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A LIST OF GOODS RECOMMENDED FOR PURCHASE IN LONDON BY ELIZABETH HYRNE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
(Including a location map and glossary)
This document is undated and unsigned, but evidence suggests that it is from the period 1701-1709 (probably 1705). It is in Elizabeth Hyrne’s handwriting and was sent from South Carolina to Elizabeth’s brother Burrell Massingberd in South Ormsby, Lincolnshire. In the document Elizabeth lists items which she says ‘will sell well here’. Whether or not Burrell took up her suggestions is not known, but the list affords a fascinating insight into the needs of the early Colonists and the massively inflated costs they had to pay for imported goods. The spellings and punctuation are as in the original document. A glossary of textile terms and a map showing the location of the London traders Elizabeth recommends follows.
‘Most of the underwritten particulars I have copied from a bundle of bills of parcells furnished me by a friend who has been a considerable trader in these parts the goods he brought in London and advises me to recommend you to the persons whose names you find underwritten for the same goods if you want them, the prices he gave is also mentioned which may be of use to you in laying out your money what most of em will fetch here if retailed is also mentioned, generally observe too in what relates to wearing apparrell to chuse what is fashionable. Rice now worth fourty shillings per Cent Pitch worth fourty shillings per barrell and Tar from 30 to 35 shillings per barrell.
Chints neat or sprig or flower ordinary fine
no dull fancy five pieces
Ditto: midlin fine five pieces
Ditto: fine one piece
Ditto: Super fine one piece (the prices unknown to me but will sell well)
Calicoes midlin fine the colours lively
Ditto: courses
Ditto: fine
Ditto: fitting for Bed and window curtains
These will fetch from 25s per yard to 17s 6d
Of each of these sorts what you think fitting
Also chints for supose the prohibition from wearing em at home will make em cheap.
[As a result of lobbying by the manufacturers of traditional wool textiles, the wearing of imported printed Indian cottons was banned in England in 1701 by Act of Parliament. It was still possible, though, to re-export the goods.]
Some Indian and Persian silks fitt for gownes and coats and linings of chints and callicoes
Lute strings 30s per yard
Alamodes 20s per yard
Muslins Plain and some striped from 30s to 37s 6d per yard
Edgins course midlin and fine
a small quantity of midlin lace
Ditto: fine
Quilted petticoats silk from £6 - £9
Hoopt petticoat
Cherry deroys from £7 to £9 by the piece
Seersuckers from £12 to £16 by the piece
Silk laces five shillings a piece
Thread laces 3 for ditto:
Sewing silk generally ?s per ounce
Womens shoes silk braided Ticken some
with silver orrace will sell well
Childrens shoes of all sorts that is for children under five years old
Bought of Hugh Winedworth Throgmorten street
Mens silk stockings 8s a pair here £4 and £5
Mens worsted stockings from 28s to 50s per dozen
Here they will fetch from 30s to 50s a pair
Womens stockings 25s per dozen here 25s a pair is fine
Boys and girls worsted from 5s 6d to 12s 6d per dozen
here from 10s to 17s 6d a pair
childrens wollens spotted from 4s 6d to 7s per dozen here from 7s 6d a pair
Womens silk stockings will also sell well here
Mens shirt worsted coarse will fetch 26s or 25s a pair
Brought of Tho: Warren Aldermanbury
Flowered and shaded Callimanco
Containing 26 or 27 yards per piece from 33s to 38s per peice
Here will fetch about 10s per yard
Toys containing 26 yards per piece att 13s 6d
Plodds containing 36 yards per piece att 21d
Striped stuffs containing 48yards per piece att 42s
Silk cords containing 48 yards per piece at 42s
Striped satens att 2s per yard
Silk crapes containing 54 yards per piece from 46s to 60s per piece
these will sell for good advance here but not above a piece or two of each sort
Brought of Tho: Kirkpatrick Princes street
Serges at 26s per piece Here will sell for 10 a yard
Brought of Daniel Legg Cornhill the corner of Birching Lane
Large mens cloath Druggett suits att 52s per suit
Fine Sagathy suits at 46s per suit these if good and new fashioned will sell well hence I believe you may venture to bring of these a dozen suits some courser than others
Cloath druggets will fetch here from 15s to 25s per yard if you bring any lett them be good colours and bring with em shalloons for lining and buttons and mohair well suited
Brought Edward Byron Princes Street Stocks Markett
Ticken containing 15yards from 11s to 15s per piece
these will fetch from 10s to 15s per yard
Corded Dimety if fine will fetch here 20s per yard
White fustian will fetch here 10s per yard
Flannens from 12s 6d to 17s 6d a yard
Bought from Tho Salter and Company att the corner of Finch Lane London
and of John and Danial Norton Loathbury
Brown oseenbriggs att 7- ½d per ell
Will fetch here 5s a yard you may bring of this 50 pieces
about 50 and 60 yards in a piece
White oseenbrigs att 8d per ell will fetch here 6s 3d per yard you may bring of this 500 yards
7/8 Garlick 28 ells the piece att 30s
here they will fetch the coursest £15 a piece the finest £20
Ell wide striped Holland att 40s per piece here will fetch 25s per yard
Fine Garlic Holl 20 ells a piece att 36s here will fetch 20s per yard
Shirting Holland from 20 to 24 ells in a piece cost from £3 to £3 6s will fetch here about 40s a yard
Some course sheetting Holland ell wide also other sheeting will sell well here
A few Kentings and Cambricks midlin will doe well here
Childrens Hatts will fetch here
Felts 10s a piece very course
Finer 15s a piece. Castors: Carolina or Cloath Hatts
from 20s to 25s per hat laced 50s
Countrys hatts felts 17s 6d per hat
Castor Carolina or Cloath about 40s a piece ditto laced about £3 pound
Mens felts 20s Castor Carolina or Cloath hats about 50s
Beaver £4 10s course beaver or fine Castor Carolina or Cloath hats edged
with silver or Gold £6 per hatt
½ dozen finer beaver edged will sell for a good price
Gloves Mens and Womens some boys and girls of all sorts will sell well here
Scizars penknives knives and forks case knives and forks box hand
Buctless knives Clasps knives of every sort you may sell some to great advance
Also pins needles combs Ivory some horn or box
Thread of all sorts colloured and white also Tape of all sorts and Colours
Shirt buttons white thread waistcoat buttons
And indeed allsorts of Haberdashery ware sells to great advance
Also some Brass and tin ware as saucepans funnels Candlesticks
Brass locks snufers slicers
Some Lanthornes [lanterns] & etc.
Earthen ware will sell also to good advance as white chamber pots
white porringers [bowls] Drinking mugs
Tea cups saucers and pots Chocolate cups
White or white and blue earthen dishes and plates
Bohea Tea [a black Chinese tea, once regarded as the finest] is here now six pound a pound you may also sell ½ a dozen Copper boylers China tea cups and saucers
there are many in the country yett they sell for a pound the sett ½ dozen in a sett
I believe you might sell ½ a Dosen silver hilted swords here the neweast fashion with shouldered Blades to very good advance
Also Perriwigs if you take care they are not cheats sell well
Indian Trading Guns that carry bullets 25 to the pound
½ dosen good Fowling piece the barrels 4 feet long that carry bullet 19 to the pound
the Tumblers Gorded with bullett moulds and worms [I have no idea what this means – any suggestions?
and resurces these if you can gett att the best hand will also sell to good advance
Also Pistoll powder and bullett and small shot of all sorts
Iron Ware
Broad and narrow hoes strong
Also felling Axes are worth here about 12s 6d a piece one with a nother
A thousand
20s nailes sell here for £4 10s
10 Ditto £2 15s
6 Ditto £1 15s
4 Ditto £1 2s 6d
You may also sell some thousands of tacks
Good Negroe cloath is generally 10 shillings per yard here
I believe you may also gett much money by the following Drugges (viz)
Venice Treacle
Treacle Water
Gutta Vite
Elixes proprietates
Spirit of Hartshorn
Oyl of Amber
Some Crocus Mettallorum
and Tartar Emectick
Hungary Water
John Moore att the pestle and Mortar Alchurch Lane London Some of his worm powder or any other known remedy against worms you may have what you will for itt.
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