GLOSSARY
General Terms
Act of Parliament In
Quaker documents it refers to the Act of 1695 which
allowed
Quakers to declare and affirm rather than swear
an
oath. Quakers said that they spoke the truth all the time
and
didn’t need to swear to tell the truth only on a
particular
occasion. (See also declared and affirmed)
Affidavit a written
statement as to the truth of the contents
Affirmant a person,
especially a Quaker, who affirmed to the truth of
something
Affirmed a
statement made in public. Quakers
declared and
affirmed
in legal matters, as they refused to use oaths.
Ale a
drink brewed from water, malted barley and a mixture of
herbs. The brewing process killed off the germs
found in
the
water and was drunk by men, women and children.
Normally
the mixture was made three times from the same
brew
decreasing in alcoholic strength each time.
Alienation transfer
of the title or property to another person
Amercement fine
paid in a Manoral court
Andirons or Firedogs Two
upright and horizontal Iron bars used to support logs
in
a fireplace (see also Brandirons and Cobirons).
Annoque
Domini (Latin) In the Year of Our
Lord
Annuity annual
payment
Anticipation payment
of an annuity in advance
Apiece each
Appurtances
the rights
attached to a property, such as rights of way,
grazing
rights, or agreements relating to manorial land
Arable Land land
used for growing crops
Assart a piece of
land which has been converted to arable use
from
forest
Assigns any
person acting in place of the owner or granted legal
rights
by the real owner
Backsides rear
of the property, or outhouses and yard at the rear of
a
property
Barras a
coarse linen fabric
Baulk a
beam of wood
Beasts normally
cattle
Beaufet
or Buffet Low domed
topped stool normally upholstered
Behoof benefit,
advantage or use
Bequest (see Devise) a
gift of personal property made in a will
Betwixt between
two people or items
Bolster a
long thick pillow, normally used underneath other pillows
Bond a
written contract between the bond holder and others
guaranteeing
that they will carry out the obligation made in
the
contract.
Boulting
Mill Mill where grain was sifted
Brandirons
an iron grid
or trivet for supporting cooking pots over an
open
fire (see also Andirons and Cobirons)
Brig or Brigantine sailing
ship with two masts
Brother of Half Blood Half
brother
Buskin covering
for foot and leg reaching the calf, usually laced
Butt a
barrel containing around 126 gallons of liquid
Camera Obscura the
forerunner of a modern camera, an image of an
external
object is projected through a lens onto a surface
opposite
Cattels
and Chattels any moveable personal
property or effects
Caveat a
warning of specific stipulations or conditions
Caveat emptor buyer
beware
Chaise Light two wheeled carriage normally for one or two people
Chaldron a
dry measure of coal or grain around 34 bushels
Chamber room,
often a bedroom
Charger large
flat serving dish often made of pewter
Chased
metal Normally gold or silver embossed by being worked with a
small
hammer on the front of the item making indentations
Chintz
or Chints printed
cotton fabric
Close enclosed
field
Close
Stool Wooden
box with lid containing a removable chamber pot
Cobirons iron bars put
over a fire to support a spit.
(see
also Andirons and Brandirons)
Codicil an
addition in writing made to a will and witnessed.
Coffer wooden
chest for holding clothes, papers, money
or
valuables
Conveyance the
legal transfer of property from one person to another
Copper large
vessel made of copper, used for storing hot or cold
water
Copyhold property
or land rented from the owner, normally the Manor
in which the land lay, and the transaction was
recorded in
the
Court Rolls. The land reverted back to the owner on
the
death of the copyholder, and the Manor would normally
admit
the heir or heirs named in the will to take over the
same
land on payment of a fine.
Court Baron a
court set up by the Lord of the Manor or his steward to
deal
with Manorial business, including admitting new
tenants,
resolving disputes, etc.
Cousin German a
first cousin, the term “cousin” was often used for other
relatives
in the past
Coverlid a
coverlet or bedspread
Coverture the
legal process where a married woman’s rights were
absorbed
into those of her husband
Debts by Speciality a
debt created by deed with a seal attached
Declared to
openly or publically announce (see also Affirmed and
Act
of Parliament)
Deed a
document or contract which gave the holder the right to a
Property
Desperate debt a
debt that is likely to be irrecoverable or hopeless of being
paid
(see sperate debt)
Destrain to seize a
property in order to recover money owing
Devise (see bequest) a
gift of actual property made in a will
Diaper (see
napkin) a piece of cloth,
normally linen or cotton, either for use at
table
use, or for a baby’s nappy
Dower or Thirds the
right of a wife to claim on the death of her husband one
third of his land and property for her
lifetime, often
replaced
by a bequest in the will.
Dumb Waiter a
small portable table or stand
Emblements the
profit from crops which have been already sown
Executor
man or sometimes a woman who was appointed to carry
out
a will and named in that will
Executrix woman
who was appointed to carry out a will and named in
that
will
Expectancy the
possibility of future enjoyment on property or effects
which
were expected to be inherited
Featherbed a
mattress stuffed with feathers
Fee Simple Unconditional
inheritance
Flock mattress a
mattress stuffed with wool rather than feathers
Foregift an
advance or premium payment paid by a tenant when
making
or renewing a lease
Freebench a right of a
widow to retain control of some of her
Deceased
husband’s estate
Freehold land
actually owned by a person
Gig a
light carriage with two wheels, normally pulled by a
single
horse or pony
Going
Gears Mill gears
for turning mill wheels
Guardian a
person appointed to take care of another, often a child or
children
under the age of 21
Harrateen Linen or Wool fabric used for
curtains or bed hangings
Heifer young
cow
Hereditament a
property able to be passed on
Herriot a
feudal duty payable to the Lord of the Manor on a
property
on the death of a tenant
Herring Hang a
building used for smoking or storing herrings
Holden held
or kept
Holland or Hollands linen
cloth or type of gin
Homestall Homestead
Hotch
pot A
mixture of various property, money or assets
Joyned
or Joynted wooden
furniture made by a joiner with mortice and tenon
joints
and wooden pegs
Imprimis (Latin) in
the first place
Indenture a
legal written agreement or contract
Indifferent persons impartial
people
Interlined word
or words inserted between the lines of a document
Intestate someone
who died without leaving a will
Inventory a
list of personal and household goods left by the person
who
had died, including their value
Issue of his/her body children
Joint Tenants two
or more people who owned the same property or land.
The
survivor of them would inherit the entire estate.
(see
also Tenants in Common)
Jointure an
agreement made before a marriage to guarantee the
bride
a specific property, amount of money or goods in
case
her husband died before she did, thereby protecting
her
future
Kiver large
bowl or basin for mixing and preparing food,
alternatively
a cover
Leasehold property
or land rented or leased to a person for their
lifetime,
but not owned by themselves
Legacy an
amount of money or property left to someone in a will
Legacy duty a tax imposed on a
legacy, an inheritance tax
Letters of Administration a grant to the person or persons who applied to administer
the
property of someone who did not leave a will, or a
person
appointed by a court to settle the estate.
Linen items
made of linen either household or clothing
Malt sprouted
and dried barley used for brewing beer and ale
Malting or
Malting House a building where grain
is malted. Can also be called a
Malting
Office
Manor an
estate, held by the Lord or Lady of the Manor, who
owned
an area of land, often including a village or villages,
parish
church and agricultural land
Mead either
a drink made from honey or a meadow
Messuage Property
or dwelling house with adjoining land and
Outbuildings
Minority under
the age of 21 years (changed to under 18 in 1970)
Moiety half
part
More
remote issue descendents
such as grandchildren or great grandchildren
Napkin a
square piece of cloth, normally linen or cotton used for
wiping
the mouth at a meal, or as a baby’s nappy
Neat Net
Nee maiden
name
Nuncupative will
made before witnesses by word of mouth, but not
Signed
Nutmeg/Mace a
spice in the form of a hard nut, the outer dried casing,
also
used as a spice is called Mace
Objects of Vertu Small
luxury items made of precious metals or jewels
Pannikin Metal cup or
drinking vessel
Pasture Land land
growing grass for grazing of animals of various kinds
Per Capita (Latin) “by
head” in land or property owned jointly where the share
can
only pass to the named beneficiary
Per Stirpes (Latin) “by
root” in land or property owned jointly where the share
of
the named person can be divided among their heirs if
they
have deceased
Pewter a
metal used for making dishes, plates, and tankards
Pillow bear, beere or bere pillow case
or covering
Plate items
made of metal especially silver
Press tall
item of furniture made of wood used for storing clothes
and
textiles
Probate the
process of proving the validity of the will and settling
the
estate
Porringer small
individual bowl often with two flats handles for
porridge
or soup
Press cupboard
Purparts a share or
part of a division
Relict Widow
Reversion return
of property to the original owner after the death of
a
beneficiary or when a lease has expired
Revoke officially
cancel
Rowle a
farm implement, possibly a roller of some kind
Safe a
ventilated chest for storing foodstuffs or a secure metal
box
for storing documents or valuables
Salt a
container for salt as well as the contents
Save harmless protect
someone against financial harm
Seal a
mark made into red wax by a metal ring or stamp, the
personal
property of the owner. A seal could be
used by
someone
unable to write their names or in addition to a
signature.
Shagreen sharkskin
or rough hide
Sperate debt the
debts a woman had prior to her marriage (see
desperate
debt)
Spinster unmarried
woman
Spit iron
bar for roasting meat over a fire
Staddle stone mushroom
shaped stone under a barn or hayrick to keep
rats
out.
Stave a
curved piece of wood used in building and barrel making
Steer young
bull calf between 2 to 4 years old
Taster a
wide shallow cup or glass
Tenants in Common
owner of a specific
share in a property whose share can be
disposed
of separately from the remainder of the property
and
without the consent of the other owners
(see also Joint Tenants)
Tenement house
or other building or land
Tent
bed Bed
with a fabric canopy suspended overhead
Testator the
man who made the will
Testatrix the
woman who made the will
Tester a
wooden canopy above a bed
Thrawl a stone slab or shelf to keep food cool in a pantry or larder
Ticking a
strong material used for covering matresses
Tithe a
tenth part, Payment due by all people living within a
Church
of England parish payable to the Vicar
Quakers’
refused to pay this and were often sent to jail for
non-payment.
Trencher a
wooden plate
Trivet a
three legged iron stand to support pots of food or liquid
over
or near a fire
Truckle bed a
low bed designed to fit under a normal bed, often on
wheels
so it could be pulled out when needed.
Tumbril an
open cart which could tip backwards to empty its load
Wainscot wood
panelling on the walls of a room or a panelled chest
or
chair
Warming pan a
metal pan with a long handle which could be filled with
hot
coals to warm a bed
Wearing apparel cothes including underwear and footwear
Widow a
woman whose husband is dead and who has not
Remarried
Widower a
man whose wife is dead and who has not remarried
Will and Testament the
written document disposing of a person’s property and
effects,
which has been signed and witnessed.
Originally
the
Will referred to real property and Testament referred to
personal
effects.
Yoting Vat trough
for soaking and fermenting barley when making
beer
Money
(pre decimalisation)
Guinea a
gold coin originally worth £1 after 1717 worth
£1
1 shilling
Pounds Sterling (abbreviated
to £)
Broad Piece a
gold coin worth £1 issued around 1656 during the
Commonwealth
Sovereign a
gold coin worth £1
Half Sovereign a
coin worth 10 shillings
Mark worth
two thirds of a pound
Noble a
coin worth one third of a pound
Crown a
coin worth five shillings
Half a Crown a
coin worth two shillings and 6 pence
Florin a
silver coin worth 2 shillings issued in 1849
Shilling a
silver coin, later cupro-nickel. There were 20 shillings in
£1
Groat four
pence
Pence (abbreviated
to d) There were 12 pence or pennies to
1
shilling and 240 pennies to £1
Halfpenny half a penny
Farthing a
quarter of a penny
Professions
Apothecary also
called a Druggist or Pharmacist. A
person who
prepared
and sold medicines
Architect a
person qualified to design buildings and supervise
their
construction
Baker maker
and seller of bread and pastries
Baize maker a
person who made baize, a coarse woollen material,
like
felt
Barrister a
lawyer who is entitled to plead in the higher courts
Bay maker a
person who makes a kind of woollen cloth, a speciality
of
Colchester in Essex
Blue maker a
person who made blue from indigo and cheap materials
used
by calico printers and dyers
Book Seller a
seller of books and sometimes other writing materials
Brazier or Brasier a
man who works with metal, especially brassl
Brewer maker
of beer
Broadweaver
loom operator
using a wide loom
Brush and Basket maker a
person who made and sold brushes and baskets either
retail
or wholesale
Cabinet maker a
person who made high class furniture of all types
Calico printer a
person who printed patterns onto calico (a type of cotton
material)
with the aid of wooden blocks
Carpenter a
worker in wood, especially large objects and houses
Chandler maker
and dealer in tallow or wax candles and soap –
a
ship’s chandler sold items needed for boats and ships
Chapman dealer
in small items, either travelling or in a location
Cheesemonger a
seller of cheese and other dairy products
Clerk either
a Clerk in Holy Orders (a Church of England
clergyman,
or a Clerk who worked in an office
Clothier a
person who supplied wool or other materials to
outworkers
who then turned them into cloth, which was
subsequently
collected and sold by the Clothier.
Coal merchant seller
of coal, wholesale and retail
Cobbler a
repairer of shoes and boots
Confectioner maker
and/or seller of sweets and chocolate
Cordwainer a
person who made bespoke shoes and boots or other
leather
items (see also Shoemaker)
Corn Merchant seller of Corn and other
grain
Cooper wooden
barrel, cask, hoop and tub maker or repairer
Currier a
person who dressed, finished and dyed tanned leather
Distiller a
maker of spirits and liquers
Draper dealer
in fabrics and sewing items, sometimes also in
finished
goods such as clothing items (see also
haberdasher,
linen draper and woollen draper
Druggist (see
Apothecary)
Family Name Quakers
used Family Name instead of Surname (see
Given
Name)
Farmer a
man who grew crops and raised livestock
Fellmonger or Feltmonger a person who dealt in hides and sheep skins
Feltmaker a person who
made felt for hats (see also Hatter)
Fisherman a
man who caught fish, normally at sea, both boat owners
and
members of their crew
Gentleman a
wealthy man who had income from land he owned or
later
a wealthy professional man
Given Name Quakers
used Given Name instead of Christian Name (see
Family
Name)
Glover a
person who made and sold gloves
Grazier a
person who grazes cattle or sheep
Grocer seller of
provisions
Habadasher a
dealer in hats and caps and other small items such as
threads
and ribbons (see also draper)
Hatter a
person who made and sold hats (see also Milliner)
Husbandman a
man who had his own smallholding, but also worked on
other
people’s land.
Innkeeper a
person who owned an Inn offering accommodation for
human
and horses (see also tavern keeper)
Ironmonger seller
of metal items such as tools, household or farming
equipment
Joiner a
person who made wooden items such as furniture, and
window
or door frames.
Linen Draper dealer
in fabrics, primarily in Linen, both table linen and
clothing
Malster
or Maltster a man or
woman who made malt for brewing
Mariner a
man who owned a boat or boats, for either fishing or
trading
goods
Mealman Miller
Member
of Parliament also abbreviated
to M.P., a person elected to sit in the
House
of Commons
Mercer an
exporter and importer of high class materials such as
fine
woollen, linen and silk
Miller person
who ground grain into flour
Milliner a
person who made and sold womens hats
Painter an
artist or a painter of buildings or objects
Patten maker a
person who made protective overshoes, often raised.
Pharmacist (see
Apothecary)
Plumber a person who works with lead, including leaded glazing,
outside
guttering and pipes, or painting in white lead paint
Sawyer a
person who cut up timber
Saymaker a
person who made or wove say, which was used for items
such
as table cloths or bedding.
Sevier or Sivier a person who made sieves
Shoemaker a
person who made or repaired shoes and boots
(see
also Cordwainer)
Shopkeeper seller
of general items
Solicitor a
member of the legal profession able to draw up legal
documents
such as wills and conveyances
Stationer a
seller of books, paper and writing implements
Staymaker a
person who made corsets also known as stays
Surgeon A
doctor who also operated on patients
Tallow Chandler a
dealer in candles, soap and oil
Tanner a
person who tanned or cured animal hides for making
leather
goods
Tavernkeeper a person who sold ale and
beer (see also Innkeeper)
Tea Dealer a
person who buys and sells tea
Vellum maker a
maker of parchment from calf skin
Webster a
weaver
Wainwright a
maker of wagons
Watch or Clock maker a
maker and repairer of watches and clocks,
Some would
also
sell watches or clocks made by other people
Weaver a
person who wove cloth, originally at home, often a man
Wool Comber a
man or woman who combed wool to prepare it for
Spinning
Wool Stapler a
person who buys, grades and sells wool, a wool dealer
Woollen Draper a
person who sold woollen cloth and woollen items
Yeoman a
farmer who owned and worked his own land as
freeholder
or copyholder. They were entitled to
serve on
Juries
and vote.
Measures
Inch
Hand 4
inches (used for measuring height of a horse)
Span 9
inches
Foot 12
inches
Yard 36
inches
Ell 45
inches
Rod Pole or Perch
16 and a half feet
(standardised in 1607)
Chain 22
yards (standardised in 1620)
Furlong 220
yards
Mile 1760
yards
Acre 4840
square yards
Rood or sometimes Rod quarter
of an acre
Yardland or Virgate around
30 acres
Hide between
90-240 acres
Half Dozen 6
Dozen 12
Bakers Dozen 13
Score 20
Gross 144
Pint
Gallon
8 pints
Pin 36
pints
Firkin 72
pints or 9 gallons
Kilderkin 18
Gallons or half a barrel
Barrel 34
gallons (from 1688) or 36 gallons (from 1824)
Hogshead 51
gallons (from 1688) or 54 gallons (from 1824)
Weights
Ounce (oz.)
Pound (lb.) 16 ounces
Stone 14
pounds
Hundredweight 112 pounds
Ton 2240
pounds
Peck (dry measure) 2
gallons weighing around 14 pounds
Bushel (dry measure) 8
gallons, weighing around 56 pounds
Chaldron (dry measure) a
dry measure of coal or grain around 34 bushels
ABBREVIATIONS
A.D. (Latin) Anno
Domini – in the year of our Lord
Admor./Admors. administrator/s
Adcon.
Admon administration
Admr administer
A.M or M.A Master
of Arts
Anns Annuities
Appurts. Appurtenances
c. circa
- about
Comon. commission
Decd. Deceased
Etc.*
Exor./Extor Executor
Heredits. Hereditaments
It. Item
M.D. Doctor
of Medicine
M.P. Member
of Parliament
N.P. or Not.Pub. Notary Public
Nee Maiden
name
Pub. Published
Rev. or Revd. Reverend
Sd. said
Sol. or Solr. Solicitor
Sub. Subscribed
Tenemt. tenement
Testamt. Testament
Testor
or Tesor Testator
Viz, Vizt. (Latin) Videlicet
- namely
Wth. with
Dates
Change of date from the Julian Calendar to the
Gregorian Calendar in 1751/52 affected the numbering of months. Quakers used month numbers rather than the
names such as August, as many of the month names had pagan origins. Up to 1751 month 1 was actually March with
New Year’s day taking place on March 25. December was Month 10 while February was month
12. For example in Quaker documents this
often appears as 20 day of 12 month 1642/43 which is 20 February
1643. This was changed with December 31
1751 being followed by 1 January 1752, the new New
Year’s day. Later that year eleven days
were dropped from the calendar and September 2 was followed by September 14.
First Day Sunday
Month 1 March in the
old calendar: January after 1752
Month 2 April
in the old calendar: February after 1752
Month 3 May in the old
calendar: March after 1752
Month 4 June in the old
calendar: April after 1752
Month 5 July in the old
calendar: May after 1752
Month 6 August in the
old calendar: June after 1752
Month 7 September in
the old calendar: July after 1752
Month 8 October in the
old calendar: August after 1752
Month 9 November in the
old calendar: September after 1752
Month 10 December in the
old calendar: October after 1752
Month 11 January in the
old calendar: November after 1752
Month 12 February in the
old calendar: December after 1752
Quarter Days also
known as the four common days of payment
25
March Lady Day or Annunciation of the
Blessed Virgin
Mary
24
June Midsummer Day
29
September Michaelmas or Feast of St.
Michael the
Archangel
25
December Christmas Day.