Francis Pitsala - Trade Card and a Bust Of Alexander Pope

Francis Pitsala, Figure Maker.

Trade Card of c. 1740 / 50 of Francis Pitsala in the Lewis Walpole Library.Yale.

see - http://images.library.yale.edu/walpoleweb/oneitem.asp?imageId=lwlpr20950

Note similarity with profile of Pope with the Richardson etching of Alexander Pope on the Trade Card of Francis Pitsala, Figure Maker of Dukes Court, St Martin's Lane, Opposite the Church.

                                                      

Etching of a profile of Alexander Pope by Jonathan Richardson c. 1737.

Lewis Walpole Library. Yale.

Horace Walpole.... Anecdotes – Francis Pitsala - d. 10 Nov. 1769. Described as Italian Limner.

Dukes Court off St Martin's Lane was a stones throw away from the St Martin's Lane Academy in Peter's Court  and Roubiliac's studio further up St Martins Lane, Westminster.

For the Pitsala will dated see -  https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D511480

 

Alexander Pope and Plough Court, Lombard Street, City of London.

A Brief History of the family home of Alexander Pope at Plough Court, Lombard Street City of London and it's Occupants.

The research in this post relates to The Vandewall and Neate families and the bust of Alexander Pope formerly with Martha Vandewall wife of Linen Draper Samuel Vandewall and given to William Seward

It is a peculiar coincidence that Silvanus Bevan, Apthecary and amateur sculptor, an executor of the will of John Vandewall and a name that crops up in the life of his son, Samuel Vandewall (whose wife Martha gave the Roubiliac bust of Pope to William Seward), lived and worked at Plough Court, formerly the family home of Alexander Pope in the late 17th century, a further coincidence is that the family of Martha Vandewall went on to live at the Pope house, Whitehill House at Binfield, Berkshire.

__________________

Plough Court, Lombard Street. City of London. In the Parish of St Edmond the King, a Brief History.

In 1632 by the will of Sir Nicholas Raynton, a mercer of Lombard St who had been Lord Mayor of London, the Right Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, acquired two houses in Lombard St.

One of these houses was the former town house of Sir Nicholas Raynton, the other was distinguished by the sign of the Golden Fleece

On 26 April 1649 Plough Court was leased by The Haberdashers Company to Caldwell Farrington citizen and haberdasher for 29 years and the tenement known as the Golden Fleece was leased to Thomas Purcell citizen and draper for a similar term. The shop and warehouse were leased to Francis Barber for 28 years.

These buildings were all destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. The Haberdashers Company decreed that these buildings should be rebuilt by the tenants and the leases extended to 61 years.

On the 24 July 1671 the Haberdashers Company assigned the lease of the tenement at the sign of The Golden Fleece to a "Nathaniel Pope, citizen and salter together with the buildings erected thereon by the said N.Pope".

So far I can find no link between Nathanial Pope (will dated 1678), and the family of the poet Alexander Pope, but it would seem to be a coincidence worth noting.

Plough Court was a cul de sac that elbowed south, off Lombard St, at a point a few steps west of Gracechurch Street. Gracechurch Street is the most important artery running north south and the main thoroughfare to London Bridge in the South, and Bishopsgate to the North. Lombard Street was also an important east - west thoroughfare and had for centuries been the centre of the Cities gold and
banking trade.

Mid 19th Century Watercolour of Plough Court.

The house lay at the bottom of Plough Court facing north. It was a comfortable house of five stories with a basement. Elegantly fitted up with several part marble hearths the chimneypieces set with Dutch tiles and having painted landscape scenes above, and wainscoting (panelling all around the room). In the court there were two lead cisterns to collect rainwater from the adjoining roofs.

Mid 19th Century illustration of Plough Court

____________

On 16 May 1679 all the previous leases having been surrendered except for that of Francis Barber, then in the hands of his widow, the Haberdashers Company granted a new lease of 99 years to John Osgood, a Quaker tobacco merchant, for all these premises except for the shop and backhouse occupied by the widow of Francis Barber. The lessee covenanted to rebuild the back part of the premises within two years.

............................

Watercolour of Plough Court by Fred. Shepherd.

https://www.watercolourworld.org/collections/f376c10b-ebc1-3610-aa74-4547e1ed3ccb/?s%3DPlough%2BCourt&pos=2

.............................

It would appear that the Quaker John Osgood subleased 2 Plough Court after the building work was completed to Alexander Pope senior in about 1680.

Alexander Pope senior (1646 -1717), linen draper, is described as living at Broad St, in the parish of St Benet Fink in 1677. (See - A Collection of Names of the Merchants living in and about the City of London, published by Samuel Lee in 1677 - copy in British Museum).

It should also be noted that Alexander Pope senior was also a linen draper dealing in Hollands, a very fine linen imported from the low countries. His first wife Magdelen died 12 August 1679 and was buried in the parish of St Benet Fink. He married again in 1686 Edith Turner of Towthorpe, Yorkshire and in May or June 1688 the future poet Alexander Pope (1688 - 1745) was born at Plough Court.

By this time Alexander Pope senior had been in partnership with his elder brother William trading in fine linens as far afield as Virginia. In 27 May 1684, William Pope was in chancery undertaking to collect payment from their Virginia agent for a shipment of Linens and other goods, for which the agreed upon quid pro quo was to have been some thousands of pounds of tobacco. See Chancery proceedings, Reynardson 86/84, Complaint 27 May 1684 - reply 6 June 1686. Unfortunately we do not know the outcome, or anything further on William Pope.

Alexander Pope senior retired from business in 1688 with the not inconsiderable fortune of £10,000

In 1692 the poll tax list (CLRO: Assessment Box 32 MS.5) Alexander Pope merchant and wife, and two servants Mary “Barron” (Beach) and John Taverner.

Daniel Hanbury writes in the Athenium of 4 September 1869 that number one Plough Court had been recently demolished and that Paul Bevan had told him of the family tradition that Alexander Pope was born in the second floor front room facing Lombard Street, of 2 Plough Court.

It was suggested in Volume 6 of Murray's Magazine of 1889 that Pope senior and Salem Osgood were in some sort of partnership. If this were true then it raises the possibility of Quaker merchants investing Catholic money in North America.

The Catholic Pope family did not stay for very long at Plough Court after the revolution of 1688 and in 1692/3 removed to Hammersmith, because of repeated proclamations that no Catholic could live within ten miles of Hyde Park Corner, where Alexander’s half sister Magdelene had married Charles Rackett who was from an affluent Hammersmith family. In 1695 Charles Rackett purchased Whitehill House, Binfield, Berkshire and in 1698 sold the property to his father in law.

Salem Osgood, another linen draper, the son of John and Anna Osgood took over the business and premises of Pope senior in about 1693 and remained until the lease of 2 Plough Court was assigned to Sylvanus Bevan II in 1715.

Ann Osgood b.1707 married Joseph Freame, son of John Freame of Freame and Gould who were the forerunners of Barclay's Bank.

In March 1725, John Osgood ( now described as of Coggeshall, Essex) was leasing for a term of 21 years to Silvanus Bevan II, the two messuages or tenements situated in Plough Court (ie. 2 & 3 Plough Court. The Sign of The Golden Fleece) “ in or near the south side of Lombard Street in the parish of St. Edmund the King, London.

 Will of John Osgood father of Salem Osgood.

Will of John Osgood - (Leytonstone) London, Merchant. Will of 17 May 1694; proved 15 June 1694.

The lands and tenements in Lumbard Street, London, and Plow Court in Parish of St. Edmunds, held from Haberdashers' Company, Tenements in Spittlefields, county Middlesex, held from Mr. Bolch, to my wife, Mary Osgood, late daughter of William Welie, late of London, merchant, deceased, for life, also jE)ioo, and half of all my plate, also one third of the rents of my lands in Langley, county Bucks, which fall to me after my mother Webb's decease. To my son Salem Osgood and heirs, the said lands in Langley, also my dwelling house in Whitehart Court in Gracechurch Street, also £8000, £6000 to be laid out in purchase of lands, to be settled on him and his heirs, also all my messuages held from the Earl of Clarendon in county Middlesex, also the other half of my plate. A messuage in Plow Court, after my wife's decease, to my son John Osgood, also £2000 when 21, and £4000 to purchase land for him. To my son Obadiah Osgood, my tenements in Spittlefields, also £1000 when 21, and £4000 to purchase lands to be settled on him and his heirs male, and then failing them to his heir female. To my three sons, Salem, John, and Obadiah, and their heirs for ever, my two hundredth part of New Jersey in America with the Mannors, Royalties, and priviledges thereof. If any of my sons die, their portion to be paid to the survivors. To my executors £45oo in trust for my daughter Rebecca, wife of Francis Piatt, and their children. To my mother Hannah Webb £1oo. To my cozen John Mills £io, and to his three children, John, Hannah, and Mary, £50 when 21 or married. To children of my sister Sarah Bonifield £50 to be paid to Abraham Bonifield their father. To my brother Leonard Keys £30. To my partners, Hester Davis, Grace Davis, and Henry Gouldney, £5 each.

To the children of my sister Hester Billingsley, by her late Husband Richard Billingsley, deceased, £? to be paid to her or John Staploe, her present husband. To Francis Camfield, John Hall and Theodore Ecclestone £100; and to Elizabeth Camfield, Susanna Dow, Anne Ecclestone, Abraham Bonifield, and Leonard Keys, £20. To poor of Laurence parish, Reading, county Berks, £20, as Abraham Bonifield and Leonard Keys shall think fit. To poor in Castle Green in Bristol £10, as Thomas Gouldney and Isaac Davis shall thinke fitte. To my friend William Mucklow £10, and to my old servant Roger Harris £5, and to John Merchant 40s. Residue to Salem Osgood, my son.

Executors: Salem my son, Theodore Ecclestone, and John Hall, and £10 each to the last two. If they refuse, then to James Greene of Newington Greene, Fustian Merchant, and Robert Dickins, nigh London Bridge, Hop Merchant, as executors, £20 each. To poor of Low Ley ton where I now live, £10. To Coachman Jonas 40s. Witnesses : Dan : Coxe, Ric : Day, Tho : East, Gierke to Mr. Day.

Location of Plough Court on Horwoods Map of London First Edition of 1792 /9.

In 1725 Silvanus Bevan II renewed with Salem Osgood, the lease of 2 Plough Court and took over the lease of the tenement called the Golden Fleece, 3 Plough Court, after the death the Widow Machin the previous occupier.

Here follows scans of the schedule attached to the lease of 2 Plough Court when it was renewed.

These scans taken from Appendix 2 of Plough Court, The Story of a notable Pharmacy 1715 - 1927, By Ernest C Cripps. Published London, Allan and Hanbury Ltd 37 Lombard Street, EC3, 1927.

Silvanus Bevan died 4 June 1765 at his home in Hackney,

see Lloyds Evening Post, 7 June 1765, no 1235.

Location of Plough Court - Map Engraved for Thornton's New and Complete  History and Survey of London and Westminster,

Busts of Alexander Pope belonging to Lady Luxborough and William Shenstone

    Lady Luxborough and William Shenstone and their Busts of Alexander Pope.

See - Letters written by the late Rt Honourable Lady Luxborough: to William Shenstone published in 1775.

In a letter From Barrells Hall dated 28^th April 1748.She mentions a head of Pope over a chimneypiece (page 22) and having Mr Outing sending Shenstone a bust of Pope made to look like marble, and mentions 4 more busts treated in the same way by Rackstrow for her brother Saint John.

2 August 1750 she mentions Mr Moore of Warwick (plaisterer) “also to desire him to see your white bust of Pope, for I have a mind to have Lord Bolingbrokes painted the same”

On Easter Sunday 1748, she wrote -The chimney in my study was not exactly in the middle of the room: which has occasioned my moving it 12” and consequently moving Popes bust to be in the centre. The lines wrote above it are put up again (which, you know, are out of Virgil).

In another letter from Barrells of 13 August 1750, she mentions Mr Williams (of New Street, Birmingham) who was visiting Shenstone “I desired him not to forget to look at your bust of Pope; hoping he may be able to paint mine of my brother Bolinbroke after the same manner”. (page 215)

Henrietta St John Knight, Lady Luxborough was the half sister of Henry St John, Lord Bolingbroke, a close friend of Alexander Pope and executor of his will.

She and a group of Poetic friends were known as the Warwickshire Coterie.

Barrells Hall, Wooten Wawen, near Henley in Arden, Warwickshire. She had been banished there in 1736 by her husband Robert Knight (created Baron Luxborough in 1745), for an indiscretion (probably with poet and clergyman John Dalton Horace Horace Walpole said the Rhymed till they chimed) and never saw her husband again.

Here we have two busts of Alexander Pope mentioned in letters of 1748 and 1750. From these letters there is no doubt that William Shenstone owned a plaster bust of Pope. Lady Luxborough also owned a bust of Pope but she does not make clear what material it was made from -

This bust could be one of the marble busts by Roubiliac. Given the lack of headroom at Barrells Hall, this could have been the small bust or head now at Temple Newsam signed L.F.Roubiliac ad vivum 1738. Currently there is no record of this bust prior to about 1922 when a Mr ARA Hobson suggests that his father GD Hobson (of Sotheby's) acquired it.. Illustrated in a wall niche at I Bedford Square and illustrated in Country Life in February 1932, sold at Sotheby's 17 Nov 1933 - see Wimsatt.

The Temple Newsam Bust of Alexander Pope.

InscribedA. Pope Ae 50.

LFRoubiliac.

Sclpt ad vivum 1738.

....................................

Henrietta St John Knight, Lady Luxborough. Anon at Lydiard Tregoze, Swindon, Wiltshire.

Henrietta St John Knight, Lady Luxborough - Anon at Lydiard Tregoze, Swindon, Wiltshire.

...........................

William Shenstone by Thomas Ross,

...........................

William Shenstone by Thomas Hudson.

William Shenstone by Edward Alcock

A Bust of Alexander Pope at Tottenham Park, Wiltshire.

      A Bust of Pope at Tottenham Park, Wiltshire in May, 1810.

See -Wiltshire and Swindon Archives – Savernake Estate - [no title ) 9/35/191769-1 Bust of Pope.

Letter from Thomas Young concerning a bust of Mr Pope, with detailed sketch, 27th May 1810;


I visited Chippenham Archives and History Centre on Tuesday 12 March 2014 with great hopes that the letter of 27 May 1810 from Thomas Young to Lord Bruce regarding a bust of Pope at Tottenham Park, might clarify the identity of the bust mentioned in an Inventory of 14 Nov.1744.- A bust of Pope belonging to Charles, Lord Bruce,Viscount of Tottenham, d.1747. - Tottenham Park, Wiltshire. (10 poets heads on painted and gilt brackets, one ditto Mr Pope).

Unfortunately I feel the waters have been slightly further muddied by this visit. This letter refers to the positioning of a small bust of Pope on the pediment of a mirror (see scans). This letter refers to “ Mr Popes bust 15.5” tall including the socle. The drawing attached to the letter gives the sizes and shows it to be a half life size version of the Barber type bust which suggests that it is a similar plaster bust to that at Longleat. The letter goes on to say that the “the head hangs over so much that it will not stand”

   

 

It would seem most likely that bust referred to in the 1810 letter is not the bust of Pope referred to in the inventory of Lord Bruce in 1744 but a later plaster bust, perhaps by John Cheere or one of the other manufacturers of plaster casts of the mid 18^th century such as John Cheere, Benjamin Rackstrow (1707 -72) of St Martin's Lane and later of Fleet Street or Charles Harris of The Strand. 

  

Drawing attached to the letter from Thomas Young to Lord Bruce 1810 (below).

The folds on the dress show that it is a variant of the Roubiliac bust of Pope.

The panelled socle was frequently used by John Cheere on his plaster busts

Drawing showing the size of the bust of Mr Pope with Socle which was attached to the letter of Thomas Young to

Lord Bruce 1810.

...........................

 

The Pair of Corbel brackets from Tottenham Park, Wiltshire in the V and A are much too big ( height: 60.96 cm, width: 35.56 cm, depth: 26.67 cm) for a small plaster bust but are eminently suitable for full size marble busts.

They suggest that they were designed by William Kent.

This bracket and its pair (museum no. W.1-1988) are mentioned in the 1745 inventory of the contents of Tottenham Park, Wiltshire described as 'ten poettes heads on painted and gilt brackets (one ditto of Mr. Pope)'.

From the V and A website - http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O58581/bracket-burlington-richard-boyle/

..........................

Until things are clarified I think that a possible candidate for the bust of Pope at Tottenham Park and mentioned in the inventory of Lord Bruce of 1745 in Lord Bruce's study is the bust now at Yale Centre for British Art.

We know that this bust was in the collection of Joseph Browne of Bowlish, Shepton Mallett and sold in

 1791.

A catalogue of the intire and valuable museum of that well-known collector, the late Joseph Browne, Esq. of Shepton-Mallet, ... Part I. : Consisting of fine Greek, Roman, Saxon, English, and Anglo-Gallic, coins; proofs, pattern pieces, and curious medals of royal and illustrious personages, by Briot, Blandeau, Ramage, Simon, Rotier, Bower,&c. Also his books and coins and medals, a capital miniature, by Cooper, of the Earl of Southampton, set in gold ; a gold repeating watch, by Mudge and Dutton; rins, &c. Which, ... will be sold by auction, by Mr. Gerard, ... on Wednesday, March 16, 1791, and the three following days, at half after eleven o'clock precisely.

see "Proceedings of the Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society" 1907. Available on line at -

https://archive.org/stream/proceedingsofsom53some/proceedingsofsom53some_djvu.txt

Joseph Browne ….. This occurs in the catalogue of the sale by auction in 1791 of the museum of curios, paintings, etc., etc., of Joseph Browne, of Shepton Mallet, clearly a great, important, and interesting sale of a wealthy man. The museum, etc., occupied March 16th and three following days; the china 15th April and following day; paintings, coins, etc., 23rd May and five following days; and 5th June came ancient and modern coins, manuscripts, etc.

The catalogue describes the prints and paintings as — consisting of a remarkably fine and curious collection of prints of the Italian, German, Flemish, Dutch, English, and French schools, comprehending the best works by or after Albert Durer, Goltzius, Elsheimer, Hollar, Rubens, Vandyck, Jordaens, Teniers, Rembrandt, Bergheim, Ostade, Visscher, Walker, Faithorne, Loggan, Vertue, Le Brun, Edelinck, Masson, Balechon, etc., etc.

Together with a few capital pictures and drawings by Rubens, Berghem, W ouvermans, Brughell, Potter, Knyp, Both, Ostade, Ferg, etc.,

 and a beautiful marble bust of Alex Pope by Roubiliac.

.............................

Dominic Winter Auctioneers, 10 Nov 2021.

https://dominicwinter.blob.core.windows.net/catalogue-pdf/DW_10Nov21.pdf

Lot 393 - part lots -

14. A catalogue of the entire and valuable museum of that well-known collector, the late Joseph Browne, Esq. of Shepton Mallet, Somerset ... Part I. ... will be sold by auction, by Mr. Gerard ... on Wednesday, March 16, 1791,

15. A catalogue of the entire and valuable museum of that well known collector, the late Joseph Browne, Esq. of Shepton Mallet, Somerset ... Part V. ... will be sold by auction, by Mr. Gerard … on Thursday 2d of June 1791

 

  

Update - The Milton Fitzwilliam bust of Alexander Pope by Roubiliac

The Milton / Fitzwilliam bust of Alexander Pope by Roubiliac once belonging to William Murray, Lord Mansfield at Kenwood House, Hampstead update.

Since my previous post on the subject of the Milton / Fitzwilliam bust of Pope on the 15th January 2014 there has been an essay published in the Sculpture Journal 22.2 by Malcolm Baker entitled "Busts and Friendship: the identity and context of William Murray's version of Roubiliac's bust of Alexander Pope" (always one for a snappy title).

It adds very little to my original researches (provided to Malcolm Baker in 2002) except to give details of the fourth codicil of the will dated 30 April 1793, proved 20 September 1796, of David, the 2nd Earl Mansfield. The bequest reads "To Earl Fitzwilliam who continued to me the friendship he showed to Lord Mansfield I leave the bust of Pope at Kenwood".

I had already pointed out to him in 2002 the similarities in the motto around the bases of both the bust of Pope by Roubiliac and the bust of Lord Mansfield by Nollekins.

The form of the Roubiliac bust is unmistakeably depicted on the doorcase above William Murray, Lord Mansfied in his portrait by John Singleton Copley of 1783, now in the National Portrait Gallery.

Harris Neate (1706 - 1742).

Harris Neate (1706 – 1742). The father of the Two Children in the Portrait of the Neate Children Accompanied by their Tutor by Joshua Reynolds in the Metropolitan Museum, New York

The information of births, marriages and deaths of the Neate family came from the Quaker Records at the Friends Library, Euston Rd, London.

The first records of the Neate family suggest that they originate in the 17^th century in the North Wiltshire Area and were early Quakers. There were Quaker Meeting Houses at Calne, Devizes and Chippenham.

1672. - Birth of Thomas Neate, son of John and Ann Neate of Calne, Wiltshire the father of Harris Neate.

1704. - Thomas Neate described as Merchant of Bristol, previously a soap maker of Chippenham bought land at Chippenham, Langley Burrell, Potterne and Hardenhuish in Wiltshire, Documents at Trowbridge records Office showing a close association of Thomas Neate – Merchant of Bristol and Thomas Harris, Apothecary of Chippenham (info in Rich.Colviles note book), Thomas either the father or brother of Nathaniel Harris, father of Love Harris / Neate, mother of Harris Neate.

Nathaniel Harris was party to a lease in 1706 of Gods Place, on the High Street in Chippenham, from the Church in 1713. This is probably the date of his death. Thomas Harris rents Gods Place until 1735. Love Harris (mother of Harris Neate) lived at Gods Place until 1757. Harris Neate had an “estate” at Gastard, Nr Corsham, Wilts.

1705. Marriage of Thomas Neate I of the City of Bristol, merchant to Love Harris, daughter of Nathaniel Harris of Chippenham, Wiltshire at Chippenham,

1706. Marriage of Anthony Neate, (d. 1735 of fever), Haberdasher of Georges Yard, Lombard Street, London (son of Thomas Neate of Chippenham) married Hannah Marsh (d.1723) of Bermondsey. (Anthony is the brother of Thomas Neate I). They have a son also Anthony (b1717).

1706. Birth of Harris Neate, the first husband of Martha Vandewall, ne Barrow at Castle Green, Bristol. In 1716 the family are described of James Square, Bristol. This suggests that the family are very prosperous. Castle Green was built in the grounds of Bristol Castle, which was destroyed in the Civil War in the late 17^th Century.

1729. April 1, Sale of messuage and land called Knowles in parish of Hardenhuish. (Just north of Chippenham, Wilts)
Parties - (1) Thomas Neate and Love his wife of Bristol, Charles Harford, Walter Hawkesworth, James Davis,
(2) Nathaniel Harris of Bristol.
See at Wiltshire and Swindon Archives : Note 212B/3356. 

1734. - 6 Jan – Harris Neate, described as of the Island of Jamaica married Martha Barrow daughter of Jonathan Barrow of the county of Monmouth.

Martha had a brother Francis Barrow who was died at Charleston in America on12 July 1750, leaving his estate to Samuel Vandewall, see South Carolina Wills. p 47

The following notes relate to Thomas Neate of Jamaica and William Neate. I have not yet established the relationship of these two Neates to Harris Neate.

This Thomas Neate is perhaps the father or brother of Harris Neate

There is a reference to a brother in the will of – is this William Neate??

There are also two other companies in London bearing the Neate name – Neate and Pigou,(Kents Directory 1763, St Marys Hill, London) and Neate and Neave.

1744. The ship the Dragon was part owned by Nehemiah Champion of Bristol, she was supplied with guns and shot from Coalbrookedale in June and August of 1744: see The Goldeney Family, Stembridge. 1998.

1737. Saturday, April 30; Issue 660. Read's Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer (London, England), Reports the Death of Thomas Neate –

“by letter from Jamaica, we are informed of the death of Mr Thomas Neate, a merchant who had resided there about eight years. He died in very good circumstances and beloved by all who were acquainted with him”

1737. Thursday, July 28; Daily Post, London, England, Issue 5578, reports – Gravesend, July 26. The Dragon, Neate from Jamaica.

1738. Monday, June 5, Daily Post, London, England; Issue 5845 reports –under Port News – Deal, June 2 arriv’d the Dragon, Neate from Jamaica

1738 – 40 Anthony Neate of Jamaica, ref. RGO/ Sp Tw Liber 23 from Index of Early Wills of Jamaica

1738, Monday, June 5, London Daily Post and General Advertiser (London, England), Issue 1123 – reported -The Dragon, Captain Neate from Jamaica which ship spoke with the St Quinten, Cathcart from the Bay of Honduras in lat 49, 30m, which ship had lost her main mast, foretop mast, boats, guns and anchors, was very leaky and most of the crew sick or dead. On Saturday in the afternoon the above ship (whose holding is wholly log wood arrived in the downs.

1739, March 20; London Daily Post and General Advertiser London, England, Tuesday, Issue 1370 – reports – The Dragon, Neate, from Philadelphia is arrived at Jamaica in 21 days

1739, Monday, July 2, Daily Post, London, England; Issue 6181- reports Deal, June 30, Dragon, Neate from Jamaica.

1739, Saturday, September 29, Country Journal or The Craftsman, London, Issue 690 –reports The Dragon, Capt William Neate, bound to Philadelphia and Jamaica is sail’d, having a letter of marque.

Benjamin Franklin’s Pennsylvania Gazette reports arrival of Capt. William Neate, 5 Dec, at Phila. from London with European News

1740, Friday, May 30, London Daily Post and General Advertiser, London, England, Issue 1747 – reports The Dragon, Neate from Philadelphia is arrived at Jamaica.

1740; Friday, August 8, Daily Post, London, England, Issue 6527 reports under port news - Deal, August 6, arrived the Dragon, Neate from Jamaica.

Undated Ref in Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette to the Dursley Galley –William Neate, Commander will sail from Phila. As a privateer to Jamaica (9 July)

1742; Saturday, January 9, London Evening Post (London, England), Issue 2211. – reports – Extract of a letter from Captain Neate of the Dursley, Galley, to his owners in London dated Oct 17 –describes an engagement between the Dursley Gally and two Spanish privateer sloops off Jamaica - one of which was sunk.

From the American Mercury, Thurs July 23, 1741.

For Jamaica; The Ship Dursly Gally,  WILLIAM NEATE, Commander

Burthen about 400 Tons, mounts 22 Cannon, six Pounders, and 8Swivel Guns, with small Arms and all other Matterials fitting for a Ship of War, & is to carry 50 Men. This is is therefore to give Notice to all Gentlemen Sailors that are willing to enter on board said Ship they shall have monthly Wages as they shall agree with said Commander, and on half of all Prizes or Booty that shall be taken during the Voyage divided between Captain, Officers, and Men, in such manner as Privateers generally divide, the other half to go to the Owners, and in Case any Man in Battle loose a Limb he shall be intituled to 50 l Sterling out of the first Booty or Prize that shall be taken, if an Eye 30 l. Sterling, if a joint 10 l. Sterling, and further if any Man get wounded or maim'd in defence of said Ship and no Captor be made, the Owners of the said Ship do oblige themselves to allow to every such Man 5 l Sterling.
 N.B. As the Ship is principally engaged to carry Kings Provisions the Company need be under no Apprehensions of being Pressed

                           ---------------------------------------------------------------

A couple of notes on other Neate Companies,

Neate and Pigou

From - http://www.danbyrnes.com.au/merchants/merchants9.htm

In April 1761 Frederick Pigou Jnr became partner of William Neate. Pigou Snr was in manufacturing and selling gunpowder, a partner with Miles Peter Andrews, at 28 Budge Row. Pigou Jnr went from Neate in 1768 and tried to take over Neate's correspondents. Booth had been briefly in New York, in 1759 with a store. By 1773, Pigou Jnr's father was a director of the East India Co, and wanted tea consigned. The owners of the Nancy to carry tea to New York were William Kelly and Co and perhaps John Blackburn qv in Kellock. After the revolution began, Pigou returned to England, but in 1777 as British troops occupied he returned to New York, but back in England by 1779 or 1780. The partnership had been ended. Booth tried to set up alone but by 1782 was bankrupt. Booth once wrote a book on a complete system of book-keeping. Pigou and Booth in 1790 claimed £6056 from New York and Pennsylvania.
(On Frederick Pigou, see Olson, Making the Empire Work, citations p. 244, Note 59.)

From - The London Mercantile Lobby and the Coming of the American Revolution - Alison G. Olson

The Journal of American History, Vol. 69, No. 1 (Jun., 1982), 21-41

Before the 1760s Quakers had held back from cooperating with non-Quaker merchants. The

most powerful had lobbied with ministers and the Board of Trade on their own; lesser ones had

channeled their influence through the London Meeting for Sufferings, but their names were con-

spicuously absent from mercantile petitions. In the 1760s Quakers like William Neate, David

Barclay, Daniel Mildred, and, before his early death, Hanbury had begun cooperating with the

larger merchant community. Quaker influence is also suggested by John Fothergill's statement

that three or four Quaker merchants got the merchants mobilized on the Stamp Act opposition,

though Fothergill was clearly writing for Quaker consumption. John Fothergill to James Pember-

ton, April 8, 1766, in Chain of Friendship: Selected Letters of Dr. John Fothergill of London, 1735-

1780, ed. Betsy C. Corner and Christopher Booth. (Cambridge, Mass., 1971), 257-61

From Franklin's Autobiographical Writings

On the 24^th I received the following note from a considerable merchant in the city - "Mr. William Neate presents his most respectful compliments to Dr Franklin, and as a report prevailed yesterday evening that all the disputes between Great Britain and the American colonies were, through his application and influence with Lord North, amicably settled conformable to the wish and desire of the late Congress, W. N. desires the favor of Dr. Franklin to inform him by a line, per the bearer, whether there is any credit to be given to the report”.

"St. Mary Hill, 24th December, 1774."

1740 - 11 April, Thomas Neate II was born at Laurence Pountney Hill, City to Harris Neate and Martha Neate ne Barrow.

1740 - Harris Neat & Co, Merchants of Laurence Pountney Hill noted in Kent’s Directory of London.

1741 – Birth of Martha Neate.

1742 - 6 September – Harris Neate of the parish of St Lawrence Jewry, died of a fever and is buried at Friends Burial Ground, Long Lane. London.

1743 - Saturday, June 18, Daily Advertiser, London, England, Issue 3874.

A black negro women about nineteen years old with two letters on her breast and her shoulder made her escape from the ship Hannah, Capt Fowler, for Jamaica the 6th inst. Goes by the name of Sabinah is supposed to be deluded away by some other black about Whitechapel, Rag Fair or Rotherhith, whoever brings her to the late Mr Neates, on Lawrence Pountney Hill, shall have three guineas reward, or if put on board the ship again any time between this and next Tuesday, ten shillings more.

The above advertisement was repeated in the Daily Advertiser (London, England), Wednesday, September 14, 1743; Issue 3949 without the last sentence.

1740’s – Both Harris Neate’s and Samuel Vandewall’s portraits were painted perhaps by George Knapton, (1698 – 1778).

Provenance - Anne Bulley & Mark Garthwaite through Patricia Allen (their mother) who inherited from grandfather, Charles Eden Neate (son of Walter Neate) now with Susanna Harris Hughs. Info from Susannah Harris Hughes a direct descendant of Thomas Neate.

Martha Neate was also painted by Knapton at around the same time. The portrait sold by Christies King St, London Lot 28, 25 November 2003 and sold by a member of the family. Described by Christies - Portrait of Mrs Neate, of Donnington, Hampshire, half-length, in an embroidered silver shawl trimmed with fur, seated by a table with a spaniel her lap, in an interior, beside a pole screen.

The will of Harris Neate of 2 December 1740 states:

“Firstly I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife Martha Neate one thousand pounds and all my household goods linen plate jewels rings watches and all furniture of what kind so ever……..”

He leaves his sisters Love Neate and Anne Grant £200 each. He also wishes that his wife is not pursued for any of his brother’s debts. (William Neate??)

The Will of Harris Neate 1740 (in full)

In the name of God Amen

I HARRIS NEATE of London ~ Merchant ~ being in perfect health and of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding do make this my last Will and Testament in manner following

Firstly I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife MARTHA NEATE one thousand pounds and all my household goods linen plate jewels rings watches and all furniture of what kind so ever I also give unto my mother LOVE NEATE one hundred pounds and do hereby release and discharge my said mother from the payment of and every sum or sums of money as may be due and owing from her to me at the time of my decease and and I also give and bequeath to my sister LOVE NEATE and my sister ANN GRANT the sum of two hundred pounds each which said last mentioned legacies of one hundred pounds and two hundred pounds I will shall be paid by my Executrix herein after named within twelve months after my

decease I also give to JULINES BARFFORD of Lincolns Inn Fields ~ Esquire ~ and JOSHUA FFLEETHAM of Cornhill London ~ Woollen Draper ~ Twenty guineas each I give unto my servant JOHN GORDON ten guineas if he shall be living with me at my death and from and after payment and satisfaction of the above mentioned legacy's and of all such Debts as I shall owe at my death and of the Charges attending the Probate and execution of this my Will I do hereby Will direct and appoint the rest and residue of my personal estate to be paid by my Executrix hereinafter named within two years next after my decease unto the said JULINES BARFFORD and JOSHUA FFLEETHAM upon Trust that they the said Juline BARFFORD and Joshua FFLEETHAM //

[2 pages] // Security as my said Executrix shall approve to her not to molest sue or implead her for or on account of all or any of the Estate or Effects of my said late Brother which were in partnership between us or on any other account whatsoever // And I do hereby make constitute and appoint my said dear wife MARTHA NEATE sole executrix of this my Last Will and Testament in witness whereof I the said HARRIS NEATE to the my last Will and Testament contained in two sheets of paper have sett my hand and seal to each sheet thereof this second day of June in the thirteenth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of

the ffaith and so forth and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and fforty

HARRIS NEATE Signed sealed published and declared by the said Testator Harris NEATE as and for his Last will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request have subscribed our names as Witnesses hereunto Thom's GRIFFITHS Edward WHITE Jno MIDDLEBROOKE of CLIFFORDS jur.

This Will was proved at London the second day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty two Before the Worshipful Robert CHAPMAN Doctor of laws Surrogate of the Right Worshipful John BETTESWORTH Doctor of Laws and master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully instituted by the solemn and sincere declaration or affirmation of MARTHA NEATE ~Widow the Relict of the Deceased and sole Executrix named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having first made the Declaration or Affirmation aforesaid according to Act of Parliament Duly to Administer.