Item MFP/1/1/3 - Housekeeping account book of John Forth, 1791-1792, with extracts from other account books of John Forth and Elizabeth Forth

1 volume

Account Book of Rev John Forth commencing with 'Expenses in Furnishing my House', 1791-1792.

Also contains extracts of matters of family interest copied from 'great grandmother's account books' (i.e. Elizabeth Forth's) 1794-1833 by AJ Munby or FJ Munby in the later 19th century.

Detail from account book:
PART 1. ACCOUNTS. 1791
“Expences in furnishing my House”.
The first page lists payments to Mr Davies the Cabinet-maker, £6.6s.; Mr Surr, the glass man; Mr Clark, the silversmith; Mr Dalton, the brazier and Mr Nicholson, the painter, 15/-.

Casual Disbursements.
A guinea paid to Lord Carlisle’s servant; £1.2s.6d paid for thatching the stables,; a guinea to the Institution for the relief of Clergymen’s Widows.

1792. Payment of £10.15s.8d to Mr Taylor “for my Brother Mark’s Board & Sundry other Bills”. Paid £30 – “My Brother Mark’s Passage to St Vincent & Expences in going to Liverpool”.

Expences in Cloaths.
£1.11s.11d paid to Mr Wilkinson, the Hatter; £1.1s.2d paid to Mr Jones for “Shoes for my Brother Mark”; 18/- for one pair of breeches.

Servants’ Wages.
Honor Much, one year’s wages - £7; “Mary Jefferson’s Wages to Martinmas”, £1.15s.0d.

Taxes
Half a year’s taxes due 5th October, £3.7s.7d; “high Way Assess. 14s.1d; “1 year’s Tithe Rent due L. Day £1.5s.0d”

Stock
Thos. Nightingale for a Cow, £8; David Ellerby for a pig, £1.1s.0d

Housekeeping Account.
Many payments for tea, cheese, meat, rye, wheat, candles, malt, ale and sundries. £40.16s.0d. for wines and £2.15s.0d. for a cask of porter.

Account with Horses
Sold two Bay horses, one for £45 and the other for £60. Bought a Chestnut horse for £40.

PART 2
“EXTRACTS FROM ELIZABETH FORTH’S ACCOUNT BOOKS.”
The first part of this section gives genealogical information on the Forth, Woodhouse and Munby
families including references to one who perished in the Black Hole of Calcutta, a surgeon who was lost at sea while on board the ‘Dispatch’ sailing to America and a marriage to Elizabeth Wright, of the Heworth family involved in the Gunpowder Plot. Great-grandfather, John Forth, became agent for Lord Carlisle, his older brother Mark not being satisfactory. Further notes and dates of births, marriages and deaths occur throughout this section.

An extract from the account book, dated 3rd July, 1794, refers to the move from Slingsby to Ganthorpe. “I paid all the servants every thing that was owing to them before we left Slingsby. I sent my Aunt 1 guinea for my bonnet, which she would not take”. A sum of money was laid out, “in paying for my shoes, clogs etc.”

Some prices are quoted for 1793:
1lb Milk Chocolate 5. 0.
1lb Sago 2. 0.
2 Knots of Tapes 1. 0.
½ Treacle 2.
2lbs Bobea Tea 12. 0.

6th Sept. 1800.

Six shillings paid for a pound of Bobea Tea and two shillings for a pound of raisins. On the same day, 1s. 4d. was paid to Molly for two days work.

17th Sept. 1816.
£15 paid for the expenses of 8 year old Frederick’s journey to Southwell School, in the care of Rev. Frere. 18th Dec. “ Rev. Mr Frere returned from Southwell with Frederick in good health. Thank God.”.

The Stock Accounts in 1816 included coach and hack horses, a blood mare in foal and another not in foal. In addition were cows, calves, ewes and pigs.

Wages, 1816.
Ann Race Housekeeper - 12 guineas per annum, “tea and sugar found”.
Miss Kimbers, Governess - £20
John Spofforth hired for another year at the rate of 24 guineas with no other considerations except for a hat and a pair of boots. “His Livery Coat & waistcoat to be left when he leaves me”.
John Fountain hired for another year at 10 guineas “& to be washed in the house”.

2nd Nov. 1818.
“Mr Kimber came to pack my Glass etc. & to assist the men … to go to York”

3rd Nov. 1818.
“The first waggon went this day from Ganthorpe to York & there were 10 waggon loads of all the Goods, wine etc.”

10th Aug. 1820.
“Caroline and Frederick went in a chaise to Castle Howard & saw Lord & Lady Carlisle who were very polite to them … Lady Carlisle sent her love to me.”

27th Jan. 1821.
“Paid for the Lord Nelson Coach at the Black Swan office, Coney St. for Fredk. from York to Doncaster … 16/-.”

12th April 1821.
John Knowles engaged as Footman, “to receive 10gs. per annum & to find his own washing & needling for that sum & to have 1 suit of Livery for Dress Cloathes, to consist of Coat, Waistcoat & Breeches & one suit of undress Cloathes. He is to have a hat & a pair of Gaiters & if he leaves me at the end of the 1st year he is to leave the best Livery”.

“Engaged Sarah Webster of Tadcaster to be an assistant as housemaid & to do all the worst work of the house, such as scouring floors & making fires. Her wages are £5 per ann. Tea & sugar found.”
Also employment of Jane Darling and Jane Mitchell.

Three servants dismissed for being uncivil. “The manservant is the rudest Footman I ever had & I have discharged him from ever calling here any more.”

16th Sept. 1821
Went with Caroline to Harrogate for a week.
Chaise to and from Harrogate £2 . 14 . 0d
Drivers 8 . 0d
Other expenses £3 . 8 . 0d

5th Oct. 1821
Lump Sugar 4s 7d
? Tea 3s 3d
Leg of lamb 2s 9d

3rd Nov. 1821
Lord Carlisle sent a brace of hares with his complements tied to them on a parchment.

24th Dec. 1821
“Frederick & Master Whytehead both let off 3d of gunpowder into their faces & eyes. Their faces & lips were much scorched. … Oil & then spirits of turpentine … applied with a feather.” See Acc.54.9 Page 46b.

6th Feb. 1822
Dined with Mr & Mrs Bealby on the Mount. Went in a sedan chair. 4s 0d.

14th Feb. 1822
The Dowager Lady Cawdor, the eldest daughter of the Earl of Carlisle, called on me.

5th Mar. 1822
Paid Mr Cospaigne for 10 lessons given to Frederick. “He said it was 10/6d.”

21st Mar. 1822
“Went to the Lady Mayoress Ball at the Mansion House. Hairdressing for the Ball 2s 0d.

4th April 1822
Agreed to take reduced rent from Mrs Sowerby for a farm as times were bad for farmers.

4th May 1822
Miss Worsley of Hovingham was in York “… & gave me a call.)

4th Sept. 1823
At Selby, saw the steam packet, called the ‘Favourite’, off for Hull.

13th Sept. 1823
“Received from the Lord Mayor of York a gold mourning ring, in remem. Of his brother Rev. Wm. Smith, Rector of Brandsby.”

5th Feb. 1824
“The Countess of Carlisle was buried in York Minster this day & is to be removed to the Mausoleum at Castle Howard on the death of the present earl.”

4th Mar. 124
Exchanged some silverware for “My gold eye glasses and F’s microscope.”

4th Sept. 1825
Earl of Carlisle died and succeeded by Lord Morpeth, who “… did me great honour by sending me a scarf, gloves & hood for his father.” Paid £9. 8. 0d for 2 black silk gowns “… for C. and me to wear for good dear Lord Carlisle and a black scarf for me.”

27th Dec. 1825
“F. took the scarlet fever & was very ill in it but got well very soon”.

17th Apr. 1826
Appealed at the Guild Hall “against the City New Act … it is an unjust Act”. Allowed reduction in rating from £80 to £75.

27th Aug. 1826
Bought gun (6guineas) for Frederick although not fond of his having a gun.

25th Jan. 1827
“Sophia Jefferson came to assist in cleaning etc. at 6d a day.”

1st Mar. 1827
Caroline Eleanor married Joseph Giles Munby

14th May 1827
Frederick is ill and at home for his 19th birthday.

23rd May 1827
Bought saddle, sheet and other items for Frederick’s horse from Mr Ware of Stonegate, £11.17.8d.

7th Aug. 1828
“Caroline … dined here. C. walked here and back to Clifton.”

19th Aug. 1828
Caroline’s first child, Arthur Joseph, was born at Clifton. “He was baptized and Christened on 2nd Sept.”

2nd Sept. 1828
“Gave Mrs Munby’s Nurse on the Christening day 21/- & for bringing the baby to see his grandmother 2/6.”
7th May 1830
Engaged Robert Watson as Footman at £14 p.a. Details of arrangements for clothing etc.
21st Dec. 1831
“Mrs Munby was confined of a little girl, still born, buried in Marygate Ch. yard.”
19th Mar. 1832
Ed. Chapman engaged as Footman at £30 p.a.

6th Apr. 1833.
Frederick Woodhouse Forth died aged 24, buried at Terrington. His mother died on 2nd Feb. 1837, buried at Terrington beside her husband and eldest son, John Woodhouse Forth, died aged 7 years.

[Extracts provided by a volunteer.]

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• English

See also legacy references Acc 54.11 and Acc 54.12