1737 Household Valuation

[Woodsheal]

If this is the earliest reference to currans, and they are described as "old", there may be a longer history of them than previously thought.

(I don't even know what a pair of currans is, but I did find it interesting that they are described as old, and this being the earliest reference that you've seen of them.)

Currans were rough, rawhide moccasins with the hair left on. Why such a throw-away item would be included in a property inventory is beyond me!



I agree that the "truss" means trews.

As for Carrs - perhaps a Rolls and a Bentley....

[figheadair]

Currans were rough, rawhide moccasins with the hair left on. Why such a throw-away item would be included in a property inventory is beyond me!



I agree that the "truss" means trews.

As for Carrs - perhaps a Rolls and a Bentley....

The owners (west coast family) has an incredible collection including the tartan suit and dress that the chief and his wife wore to the 1822 Levee dinner

They also have two pairs of Highland Revival era currans, probably c1800-20 which are professionally made, with a second sole and more like Roman sandles. Oh, and they have some pre-'45 broad swords and two targes of the period too. I'll see if I can get permission to post images.

[figheadair]

Here's what some of the items were valued at (£ Sterling)

2 tartan truss - 1 Shilling

A pistol - 10 Shillings

An broad Sword shoulder belt and targett - 5 Shillings

5 yds of tartan @6 p yd - 2 Shillings and 6 pence

A pair of boots & a meeder vide plaid - 4 Shillings

I'm not sure about meeder but suspect that vide = wide

Total value of the 'Houfhold plenishing and Limber' was £50 11s 11d

When I get time I'll transcribe the whole list and post it/a link.

[BoldHighlander]

post deleted.

[MacMillans son]

I'm not sure of the age or history of measurements, but is it possible Peter that "Meeder" = Meter/Metre ?

[figheadair]

I'm not sure of the age or history of measurements, but is it possible Peter that "Meeder" = Meter/Metre ?

I would very much doubt it. So much so in fact that I'd say impossible because the metric system was developed post 1791 at the behest of Louis XVI. This estate pre-dates that by more than 50 years and I assume that the term meeder was well established by 1737 if used in an official document.

I've tried variations in both Scots and English including; mider, meader, meder etc but have come up blank. I think this will be one for Edinburgh university.

Interestingly, the family own an old joined plaid that I'd roughly dated 1700-30. Wouldnt it be amazing if it were that.

[BoldHighlander]

I'm not sure of the age or history of measurements, but is it possible Peter that "Meeder" = Meter/Metre ?

That was what I first thought too, then upon checking realized the historic use/time frame of the word. Thus I deleted my previous post.

[figheadair]

That was what I first thought too, then upon checking realized the historic use/time frame of the word. Thus I deleted my previous post.

What's interesting is that the various lengths of cloth are given in yards and not ells.

The ell was the standard unit of cloth measurement until the late 18th century and disappeared entirely in 1824 when Imperial measurements were adopted uniformly throughout Britain and Ireland.

The classification of the goods by yards indicates that the valuer was using a standard unit for tax/accounting assessment purposes and was probably unfamiliar with, or not allowed to use, the ell. It may also be because the Scotch and English ell differed, 37 as opposed to 45 inches, whereas the yard was a standard 36 inches.

[Mike_Oettle]

Interesting that the cloth was identified as being Dornich (and that this presumably indicates Doornik).
I have often come across French name forms for Dutch-speaking towns (in the Netherlands, there is Bois-le-duc or s’Hertogenbosch, and in French Flanders there is Duinekerke, referred to by the French as Dunquerque), but it is unusual to come across a Dutch name for a French-speaking town – the place in question is Tournai, in Hainaut.
The County of Holland had a controlling interest in Hainaut in the Middle Ages, before most of that region passed to the Dukes of Burgundy, since the Counts of Holland were lords of Hainaut, and referred to it as Henegouwen.
This (and the commercial links between the Low Countries and Scotland) might account for the Dutch form.

MacMillan of Rathdown’s suggestion that meeder might mean metre is a little out, historically, since the metre was only adopted in France following the Revolution.
This inventory makes an interesting comparison with inventories I have seen of settlers who died at the Cape in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Regards,
Mike

[Dixiecat]

Could meeder be madder? I've seen some spellings for madder that are way off, mayder, maider. Kinda wide guess, but since it's cloth that it's referring to, then it could possibly be the colour.

vide? Hmmm. Latin origin for 'see'. All I got. ;)

btw, first thing I thought of when I saw truss, was suspenders or corsets (men wore shaping garments too).