Thomas Dagger, a Billingsgate baker, wishes to buy a ship, 1675. Catalogue ref: ADM 106/317 f1
Thomas Dagger, an apprentice baker at the time, is thought to have first raised the alarm about the fire at Thomas Farriner’s property in Pudding Lane, where the Great Fire of London started. Eleven years later he is hoping to buy a ship. It is difficult to know why he wants to buy this ship but maybe he wanted to use it for transporting foodstuffs for his business or maybe he had a contract with the Navy or possibly he thought it was a good opportunity!
A hoy is a small single masted ship, or a heavy barge often used to carry cargo or passengers to a larger ship in the Thames Estuary. Deptford dockyard was the leading dockyard from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century.
A wet dock meant that the water is shut in and kept at a given level to facilitate the loading and unloading of ships.
- According to the document, what is Thomas Dagger’s profession?
- Why do you think he wants to buy a ship?
- Why do you think this document comes from the Admiralty records (shown by the ADM code in the catalogue reference)?
Transcript
Right Honourable,
Understanding the Harwich hoy lying in Wett Dock at Deptford is to be sold, I humbly crave to buy her for the bounty, to which end I humbly crave to called into know your price.
I am your Lords humble servant,
Thomas Dagger Esq.
Billingsgate Baker
3 June 1675
Simplified transcript
Dear Sir
I understand that the single mast ship (from Harwich) in Deptford docks is for sale. I would love to buy the ship and I would like to know the price.
I am your grateful servant,
Thomas Dagger of
Billingsgate Baker
3 January 1675