42 A PICTURE OF THE IRON TRADE. 



though it could have been better sold at Hull, was eventually all 

 disposed of to a grocer in London. 



Of smaller articles, I find that hammers were sold at ^7 per 

 ton, and a few smoothing irons were made. 



Nails were made on a large scale by Francis Sitwell, the eldest 

 son, at Gainsborough, and he had workmen in Eckington also. 

 Between May, 1665, and October, 1666, his father sent iron to 

 Bawtry for him to the value of ^830 ; this was almost entirely 

 slit iron, which I suppose was the raw material for nailmaking. 

 The trade, under the management of agents, was for many years 

 afterwards a large source of revenue to his widow and family. He 

 sent a large consignment of nails to Barbadoes, and in May, 1666, 

 had sugar and cottonwool in return to the value of ^40 16s. iod. 

 This was very probably the three punches and six bags mentioned 

 above. 



Guns were also made in Derbyshire. In February, 1662, 

 Mr. Clayton was making guns which report said were to be sent 

 into Holland: "Wherein its said Sir Sachevile Crew is instru- 

 mentall to him by vertue of a patent he hath from his Matie." 



The iron goods, turned out by forge and by furnace, were first 

 carried over land to Mr. Jerome Phillips, the agent at Bawtry, and 

 this had to be in summer, for in winter it was difficult even at a 

 double charge. I find £1 2s. paid for the carriage of ten tons of 

 iron pots to that place. Phillips consigned them to Tomson, the 

 agent at Hull. In September, 1662, the former is paid eight 

 guineas for the freight of 1,529 bars and six bundles of saws (in 

 all thirty-two tons) from Bawtry to Hull. In January following, 

 twelve dozen saws which ought to have been delivered at Gains- 

 borough are lost, and the sender writes, " I have a jealousie of 

 him who receaves it and sends it from Bawtry, he is growne a 

 careless fellow, soe that I am resolved to have noe more to doe 

 with him." To Phillips succeeded Matthew Lambe, and in July, 

 1663, he is blamed for having sent iron to Hull in '• open catches 

 to the great hazard of loosing it," for, as Leonard Cowley writes, 

 " one was run upon ground, and had continued so for four dayes, 



