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Letters from the Past
Mr George Moore, Merchant, London
from his nephew also George Moore, 1725
This is one of two letters we have addressed to a member of the Moore family in London. There are only two postal markings on this almost 300 year old letter, a Bishop Mark for NO 8 and a charge mark of ‘4’ (from 1711-1765 the charge was 4d for a distance above 80 miles). The dealer who sold it to us, David Shaw of Malton, Yorkshire noted that is was probably from Appleby Magna in Leicestershire, not the Appleby in Westmorland.
The letter is dated 6th November, but as the Bishop mark shows it was received at the General post office and dated 8th November, so it only took 2 days from Leicestershire to London. The address, simply Mr Geo Moore, Mercht, London was enough to have it delivered, at that time. The letter was sealed with a beautiful black wax personal seal with a crest on it. However, we cannot get a good scan, as it is so shiny that the details are lost.
So now to the contents of the letter which is almost completely legible, apart from two words. The language is definitely old fashioned, but the meaning is still perfectly clear. At this time, many writers used abbreviations, in this case ‘bot’ for ‘bought’, ‘bro’ for ‘brother’. There are a lot of abbreviations signified by a ~ over some of the words like Daux for Daughters , Subpa for Subpoena etc and the spelling of some of the words is different from what we would use nowadays.
"Nov 6 1725
Honrd Sir
Yours of the date of 21 Octobr agreeably saluted me & the more as It related the satisfaction of your health & all friends. I have not been advised the pleasure sometime to think that Dame Fortune did not despitefully throw in your way Some Accident of Business to detain you from prosecuting yr June Journey since the Foulness of the Sumer, the Dirtyness of the Roads, and unsettledness of ye weather, all have contributed to make that Voyage dangerous & unpleasant.
In the next paragraph is a word which we cannot decipher, and it is in brackets in the transcription here.
Bro. Thos has compleated his Purchase with Squire Hacket has also bot the Timber on the Estate, when I obtain an Abstract of the Tithes shall transmit a copy to Bro Jno, (inhntively?) & at once for his Perusal & Remark to caution & advise us in what may be omitted or done amiss.
I have been servd with Process of Subpa (subpoena) at the suit of Mr Ashton have wrote to Bro W to appear for me and to take care of that affair.
I shall not forget Cousin Lea when I next write to Bro But she will excuse me when as accidts (accidents) to have come to pass I am oblig'd to say this is a Time of more than ordinary demands upon me. All relacons are well, save Sister Farmer, whose Indisposition I hope is not langorous. What remains is That I have the happiness to subscribe My selfe
Honr'd Sir
Your Dutifull Nephew and oblig'd Servt
Geo. Moore
Pray my kind saluts to Cousin Lea & her Daux~
The signature is very fancy indeed but perfectly legible
There is a filing note on the reverse of the letter:
Coz Geo Moore 6 9ber 1725 Recd 8 ditto
Answered.
There are two interesting things about that note, the first is the date. In the old calendar which ran from March until February, October was the 8th month, November was the 9th month, December the 10th, so the note of 9ber indicates November, and this is the first time I have ever seen that written on an old letter. The second is that it appears that the writer, who is a nephew, appears to have been a cousin, as the note is ‘Coz’, the abbreviation for cousin.
I contacted the website owners of Appleby Magna in Leicestershire http://www.applebymagna.org.uk and they confirmed that this letter is indeed part of the Moore family history, with strong connections to their town, and I sent them photocopies of the two letters and in exchange they sent me a copy of the book This Noble Foundation, a history of the Sir John Moore School at Appleby Magna in Leicestershire by Richard Dunmore.
Note: It is amazing that this letter which is nearly 300 years old is still perfectly legible, paper and ink still intact, and hand writing not so different that it would be impossible to read it. It is doubtful that a handwritten letter in 2016 will still be available to be read by a postal historian 300 years in the future, in view of the fact that handwriting is no longer being taught as it is thought to be superfluous, because nearly everyone has access to a keyboard, or a computer, mobile phone or a tablet.
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