‘A PINT OF BEER EACH DAY’: Thomas Townshend’s Minute Book as a Commissioner for Westminster Road Building and Civic Improvement in the 1760s

Small octavo manuscript record book in original marbled wrappers dating from 1762, written for Thomas Townshend who was serving as one of the Commissioners for the City of Westminster. Ownership inscription in a contemporary (secretarial) hand to verso of upper cover reads ‘Mr Townshend’; an address of Cleveland Court is given for him within the minutes. The contents provide a detailed record of the workings of those responsible for the construction and maintenance of the streets of mid-18^th century London.

The manuscript begins with a list of Commissioners of the City of London numbering 64 in total including Thomas Townshend and many leading members of the nobility and city merchants. A detailed record of officers, a record of meetings, finances and details of specific works is included spanning the dates June 10^th 1762 until May 27^th 1763. A different hand is responsible for the second half of the volume. There are costings and calculations for work to Parliament St and York St which include the minutiae of dimensions and the quantities of Edinburgh stone and gravel needed to pave them. Frequent reference is made to the works surveyor Mr George Wyatt and the Scottish supplier Mr Campbell of Edinburgh. Additional details including contracts for lamps and other ironwork for the streets fill the pages.

The total cost for paving both Parliament and York Streets is recorded as £1,626 13s. Enquiries regarding the transportation of stones from Scotch wharf to Westminster and where to store once delivered are recorded. Advertising for the selling of old stones, etc. is minuted alongside instructions to the King’s printer to print this in duodecimo size. Wages for ‘paviours’ [persons who lay paving stones] are detailed. ‘Geo. Young agreed at 1/8 a week and Jn. McCarter 1/7 and a pint of beer each day, and if Young behaved well is to have a further Gratuity’. It is noted, ‘Surveyor acquainted the Commrs. that the Scotch Paviours do more work by a 6th or 7th than the English. The English Paviours had been directed to work in the same manner as the Scotch, but had refused so to do’.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 76 pp. of neatly and densely written minutes on every leaf, verso and recto. Front wrapper has become detached and is held in place with transparent tape. Internally leaves are clean throughout and text block is sound. A fascinating record from mid 18th century London.