86 THE SILK INDUSTRY IN WESSEX. 



from the account books it is possible to gather some first- 

 hand information as to the incidents of daily life in a country 

 town during that period, and as to the cost of necessaries 

 and certain articles of luxury. It is not practicable, 

 however, to discuss or print in these pages any considerable 

 number of the documents in question, but it may be useful 

 to comment upon a selection from them. All the names 

 are those of inhabitants of Sherborne, except when the 

 contrary is stated. The earlier portion of the local trades- 

 men's bills are written on plain sheets of paper, sometimes 

 on mere scraps, and it is not until February, 1789, that I notice 

 a printed heading on an account. In that month Robert 

 Winter, a mercer, used a bill-head impressed from an 

 engraved steel plate, not from printer's type. 



COMMUNICATIONS. 



The ordinary method of conveying merchandise to and 

 from Sherborne was by wagon, the journey between that 

 town and London occupying about four days. The earliest 

 carrier mentioned is John Andrews, but he was dilatory and 

 was not employed by Willmott after 1773, when Edward 

 Hatherell's wagons began to carry the baskets of silk along 

 the London road. In 1777 Hatherell died and was succeeded 

 by his daughter Sarah until she gave up the business in 1783. 

 Subsequent owners of lines of wagons to London were : 

 Chafie and Pittard in 1783 ; they started on the homeward 

 journey from the Swan at Holborn Bridge. Andrews, also in 

 1783 ; he started from the Saracen's Head in Friday Street, 

 London, and his bill for August in that year w r as 10 9s. 

 Whitmarsh, Brown and Burge succeeded Andrews in May, 

 1785. In 1799 Adams's wagons were used. In 1802-S 

 Woolcott's wagons carried the silk. 



The carriers between Bristol and Sherborne were as 

 follows : Robert Oke, 1775 ; Hart, 1782 ; Wiltshire, 1785 ; 

 John Beale, 1788-91. 



