An Inventory of an Innkeeper's Possessions in 1685

( 97 ) AN INVENTORY OF AN INNKEEPER'S POSSESSIONS IN 1685 THIS inventory was taken, so far as the information goes, on the death in 1685 of the tenant, George Leader, of the George and Dragon Inn at Speldhurst, an inn traditionally known, from the date of 1212 ascribed to it, as the second oldest in Kent, the first being " The Fountain " at Canterbury. It is described by Mr. D. C. Maynard in his book, The Old Inns of Kent. Inventories of household possessions have aheady appeared in several volumes of Arch. Cantiana beginning in Vol. I with that of JuUana de Leybourne, Countess of Huntingdon, who died in 1367. In Vol. XV there is an inventory of feather beds, and linen, blankets, hangings, etc., at or belonging to Leeds Castle in 1532. In Vol. XXVII Mr. Arthur Hussey prints a Faversham Household Inventory of 1609. Here we have the goods of a rich widow who intended to marry again. They included, with the eleven pieces of sUver and fourteen silver spoons, many more valuable possessions than could have belonged to an innkeeper but, on the other hand, the house seems to have had only three Uving rooms—the hall, the parlour, and " the chamber over the hall." For other Kentish inventories we may name two printed in Shaw's Memorials of Eastry. The first tabulates the possessions of WiUiam Bolelar at his death in 1600. From the many rooms in his house, and the furnishings, he was clearly a weU-to-do landowner but although his goods and chattels were valued at £500-10-0 he only left £4 of " reddy money." George Leader's cash and wearing apparel it wiU be seen were apprised at £5-5-0. The second is far down the scale of material wealth as the property of poor widow Frances Walker of St. Peter's, Sandwich could only be valued at 4/1. Everything was old, the bed—probably 10 98 INVENTORY OF AN INNKEEPER'S POSSESSIONS. worm-eaten—was of basket work, and an old coverlet and an old wicker chah, valued respectively at 1/8 and 2d., were not brought into the total as there were notes to both items saying that " the chUde had it to wrap it in," and " the chylde had it." The inventory now transcribed is written on one side of two strips of parchment, 23 and 24 inches long by 6J inches wide, sewn together to make one. The writing of the body of the document is in a bold hand using a thick quUl. The total sum and the final affirmation is in the fine hand of Rupert Browne, who signs as registrar. Dr. Gordon Ward suggests that this means " There was exhibition of this Inventory 15 May 1685 by the oath of Peter Barret, procurator for the execution (or executors), &c, as a true full and perfect Inventory, &c, under aUowance nevertheless for additions, &c, U &c." The Inventory otherwise is almost seU-explanatory. The roU belongs to our member, C. W. Powell, Esq., D.L., who has had it transcribed, and into whose possession it came as owner of " The George and Dragon." It is endorsed on the back " 1685 " in a nineteenth century hand. W.P.D.S. A INVENTORY of the Goods of the late deceajed George Leader in the pijhe of Speldhurjt in the County of Kent, being prifed the Eleventh of May 1685 : by John Carier & John Hatridge Li Im pris Ready mony & wearing Apparill 5 Itm. in the New Garrett. 2 bedfteddles, mats & \ cords, 4 ffeather beds, one flock bed, two — I bouldjters 5 pillowes 6 blankettes two — > 10 Coverletts one Shute of Certens & vallence I one table, 3 Chaiers att J Itm In the 2 other Garretts 6 Shutes of — "j Certens & vaUence 7 Carpets, 3 Chaires, one \ „ Side bord, 2 Chests, one Close Stoole pan ( one Scry* att : J S D - 5 — 0 -10 — 0 - 7 —06 * A sieve used for winnowed corn.—N.E.D. INVENTORY OP AN INNKEEPER'S POSSESSIONS. 99 Li Itm in a nother garret Adjoyning to the same 2 bedjteddles, mats & Coards, one fflock — bed 4 bouldsters, one Coverlet, one blanket one Shute of Courtens & vallence one stoole one ch aire att D 2 — 6 Itm in the Chamber ouer the Uttle paler one bedjteddle mat & Cord, one ffeather one bouldster, one piUow, one Sute of — Curtens & vaUence, 2 Coverletts, 4 blanketts one prejs 5 Chahes, one table ; & winder Certings all Amounting to 5 — 5 — 0 Itm : in the Great Chamber, one bedjteddle mat' & Coard, one feather bed, one boldster 2 pillows , one quUt, 2 blanketts. one shute of Curtens ) 6 — 0 — 0 & vallence, 6 Chahes, 3 Stooles, one Side bord I one table, all Amounting to Itm : in the Chamber ouer the HaU, one bed -steddle matt & Cord, one Aether bed one — bouldster, 2 piUowes, 2 blanketts, one Coverlett one Shute of Curtaines & vaUence one table \ 5 — 2 one Side bord, 3 Chahes, one Stoole, one ffire shovell, one payer of anjrons & tongs all amounting to Itm : in the chamber ouer the bakehouje one \ bedjteddle, mat & Cord, 3 ffeather beds, three I boldsters, 5 pUlowes, one Shute of Curtings > 7 — 7 — 6 & vaUence, one quilt, 9 blanketts, 3 coverletts j 2 Tables ) Itm : In the New Chamber, one bedjteddle mat & Cord, one ffeather bed, one boldjter 4 piUows I 2 blanketts, one Rugg one Shute of Curtens ) 4 —15 & vaUence, 2 tables, 3 Chairs one Stoole aU amounting to Itm : in the HaU, 2 bedjteddles, mats & Cords N one ffeather bed, 2 blanketts one Rugg, one j Sute of Curtens & vallence one Cubbord, | one Table 6 Chahes 9 Cushens x x ) 4 — 2 — 6 (letters underlined are in another hand, space having 1 been left for them) I one pahe of Anjrens, one paire of Tongs one Close Stoole pan, all amounting to ' 100 INVENTORY OF AN I N N K E E P E R ' S POSSESSIONS. Li S D Itm. in the great paler, 16 Chahes Two Tables, 2 Carpetts, 2 Stooles, one Sidebord one paire of Anjrens, one paire of Tongs one fore Shovell one paire of Bellowes — & Hangings (see above) & Vvindder (the terminal " r " altered in later hand to " w ") Curtens att — , Itm In the little Parler, 2 bedjteddles mats, & Coards, 3 Coverlets, 2 blanketts, 2 tables one chest, 3 Chahes all Amounting to -10 — 0 Itm in a nother houje in the 2 Garretts — ) 2 bedjteddles mats & Cords, 2 flock beds 2 tables > 1 — 2 stooles, one Chaire ) Itm : In the Chamber ouer the dining Roome one bedjteddle mat & Coard one ffeather — bed one flock bed, 3 bouldsters, 5 pUlows 7 Coverletts, 11 blanketts, 10 Chahes one — table, 2 Stooles Itm : in a nother Roome Adjoyning to itt one bedjteddle mat & Cord, 2 ffeather beds 4 bouldsters 2 tables, 2 stooles 4 —10 Itm : in the Low Rooms 2 bedjteddles — mats & cords 12 piUowes 2 tables Itm : In the dining Room 3 Tables and Chahes, 3 Stooles one pake of Tongs one fire ShoveU -10 — 0 1 __io — 0 Itm : In the little Chamber ouer the wash — house, 2 bedjteddles, one ffeather bed, one — flock bed, 3 blanketts one Coverlet, one Chest one Chaire one Stoole Itm : In a out Roome, 4 bedsteddles mats and Cords, 2 flock beds, 2 bouldsters — Itm : 20 pake of Sheets Itm : 20 paire of a ditto (see above) Itm : 12 dosen of napkins Itm : 16 paire of Pillowbers (i.e. pillowcases) - Itm : 20 Table clothes Itm : 18 Towells 22 5 — 0 0 — 0 I tm : 216 pounds of Pewter at 4 — 0 INVENTORY OF AN INNKEEPER'S POSSESSIONS. 101 Itm : 9 do Jen of plates at Itm : one doz of Porengers Itm : 8 fflaggens at Itm : one dossen (" i " interlined in later hand) of pewter Chamber pots — Itm : 3 paire of Andjrons at Itm : 9 pahe of Brajs Candeljticks at Itm : 3 Brajs Sole pans (altered to "Sose pans" in later hand) Two brajs Skimers Itm : one ladle, 2 warming pans 4 brass I tm : 4 (a word interlined here, ? yron) dripping pans, 5 Spits one pahe of Anjrons Itm : one Table, 2 Chests 2 Cubberds one — Close Stoole Pann Li S 5 —10 D 4 — 7 Itfn : one brass f urnejs 3 brass pots 4 brass Kettles, 6 brass skillets one Iron furnejs Itm : 8 Iron pots one Iron Kettle ; 2 Iron — frying pans, 2 Iron Gridge Irons, 7 tubs 5 keelers I 15 Milk trayes 6 paUes J Itm, 18 beare vejsells, 2 tubs, one Jack — ) Three tables J Itm : 3 Cast Smeding* Irons, one Morter and pejtle, one Clock & Jack 3 tables, 6 Joyne — stooles, 6 Chaines, one pahe of Anjrons 4 pothanggers, 3 Chafendiches one fire pann & tongs, one pahe of bellows Itm : one Horse one halser (? a heiffer) 3 hoggs • Itm : Husbandry tackling Itm : for Goods unseene or forgott 5 — 0 4 — 6 3 — 6 7 —10 1 —10 0 — 7 0 0 6 li Surfia total hujus Invefiii CLj.x8 — Exhibitum fuit (?) hujus Inven:ii Decimo quinto die menfis Maii Anno Domini 1685 per jurum Petrum Barrett Procurationem pro Execut &c pro vero plene et perfecto Inventorio &c sub protestacione tamen de addendo &c si &c * ? Smoothing. RTTPERTTJS BROWNE Registarius