Georgian homes (i)

Extracts from an inventory of Morris Lewin Mosley, silversmith in Liverpool, 5 June 1802 (C 107/164)

Transcript

[Please note there is frequent use of the term ‘ditto’ which we have taken to mean as before, in this sense, another similar item in the inventory. Any unusual terms are defined in square brackets.]

An Inventory of the Household
Furniture Fixtures etc taken under a Commission of Bankruptcy at Morris Lewin Mosleys, Silver Smith at Liverpool in the County of Lancaster. 5th June 1802

No 1: Front Garret
A Four Post Bedstead Japand [a hard black varnish, originally from Japan, for coating wood or metal and often decorated with an oriental style motifs or patterns] cornices [horizontal projecting moulding at the top of a wall] Mahogany feet Manchester Cotton furniture Feather bed Bolster and 2 pillows ditto
1 blanket to each and 2 coverlids [bedspreads], 2 pairs window curtains to match and 2 Japand cornices to match.
3 pieces of carpet, a mahogany double chest of drawers and Japand chairs, matted seats [using flat woven fabric] and 2 painted tables.

No 2: Back Garret
A field Bedstead, [folding bed] printed cotton furniture, 2 window curtains to match a feather bed bolster [long pillow], 1 pillow, 1 blanket and quilt, a looking glass in mahogany frame, a mahogany table with drawer, a mahogany chair and 3 Japand chairs, matted seats.

No 3: Lumber Room
A small bedstead, a small mahogany table, 2 wire fenders, one with brass top and knobs, shovel, tongs and poker to match, a rocking horse, a small clothes horse, a pair of low steps, a Japand tin pail [bucket] with cover. 2 pairs Japand window cornices with laths [thin, narrow strips of wood, used to form latticework, a backing for plaster], 2 Queensware wash hand basins [a type of light white earthenware with a brilliant glaze developed from creamware by Josiah Wedgwood and named after Queen Charlotte] and 2 ewers [jugs] 2 bits of carpet.

No 4 – 2 pair front
A four poster bedstead [with] Japand cornice, mahogany feet, foot board [supporting piece at the end of a bed], a wool mattress, a bordered feather bed a bolster and four pillows 2 blankets and white counterpain [counterpane, or quilt or coverlet for a bed], and Manchester cotton [Manchester was the centre of the cotton industry], Furniture, two window curtains to match with 2 Japand cornices a large dressing glass [mirror] 2 foot by 1ft 4 inches, stand with 3 drawers, a painted commode dressing table with 5 drawers [chest of drawers with curved front and legs, often with shaped sides, seen as “French” taste, popularized by Thomas Chippendale] a mahogany wardrobe, a pair bedside steps, a 2 arm easy chair and cushion, and Japand chairs cane seats, 1 [similar] stool, matted seat, a painted corner wash hand stand [table, used to keep a jug and bowl for washing] a blue and white basin and ewer [jug].
A bedside carpet round 7 foot 9 by 4 foot 4 inches and 2 pieces as before, and a hearth rug. A bath stove with polished steel front, a hearth brush.

No 5: Back Room
A four post bedstead, Japand cornice and mahogany feet, painted Manchester cotton furniture, scollopt [scalloped, a curved ornamental edging in fabric copying the edge of a scallop shell] lined and fringed and window curtains to match with Japand cornice, a mattress, a bordered feather bed, a bolster and 4 pillows, 2 blankets and white counterpane, a spring rolling sunshade [for the] window.
A mahogany chamber chest of drawers, a ditto [second one], night stool, a circular Japand dressing table, a dressing glass in oval frame 1 foot 5½ inches by 1 foot 3½ inches, a Japand wash hand stand, blue and white basin and ewer [jug].
Small back room
A field bedstead [folding bed] Manchester cotton furniture- a window curtain to match a feather bed, bolster and 2 pillows, 2 blankets and spotted coverlid [bedcover] a mahogany chamber chest of drawers, Ditto, wash hand stand blue and white basin & ewer.

No. 6 back room
1 pair 4 poster bedstead, Japand cornice, mahogany feet and foot board, white dimity lined, [dimity was light sheer cotton fabric, made with fine cord running through it, sometimes printed with coloured pattern]. Drapered and fringed furniture two- Mattresses, a bordered feather bed, a bolster and two pillows, two blankets and white dimity Mozela quilt and patch coverlid [bedcover], a Japand cornice to window and rolling spring sun shade. A mahogany octagon [eight sided] chamber chest of drawers, a ditto, bedside steps carpeted, a Japand compass dressing table, a bedside round carpet, a piece ditto, and a hearth rug and a bath stove, and polished steel front, a ditto compass fender.

No 7: Drawing Room
A polished steel front register stove with draw out bars, a compass steel fender, a pier glass [a large high mirror often designed to occupy the wall space between windows] in gilt frame with carved and fluted columns, 6 feet by 2 foot 9inches; 2 chimney lustures [Lustres were candlesticks or vases decorated with hanging glass prism-like shapes] with 3 branches to each, 2 gilt ornamental chandeliers, 2 pair Manchester cotton window curtains, olive colour vallens fringed and lined [valance or short piece of material used as a decorative heading to conceal the top of curtains] a gilt cornice and 2 green sun blinds, 3 Japand Pembroke card tables [small 4-legged table originating in the Georgian period and having two drop leaves and a drawer] satin wood ground lined with green baze [green baize was a wool fabric resembling felt] and leather covers. 2 japand sophas [sofas] cane bottoms stuffed backs and elbows and cushions. Covered rose wood colour 10 elbow chairs with cushions- covered to match 2 pole fire screens- 2 silk ribband [ribbon] bell pulls, extra linen covers for sopha [sofa] , chairs etc…

No 9: Best Parlour
A bath stove polished steel front a circular cut fender shovel tongs and poker, a pier glass [mirror] carved gilt frame. Ditto fluted columns 6 foot by 2 foot, and 2 glass chandeliers on mantel piece. A mahogany secretary book case with gothic sash doors and green silk curtains. A mahogany side board with 2 drawers and celleret [cellarette or cellaret is a small furniture cabinet, available in various sizes and shapes, which is used to store bottles of alcoholic drinks], 2 mahogany knife cases & vase spoon case and leather covey? a pair of Manchester cotton window curtains, lined & brass rod, 3 family pictures in Gilt frames a pair mahogany card tables with green cloth covers – 12 mahogany chairs [with] brass casters a small Japand work table, a carpet 15 feet by 12 a piece ditto.

No 10: Back Parlour
A bath stove [with] cut steel front, shovel, tongs and poker, a wire fire fence, mahogany 2 flap table with drawer, 2 mahogany stools, horse hair seats, a painting of Reverend Isaac Polack in gilt frame, a needle work map of the British Isles in gilt frame, an oval glass in gilt frame. 2 foot 2 by 1 foot 6 a figured oil cloth. 12 feet 6 by 9 foot 6 and a bit ditto a carpet 7 foot by 4 foot and 3 bits,

Closet
14 wine glasses, 2 tumblers, 8 rummers [large glass or cup with short stem for drinking toasts], 1 glass water jug, 13 cups and saucers, 4 coffee cups, 1 china plate and 6 others, a bronze tea urn…a plated coffee pot and tea pot, a ditto crewit [cruet] stand, a pair of plated candle sticks, a silver cream mug, 6 table spoons, 12 tea spoons, 4 salts 4 spoons.
A Japand plate warmer 4, ditto waiters [trays] a mahogany knife box 16 table knives, 1 pair carvers [carving knives] 5 small knives, 7 forks, a piece of green baize.

Passage
A glazed [glass] lamp with glass shade liner & pullies 2 painted laths with 16 cloak pins- strip of wood with hooks for hanging clothes] 3 pieces oil cloth 31 feet [in length]

No 11 kitchen
A smoke jack [device for turning a roasting spit], iron crane and pothook a windup range drop bar and 2 swing trivets and draw out racks, a shovel tongs & poker a sliding bar fender, 1 box iron, 2 heaters, 1 flat iron, 1 grid iron, a frying pan, 2 spits and iron meat roaster, a large copper boiler, 2 copper tea kettles, 2 copper stew pans, 3 large copper saucepans and 3 covers, 4 small saucepans and a coffee pot, 1 coal scuttle and 1 iron (another as before), 1 brass pestle and mortar, 4 brass candlesticks, 1 tin tea kettle, 3 tin saucepans, 1 fish plate and cover, tea dish, covers 12 saucepans, ditto steamer, a Dutch oven, a tin cheese toaster, a plate basket dripping pan and ladle, a bread grater [for making bread crumbs] pepper box dredger [box with a perforated top used for sprinkling pepper] 2 tin candlesticks, a lanthorn [lantern] and sundry tin pots, a fire screen lined with tin, a warming pan, a brass footman, a pair of steak tongs, a cleaver [heavy knife for chopping meat], a skewer rack, 12 skewers, a mahogany butlers tray, a mahogany cheese waggon and knife box, 5 Japand tea trays, a pewter tea set, 2 spice boxes, 4 egg cups and sundries in cupboard.

Larder
3 table tureens [large serving dishes] and covers, 2 sauce tureens as before and covers, 2 ladles and stands, 3 butter boats [small butter dishes] 2 salad bowls, 2 vegetable dishes and covers, 10 table dishes, 44 table plates 30 small, 15 soup plates, 2 fish plates, 11 pye dishes 6 basins, 6 patty pans, 5 jugs, 7 black dishes, 2 bread pans, 17 stone bottles, 1 iron pot, 2 sauce pans with covers, a flour kit and meal, a chopping block, chocolate mill and lemon squeezer, 1 iron footman, 3 washing tubs, 2 pails, 2 stools, a beer stand, 2 clothes horses, napkin press, flour tub and cover, 2 Deal tables, 6 wood bottom chairs, a looking glass, a coal shovel and cinder sifter. 1 coffee and pepper mill as fixed, a Deal dresser, painted front with drawers and cupboards 9 feet 10 inches by 2 feet 4½ inches, one ironing board let down flap 8 feet 5 inches by 2 feet 11 inches, a dresser in back kitchen with shelf underneath, a wood cistern lined with lead and brass lock, a bottle rack…

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