The records of the Stapylton family of Myton [ZLQ], include a number of account books and rentals from the period between 1739 and 1865. These record expenditure every month, year on year, documenting a wide variety of payments for items ranging from household goods and food to charitable donations to the poor.
This blog features one particular household account book from the beginning of the 19th century, when Sir Martin Stapylton (1751-1817), the 8th and last baronet, was resident at Myton Hall, Myton-on-Swale. The entries cover the period 1807-1814, beautifully handwritten in ink on paper and bound with parchment [ZLQ 48].
There are monthly expenses for the upkeep and running of the garden and stables. Payments are made to the gardeners, under gardeners, stable hands and post boy. A pack of hounds was kept and there are regular entries for food for the dogs. In May 1809, William Handley was paid 17s 8d “expences for taking the hounds to quarters” and the following month 2s was paid to “Wm Handley to Wass with hounds“. In April 1811, 9s 6d was paid to “John Thawaits to Eston & Wass with hounds” & 6s to “Isaac to Marisses with dito“. In July 1810, 1s was paid for “2 dog whistles for keeper” and 5s 6d was spent on a “case for the huntsman’s horn“.
ZLQ 48 Pages from the account book for April and May 1809 recording payments for the garden and stables, including 17s 8d to William Handley on 7 May for “taking the hounds to quarters”
Occasionally, the hounds went astray: in October 1810, a man was given 2s 6d “for bringing a hound home” and the following month a boy received 1s “for bringing hound from Cundall“. At least some of the hounds were otter hounds, and £2 was paid for 2 otter hounds in January 1811 and in March of that year, £9 was paid for “2 couple of otter hounds“. An entry in April 1811 records “expences at Thirsk otter hunting 10s“. A payment of £1 10s is recorded to “Hodgson for Dolley the water spaniel“.
Apart from hunting, the recreational interests of the household included the local races and fishing. In October 1809, 5s was spent at Alne races, £2 2s at Myton races & 5s at Flawith races and in July 1810, 11s at Helperby races. In April 1810, 2s 6d was paid for “expenses at Boro Bridge fishing“.
ZLQ 48 Pages from the account book for October 1809 and October/November 1811 recording expenses at Flawith and Myton Races (left), and a basket of game from Mr Cares (right)
The account book also lists some payments for food. Regular payments are made to Mr Cares for fish and in October 1811 he received 2s 8d for a basket of game. 10s 6d was paid to “a man from York with a salmon” & 2s to “man from Linton with fish“. “Soales & lobsters for Myton” cost 10s 6d in August 1809. There are also payments for cheese. In October 1809, Mr Earnshaw was paid £3 18s 4d for cheese and the following year he received £3 3s 7d. “Chees from Stilton” was 4s 8d in January 1810 and in June 1813, £2 was paid for “2 Stilton cheeses“. There are few other items of food mentioned but in October 1809, 1s was paid for “venison from York to B.bridge“.
ZLQ 48 Pages from the account book for June 1809 noting payments to Banes the blind fiddler, “a poor man of Marton for the loss of his cow“, John Thackray “for fidling” and Cares for fish
Sir Martin seems to have been a charitable man and throughout the account book are details of payments to the poor. In June 1809, 10s 6d was paid to “a poor man of Marton for the loss of his cow“, 5s to a “poor man of Rascliff for the loss of a cow” and 10s 6d to “Hodgson of Rascliff for loss of a cow“. In December 1809, 6 schoolboys on Christmas Eve received 6d and in May 1807, 2s 6d each was paid to “4 poor people with crows“. Payments for vermin, mostly crows, magpies and weasels, are common throughout the book but in April 1807, John Thackray received 1s “for killing a cat” and in June 1809 J. Sommersgill was given 1s “for shouting a cat“.
Other payments in the book are for entertainment. Banes, the blind fiddler, regularly received payments of 1s and in April 1809 (see image to the right), a payment of 10s 6d to “comediens for singing” is recorded. Three singing girls in May of that year were paid £1 11s 6d and in June, John Thackray was given 2s 6d “for fidling“.
Apart from the above, accounts are paid for gun powder and shot, tobacco, shaving soap, aromatic vinegar, calico, shoe brushes, hair cutting, stationery and boot mending. In September 1810, 5s was paid to William Groves for 4 gold finches. The household also received several newspapers including The York Herald, The Newcastle Courant and The York Chronicle. The bill for The Newcastle Courant seems to have been overlooked for in October 1809 a payment of £5 4s was made for the newspaper for four years from July 20th 1805 to July 8th 1809.
ZLQ 48 Pages from the account book for October 1809 and September 1810 recording payments for The Newcastle Courant, cutting hair and 4 goldfinches