General Chat

Have recently come across an old will from 1685 - thought you may like to see the contents of the house which had 3 rooms. Where I've put a dash is a word I can't translate yet. In The Buttery One great copper porridge pot; two copper pot lids; one little brass pot; one brass skillet; seven pewter dishes;three piss? pots?; one - pewter pot; an iron frying pan; a brass pan; a great brass kettle; two little drink hubbs?; a brass fork. In The Hall The jack? and two spits; two pairs of pot hooks; one hanger; a pair of brass scales; a set of weights; one pair of bellows; one gridiron?; a glass vase; one tin dripping pan; a bread? grater; a box of tools; a pair of dogirons, one great iron bath; a silver candle cup; a little silver brandy cup; two silver spoons; a warming pan; two weights for the jack?; a coal rake; one pair of holland pillow boxes?; one pair of flaxen pillow boxes? In The Best Chamber and Parlour One bedstead with stuffe valans? and curtains; one feather bed; one feather boulster; one ground rug; three blankets; all other material belonging to the said bed; loading? of chest of drawers; a cabinet; a great trunk; a great chest; six serge? chairs; a great old chair; a looking glass; four pairs of the best flaxen sheets; six - napkins; three towels; a box to hold small things in; a little locked? table; one pair of iron andirons; one pair of coal irons; one fire shield; one pair of tongs; a iron fork; one hanger; a brass mortar and pestle; one pair of brass candlesticks; a brass - with silver at the top; three pewter porringers; two - chairs; one Court cupboard table?? If anyone sees an obvious item I've translated wrongly let me know please.

They would need a lot of help getting that lot down to their local charity shop!!!! Sorry Trish

Norah, :-))) When it says "Jack and two spits" am I right in thinking this is a sort of cranking item to hold the cooking pots? And what is a Court cupboard table!!!

Hi Trish Yes, the jack was a contrivance for the spit, in this case a double spit. The jack was in place of a servant!!! Like a boot-jack was for getting ones boots off, rather than a real live man servant taking them off. The court cupboard table, I'm not sure about. I know a court cupboard was a moveable cupboard or sideboard on which the crcokery or plate was displayed. Do you think the table would be an addition to the cupboard to take the overflow? Just guessing there.

Hi Norah, thank you - I had no idea what a Court Cupboard was, especially with the table added to it! I only guessed at the jack because it had the iron spits attached to it. I know I'd never survive living in the 1600's as I wouldn't know what to do with half the things!!