Burrish Crisp – aged 26/27 – son of James Crisp and Elizabeth (Marsh) – Calcutta
Elizabeth Maria Shee (ne Crisp) – aged 4/25 – daughter of James and Eliza Crisp
Sir George Shee – husband of above – Surveyor-General of the Ordnance, Secretary of the Treasury, Receiver-General in Ireland, etc etc.
George Shee – aged 4/5
Charles Shee – aged 0
Mary Duval (ne Marsh) – aged 76/77 – Sister of George and Milbourne
John Duval – husband of Mary Duval
Elizabeth Morrison (ne Duval) – 36/37 – daughter of John Duval and Mary (Marsh)
James Morrison – aged 50/51
James Morrison – aged 14/15, son of above and brother of Jane, Mary, Elizabeth and Ann.
George Marsh – aged 66/67
George Marsh – aged 39/40 – siblings of George and Anne (Long) (died 1790)
William Marsh – aged 33/34 – son of above George Marsh
Amelia Marsh (ne Cuthbert) – aged 23/24
Arthur Cuthbert Marsh – aged 2/3
Amelia Marsh – aged 0/1
John Marsh – aged 41/42 – son of Milbourne Marsh –
Lucy Marsh (ne Gosling) – aged 30
John Milbourne Marsh – aged 1/2
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Memorandums, Observations and Appointments in January 1789
Monday 19 January 1789 – At the Board
Tuesday 20 January 1789 – Ditto. Sent the bank (Warrant?) to Mr Creed by Tom 40.10.0
Wednesday 21 January 1789 – Ditto. Received and paid off Creed 17.0.10 for Sir Alexander Chambers.
Thursday 22 January 1789 – Ditto
Friday 23 January 1789 – Ditto. (James?) Cuthbert came to my house.
Saturday 24 January 1789 – At home. Alex’ Cuthbert, his son George, James Cuthbert, Mr James Morrison, his son and three daughters dined with me.
Sunday 25 January 1789 – Not at Church. Most of the above company dined with me.
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File 9830
Print diary page for accounts. Other side of previous?
January, 1st Month, has xxxi Day. (Week 3)
Took James Grant for a household servant at 16.16.0 per annum
It began to rain for the first time since 3 October last.
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2 March 1789
Memorandum
My most worthy friend the Rev. Mr.Swann died whose benign disposition and amiable gentleness of manners endeared him to all his Friends and acquaintance.
Philanthropy was seated in his Heart, and benevolence spontaneously flowed from the God-like source! In the discharge of his public duty though frequent indisposition deprived him of full energy, yet the native purity, and genuine Piety that accompanied it captivated the Hearts and rivetted the attention of his Auditors.
In him were United the primitive Christian implicity, the accomplishments of a Scholar, and the refinement of true gentility. He was as Pope described Gay,
“Of manners gentle, of affections mild. In wit a man, simplicity a child.”
In short take him all in all, is like is very rarely to be found.
A Clergyman’s person should be engaging, his countenance open and expressive, indicating a benevolent Heart. He should possess a clear, distinct audible voice, entirely divested of discordant uncouth tones; his pronunciation should be correct; his modulation, emphasis and cadence judiscious.
An uniform exemplary observance of religion and morality, should be manifest in all his Actions. His behaviour should be affable and condescending. And to complete his Character, the graceful politeness of a Gentleman is necessary for supporting the dignity of his profession. All this Mr.Swann was.
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2nd April 1789 – A Set of Ditto – – Ditto – £0.5.0
Three Brushes for Pictures & Frames – £0.8.0
Paid a Man for not bidding against me at the Dutchess of Kingstons Sale – £2.2.0
Miniature Picture & Frame of Mr Marsh Sen. –
Fine Coach Hire & Portnage: –
Set of Burchs Views in England – £0.5.0
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Different – finer handwriting – receipts for paintings
22 May 1789 – Rec…. £66.4.0
3 July 1789 – Received by Draft …. £100.0.0
3 October 1789 – Received Bank Note – £15.0.0
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Printed Catalogue
A Catalogue of Art the Rich Household Furniture, Pier Glasses of Distinguished Magnitude, Collection of Pictures, Sideboard of PLATE, China, Linen, Fire Arms, Damask Hangings, and other valuable Effects, Late the Property of Her Grace The Duchess of Kingston, Deceased, At her Grace’s Mansion, situate between Knightsbridge and Kensington which will be sold by Auction, by Mr.Christie, (by Order of the Administrators) on the Premises, on Wednesday, May 20th, 1789, and Three Following Days.
N.B. The Collection of Pictures comprises the Fourth Day’s Sale, Saturday the 23rd.
The Whole to be Viewed on Monday and Tuesday preceding the sale, which will begin each – o’Clock
Catalogue may be had on the (rip in page) Mall, at One Shilling each. (rip in page) Purchasers.
page 2
Conditions of Sale
page 3
A CATALOGUE
FIrst Day’s Sale,
Wednesday May 20th 1789
No. 1 – The Venetian Room
1..A Large double headed couch fitted to the room, covered with green mixed damask and squab to ditto.
2, Five large feather bolsters in green mixed damask
3. A feather bed, bolster, pillow, a matress and blankets.
4, A small Smyrna carpet, a Wilton carpet planned and 2 gilt flower branches.
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30th May 1789
Mr Josa Thomas my assistant commonly called Secretary of the Navy Board died who was a vary able but corrupt bad principled man. Just before his death Sir Charles Middleton acquainted me (who was then the Comptroller of the Navy) that Lord Chatham desired not, to have any recommendation from the Navy Board and myself in particular, as had ever been usual, for a person to succeed to that appointment, who it is always mentioned in the letter from the Navy Board to the Admiralty is approved of by the Clerk of the Acts who also joins with the other members of the Navy Board in the recommendation by signing the letter and applies too personally for the person so recommended.,
However as Sir Charles had delivered this message to me, I did not apply immediately to the Navy Board to join in writing a letter to the Admiralty to recommend Mr John Margetson my head clerk for this appointment, which they would have most readily have done, as they approved of him as well as myself. But in the course of the same week I reflected upon this affair and thought it extraordinary that Lord Chatham should send such a message to me and therefore waited upon his Lordship, who told me he had not sent such a message, but that Sir Charles had requested of him not to appoint any person immediately to succeed Mr Thomas, whereupon I recommended Mr Margetson as the properest person for that employment in which the Board also joined me, but his Lordship desired it might rest ’till some Naval arrangement then before the Council should be settled.
Soon after this a person named Ramsay [James Ramsey 1733-1789] died at Sir Charles Middleton’s house who was said to be a Methodist parson, who it was also said Sir Charles wished very much to have this appointment, but be that as it may it was not made ’till 28th December 1789, when Mr Ambrose Serle [1742-1812] produced his Warrant to me, and said Lord Chatham particularly directed him to follow my orders. I replied to Mr Serle that I was very sorry for his appointment, for if I could have had my wish my first clerk should have had it, but as superior interest had prevailed, I would nevertheless give him every information and rendering him my utmost assistance in the business of the Office and dayly advice for his conduct in the execution of it (for I conceived he was no way to blame to endeavour to obtain so valuable tho’ very laborious confined an employment.) This very uncommon appointment was brought about by the very great interest of Sir Charles who artfully got the Earl of Dartmouth to ask Lord Chatham for it, for Mr Serle (who was said to be a Methodist) so that it might not appear to be done by him.
When Sir Charles was appointed Comptroller of the Navy which some misinformed people suppose for want of knowing the Navy Board’s instructions that form the words Comptroller of the Navy, that he is Comptroller of the Navy Board, which is not the case, they each member having a power to Comptroll him in any business he may want to contrary to their opinion or the public interest or service, for neither himself or any other of the Board can give any order but such must be signed by three members of the Board, and if they disagree on any business it is to be executed by the order of the majority of the members of the Board.
Of late years the people in power have however looked upon the Comptroller only, as the head and even director of all business at the Board, not only to the great prejudice of the public, but also of the King’s Service, for instead of a checque upon him, he takes upon him in consequence of his being so noticed to order whatever expenses he thinks proper, tho’ ever so contrary to the most excellent instructions of the Navy Board.
In short I have known those who would have sold the Navy if they could have done it, without detection. How imprudent is it therefore, to encourage such a power in any one member of the Board, to make private contracts and have the principal power in disposing of two or three million of money every year in the civil department of the Navy, and that too by one member of it, that knows the least of the business thereof, and in general Captains in the Navy are the most unfit persons to be members of the Navy Board, as they know nothing of the civil department and are too, from their education and habits, very absolute and consequential, this was Sir Charles’s case who made all the knowledge he got from others his own so that he was deemed by people in power the best and most able Commissioner of the Navy Board who was also thought to be an excellent servant and economist to the public, and so he was in all matters that did not concern himself or friends but for these purposes he was very extravagant of the public money and went unbounded lengths with it.
People in power found it very convenient, however, to support his, for it is a much easier matter to get a contract or great allowances for their friends or doing an improper irregular thing through one member of the Board, than by three.
In short he was of the consequence to them he got created a Bart and chosen Member of Parliament for the City of Rochester, and first Commissioner of the Land Revenue Office, in addition to his appointment as Comptroller of Navy, and has also got appointed a Rear Admiral tho’ he never served much at sea.
Notwithstanding his ill treatment to me, he was sensible that most of his Naval knowledge he had from me, as well as various important accounts all which as before mentioned he made his own, but was so ungrateful after about four years great intimacy and to appearance friendship, he was base enough to privately insinuate to Lord Chatham the whole business was conducted by him, few of the other members ever attended, and that tho’ I was well acquainted with it in all its branches, yet I did not care to give myself any trouble about business.
If I had been possessed of proper spirit, I could and indeed ought to have opposed many of his actions, but by nature I could never bear contention, for if I ever had the least difference with any person, I was unhappy ’till we were reconciled, but upon his conduct to me in many cases particularly with regard to my assistant or secretary and his private insinuation respecting idleness in business, I was so much provoked (being very sensible that my whole time was constantly devoted to it, and that I really made it my pleasure, constantly and daily attending it) that I told him in the Board room a man might pray morning noon and night with his servants about him, and not have the spirit of a Christian in him, and asked him if he should like any man to act the base ungrateful false part by him, as he had done by the Navy Board but particularly to me, and then added I most heartily detested and despised his principles, having experienced that his actions were very different from his professions.
To sum up Sir Charles Middleton’s true character, he is a person of very great abilities, is indefatigable in business, but cannot bear any person to know anything of it but himself, and to acquire this character with the King and Ministers has basely privately and treacherously depreciated that of his brother Commissioners.
By his manner he appeared to be a religious just man, but by his actions he proved himself the contrary in various particulars thereof, and tho’ the son of exciseman in Scotland, he frequently tho’ privately observed to people how low bred and of what poor parents most of his colleagues in office were. In short he was in general a deceitful proud despicable character.
I must own his ungrateful and unchristian like conduct to me has occasioned me rather more uneasiness of mind, than I ever had before from any connections in public office, but I thank God upon turning my thoughts inwards and consulting my own heart upon my past conduct both public and private, it produced in general, that happy reflection and invaluable blessing my own self approbation, which supported me in good spirits to bear with, and go through the many difficulties and mortifications I did do from this man.
Surely nothing is truly pursuable to such an animal as man, except what is correspondent or at least not contrary to justice, prudence, temperance and fortitude, which are esteemed for their importance the very hinges of all morality
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File 9821
Printed book page
blah blah blah
Considerations on the Capital Stock of the Corporation of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England
The charter of the corporation of the governor and company of the Bank of England was founded on an act of the 5th and 6th of William and Mary
The original fund of the Corporation, which was £3,200.000
Was created by cancelling exchequer bills – 500,000
By purchase of the South-Sea company – 4,000,000
By annuities of the lottery of 1714 – 1,250,000
Ditto, charged on the duty on coals – 1,750,000
Ditto, charged on licences for Spirituous liquors in 1746 -986,800
(Total) £11,686,800
The capital stock in the year 1781, 10,780,000
Eight per cent, call in that year 862,400
(Total) £11,642,400
So that the capital of the Bank is now 11,642400l. which according to the resolution of the last general court, pays a dividend of seven per cent, amounting to 814,968k, oer annum of which sum government pays 354,604l. per annum and the remainder is provided for out of the profits of the company’s trade.
Profits
The profits arise from savings, in the management of the company’s affairs, out of the allowance made them by the government. From the interest of different public sercurities belonging to the company.
From the accommodation they afford to government by loans on exchequer bills, &c.
From the assistance they give to trade, by discounting bankers and merchants paper.
And from the purchases made, during the war, of navy and victualling bills, at a large discount, which were subscribed into five per cents considerably under par, and may now be valued at a premium.
continues – – – –
Dividends
File 9822 –
above continues
The Call – The call, in 1781, was evidently made wiht a view to enlarge the powers of the Bank, in order to effect thse great purposes. The capital of the Bank was then encreased for public accommodation, and the porfits of the proprietors have been proportioned to that additional subscription.
The Price of Bank Stock Unequal to its Value
It has long been a custom, with brokers and jobbers in the alley, to estimate the value of this capital,by the price of Reduced Annuities, for no other reason, that has ever been assigned, than that the dividends on Bank Stock and these Annuities are payable at nearly the same periods. If, say they, Reduced Annuities at 3 per cent are valued at 75, Bank Stock, at 7 per cent, may be estimated at 175, and so in proportion to any other given price. Thus attempting to compare,where no comparison exists, and to estimate a defiance of calculation.
The interest on these annuities can never be expected to encrease, while the dividend on Bank Stock is subject and intitled to an advance every two or three years. The interest of these annuities depends entirely on public credit; while Bank Stock in addition to its dependence upon the general credit of the country, has a distinct, and immediate, and a superior, credit of its own.
The Superior Recommendations of Bank Stock. – – –
Credit and Resources – – –
File 9823
book continues
Some Reason for this Neglect – – – –
Concluding Remarks
When it is considered that between the years 1776 and 1783, the national debt was encreased to the amount of one hundred and twenty millions. And that this additional debt was nearly equal to all that had been borrowed from the reign of William and Mary to that period – When it is considered that the Bank of England supported this mighty mass, and provided for every public exigency, by taking a prodigious proportion of this additional debt on loan, and supporting the whole of it by its immediate credit and resources, it cannot be deemed either a visionary or an extravagant calculation to infer, that, during the war The Income of the Bank has been Doubled. The Bank could not uphold so many millions without acquiring many millions, and therefore the proprietors, when they accepted the late encrease of dividend with commendations on the good management of the directors, had a view to, and an expectation of, a farther distribution of those profits, which it is well known still remain behind. — –
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File 9824
Act for Securing the Rights of Voters at Elections in England and Wales
(28 Geo. III. c. 36)
By this act registers of all the freeholders are to be made, and the King’s printer is to provide such a number as the clerks of the peace for each county, riding &c, shall require, and transmit them to those clerks by or befor March 5, 1789. The clerk of the peace is to deliver a register to each register-keeper before April 6, 1789. Each parish is to have a register-keeper, who is to be the collector of the land-tax. Every freeholder has a right to be enrolled in the register for the parish where his estate, or part thereof, shall lie; and register-keepers, if qualified, may register themselves. – – –
continues