Michael Edkins' Ledger

The ledger is available in the reading room of Bristol Central Library. It is a restricted access item (reference 21096). The following information is written at the start of the ledger.

"This work was given to John Latimer in 1900 by Miss Edkins, great grand-daughter of Michael Edkins, for presentation to the Bristol Museum and Reference Library. Before doing so John Latimer extracted a selection of items, which he considered interesting, and inserted them in Bristol Miscellaneous (B6523). The Account Book was handed over to the Bristol Reference Library by the City Museum in Mach 1951 and the extracts were re-inserted."

The surviving ledger (there must have been others) contains entries for 1761-1789. There is one possible entry for 1790, which may be 1780, one entry for 1794 and one for 1797. A few of the entries are in a different, neater, hand. It is not organized in date, or any other logical sequence, and would be an auditor's nightmare! Entries are for coach painting, inn and business signs, glass, tinplate, adding gold to gun barrels, etc. He did much scenery and other painting for the Bristol Theatre. An unusual item is "painting scenes in the garden", for G Goldney Esq, in 1777 and 1779. (Thomas Goldney created the Goldney House Grotto and garden in Clifton, in the middle of the 18th century. G Goldney is Gabriel Goldney, who was maintaining the garden.) Some of the entries are as follows:

There are entries for 1773-1787. 1775 shows entries for 12 separate dates, with a total value of 13/0/9d. NB - values are shown in pounds, shillings and pence (d). There are 20 shillings to a pound and 12 pence to a shilling. The following are some examples of work for Vigor and Stephens:

Aug 31 1773

25 Cream jugs

2/0d

25 Basons

2/0d

6 Sugar dishes and covers

9d

7 Flower bottles

7d

6 Jars

6d

Jan? 1775 (The year the name of the business changed).

2 deal boards paint them black and writing Vigor, Stevens and Hill Bristol

4/0d

Sep 2 1780

Painting gold labels on 12 dozen apothecaries bottles

9/0d

The first entry relates to a sign. I assume that the decanters and glasses were part of the sign.

The next entry was for December 1st 1785, for 2 dozen blue bottles - 8/0d. For 1785/6 there are 17 other items (total value 2/10/11d), for 1787 13 items (6/4/2d), and for 1788 20 items (4/14/11d).

24 separate entries for 1765, e.g., Painting and gilding bottles and basons at 9d each - 4/6d. According to Owen William Dunbar first advertised in Felix Farley's Journal on 16th October 1764. The business would appear to have been short-lived.

Edkins did a lot of a painting on tinplate. Much of which is described as cannisters. One of the entries for Penny shows cole (coal?) boxes, sugar boxes and tea cannisters. Some of the items are lanthorns (lanterns). This was elaborate work, as prices for painting a cannister was about 6d to 1/0d. For some cannisters 1/9d was charged. This was much more expensive than the work done on glass. A PhD probably awaits someone who studies the Bristol tinplate industry! Details of customers are below. I have excluded those for whom one or two sugar boxes were painted, as these seem to be sugar refiners. One of these was a Mr Holden, for whom Edkins painted sugar boxes in 1766 and 1767, plus a sign in 1768.

Mr Flower Potter (assumed to be Joseph Flower)

1777

A deal board painted black and writing in gold Flower Potter

10/6d

Mr Flower, Brislington (Pountney says that he had just taken over a boarding school, but does not say if he was a relative of Joseph Flower). A separate list of amounts gives Flower's first name as Thomas.

Feb 4 1771

Paint a board black

1/0d

14 gold capitals 4 inches

7/0d

30 letters 2 inches

7/0d

Edmund Burke Esq

1774

To painting 32 truncheons tight and varnished at 2/-

3/4/0d

Paid for said truncheons

8/0d

Henry Cruger Esq (Burke and Cruger were candidates in the election held in November 1774. The election had ended on 3rd, so presumably the truncheons were for a victory celebration).

Nov 4 1774

To painting, gilding and varnishing 24 truncheons as 2/- each

2/8/0d

Thomas Frank Grocer (Pountney gives an incorrect date of 1778).

Jan 6/7 1770

Painting a board both sides

1/0d

8 gold capitals 6 inches at 12d

6/0d

8 gold capitals 5 inches at 1.5d per inch

5/0d

A tin plate for the window

1/0d

Writing the plate gold letters

5/0d

St Mary Redcliff Church

Jun 12 1765

Painting and gilding the weathercock.. The church wardens accounts show that this was paid in 1765. In the same year he was also paid 2/4/0 for painting gates and in 1763 5/0d for ale for workmen. In 1792 he was paid 10/6d for gilding and in 1797 4/10/6d for numbering the pews.

5/5/0d

Mr Taylor Potter (Pountney assumes that this was William Taylor). This is the only entry relating to pottery.

Mar 26 1767

Ornament with gold 19 teapots at 3d

4/9d

Apr 4 1767

Ornament with gold 24 teapots at 3d

6/0d

Aug 6 1777

Ornament with gold 7 teapots at 3d

1/9d

Mr Bissix of Temple Street, sugar refiner. Edkins did work for him in 1764, 1766, 1779 and 1782.

Mr Hope

Sep 15 1764

Painting 3 posts twice lead color and finishing prussian blue, reviving the arch board and checks, writing your name, etc.

6/0d

Painting a hanging board black and writing it in gold.

3/0d

Fry & Co. On October 17th 1765 a sign was painted for a total of 12/3d. In 1761 Joseph Fry had taken over an existing chocolate firm called Churchmans. Fry's chocolate would eventually become world famous. Fry was also an investor in the Bristol porcelain factory and a soap maker.

Glass Gold Size

2 quarts Linseed Oil

10oz Aniseed Pounded

10oz Calcin'd Amber

10oz Litharge Gold

10oz Amber Powder'd

2oz Jews Pitch

10oz Red Lead

To be boiled over a gentle fire 5 or six hours, and almost cool thin it with Turpentine, till it is about the consistence of treakle.

Water Gold Size for Vellum or Paper

Dissolve Gum Arabick and White Sugar Candy, separate about the consistence of treakle, mix some of each with a little Vermillion etc. that you may see your strokes, if it does not harden fast and put a little more Arabick, and when you Gild breath gently on your gold size.

White Spirit Varnish

Three ounces of gum mustick, three ounces of gum Sandrick, 8 ozs of Venice turpentine.

Dissolv'd in a bottle stopt and kept in a moderate heat. If too thick put some spirits of turpentine.

Oct 7 1763	34 gold letters - 2 3/4 at 1/2	18/6d
	32 gold letters - 2 at 1/2	8/6d
	2 gold decanters and glasses	7/6
	Paint the board and back (indisdinct word, possibly shades)	2/6

Aug 31 1773	25 Cream jugs	2/0d
	25 Basons	2/0d
	6 Sugar dishes and covers	9d
	7 Flower bottles	7d
	6 Jars	6d
Jan? 1775 (The year the name of the business changed).	2 deal boards paint them black and writing Vigor, Stevens and Hill Bristol	4/0d
Sep 2 1780	Painting gold labels on 12 dozen apothecaries bottles	9/0d

Mr Flower Potter (assumed to be Joseph Flower)
1777	A deal board painted black and writing in gold Flower Potter	10/6d
Mr Flower, Brislington (Pountney says that he had just taken over a boarding school, but does not say if he was a relative of Joseph Flower). A separate list of amounts gives Flower's first name as Thomas.
Feb 4 1771	Paint a board black	1/0d
	14 gold capitals 4 inches	7/0d
	30 letters 2 inches	7/0d
Edmund Burke Esq
1774	To painting 32 truncheons tight and varnished at 2/-	3/4/0d
	Paid for said truncheons	8/0d
Henry Cruger Esq (Burke and Cruger were candidates in the election held in November 1774. The election had ended on 3rd, so presumably the truncheons were for a victory celebration).
Nov 4 1774	To painting, gilding and varnishing 24 truncheons as 2/- each	2/8/0d
Thomas Frank Grocer (Pountney gives an incorrect date of 1778).
Jan 6/7 1770	Painting a board both sides	1/0d
	8 gold capitals 6 inches at 12d	6/0d
	8 gold capitals 5 inches at 1.5d per inch	5/0d
	A tin plate for the window	1/0d
	Writing the plate gold letters	5/0d
St Mary Redcliff Church
Jun 12 1765	Painting and gilding the weathercock.. The church wardens accounts show that this was paid in 1765. In the same year he was also paid 2/4/0 for painting gates and in 1763 5/0d for ale for workmen. In 1792 he was paid 10/6d for gilding and in 1797 4/10/6d for numbering the pews.	5/5/0d
Mr Taylor Potter (Pountney assumes that this was William Taylor). This is the only entry relating to pottery.
Mar 26 1767	Ornament with gold 19 teapots at 3d	4/9d
Apr 4 1767	Ornament with gold 24 teapots at 3d	6/0d
Aug 6 1777	Ornament with gold 7 teapots at 3d	1/9d
Mr Bissix of Temple Street, sugar refiner. Edkins did work for him in 1764, 1766, 1779 and 1782.
Mr Hope
Sep 15 1764	Painting 3 posts twice lead color and finishing prussian blue, reviving the arch board and checks, writing your name, etc.	6/0d
	Painting a hanging board black and writing it in gold.	3/0d
Fry & Co. On October 17th 1765 a sign was painted for a total of 12/3d. In 1761 Joseph Fry had taken over an existing chocolate firm called Churchmans. Fry's chocolate would eventually become world famous. Fry was also an investor in the Bristol porcelain factory and a soap maker.

Glass Gold Size
2 quarts Linseed Oil	10oz Aniseed Pounded
10oz Calcin'd Amber	10oz Litharge Gold
10oz Amber Powder'd	2oz Jews Pitch
10oz Red Lead
To be boiled over a gentle fire 5 or six hours, and almost cool thin it with Turpentine, till it is about the consistence of treakle.
Water Gold Size for Vellum or Paper
Dissolve Gum Arabick and White Sugar Candy, separate about the consistence of treakle, mix some of each with a little Vermillion etc. that you may see your strokes, if it does not harden fast and put a little more Arabick, and when you Gild breath gently on your gold size.
White Spirit Varnish
Three ounces of gum mustick, three ounces of gum Sandrick, 8 ozs of Venice turpentine.
Dissolv'd in a bottle stopt and kept in a moderate heat. If too thick put some spirits of turpentine.