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| − | ==PROB 5/2521==
| + | #redirect PROB 5/2521 Inventory of Paul Docminique sen., 1680/81, ff. 1-8 |
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| − | '''Editiorial history'''
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| − | XX/XX/XX, CSG: Imaged manuscript
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| − | 22/11/11, CSG: Placed transcription on wiki
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| − | ===Abstract & context===
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| − | ===Transcription===
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| − | ===Commentary===
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| − | There appear to have been two Paul Docminiques, father and son, who were known in their time as Paul Docminique (henceforth ‘senior’) and Paul Docminique junior. In the ''Little London Directory'' of 1677 one Paul Docminique was at Vine Court Spittlefields and the other, described as Paul Docminique junior, was at Colemanstreet, London.<ref>''Little London Directory'' (1677), no pagination</ref> This broadly matches with the inventory for Paul Docminique senior three years later in 1680, in which he is described as “of Tottenham Heigh Crosse, county Middlesex,” with a house in Wheeler Street (probably in Hackney or Spittalfields), and with his son described as “of Colemanstreet.”
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| − | Vine Court in Spitalfields, Docminique senior’s 1677 address, was an address listed by four other merchants in the same list.<ref>Richard Baxter, Vine-Court Spittlefields; Mr. Burden, Vine-Court Spittlefields; Per.[ient] Trott, Vine Court Bishopsgate without; Samuell Wastall, Vine Court Spittlefields</ref> Vine Court lay a few yards to the north-west of Devonshire Square, which was at some point in time the address of Francis Dashwood’s son, Samuel (later Sir Samuel) Dashwood. Strype states that Sir Samuel Dashwood had a house on Devonshire Square, though he does not make clear at what date.<ref>Strype confirms Sir Samuel Dashwood had a house in Devonshire Square (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 109)</ref> Francis, Samuel’s father, one of the largest ''SVJS'' subscribers, was the son of the Stoqumber, Somerset clothier Samuel Dashwood, and was known for his commercial activities in both the Levant and the East Indies.<ref>Will of Samuell Dashwood of Stogumber, Somerset 31 December 1638 PROB 11/178 Lee 115 - 183; subscribed £2,000 in ''SVJS'', C10/109/102 (1663); Described as a ‘Turkey merchant’ in John Bernard Burke, ''A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the peerage and baronetage of the British Empire'', 14th ed. (London, 1852), p. 569</ref> In the ''Little London Directory'' he and his son were listed simply as“Fran. & Sam. Dashwood: without Bishopsgate.”
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| − | Devonshire Square was an address at which a number of merchants dealing in silk established themselves in the later seventeenth century.<ref>Ralph Davis, ''Aleppo and Devonshire Square: English Traders in the Levant in the Eighteenth Century'' (London, 1967)</ref> Ralph Davis mentions XXXXX, XXXX, and XXXX.<ref>Ralph Davis, ''Aleppo and Devonshire Square: English Traders in the Levant in the Eighteenth Century'' (London, 1967), pp. XX, XX</ref> Harben, following Strype, states that Francis Dashwood himself had a house near St. Botolph’s churchyard, which was accessed by an open passage called ‘Dashwood’s walk’ in Strype’s maps.<ref>'Dashwood's Walk', Harben (1918), citing Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 109</ref> This, appears to have been west out of Bishopsgate and on the north side of St. Botolph’s church. Harben describes it as "a large house and garden." This house, if jointly occupied by Francis and his son Samuel, may be the location in the ''Little London Directory''. Alternatively Strype may be referring to Francis’ other son, also named Francis Dashwood.
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| − | Five further merchants listed Spitalfields and ten further merchants listed Bishopsgate without as their address in the ''Little London Directory''.<ref>'''Spitalfields''': Mr. Burin, Spittle-fields; Charles Lequein, Crown Court in Spittlefields; Mr. Waldo, Spittle-fields; Mr. Allen, Spittle-fields; Mr. Balts [almost certainly John Balch, silk thrower and merchant], Crown-court Spittle-Fields; '''Bishopsgate without''': Mr. Gooding, Bishopsgate without; John Grace, Half-Moon Alley Bishopsgate without; Anth. Green, Bishopsgate without; Roger Capple, Bishopsgate without; Mr. Chapman, Bishopsgate without; Fran. & Sam. Dashwood, without Bishopsgate; John Degrave, Bishopsgate without Half-moon Alley or Angel Alley; John Degrue, Angel Court without Bishopsgate; Mr. Elkins, Bishopsgate without</ref>
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| − | Bishopsgate without lay outside the City of London, immediately to the north of the Bishopsgate, and it appears including at least part of Spitalfields. Spitalfields, as will be discussed later, was the area in which a substantial silk manufacturing industry developed from XXXX onwards.<ref>''Victoria County History'', vol. X (XXXX, XXXX), pp. XX-XX</ref>
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| − | Many of Docminique senior’s property investments were in Spitalfields, and several men receiving substantial bond funding from him, John Balch and Edward Metcalfe, were instrumental in establishing the new market of Spitalfields and developing property associated with the market.
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| − | '''Add details of Docminique properties in Spitalfields'''
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| − | No will survives for Docminique senior, though presumably he died in late 1680 or very early 1681, shortly before the taking of his inventory from 10th to the 20th January 1680/81.<ref>TNA PROB 5/2521, f.1</ref> A will (or related document) which is listed in TNA online index is missing from its wrapper.<ref>TNA, PROB 20/769</ref> Paul Docminique junior, for whom a PRC will survives, appears to have died in 1735, of London and of Merstham, Surrey.<ref>Will of Paul Docminique, Merchant of London 16 May 1735 PROB 11/671 Ducie Quire Numbers: 90 - 140; H.E. Malden (editor), 'Parishes: Chaldon', A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4 (1912), pp. 188-194. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43050 Date accessed: 29 November 2009. ></ref>
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| − | David Hayton ''et al.'' suggest that the Docminique family was of Huguenot extraction, and indeed Docminique senior may have been a first generation immigrant, since a naturalization bill of 1656 proposed the naturalisation of a Paul Docminique, who was clearly an adult at the time.<ref>David Hayton, Eveline Cruickshanks, Stuart Handley, ''The House of Commons, 1690-1715: Constituencies'', vol. 2 (Cambridge, 2002), p. 578; Saturday, the 7th of February, 1656. Steinmer's, &c. Nat. '...Paul Donekmenique...'('House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 7 February 1657', ''Journal of the House of Commons'',vol. 7: 1651-1660 (London, 1802), pp. 487-488. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=24562 Date accessed: 08 December 2009. >)</ref> Two of Paul Docminique senior’s daughters married Huguenots - Elizabeth Docminique, spinster, of the parish of Stepney, married a man described as a “French merchant” (Benjamen (sic) le Nud), in 1672.<ref>W. Bruce Bannerman, ''The Registers of St. Helen's, Bishopsgate'' (London, 1904), p. 160. See also TNA, C 9/283/34, Motteux v. Le Nud and Docminique (1692)</ref> Another daughter, XXXX, married Stephen Lauze, a Huegenot merchant, naturalised ca. 1675.<ref>This is the footnote text</ref> Furthermore, Docminique senior’s inventory shows extensive lending and customer relationships with confirmed or apparent French Huguenots.<ref>TNA, PROB 5/2521</ref>
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| − | '''Paul Docminique senior'''
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| − | Paul Docminique senior died in 1680, “of Tottenham High Cross”, in Middlesex, to the north of London, possibly partially retired from commercial life. Nevertheless, he had a substantial physical warehouse inventory at his death, as well as an inventory of bills, bonds, and notes. In his inventory it is recorded that Docminique senior had a substantial property portfolio, including houses in Wheeler street, London, and XXXX, Hackney.<ref>TNA, PROB 5/2521</ref>
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| − | His inventory valuation at over £24,000, excluding his househould stuff, shows that he was a major merchant, concentrating largely on silk. An analysis of his substantial bond and bill portfolio shows that he lent substantial sums to relatives, perhaps as trade financing, and that a number of them were French Huguenot relatives (Le Nud, Lauze), and associates (Pryaux).
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| − | Docminique also had clear commercial links with Huguenot silk throwster, John Balch, who may have been in partnership with (Captain) Edward Metcalfe. Balch’s own will and documentation at the Corporation of London shows that Balch amassed property in Spital Square and secured the granting of a new market. The will also refers to a fourteen year patent on a silk engine which had been assigned to him, and refers also to a cousin in Lyons, and a cousin who was a fellow of Wadham College, Oxford.
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| − | '''Paul Docminique junior'''
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| − | Paul Docminique junior appears in the ''Little London Directory'' of 1677 at a Colemanstreet address.<ref>''Little London Directory'' (1677), no pagination</ref> He would have been roughly twenty-seven years old. By 1692, aged ca. thirty-nine, Docminique junior was a relatively wealthy merchant, with a rental value of £70 and a capital value of £500 in the 4s in the £ data.<ref>Despite the spelling of Paul Duckmaney” this is clearly Paul Docminique, given the Colemanstreet address, which is consistent with the ''Little London Directory'' (1677) entry. 'Four Shillings In The Pound Aid 1693-1694: City of London, Coleman Street Ward, Third Precinct', Four Shillings In The Pound Aid 1693/4: The City of London, the City of Westminster, and Metropolitan Middlesex (1992). URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=19756 Date accessed: 30 November 2009. ></ref> He had married in 1674 at the age of about twenty-one, one Alice Edwards, a spinster, of Basinghall Street, also aged twenty-one. In the marriage allegation he is described as "of Stepney, co. Middlesex."<ref>G.J. Armytage, ''Allegations for Marriage Licences issued by the Vicar-General of the Archbishop of Canterbury, 1669 to 1679'', Harleian Society Vol. ? [CHECK] (London, 1892, p.132</ref> Docminique junior may have been a business partner of William Edwards, who appears in the ''Litle London Directory'' (1677) in Colemanstreet, and whose listed in 1692 in the third precinct of Coleman Street immediately after Paul Docminique, possibly as Docminique’s lodger and with a reported high capital value of £600.<ref>''Little London Directory'' (London, 1677); 'Four Shillings In The Pound Aid 1693-1694: City of London, Coleman Street Ward, Third Precinct', Four Shillings In The Pound Aid 1693/4: The City of London, the City of Westminster, and Metropolitan Middlesex (1992). URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=19756 Date accessed: 30 November 2009.></ref> Edward plausibly could have been related to Docminique’s wife, born Edwards. From his marriage allegation he appears to have been born ca. 1653.<ref>G.J. Armytage, ''Allegations for Marriage Licences issued by the Vicar-General of the Archbishop of Canterbury, 1669 to 1679'', Harleian Society Vol. ? [CHECK] (London, 1892, p.132</ref>
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| − | He had wide ranging commercial interests. For example, he was the Governor of the Company of White Paper Makers of England in 1697, at the age of ca. forty-four.<ref>HL/PO/JO/10/1/492/1132 3 March 1697: ‘Petition of the Governor and Company of White Paper makers of England’</ref> He appears also to have been elected a director of the Company of Scotland trading to Africa and the Indies two years earlier, in 1695.<ref>'House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 21 January 1696', Journal of the House of Commons: volume 11: 1693-1697 (1803), pp. 399-407. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=39223&strquery=james foulis Date accessed: 28 July 2009. ></ref>
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| − | '''Archival records in TNA'''
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| − | There are several probates which may be of interest:
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| − | TNA, PROB 5/2521, DOCMINIQUE, Paul, of Tottenham High Cross, Middx, merchant (includes commission) [Sentence: PROB 11/368] (1681)
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| − | TNA, PROB 20/769, Docminique, Paul: Tottenham High Cross, Midd., merchant (1680)
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| − | There are a number of late C17th chancery cases in TNA under ‘Docminique’, and also some under ‘Dockminique’, which may be for the same man. E.g. C 104/269, BUNDLE No 48: Interrogatories in the cause Dockminique v. Turner, 1701.
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| − | '''Commercial and social connections of Paul Docminique'''
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| − | Possible link of Paul Docminique junior with with Charles Lequein, whose address is given in the ''Little London Directory''of 1677 as Crown Court in Spittlefields. The Docminique name appears in 1692 in a suit with the Humfrey and Lequein name as a fellow party against le Nud.
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| − | '''Silk trading and manufacture'''
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| − | Docminique senior’s inventory shows a concentration on trading in silk, from Italy (Bolognia, Naples, ?Venice), the Levant (Morea), Persia (Georgia), and India (Bengal). The only references in the inventory to adventures are to voyages to Spain and to Barbados, so it is unclear how he was sourcing his silk. Given the importance of Bolognian and Neapolitan silk in the inventory it seems likely that he was trading with Livorno and Naples directly. It is not clear whether he traded with the Levant as a member of the Levant Company, or indeed as an interloper, nor whether he was involved with the East India company to source Bengal silk and possibly other. Given the strength of his links to French Huguenot merchants it cannot be ruled out that silk was being brought from Italy overland through France and then across the channel from a port such as Rouen.
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| − | The following silks are mentioned suggesting place of origin:
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| − | Ardas (Georgia, Persia)
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| − | Bassan (poss. Venetian)
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| − | Bengala (Moghul)
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| − | Bollongnia (Italian)
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| − | Lagee (alt. Legee) (Persian)
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| − | Morea (Levantine)
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| − | Naples (Italian)
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| − | Orsoy (Ossoy) (???)
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| − | The Italian silks predominate by value (£846), followed by Orsoy silks (£700), and Persian silks (Ardas) (£576). Bassan (which may be Bassano, Italy), XXXX, and Bengala are each under £100. Lagee silks of various sorts total £207. Large quantities of Ardas silks were placed with Docminique senior by Stephen Lauze, his son-in-law, as security for substantial loans Lauze had received from Docminique senior (thirteen bales at Docminique’s Tottenham High Cross house as security for loans of £1500 in three bonds).
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| − | The appraised values per pound for the silks range from the lowest of 7s per small pound for Morea silk, 11s per small pound for ?Burma Lagee and for coarse Orsoy, 12s per small pound for Bengala and a type of Lagee (also per small pound), 15s per pound for ?double tram silk, 17s per pound for slackthrown Lagee, 18s per pound for fine Lagee and for coarse Lagee, 20s per pound for Orsoy (?Ossoy), for Naples, and for Bassan, up to the top end at 24s per pound for Bollongnia silk. This is a price spread per pound, ignoring the difference in weight between a small and normal pound, of four times.
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| − | The language of the appraisers shows an awareness of silk quality, with references to coarse and fine silks, with Lagee and Orsoy (Ossoy) silks distinguished between coarse and fine. The price spread per Orsoy is between 11s for coarse Ossoy/Orsoy (small pound) and 20s for unspecified, but presumably good, Orsoy at 20s (normal pound). The Lagee prices per pound range from 11s for ?Burma Lagee (small pound), to 17s for slackthrown Lagee (normal pound), and 18s for fine Lagee (normal pound). These, very crudely, are price spreads of 81% (Ossoy/Orsoy) and 64% (Lagee).
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| − | It would be interesting to compare these silk prices with prices realised by silk at auctions by the candle held by the East India Company in London, as well as the appraised values of silk held in Phillip Strode’s warehouse in Aleppo.
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| − | Some price data is available for silks held by Henry Andrewes (1638) and Samuel Mico (1666).
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| − | A total of X bales of silk are listed in the inventory (exclusing bales held as security). This compares with the 527 bales brought home in the Crispian in 1641.
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| − | '''Sales of silk on different markets'''
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| − | Silk imported by the EIC seems occasionally to have been sold on the Amsterdam exchange. An EIC Court book entry for December 30, 1642 records that “The five bales of Orsoy silk in the Mercury to be sent to Amsterdam for sale.”
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| − | '''Economics of silk trading'''
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| − | Merchants trading in silks were not immune to financial difficulty. The ‘silkeman’ Edward Darling, who had adventured in an EIC stock “lately became bankrupt” and was pursued in 1643 by a creditor for divisions of his stock.
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| − | '''Silks in other merchant inventories'''
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| − | <u>''Henrie Andrewes silks (ca. 16 bales)''</u>
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| − | In the case of Andrewes the data are for receipts and for debts owing, and thus are presumably for agreed prices of goods and are ‘real’ not appraised values. However the data are for bales, with no indication as to the size of the bales.
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| − | 4 x bales of grogren £309 – 00 – 0 (received from Timothy ?Cruss)
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| − | 2 x bales of silk ?£216 – 19 - 0 (received from John Williams & Company)
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| − | 1 x bale of silk ??£93 – 07 – 0 (received from Randall Mainwaring)
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| − | 1 x bale of silk £127 – 0 – 0 (received fromAllart Vanderwood, possibly a French Huguenot)
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| − | 1 x ? of silk (poss. less than a bale) £70 – 11 – 0 (received from John Clarke)
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| − | 4 x bales of grogren yarn £197 – 21 - 0 (received from Edmund Trench, DOWNLOAD THIS WILL, 1658)
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| − | 1 X bale of grogren in part £19 – 00 – 0 (received from John & Thomas Harvey)
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| − | 1 x bale of grogren in part £19 – 00 – 0 (received from Edward Hudd)
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| − | 1 x bale of grogren £71 – 08 – 0 (received from Jasper Clayton)
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| − | 1 x bale of grogren £25 – 00 – 0 (received from Jasper Clayton)
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| − | 1 x remainder of a bale £123 – 18 – 0 (received from Francis Dashwood)
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| − | 1 x bale of silk ?£219 – 10 – 0 (owing from Francis Dashwood)
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| − | 1 x bale of silk ?£219 – 09 – 0 (owing from Robert Winch)
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| − | 1 x bale of grogrons £? - 0 – 0 (owing from Thomas Stanhope)
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| − | 1 x bale of grogrons £? - 0 – 0 (owing from George Wroth)
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| − | <u>''Mico silks (ca. 9 bales)''</u>
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| − | In the case of Mico the data are for prices realised at a general sale of merchandise, and are thus ‘real’ market data as opposed to appraised value. However, data are for bales, which we have seen can be of variable size, and no information is given of bale weight in terms of pounds.
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| − | 1 x bale of calama silk £74 – 09 – 7 (sold to Peter Collyer)
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| − | 1 x bale of ?vitte Yellow £XXXX (sold to Robert Gardiner)
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| − | 1 x bale ?ffan gett orgay £XXXX (sold to Nathaniel Camfeild, one of Docminique’s inventory appraisers fourteen years later)
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| − | 1 x bale ?ffan gett orgay £XXXX (sold to James Thorowgood)
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| − | 1 x bale of Shound silk £XXXX (sold to Francis Dashwood, who had also been a customer of Henry Andrews)
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| − | 1 x bale of Naples Tammins £XXXX (sold to Robert ?Winch, possibly a draper
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| − | 1 x bale of Prolona silk, first sort £XXXX (sold to Francis Dashwood)
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| − | 1 x bale of Prolona silk, second sort £XXXX (sold to Symon Baxter)
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| − | 1 x bale of Prolona silk, third sort £XXXX (sold to Robert Woolley, possibly a vintner, DOWNLOAD THIS WILL, 1696)
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| − | <u>''Sir George Smith silks''</u>
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| − | A list of Sir George Smith’s assets prepared at his death in 1667 shows he had a substantial stock of silk in his warehouses. The stock was valued at just under two thirds the value of Paul Docminique senior’s. Unfortunately no detail is given of the breakdown and valuation of Sir George Smith’s silks by silk type.
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| − | <u>''EEC silks''</u>
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| − | Inspection of CCM 44-49 for “silk” shows a range of silks mentioned, both at General Courts of sale and in other contexts. Silk types mentioned are Orsoy silk, Messina silk, Persia silk, Bengala silk, ‘Legee silk’ ( ‘A Court of Committees, September 22, 1648 (Court Book, vol. xxxx, p. xx), citied in CCM 44-49, p. 290)
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| − | Inspection of CCM 40-43 for “silk” additionally mentions “Mazaran silk,” and Capiton silk.
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| − | Inspection of CCM 35-39 for “silk” additionally mentions Ardas silk, Ardasse silk, Canary silk, Mozandran silk, China silk
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| − | Mr. Pennoye (sic), presumably William Pennoyer, though alternatively Samuel Pennoyer, was a significant buyer of silk from the EIC already in 1637. He requested allowance for defective and cut silk found in twenty bales he had bought from the Company, but his request was turned down “as in his contract the silk was described as wet and defective.”
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| − | EIC sales by the candle could sometimes set forward prices of three, six and even eighteen months.
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| − | There is quite frequent reference to wet silk (presumably wet from transport). It commanded a relatively low price.
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| − | Reference is made at a Quarterly General Court in June 1635 to the failure of the King of Persia to fulfil his contract “made three years since to deliver 1,500 bales of silk to the Company.”
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| − | Wars in Turkey were capable of disrupting the flow of silk. A Court of Committees, Jan 27, 1636, noted : “the silk in Persia must come to Europe by sea or through Muscovy, for it cannot come through Turkey as formerly, because of the wars.”
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| − | The scale of some reported purchases of silk is staggering. Sir William Acton is reported as requesting “that he and whis partners, who are engaged to the Company by their joint bill for payment of 58,170l. 18s. 8d. for 372 bales of silk bought by Mr. John Langham of the Company, have paid their share with the exception of Captain Milward, that the share of the latter, which is 787l. 16s. 6d., may be put upon his adventure in the Third Joint Stock, he being willing this shall be done...”
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| − | '''Notes for section positioning silk within other textiles'''
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| − | A merchant in 1622 distinguished new and old draperies as follows: “By the old are understood broad Cloths, Bayes and Kersyes; by the new, Perpetuanoes, Serges, Sayes, and other Manufactures of Wool.”
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| − | '''Notes for section addressing silk manufacture in Spitalfields'''
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| − | Linda Levy Peck addresses attempts at creating a domestic English silk industry in the seventeenth century, but does not fully address the range of sources and qualities of silks and their uses. She discusses the development of the silk industry in England from 1455 to the early C17th, noting the shift from it as a high status activity to more of a mass activity by the mid C17th. She suggests that the migration of French Huguenot silk workers to London during the French Wars of Religion in the 1580s was of great importance. The silk throwers were incorporated in England in 1629 (Peck, 2005:107-11). Peck cites a 1674 pamphlet The True English Interest: or an Account of the Chief National Improvements, which states that “in Spitalfields and London suburbs the production of silk, satin, and velvets arrived at great perfection.” Her bibliography contains some useful pointers to specialised works on silk.
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| − | The silk throwers had their own livery company in London, constituted as a fellowship in 1562 and incorporated in 1630 (or 1629). A secondary source describes silk throwing in C18th as follows: “The operation, which requires some complex machinery, consists in spinning and twisting the silk into a coherent and continuous thread.”
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| − | An early eighteenth century English author distinguished three methods of processing raw silk: “raw silk, before it can be used in weaving, is made to take one of three forms, being converted into either singles, trams, or organizine.”
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| − | A search of PRC wills online (1650-1730) reveals 118 wills with the testators recording a range of occupations involving silk: silk dyer, silk thrower, silk throwster, silk weaver, silk factor, silk man, silk twister, silk stocking work frame knitter; silk stocking weaver. The vast majority of these wills are for testators in London and its suburbs. The addresses are typically Saint Dunstan, Stepney; Saint Leonard, Shoreditch, Middlesex; Christchurch, Middlesex; Christchurch, Surrey; Stuart Street, Tower of London, Middlesex; Saint Giles, Cripplegate; Saint Mary Matsellon, Whitechapel, Middlesex; Spitalfields, Middlesex; (Old) Artilley Ground, Middlesex; Hoxton, Middlesex; St. Olave, Southwark
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