even a councillor sending large sums home to his own family also bought on credit from the ships like any other inhabitant. | |
422 | 29th June§ §Mr. James Desfountain this day§ §To the Worshipful John Skottowe Esqr. Governor§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 29 June 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 27 June 1772. The Company's ship Talbot sailed for England on 28 June 1772, and the French ship Le Sage sailed for Brest the same day. James Desfontaine petitioned the Governor and Council on 29 June 1772. He wished to sell his interest in seven acres of land called Yams, in the East Division of the island. He asked the Board to accept Matthew Bazett as the new tenant. The Board agreed, and John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the grant. Interpretations Matthew Bazett sat on the Board that approved his own new lease and signed the grant. A fourth member had been added to the Council partly so that business would not depend on a councillor judging his own case, yet Bazett did not stand aside. Leases moved freely within the small circle of the Company's officers. On 2 December 1771 Desfontaine had taken over two leases from Lieutenant John Bazett. Now he passed land to Matthew Bazett, and the Council's consent recorded the change without asking why. | |
423 | 2d July§ §This day Arrived the Honorable Company's Ship Earl of§ | The Council met at the Castle on Thursday 2 July 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 29 June 1772. The Company's ship Earl of Sandwich arrived from England that day and brought a packet of letters from the Court of Directors. The members opened and read it. They then told each of the gentlemen named in it what the Company had decided about him. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations The Council met on a Thursday because a ship from England had come in with the Court's letters. A packet from London was the island's only regular news of decisions made about it, and the Council read it at once. Several officers learned their fate in the same sitting. As with the packet of 16 April 1772, which put Bazett on the Council and changed the store prices, the minute records only that each man was told. The Court's actual decisions would appear in the business of the meetings that followed. | |
424 | 6th July§ §We this day received the following Letter from Capt.§ §To the Worshipful John Skottowe Esqr. Governor§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 6 July 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 2 July 1772. Robert Hurst, a private soldier, died on 5 July 1772. The Council received a letter from Captain James Tippet, dated 6 July 1772. Over the last quarter his workmen had been mainly employed on the officers' barracks, on preparing for the new church and on repairing the damage done by the flood in James's Valley. With the Council's permission, he meant to spend the coming quarter pressing ahead as fast as possible with the officers' barracks. He would also carry on the preparations for the planned new church and build a convenient landing place in James's Valley. Interpretations The landing place was new to Tippet's quarterly programme. Every boat from the ships in the road came ashore at Jamestown, and every cask, crate and passenger had to be landed over rocks in the swell. The paymaster's accounts show labourers hauling boats up the beach and carrying stores from the crane, and the storekeeper's lists record breakage on landing. The record of the season just ended, with more than 30 Company ships calling between February and June, showed how much traffic passed through that one spot. A proper landing would save labour and losses every season, and the quiet months of the southern winter, with few ships in the road, gave the engineer time to build it. | |
425 | 1772§ §Mr. James Powell this day presented the following§ §To the Worshipful John Skottowe Esqr. Governor &c.§ | The Council ordered Captain Tippet to carry out the works in his letter as quickly as possible. James Pavell, the storekeeper, presented a letter to the Governor and Council that day. He wrote that he was sorry to have to set out his situation before them, but felt bound to do so in fairness to himself. He had entered the United East India Company's service as a writer. After five years in that grade he became a factor, and he held that rank until 1748. In that year, as the senior factor, he was appointed assistant storekeeper. In 1756 he was appointed storekeeper, and he had held the office ever since. Pavell reminded the Council that it knew well the heavy responsibility of the post. The office carried a great deal of business and required almost constant attendance. For some years past the work had grown much heavier because the garrison had been enlarged and new fortifications built. Despite the strain of so complicated a job, he had carried out every part of it cheerfully and to the satisfaction of his superiors, as the Council could confirm. He had relied on the Company's favour to promote him by seniority whenever a vacancy arose. He added that close attention to business had badly damaged his health, and that he had often come to his office when he was very unwell. Pavell asked the Council to consider how deeply it must hurt a man to be passed over after 31 years' service. The hurt was all the greater because the promotion had gone to a gentleman several years junior to him. That man had been appointed as his assistant when Pavell became storekeeper and had remained in that office. The letter continues on the next leaf. Interpretations The packet from the Court that arrived in the Earl of Sandwich on 2 July 1772 had evidently promoted someone over Pavell's head. The Company's civil servants expected to rise by seniority, writer to factor to senior posts, and Pavell's letter rests entirely on that expectation. He set out his 31 years and his steady climb through the grades as proof of his claim. A promotion given out of turn broke the unwritten rule on which every junior servant on the island built his hopes. Pavell could not appeal to the Court directly from St Helena with any speed, so he laid his complaint before the Council, the body that would forward the island's letters home and whose support might carry weight in London. | |
426 | 6th July§ | Pavell's letter went on to explain how he believed he had been passed over. Matthew Bazett had served as his assistant for about four years and was then made Secretary. Pavell was inclined to think the Court had acted by mistake, and he asked leave to set out why. When the Court decided to add another member to the Council, it had probably looked at the island's pay list of civil servants. Finding Bazett's name above Pavell's, it would have taken Bazett to be first in line for promotion. Pavell explained how that order had arisen. When Bazett was appointed Secretary, John Clark was paymaster. For reasons Pavell did not know, and contrary to all proper practice, Clark placed Bazett above Pavell on the pay list. Pavell did not notice this for a long time. He believed he would have let it pass even if he had known at once, because his seniority over Bazett rested on years of service that nothing could undo. He held Bazett in the highest regard and was well aware of his merits. He hoped Bazett would not take offence at this step, since he thought Bazett would do the same in his position. Pavell asked the Council to enter his letter in that day's minutes for the Court of Directors to see. He also asked it to send the Court its own opinion on the matter. He hoped the Court would consider his long service and grant whatever redress it thought fair. He apologised for taking up so much of the Council's time. James Pavell signed the letter at St Helena on 6 July 1772. Interpretations The quarterly pay lists bear out Pavell's account. In both the lists for the last quarter of 1771 and the first quarter of 1772, Matthew Bazett, secretary, stands above James Pavell, storekeeper. To a Court in London that knew the island's servants only from such papers, the order of names looked like the order of seniority. A paymaster's careless or partial placing of one name had thus, years later, decided who would sit on the Council. Pavell's complaint shows how far careers in the Company's distant settlements turned on documents read by men who had never met the people named in them. Pavell had to make his protest to a Council on which Bazett himself now sat and whose minutes Bazett would sign. He was careful to praise Bazett and to blame only the paymaster and the Court's mistake. A direct attack on a sitting councillor would have damaged his standing on a small island where the two men would go on working side by side. By asking for his letter to be entered in the minutes, he ensured that it would go home with the island's dispatches and reach the Court whatever the Council chose to say about it. | |
427 | 1772§ §Mr. Bazett begs leave to observe on the -§ | The Council answered that, as to what Pavell said about his length of service, it could only remark that his account was correct. Matthew Bazett asked leave to comment on the letter. He did not believe that Clark had meant anything by placing him on the list of servants where his predecessor, William Wrangham, had stood, or that he had done so to hide the fact that Bazett was junior to Pavell. It had happened purely by accident. Any such design would have failed if Pavell had claimed his seniority before the Governor and Council, which he never once tried to do in 12 years. Bazett also pointed out that Captain [...], who had long held a seat on the Board, was junior to Pavell in the service. Pavell had never complained then, or thought it a hardship to be passed over. Bazett added that the Court of Directors alone had the right to make appointments and were the best judges of whom to promote. Since the Court had chosen him for the vacant seat, he hoped to keep its favour by doing his duty faithfully in his new post. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations The Council confirmed Pavell's facts but gave no opinion on the justice of his claim, although he had asked it to. Bazett, a member of the Board and the man who gained by the Court's choice, answered the complaint himself in the same minute, and every member signed it, including Bazett. The record that went home to the Court therefore set Pavell's grievance beside a rebuttal from the very man it concerned, endorsed by the whole Council. Bazett's defence turned Pavell's patience against him. Pavell had let the order of names on the pay list stand for 12 years without protest, and had accepted an earlier promotion of a junior officer to the Board. Bazett treated that silence as consent. His last point carried the most weight: promotion was the Court's to give, and a servant could not claim a seat as of right. By resting his case on the Court's authority, Bazett made any challenge to his appointment a challenge to the Directors' judgement. | |
428 | 13th July§ §The Ships Lord Holland and Lord North§ §Invoice of Ship Lord Holland§ §Batavia Arrack 2 Leagrs.§ §Rice 30 Bags Gross Wt. 42 . 3 . 6§ §Paddy 30 Bags Gross Wt. 35 . 3 . 27§ §Carried over§ | The Council met at the Castle on Monday 13 July 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 6 July 1772. The minutes recorded the following events. John Pritchard, the surgeon's mate, died on Friday 10 July 1772. At a quarter to six on the morning of Saturday 11 July 1772 the boat of the Lord Holland came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Lord Holland arrived from Madras the same day. At half past seven on the morning of 12 July 1772 the boat of the Lord North came ashore at Banks's. The Company's ship Lord North arrived the same day from Madras, last from the Cape. The Lord Holland and the Lord North brought supplies for the island. The invoice of the Lord Holland began as follows. Batavia arrack, 2 leaguers, gauged at 292 gallons, at 50 pagodas a leaguer, 100 pagodas Rice, 30 bags, gross 42 cwt 3 qr [...], tare 2 cwt 1 qr 16 lb, net 40 cwt 2 qr 20 lb, being 196⅞ [...] at [...] a garce, 39 pagodas 22 fanams 30 cash Paddy, 39 bags, gross 35 cwt 3 qr 27 lb, tare 1 cwt 1 qr 16 lb, net 34 cwt 2 qr 11 lb, being 250 [...] at 10 pagodas a garce, 25 pagodas Carried forward, 164 pagodas 22 fanams 30 cash Interpretations The Lord Holland's invoice was made out in the currency and measures of Madras. The pagoda was divided into fanams, small silver coins, and the fanam into cash, tiny copper pieces. Grain on the Coromandel coast was sold by the garce, a large measure of volume holding several tons. Prices were quoted by the garce and then reduced in proportion to the quantity actually shipped. The arrack still came from Batavia, even by way of Madras, because Batavia arrack was the strongest and best known in the eastern trade. The Madras council was answering the Council's long-standing requests for rice, paddy and arrack, so the island now drew its staples from all three presidencies. John Pritchard had drawn £26 5s 0d a quarter as surgeon's mate, and his death left Robert Barclay as the only medical officer for the garrison, the hospital and the slaves. | |
429 | 1772§ §Charges Merchandize§ §Gunny Bags 142 @ P. 6½ p %§ §Twine 5 @ 12½ p Candy§ §Tin Plates & Nails§ §Cooley Hire on Rice Arrack &c.§ §Weighg. Cooley 17 Candy @ 20 Cash p Candy§ §Boat & Cooley Hire on three Boats @ 10 . 20 p 15§ §Inspection Hire on two Boats§ §11 . 10 . 72§ §Pagodas 175 . 33 . 22§ §Errors Excepted§ §Invoice of Ship Lord North§ §Rice 32 Bags Gross Wt. 41 . 3 . 19§ §Paddy 40 Bags Gross Wt. 37 . 3 . 15§ §Batavia Arrack 2 Leaguers§ §Carried over§ | The invoice of the Lord Holland concluded with the charges on the goods. Brought forward, 164 pagodas 22 fanams 30 cash Gunny bags, 142, at [...], 9 fanams 52 cash Twine, 3 [...], at 12½ pagodas a candy, 5 fanams 20 cash Tin plates and nails, 9 fanams Hire of porters for the rice, arrack and other goods, 16 fanams Weighing porters, 17 candies at 20 cash a candy, 4 fanams 20 cash Hire of boats and porters, three boats at [...], 30 fanams 60 cash Hire of a superintendent for the boats, 2 fanams Charges, total, 11 pagodas 10 fanams 72 cash Total, 175 pagodas 33 fanams 22 cash George Moubray signed the invoice as accountant, subject to any errors. The invoice of the Lord North began as follows. Rice, 32 bags, gross 41 cwt 3 qr 19 lb, tare at 2 lb a bag 0 cwt 2 qr 8 lb, net 41 cwt 1 qr 11 lb, being 4,631 lb or 200½ marcals, at 20 pagodas 18 fanams a garce, 40 pagodas 9 fanams 72 cash Paddy, 40 bags, gross 37 cwt 3 qr 15 lb, tare at 4 lb a bag 1 cwt 1 qr 20 lb, net 36 cwt 1 qr 23 lb, being 250 marcals at 10 marcals a pagoda, 25 pagodas Batavia arrack, 2 leaguers, holding 237 gallons, at 65 pagodas a leaguer, 130 pagodas Carried forward, 195 pagodas 9 fanams 72 cash Interpretations The Lord North's two leaguers of arrack held only 237 gallons, against 292 in the Lord Holland's, yet cost 65 pagodas each against 50. Batavia arrack reached Madras only by way of the country trade, and its price there rose and fell with each cargo. The two Madras invoices show the Company buying the same goods in the same port within weeks at very different rates. The marcal was the Madras grain measure, a little over 20 lb of rice. The garce held 400 marcals, so the rice price per garce was reduced in proportion to the marcals shipped. A candy was the Madras weight of about 500 lb, used here to price twine and to pay the weighing porters. | |
430 | 13th July§ §Charges Merchandize§ §Gunny Bags 144 @ 4½ p %§ §Tin Plates & Nails§ §Twine to mend the Bags§ §Cooley Hire on Rice & Paddy§ §Do. on Batavia Arrack 2 Leagrs.§ §Weighg. Cooley for Candys @ 20 Cash p Candy§ §Boat & Cooley Hire on 3 Boats @ 10 . 20 p 15§ §Tarpaulin Hire on two Boats @ 4 p Do.§ §8 . 10 . 33§ §Pagodas 203 . 20 . 25§ §Errors Excepted§ §Mr. Robert Barclay this day presented§ §To the Worshipful John Skottowe Esqr. Governor§ | The invoice of the Lord North concluded with the charges on the goods. Brought forward, 195 pagodas 9 fanams 72 cash Gunny bags, 144, at 4½ pagodas a hundred, 6 pagodas 20 fanams 13 cash Tin plates and nails, 8 fanams Twine to mend the bags, 5 fanams 20 cash Hire of porters for the rice and paddy, 9 fanams Hire of porters for 2 leaguers of Batavia arrack, 6 fanams Weighing porters, 7 candies at 20 cash a candy, 4 fanams 20 cash Hire of boats and porters, three boats at 10 fanams 20 cash each, 30 fanams 60 cash Hire of tarpaulins for two boats, at 4 fanams each, 8 fanams Charges, total, 8 pagodas 10 fanams 33 cash Total, 203 pagodas 20 fanams 25 cash George Moubray signed the invoice as accountant, subject to any errors. Robert Barclay presented a letter to the Governor and Council on 13 July 1772. Thomas Seward had arrived on the island, appointed by the Court of Directors to succeed Barclay as surgeon. Barclay therefore asked leave to resign from the East India Company's service. He also asked permission to return to England in one of the ships expected that season. The Council's answer follows. Interpretations The Court had sent out a new surgeon without, so far as the minutes show, dismissing Barclay or explaining the change. Seward probably came in the Earl of Sandwich on 2 July 1772, when the Council read the packet and told several gentlemen of the Company's decisions concerning them. Barclay had served as the island's surgeon and supplied the hospital at his own charge, and he had just lost his mate, John Pritchard, three days earlier. Faced with a successor already on the island, he chose to resign and go home rather than stay on in a lesser post. | |
431 | 1772§ §The Governor laid the following Letter before the Board which he§ §Mr. Matthew Bazett requesting liberty to have two§ §The Plantation Account for the Quarter and the Expence of§ | After Barclay's resignation, the Council admitted Thomas Seward as surgeon of the island, in line with the Company's appointment. The Governor laid before the Board a letter he had received from the Reverend William Bearcroft, dated at James's Valley on 13 July 1772. Bearcroft intended to leave the Company's service as chaplain of St Helena in April 1773. If his successor had not arrived from England by then, he would leave as soon as the new chaplain came in the ships of that season. He asked Governor Skottowe to tell the Council of his intention and, through the Council, to inform the Directors at home. Matthew Bazett asked leave to have two bills of sale and two assignments registered. The Board agreed. The plantation account for the quarter was then laid before the Board, together with the accounts of artillery stores used and the steward's accounts for June 1772. The members examined and approved them. The accounts follow below. Interpretations Bearcroft gave the Council nine months' notice, much longer than anyone on the island usually gave. He knew that a chaplain could only be replaced from England. His letter had to reach the Court with the island's dispatches, the Court had to find a clergyman, and the new man had to come out with the next season's ships. Without that warning the island would have been left with no clergyman to baptise, marry and bury, perhaps for more than a year. He offered to stay on if his successor was late, so that St Helena would not be without a minister. A bill of sale transferred the ownership of goods, often slaves or a house, and an assignment transferred a lease or a debt to another person. Registering them in the Council's records gave them legal force on an island that had no separate registry office. Bazett, a member of the Council, made the request and took part in granting it, as he had done with the lease of Yams on 29 June 1772. | |
432 | 13th July§ §Neat Cattle Bulls, Neat Cattle Cows, Neat Cattle Calves, Neat Cattle Yearlings, Neat Cattle Heifers, Neat Cattle Steers, Neat Cattle Oxen, Neat Cattle Total, Sheep Ewes, Sheep Weathers, Sheep Lambs, Sheep Rams, Sheep Total, Goats Ewes, Goats Weathers, Goats Kids, Goats Rams, Goats Total, Hogs Sows, Hogs Boars, Hogs Pigs, Hogs Barrows, Hogs Total, Horses Horses, Horses Mares, Horses Total, Poultry Fowls, Poultry Ducks, Poultry Turkeys, Poultry Geese§ §Remaining: Neat Cattle Bulls 7, Neat Cattle Cows 102, Neat Cattle Calves 22, Neat Cattle Yearlings 18, Neat Cattle Heifers 35, Neat Cattle Steers 47, Neat Cattle Oxen 16, Neat Cattle Total 257, Sheep Ewes 211, Sheep Weathers 27, Sheep Lambs 36, Sheep Rams 10, Sheep Total 284, Goats Ewes 110, Goats Weathers 39, Goats Kids 18, Goats Rams 7, Goats Total 174, Hogs Sows 4, Hogs Boars 5, Hogs Pigs 16, Hogs Barrows 1, Hogs Total 26, Horses Horses 6, Horses Mares 7, Horses Total 13, Poultry Fowls 78, Poultry Ducks 6, Poultry Turkeys 18, Poultry Geese 2§ §Encreased: Neat Cattle Bulls 0, Neat Cattle Cows 0, Neat Cattle Calves 39, Neat Cattle Yearlings 0, Neat Cattle Heifers 0, Neat Cattle Steers 0, Neat Cattle Oxen 0, Neat Cattle Total 39, Sheep Ewes 0, Sheep Weathers 0, Sheep Lambs 3, Sheep Rams 0, Sheep Total 3, Goats Ewes 0, Goats Weathers 0, Goats Kids 20, Goats Rams 0, Goats Total 20, Hogs Sows 0, Hogs Boars 0, Hogs Pigs 8, Hogs Barrows 0, Hogs Total 8, Horses Horses 0, Horses Mares 0, Horses Total 0, Poultry Fowls 16, Poultry Ducks 0, Poultry Turkeys 17, Poultry Geese 0§ §Received: Neat Cattle Bulls 2, Neat Cattle Cows 0, Neat Cattle Calves 0, Neat Cattle Yearlings 0, Neat Cattle Heifers 3, Neat Cattle Steers 0, Neat Cattle Oxen 0, Neat Cattle Total 5, Sheep Ewes 0, Sheep Weathers 86, Sheep Lambs 0, Sheep Rams 0, Sheep Total 86, Goats Ewes 0, Goats Weathers 0, Goats Kids 0, Goats Rams 0, Goats Total 0, Hogs Sows 0, Hogs Boars 0, Hogs Pigs 0, Hogs Barrows 0, Hogs Total 0, Horses Horses 0, Horses Mares 0, Horses Total 0, Poultry Fowls 0, Poultry Ducks 0, Poultry Turkeys 0, Poultry Geese 0§ §Total: Neat Cattle Bulls 9, Neat Cattle Cows 102, Neat Cattle Calves 61, Neat Cattle Yearlings 18, Neat Cattle Heifers 38, Neat Cattle Steers 47, Neat Cattle Oxen 16, Neat Cattle Total 291, Sheep Ewes 211, Sheep Weathers 113, Sheep Lambs 39, Sheep Rams 10, Sheep Total 373, Goats Ewes 110, Goats Weathers 39, Goats Kids 38, Goats Rams 7, Goats Total 194, Hogs Sows 4, Hogs Boars 5, Hogs Pigs 24, Hogs Barrows 1, Hogs Total 34, Horses Horses 6, Horses Mares 7, Horses Total 13, Poultry Fowls 94, Poultry Ducks 6, Poultry Turkeys 35, Poultry Geese 2§ §Killed: Neat Cattle Bulls 0, Neat Cattle Cows 1, Neat Cattle Calves 0, Neat Cattle Yearlings 0, Neat Cattle Heifers 12, Neat Cattle Steers 9, Neat Cattle Oxen 0, Neat Cattle Total 22, Sheep Ewes 7, Sheep Weathers 31, Sheep Lambs 5, Sheep Rams 0, Sheep Total 43, Goats Ewes 7, Goats Weathers 12, Goats Kids 4, Goats Rams 0, Goats Total 23, Hogs Sows 0, Hogs Boars 1, Hogs Pigs 3, Hogs Barrows 0, Hogs Total 4, Horses Horses 0, Horses Mares 0, Horses Total 0, Poultry Fowls 14, Poultry Ducks 0, Poultry Turkeys 6, Poultry Geese 0§ §Dead: Neat Cattle Bulls 0, Neat Cattle Cows 0, Neat Cattle Calves 5, Neat Cattle Yearlings 1, Neat Cattle Heifers 1, Neat Cattle Steers 4, Neat Cattle Oxen 0, Neat Cattle Total 11, Sheep Ewes 4, Sheep Weathers 11, Sheep Lambs 12, Sheep Rams 0, Sheep Total 27, Goats Ewes 3, Goats Weathers 2, Goats Kids 4, Goats Rams 0, Goats Total 9, Hogs Sows 0, Hogs Boars 0, Hogs Pigs 3, Hogs Barrows 0, Hogs Total 3, Horses Horses 0, Horses Mares 0, Horses Total 0, Poultry Fowls 35, Poultry Ducks 4, Poultry Turkeys 0, Poultry Geese 2§ §Remaining: Neat Cattle Bulls 9, Neat Cattle Cows 101, Neat Cattle Calves 56, Neat Cattle Yearlings 17, Neat Cattle Heifers 25, Neat Cattle Steers 34, Neat Cattle Oxen 16, Neat Cattle Total 258, Sheep Ewes 200, Sheep Weathers 71, Sheep Lambs 22, Sheep Rams 10, Sheep Total 303, Goats Ewes 100, Goats Weathers 25, Goats Kids 30, Goats Rams 7, Goats Total 162, Hogs Sows 4, Hogs Boars 4, Hogs Pigs 18, Hogs Barrows 1, Hogs Total 27, Horses Horses 5, Horses Mares 7, Horses Total 12, Poultry Fowls 45, Poultry Ducks 2, Poultry Turkeys 29, Poultry Geese 0§ §Slaves Born 1 Boy named Jack Worden§ §Yam expended for the Slaves§ §Do. Do. for the Stock§ §Sold a Mule for§ §E. Excepted§ | The Company's stock of cattle and other animals between 1 April and 30 June 1772 was as follows. Cattle in hand at the start: bulls 7, cows 102, calves 22, yearlings 18, heifers 35, steers 47, oxen 16, total 247 Cattle added by birth: calves 39, total 39 Cattle received: bulls 2, heifers 3, total 5 Cattle in all: bulls 9, cows 102, calves 61, yearlings 18, heifers 38, steers 47, oxen 16, total 291 Cattle killed: bulls 0, cows 1, calves 0, yearlings 0, heifers 12, steers 9, oxen 0, total 22 Cattle died: bulls 0, cows 0, calves 5, yearlings 1, heifers 1, steers 4, oxen 0, total 11 Cattle in hand at the end: bulls 9, cows 101, calves 56, yearlings 17, heifers 25, steers 34, oxen 16, total 258 Sheep in hand at the start: ewes 211, wethers 27, lambs 36, rams 10, total 284 Sheep added by birth: lambs 3, total 3 Sheep received: wethers 86, total 86 Sheep in all: ewes 211, wethers 113, lambs 39, rams 10, total 373 Sheep killed: ewes 7, wethers 31, lambs 5, rams 0, total 43 Sheep died: ewes 4, wethers 11, lambs 12, rams 0, total 27 Sheep in hand at the end: ewes 200, wethers 71, lambs 22, rams 10, total 303 Goats in hand at the start: nannies 110, wethers 39, kids 18, billies 7, total 174 Goats added by birth: kids 20, total 20 Goats in all: nannies 110, wethers 39, kids 38, billies 7, total 194 Goats killed: nannies 7, wethers 12, kids 4, billies 0, total 23 Goats died: nannies 3, wethers 2, kids 4, billies 0, total 9 Goats in hand at the end: nannies 100, wethers 25, kids 30, billies 7, total 162 Hogs in hand at the start: sows 4, boars 5, pigs 16, barrows 1, total 26 Hogs added by birth: pigs 8, total 8 Hogs in all: sows 4, boars 5, pigs 24, barrows 1, total 34 Hogs killed: sows 0, boars 1, pigs 3, barrows 0, total 4 Hogs died: sows 0, boars 0, pigs 3, barrows 0, total 3 Hogs in hand at the end: sows 4, boars 4, pigs 18, barrows 1, total 27 Horses in hand at the start: horses 6, mares 7, total 13 Horses in hand at the end: horses 5, mares 7, total 12 Poultry in hand at the start: fowls 78, ducks 6, turkeys 18, geese 2 Poultry added: fowls 16, ducks 0, turkeys 17, geese 0 Poultry in all: fowls 94, ducks 6, turkeys 35, geese 2 Poultry killed: fowls 14, ducks 0, turkeys 6, geese 0 Poultry died: fowls 35, ducks 4, turkeys 0, geese 2 Poultry in hand at the end: fowls 45, ducks 2, turkeys 29, geese 0 Slaves born: 1 boy named Jack Wordens, 1 boy named Tom Blake Slaves died: 1 man named Jack Daniel, 1 man named Nero, 1 boy named Tom Blake, 1 girl named Tilla Yams used for the slaves, 15,540 Yams used for the stock, 9,300 Mule sold, £2 4s 0d Daniel Corneille signed the account, subject to any errors. Interpretations The 86 wethers received were the Cape sheep bought from the passing ships during the season: 12 from Captain Hough, 15 from Captain Milford, 36 from Captain Rice of the Dutton and 28 from Captain Abercromby of the Grenville. With the herd strengthened by the cattle from the Cape and 39 calves born, the Company could at last kill 22 head in the quarter, against only four in the three months before. The new beasts let it feed the busy table and the ships from its own stock and lean less on the planters. The yams issued to the slaves fell to 15,540, from 67,390 in the first quarter of 1772. The quarter from April to June covered the southern autumn and early winter, when the yam crop was dug and stored. Little fresh produce was left to issue from the plantation. The slaves instead lived on the rice that had poured in from Bengal, Bombay and Madras through the season. A boy named Tom Blake was born and died within the same three months, and the deaths of two men, a boy and a girl in a single quarter show a heavy toll on the Company's slaves during the cold, wet season on the uplands. | |
433 | 1772§ §Guns fired, 9 Prs., 6 Prs., 4 Prs., 1 Prs., Powder expended lb, Powder expended oz§ §4 Fired to Celebrate his Majesty's Birth Day: Guns fired 21, 9 Prs. 5, 6 Prs. 16, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 38, Powder expended oz 0§ §5 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder expended lb 14, Powder expended oz 8§ §Arrived the Grenville: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 13, Powder expended oz 8§ §6 An Alarm: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 6, 1 Prs. 3, Powder expended lb 21, Powder expended oz 0§ §7 Arrived the Queen & Salisbury: Guns fired 18, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 18, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 27, Powder expended oz 0§ §Alarm at Prosperous Bay: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder expended lb 14, Powder expended oz 8§ §13 Departed the Grenville: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 21, Powder expended oz 0§ §14 A Double Alarm: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 6, 1 Prs. 3, Powder expended lb 21, Powder expended oz 0§ §16 Departed the Salisbury & Queen: Guns fired 30, 9 Prs. 10, 6 Prs. 20, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 50, Powder expended oz 0§ §Arrived the Grosvenor & Duke of Richmond: Guns fired 18, 9 Prs. 5, 6 Prs. 13, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 30, Powder expended oz 0§ §An Alarm at Prosperous Bay: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder expended lb 14, Powder expended oz 8§ §Do. at Turks Cap: Guns fired 2, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 2, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 4, Powder expended oz 0§ §Arrived a Danish Ship: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 13, Powder expended oz 8§ §19 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder expended lb 14, Powder expended oz 8§ §Arrived the Talbot: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 13, Powder expended oz 8§ §21 An Alarm: Guns fired 6, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 4, 1 Prs. 2, Powder expended lb 14, Powder expended oz 8§ §22 Arrived the St. Ange a French Ship of War: Guns fired 13, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 13, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 19, Powder expended oz 8§ §23 Departed the Grosvenor: Guns fired 9, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 9, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 13, Powder expended oz 8§ §Do. the Danish Ship: Guns fired 11, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 11, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 16, Powder expended oz 8§ §Powder for Sundry Services: Guns fired 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 136, Powder expended oz 6§ §Do. for Ladder Hill Road: Guns fired 0, 9 Prs. 0, 6 Prs. 0, 4 Prs. 0, 1 Prs. 0, Powder expended lb 70, Powder expended oz 0§ §Total: Guns fired 206, 9 Prs. 20, 6 Prs. 136, 4 Prs. 34, 1 Prs. 16, Powder expended lb 580, Powder expended oz 14§ §Lead Ball to Shoot Goats§ §Tallow§ §Bees Wax§ §Match§ §Paper§ §Sponge Nails§ §Handspikes§ §Bitts§ §(signed)§ | The artillery stores used in June 1772 were as follows. 4 June 1772, salute for His Majesty's birthday, guns fired 21, 9-pounders 5, 6-pounders 16, powder 38 lb 5 June 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 14 lb 8 oz 6 June 1772, alarm, guns fired 9, 4-pounders 6, 1-pounders 3, powder 21 lb 7 June 1772, alarm at Prosperous Bay, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 14 lb 8 oz 14 June 1772, double alarm, guns fired 9, 4-pounders 6, 1-pounders 3, powder 21 lb 16 June 1772, alarm at Prosperous Bay, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 14 lb 8 oz 16 June 1772, alarm at Turk's Cap, guns fired 2, 4-pounders 2, powder 4 lb 19 June 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 14 lb 8 oz 21 June 1772, alarm, guns fired 6, 4-pounders 4, 1-pounders 2, powder 14 lb 8 oz Salutes of 9 guns, all 6-pounders, each using 13 lb 8 oz of powder, marked the arrival of the Grenville on 5 June, a Danish ship on 16 June and the Talbot on 19 June 1772, and the departure of the Grosvenor on 23 June 1772. The departure of the Grenville on 13 June 1772 took 9 six-pounders and 21 lb of powder. An 18-gun salute of 6-pounders, using 27 lb of powder, marked the arrival of the Queen and the Salisbury on 7 June 1772. A 30-gun salute, ten 9-pounders and 20 six-pounders, using 50 lb of powder, marked their departure on 16 June 1772. An 18-gun salute, five 9-pounders and 13 six-pounders, using 30 lb of powder, marked the arrival of the Grosvenor and the Duke of Richmond the same day. A 13-gun salute of 6-pounders, using 19 lb 8 oz of powder, greeted the French warship Le Sage on 22 June 1772. An 11-gun salute of 6-pounders, using 16 lb 8 oz of powder, marked the departure of the Danish ship on 23 June 1772. Powder for various services, 136 lb 6 oz Powder for the Ladder Hill road, 70 lb Total, guns fired 206, 9-pounders 20, 6-pounders 136, 4-pounders 34, 1-pounders 16, powder 380 lb 14 oz Lead ball for shooting goats, 3 lb 11 oz Tallow, 2 lb Beeswax, 4 lb Slow match, 7 lb Paper, 1½ quires Tacks, 40 Handspikes, 2 Bolts, 7 James Tippet signed the account as captain of artillery. The next heading, Sundries, begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations The Le Sage was entered in the gunners' account as a French ship of war, not a merchant ship as the minutes might suggest. She came from Mauritius under the Baron de Clugny, and the batteries greeted her with 13 guns, a salute reserved for a foreign warship and more than a merchant ship received. Courtesy between nations at peace required it, and the island answered gun for gun. The salute also let the French officers hear how many guns St Helena could bring to bear, while the garrison watched an armed French ship lying under its batteries for six days. The King's birthday on 4 June was marked with a royal salute of 21 guns, the largest single salute of the month, using 38 lb of powder. On a Company island the King's birthday was kept as an official occasion, a reminder that the Company governed St Helena under a royal charter. | |
434 | 13th July§ §76 Bott. Madeira§ §14 Do. Port§ §12 Do. Lisbon§ §6 Do. Mountain§ §24 Do. Beer§ §21 Gs. Arrack§ §125 lb Beef§ §207 Mutton§ §14 Fowls§ §80 Candy§ §519 Flour§ §3 Lambs§ §5 Goats§ §Bought for the Table§ §168½ lb Beef§ §13 Fowls§ §6 Ducks§ §6 Turkeys§ §3 Geese§ §2 Pigs§ §£ 38 . 13 . 7¼§ §James Willson Private this day Petitioned§ | The supplies used at the Company's table in June 1772 were as follows. Madeira, 76 bottles, £7 12s 0d Port, 14 bottles, £1 1s 0d Lisbon wine, 12 bottles, £0 18s 0d Mountain wine, 6 bottles, £0 9s 0d Beer, 24 bottles, £0 4s 6d Arrack, 21 gallons, £3 3s 0d Beef, 125 lb, £1 11s 3d Mutton, 207 lb, £4 6s 3d Fowls, 14, £1 1s 0d Sugar candy, 80 lb, £2 0s 0d Flour, 519 lb, £4 6s 6d Lambs, 3, £1 10s 0d Goats, 5, £2 11s 0d Bought in for the table: Beef, 168⅝ lb, £3 10s 1¼d Fowls, 13, £1 7s 0d Ducks, 6, £0 9s 0d Turkeys, 6, £1 10s 0d Geese, 3, £0 15s 0d Pigs, 2, £0 10s 0d Total, £38 13s 7¼d James Wilson, a private soldier, petitioned the Board that day for his discharge from the garrison. He had served the Company for the full term of his engagement. The Board agreed, and John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations The Madeira drunk at the table rose to 76 bottles in June, the most of any month in the record. Six Company ships, a Danish ship and a French warship lay in the road during the month. The Governor entertained the Baron de Clugny and his officers as well as the English commanders, and a foreign warship's officers expected to be received with the best wine the island had. | |
435 | 15th July§ §Mr. Matthew Bazett Reports that he has§ §Muster Roll of Ship Lord North§ §Wm. Hambly Commander§ §Alex. Burdale Caulker§ §Jo. Watson Seaman§ | The Council met at the Castle on Wednesday 15 July 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 13 July 1772. Matthew Bazett reported that he had gone aboard the Lord North and the Lord Holland to muster their crews and search for deserters, and had found none. The muster roll of the Lord North began as follows. William Hambly, commander W. Roberts, chief mate Thomas Cruth, second mate John Haldane, third mate Edward Boyce, fourth mate James Seward, fifth mate Alexander Hamilton, surgeon George Tilsley, purser W. Dixon, carpenter Hugh Pateson, gunner John Knowls, boatswain David Watrous, surgeon's mate W. Jealy, midshipman Joseph Bennie, midshipman Richard Bell, midshipman James Penrose, quartermaster Joseph Mayne, quartermaster Andrew Grigg, quartermaster David Patterson, quartermaster John King, quartermaster Peter Galloway, quartermaster Alexander Brisdale, caulker W. Napley, sailmaker Henry Ross, ship's steward Thomas Arnold, armourer Ralph Humphries, captain's cook Thomas Baker, captain's steward W. Russell, carpenter's mate James Topping, caulker's mate James Boulton, gunner's mate James Brigmore, boatswain's mate James Hamnet, boatswain's second mate Thomas Marsden, captain's cook's mate Samuel Leghorn, ship's cook Robert Sealing, captain's servant John Hall, first mate's servant Joseph Lyon, second mate's servant James Kellock, boatswain's servant Thomas Caseman, carpenter's servant Alexander Meldrum, gunner's servant Percy Sharp, seaman Nicholas Ingram, seaman James Watson, seaman James Bramsley, seaman Robert Cotton, seaman J. Churchwold, seaman W. Mackey, seaman George Williams, seaman J. Lancaster, seaman James Robinson, seaman George Hyde, seaman Thomas Allen, seaman Thomas Brady, seaman Richard Butler, seaman James Hardy, seaman Thomas Comes, seaman Thomas Foster, seaman W. Cook, seaman David Crawley, seaman Henry Hopwell, seaman Master Ziegler, seaman James Scott, seaman John Hunter, seaman The roll continues on the next leaf. | |
436 | 15th July§ §Jno. Richie Seaman§ §Jno. Orbill Seaman§ §Passengers viz.§ §Lieut. Arnold§ §John Hudson§ §(signed)§ §Muster Roll of Ship Lord Holland§ §Varham Nairn Commander§ §Thos. Evans Carpentr.§ §John Berry Qr. Master§ | The muster roll of the Lord North concluded as follows. Thomas Colebrath, seaman James Forest, seaman James Forest junior, seaman James Pile, seaman James Vanniveran, seaman W. Allen, seaman Martin Johnson, seaman John Owens, seaman John Seton, seaman William Crichton, seaman Charles Smith, seaman David Moore, seaman W. Chapman, seaman Stephen Allen, seaman James Richie, seaman W. Wall, seaman Thomas Ives, seaman Alexander Douglass, seaman John Lewis, seaman Thomas Morgan, seaman Francis Duff, seaman John Thomas, seaman John Wheeler, seaman James James, seaman George Clark, seaman Thomas Brampton, seaman Bartholomew Cornelius, seaman Ingram Orbell, seaman Lee Greenwell, seaman James Myer, seaman James Anthony, captain's servant Alexander Swinhoe, midshipman Alexander, seaman James Breen, cooper Adam Dorman, seaman Francis Ryan, seaman John Hughes, seaman William Wilson, seaman Robert Lindsay, seaman Francis Rasler, seaman Hugh Hayes, seaman Passengers: Captain Aldrich Mrs Aldrich Captain Burghall Mrs Burghall Captain Marchand Lieutenant Corr Mr Campbell Mr Varrell Mr Torries Mr Ellis Lieutenant Cockburn Lieutenant Arnold Mr Stewart Mr Stole George Haget, commander John Savage Duncan Robinson George Sellar W. Miller James Waller Hants Nailey John Hudson W. Towers Richard Thompson Thomas Pollock Robert Ayloff Robert Rowles James Bruges Samuel Rice Thomas Joyce John Hillary Rosy William Hambly signed the roll as commander. The muster roll of the Lord Holland began as follows. Nathan Nason, commander John Fast, chief mate Thomas Sloyd, second mate Adam Littlejohn, third mate John Hughes, fourth mate Edmund Burrough, surgeon James Oldman, purser James Ogilvie, boatswain Thomas Emery, carpenter Thomas Eubanks, gunner Christopher Rix, midshipman Urban Howard, midshipman Charles Bowles, quartermaster John Wilson, quartermaster Samuel Howard, quartermaster James Abercrombie, quartermaster John Barry, quartermaster Christopher Anderson, quartermaster John Martin, quartermaster W. Phillips, gunner's mate W. Haws, boatswain's first mate Isaac Harding, boatswain's second mate Henry Butler, carpenter's mate George Hastings, carpenter's second mate The roll continues on the next leaf. Interpretations The Lord North carried an unusually large company of passengers home from Madras, more than 30 names, among them several captains and lieutenants, two officers' wives and a ship's commander, George Haget, travelling as a passenger. Many were probably officers of the Madras army going home, or the master and crew of a country ship lost or sold in India who were working their passage. Some passengers are listed by a single name, such as "Rosy", which suggests a servant or ayah travelling with one of the families. | |
437 | 1772§ §Lewis Libert Seaman§ §John Conway Seaman§ §Passengers viz.§ §(signed)§ | The muster roll of the Lord Holland concluded as follows. Thomas Brookes, caulker George Adams, caulker's mate James Tate, cooper Edward King, cooper's mate Reuben Bromley, armourer George White, joiner John Glen, surgeon's mate W. Jones, captain's steward James Quincey, ship's steward George Anderson, captain's cook David Kidd, ship's cook Samuel Fox, seaman James Good, seaman Malcolm McGregor, seaman W. Gibson, seaman John Beach, seaman James Anderson, seaman W. Adams, seaman W. James, seaman James Woling, seaman Owen Jones, seaman Thomas Mitchell, seaman James McCulloch, seaman James Smith, seaman William Turner, seaman John Holloneby, seaman Lewis Ebbett, seaman Walter Bishop, seaman Abraham Hawke, seaman Philip Ferraro, seaman James Turner, seaman Thomas Waddel, seaman Stephen Merrell, seaman Samuel Cook, seaman James Ryan, seaman Jacob Theobald, seaman James Bowerman, seaman Julius Brackroft, seaman Charles Gustof, seaman W. Larson, seaman W. Cott, seaman John Crafted, seaman James Harward, seaman Samuel Morgan, seaman Gustof Hellberg, seaman Henry Jones, seaman Alexander Clark, seaman John Standcroft, seaman Henry Smith, seaman Matthew Johnson, seaman James Cadogan, seaman John Conway, seaman George Garth, seaman Colin Campbell, seaman Andel Handling, seaman Richard Morris, seaman George Devereux, seaman Peter Burke, seaman Thomas Hewitt, seaman Richard Webb, seaman William Mullen, seaman Griffith Parry, seaman Thomas Lovell, seaman George Allen, seaman James Glover, seaman Thomas Williams, seaman Thomas Holland, captain's servant Thomas Lowry, captain's servant James Cross, first mate's servant Andrew Miller, second mate's servant Peter Orrer, surgeon's servant Robert Mudd, gunner's servant George Jones, boatswain's servant John Burnham, carpenter's servant Peter Palage, seaman John Younger, seaman John Roach, seaman Passengers: Charles Floyer Mrs Floyer James Alexander Mrs Robert Alexander Mr James Grant Mr Robert Milne Thomas Peters Black servants, 3 Invalids, 6 Nathan Nason signed the roll as commander. The next entry begins at the foot of the page. Interpretations Charles Floyer had been Governor of Fort St George at Madras until the Court dismissed him in 1750 after charges of misconduct. A Charles Floyer sailing home from Madras in 1772 with his wife was probably the same man or a son of the family, which had long ties to the Company's service there. The six invalids were soldiers of the Madras army being sent home unfit for service, like the invalid soldiers from St Helena carried home earlier in the year at £5 a head. | |
438 | 15th July§ §Account of Stores short received from Ship Lord North§ §Arrack 2 Leaguers§ §15th July 1772 (signed)§ §The ten Working Days allowed by Charter Party§ §To the Honble. Richard Wyatt Esqr. President§ | The assistant storekeeper delivered an account that day of stores found short on delivery from the Lord North. Rice, short weight from wastage, 0 cwt 2 qr 13 lb Paddy, short weight from wastage, 0 cwt 2 qr 13 lb Arrack, leaguer number 1, 135 gallons, short of full by 8 gallons Arrack, leaguer number 2, 135 gallons, short of full by 7 gallons Arrack, total, 270 gallons, short of full by 15 gallons Arrack received, 255 gallons Jonathan Doveton signed the account as assistant storekeeper on 15 July 1772. The ten working days allowed under the charter party for unloading the Earl of Sandwich had run out. The Council therefore gave Captain Charles Deare written sailing orders. He was to make his way to Fort Marlborough on the west coast of Sumatra, following the orders he had received from the Court of Directors. The Council also gave him a letter for Richard Wyatt, President, Governor and Council of Fort Marlborough. The letter explained that the Court had given permission for Nakhoda Pocolam to return to his native country. The Council had told him so, but he had flatly refused to go there in this ship. The rest of the letter continues on the next leaf. Interpretations Nakhoda was the Malay title for the master of a trading vessel, so Pocolam had once commanded his own ship in the eastern seas. He was probably among the Malays kept on a separate account in the island's stores, who had been brought from the Company's eastern settlements. The Court had granted him leave to go home, and the Earl of Sandwich, bound for Sumatra, offered the passage. He refused it. A Malay of rank sent to St Helena may have feared what awaited him at Fort Marlborough, or distrusted a passage arranged by the Company. Either way, the Council could not force a man the Court had freed to go, and it reported his refusal to the settlement that had expected him. The store report came from Jonathan Doveton, the assistant storekeeper, not from James Pavell. Pavell's letter of 6 July 1772 had protested at being passed over after 31 years. He may have stepped back from routine work while his complaint was pending, or have been too unwell to attend, as his letter had said he often was. | |
439 | 1772§ §Captain George Burghall this day applied to Us§ | With its letter to Fort Marlborough, the Council sent the Earl of Sandwich's manifest of goods, her charter party and her victualling bill. It also sent duplicates of its letters to the several presidencies in India and asked Fort Marlborough to forward them by the first opportunity. A list of the ships that had called at the island since its last letter went with them. The letter was dated at St Helena on 15 July 1772 and signed by John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett. Captain George Burghall applied that day to pay £120 into the Company's treasury. The Council received the money and gave him bills of exchange drawn on the Court of Directors. They were payable to himself or his order, 90 days after they were presented in London. John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations The Council sent duplicates of its April letters to Bengal, Madras and Bombay by a second route. The originals had gone by the Lord Camden to Canton, to be forwarded from China. Sending copies by way of Sumatra doubled the chance that at least one set would arrive, since any ship might be lost or delayed. It was the same precaution the island took with bills of exchange, issued in sets so that one could be paid if another went astray. Captain Burghall was a passenger in the Lord North, probably an officer of the Madras army going home. He turned his savings into a bill on London while his ship lay at the island. | |
440 | 18th July§ §The Storekeeper being Sick and not able to attend his§ §Account of Stores short received from Ship Lord Holland§ §Arrack 2 Leaguers§ §16 July 1772 (signed)§ | The Council met at the Castle on Saturday 18 July 1772. Governor John Skottowe presided, with Deputy Governor Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett also present as members of Council. The members read, approved and signed the minutes of the meeting held on 15 July 1772. The Company's ship Lord North sailed for England on Thursday 16 July 1772. The storekeeper was ill and unable to attend to his work. The assistant storekeeper therefore delivered an account of stores found short on delivery from the Lord Holland. Rice, short weight from wastage, 1 cwt 1 qr 10 lb Paddy, short weight from wastage, 0 cwt 1 qr 10 lb Arrack, leaguer number 1, 142 gallons, short of full by 13 gallons Arrack, leaguer number 2, 133½ gallons, short of full by 5½ gallons Arrack, total, 275½ gallons, short of full by 18½ gallons Arrack received, 257 gallons Jonathan Doveton signed the account as assistant storekeeper on 16 July 1772. Interpretations The minute confirms that James Pavell was ill, a fortnight after his letter of 6 July 1772 complained that years of close attendance had ruined his health. Jonathan Doveton, his assistant, had taken over the routine work of receiving the ships' stores. The Lord Holland's first leaguer of arrack lost 13 gallons on the passage from Madras, the worst single cask of the season. The arrack had travelled from Batavia to Madras before the long voyage to St Helena, and each stage added to the leakage. | |
441 | 1772§ | The Council issued seven sets of bills of exchange on 18 July 1772, drawn on the Court of Directors. All were payable 90 days after they were presented in London. John Skottowe, payable to Captain Digby Dent or his order, £39 0s 2d Daniel Corneille, payable to John Caillaud or his order, £150 0s 0d Matthew Purling, payable to Captain Alexander Jameson or his order, £800 0s 0d Matthew Bazett, payable to Miss Mary Bazett or her order, £40 0s 0d Jonathan Doveton, payable to Captain Alexander Jameson or his order, £408 14s 0d Charles Floyer, payable to himself or his order, £500 0s 0d Captain Nathan Nason, payable to himself or his order, £300 0s 0d John Skottowe, Daniel Corneille, Matthew Purling and Matthew Bazett signed the minute. Interpretations Purling and Doveton between them sent more than £1,200 to Captain Alexander Jameson of the Horsendon, which had sailed on 17 May 1772. These were far larger than the small debts other officers settled with departing captains. Jameson had probably sold them goods in quantity from his ship's private trade, perhaps for resale on the island. Purling's £800 is the largest single bill he drew in the whole record, and it went not to his family in London but to a ship's commander. His dealings went beyond sending savings home, into buying and selling the goods that passed through the island's road. All four members of the Council drew bills that day, each approving the others' and his own. The Governor's bill to Captain Digby Dent, a Royal Navy officer, was probably a small private debt. Corneille's to John Caillaud repeated his payment of October 1771 to the same man. | |
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447 | EAP 1364 St Helena§ §Document Name and Date§ §Dimensions (height x width x depth) (cm)§ §No. written pages:§ §No. blank pages:§ §Spine and cover§ §Inside pages§ §Additional comments§ §Time taken to photograph (hours)§ |