Manuscript volume entitled 'Laborers Book', containing accounts of the wages paid to agricultural and building workers on an unidentified estate (possibly in Wales or on the Welsh border) between December 1766 and December 1770. The account states the days worked by each man and his total weekly wage, and the amount paid each week to the bailiff or similar official in settlement of wages. Between December 1766 and September 1767, the men are divided into 'Laborers in Husbandry' and 'Laborers in Building'. After this date, the lists are combined, and a footnote is added each week giving the cost of husbandry, medicines and repairs.
UnknownAccount and memoranda book relating to a farm in Lancashire, including details of servants' wages. An inscription at the end of the manuscript reads 'Elizabeth Coulston Book 1779'. Apart from this the manuscript is written in one hand throughout, probably that of Henry Faithwaite of Littledale, Caton, Lancashire.
Faithwaite , Henry , fl 1810-1826 , farmerIncomplete farm account book relating to a farm at Calthorpe, Norfolk, kept by an unidentified tenant famer, who also had a farmhouse at Aylsham. The account book gives details of crops and acreage planted between 1820 and 1827, and accounts of receipts and expenses from 1 Nov 1820 to 15 Aug 1829, which show that the farmer sold mostly cereals, eggs and butter, mainly at Erpingham market. There are also notes relating chiefly to the harvest of cereals in 1843 with 'Pegg's Pig Account' for 1834, a list of fields totalling 25 acres headed 'Glebe', and a note of the assessment of Calthorpe for the poor rate in 1842.
UnknownManuscipt volume, consisting of an account book for a farm near Funtington, Sussex, giving expenses for building, 1811-1813, farming expenses, including poor rates, land tax and tithes, 1814-1821, and 'Profits of Farm', 1814-1821.
UnknownPrinted 'Abstract of the Agricultural Returns' for 1892 and 1893 'for the information of occupiers of land' sent from the Board of Agriculture in London to Henry C. Butler of Bramshott, Liphook, Hampshire, and postmarked Haslemere (Surrey) and Liphook (Hampshire), 26 Jan 1894.
Board of AgricultureManuscript account book for an estate at Darley, Yorkshire, 1813-1826, including prices for materials, repairs and labour for an estate comprising a house, garden, cottages, stables, farmlands, and St Catherine's Chantry. Some of the leaves have notes and figures in pencil.
UnknownLetter from William Eden of Farm, [Beckenham, Kent] to the Marquess of Buckingham, 22 Sep 1800. Discussing the possibility of a penny post.: 'I cannot pospone my thanks for your letter of the 14th. With respect to that part of it which relates to the Post Office I hope to obtain good information ... on the practicability of establishing a "sort of penny-post from all the great Towns to the Villages, etc" - We already have a regular penny post at Bath, Liverpool, Manchester, and, I believe, at Birmingham, for those palces and for their suburbs. And it is every year more productive to the Revenue, which is the surest proof of its being an accomodation to the Public. I am well satisfied ... that such a system would be useful; and even that it might be expedient to give a very general extension to it.' Much of the remainder of the letter concerns crops.
Autograph, with signature.
Eden , William , 1744-1814 , 1st Baron Auckland , penal reformer and diplomatist x Auckland , 1st BaronLetter from Jospeh Hardy of 19 George Street, Adelphi, [London] to Lord Sheffield, 23 Feb 1816. Regarding his proposal of the latter as an Honorary Member of the Dublin Society, and dealing with agricultural matters.
Autograph, with signature.
Hardy , Joseph , fl 1816 , ColonelLetters, drafts and notes, 1830-1831, on agriculture, trade with the colonies, bullionism and other matters regarding politics and trade often in connection with fellow customs official Augustus Grenville Stapleton.
Hume , James Deacon , 1774-1842 , customs officialLetter from William Bence Jones of Kilgarriffe, Clonakilty, County Cork to 'Madam' [? Mary Ann Gilbert, wife of Davies Gilbert (then President of the Royal Society) and founder of the Self-Suporting School of Industry, Willington, Sussex]. Acknowledging receipt of 'your pamphlet on self-supporting schools', but doubts whether such an establishment would be successful in Ireland. Enclosing a 'copy of the regulations of some allotments which I am trying to establish here'.
Autograph, with signature. The accompanying pamphlet is inscribed: 'Requested to be returned to Mrs. Gilbert'.
Jones , William Bence , 1812-1882 , agriculturistAn agricultural journal, 13 September 1833 to 28 June 1837; various account books; letters and estate papers.
Larratt , Daniel , d 1848 , farmerA volume entitled Notes on subjects connected with agriculture, from W. Moorcroft, Kashmeer, 1823, addressed to the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture.
Moorcroft , William , 1765-1825 , veterinary surgeon and travellerA general and farm account books, 1749-1800, kept by William Phillips of Broadway, Worcestershire.
Phillips , William , fl 1749-1800 , farmerAccount book, 1611-1642 containing around 7000 entries relating to the manor of Barton, Berkshire, and Brockett Hall, Hertfordshire, giving prices for food, clothing, wages, education.
Reade , Sir , Thomas , 1575-1650 , Knight , of Barton, BerkshireLetter from Sir John Sinclair of 133 George Street, Edinburgh to James [Thomson] Gibson-Craig of Riccardton, 23 Apr 1825. Covering note enclosing a copy of Sinclair's pamphlet Defence of the landed and farming interests (1825).
Autograph, with signature.
Sinclair , Sir , John , 1754-1835 , 1st Baronet , politician and agriculturalistLetter from Francis Tomwsidwy of Gayton, [Northamptonshire] to William Bamwell Esq, Upton, [Northamptonshire], 15 Feb 1602. '... I thanke youe, and thinke my selfe beholding unto youe that it will please youe to afford me these kyndnes to fence my ground wth yor owne thornes (wch I confesse) will be muche more durable than my smoth wood, for the price of them I referre mee to yor selfe and will pay youe what soe ever shall beste please youe.' Mentions Tomsidwy's resolution to sell 'Oldfyeld' and his journey to Northampton with his wife. Written and signed in an italic hand [presumably Tomsidwy's own].
Tomsidwy , Francis , fl 1602 , of Gayton, NorthamptonshireAn account book, 1802-1819 of mixed farming and general nature, probably kept by Richard Walker of Bradmore, Notts, whose name appears inside the covers of the volume, and who is probably the addressee 'dear brother' in a letter enclosed signed 'J. Walker.'
Walker , Richard , fl 1802-1819 , farmerLetter from Arthur Young to the Rt Hon Lord Sheffield [1st Earl of Sheffield], Sheffield Place, East Grinstead, Sussex, [Aug 1790]. Refers to Young's last journey to France and Italy in 1789. The Duc de Liancourt entertained him in Paris for three weeks; he wishes to buy "some capital Sussex oxen" for Liancourt and enquires whether Lord Sheffield has any "of the first rate". States that France is absolutely ruined in point of trade and manufactures. Mentions a conversation with Lord Hawkesbury [Charles Jenkinson] 'on ye new corn bill wch appar. will be a governt. one - & so not too good for ye L Int. [landed interest]".
Autograph, with signature. Written on the blank pages of a printed questionnaire asking for information from corn growers in relation to the Corn Laws, for use in Young's 'Annal of Agriculture'; answers to the questions are filled in in MS.
Young , Arthur , 1741-1820 , agriculturist