1737 Household Valuation

[figheadair]

Truss: According to google books/etymological dictionary of scottish language a truss was a ribbon which ladies wore inside their clothes in order to tie up their petticoats,when working.
In medicine it is a strap with pads to keep the hernia in place !!!!
I, pesonally, would stick to the ladies.

But in this case is more likely to have been an Anglicisation of the Gaelic truibhas - trews.

[Dixiecat]

Truss: According to google books/etymological dictionary of scottish language a truss was a ribbon which ladies wore inside their clothes in order to tie up their petticoats,when working.
In medicine it is a strap with pads to keep the hernia in place !!!!
I, pesonally, would stick to the ladies.

The main definition of truss is tie up or tightly bind and I have seen truss used in old English fiction to mean a gentleman's underbindings. Who knows, maybe the gentleman was rather portly and had a truss or two made from tartan cloth?
I do agree that truss is most likely trews, I'm just saying what I thought about first when I read the list.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/truss

As for meeder, I once ran across a word that was close that seemed to mean manufactured or commercially made. But, that was for an English history project. Not sure if that word would be used in Scotland.

[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.

[ANCIENT OGILVIE HUNTING]

The reason the currans would be included in this inventory is that times where hard then
and most folk went barefoot . Remember this is a Clan Chief's inventory and therefore a relatively wealthy person
My Mother told of people going bare foot when she was young . That was in 20th century Scotland. something that I could never get my around.
I think that these days some people forget that the reason for leaving the Auld Country ' by choice was to escape dire poverty, especially the highlands

This came up one day while talking to the Auld Dear and asking about how hard it would have been in the Glasgow tennements in her early childhood
when she came out with the statement that
."We wurny so bad ma Da always made sure we wur shod ...........(for school) I felt sorry for the wee ones who had nae shoes "

MIND BLOWING

[figheadair]

Here are a couple of other entries:

• a purfe and two small leathern belts
• a Ratine coat and three linnen shifts
• 5 more shifts & 2 pair of prefervs

Perhaps the re-enactors amongst you can help.

I wonder if purse = sporran, especially as it’s listed with two small leather belts?

Also, did shifts = shirts and were preserves underwear for use under trews/breeches?

[Woodsheal]

Here are a couple of other entries:

• a purfe and two small leathern belts
• a Ratine coat and three linnen shifts
• 5 more shifts & 2 pair of prefervs

Perhaps the re-enactors amongst you can help.

I wonder if purse = sporran, especially as it’s listed with two small leather belts?

Also, did shifts = shirts and were preserves underwear for use under trews/breeches?

I'd say purse does indeed equal a sporran. Most documents in English from that period refer to sporrans as "purses."

Rateen was a coarse, heavy woolen cloth, favored for "foul weather" outer garments. Sailors' jackets were often made of rateen.

"Shifts" is shirts, with that "f" shaped character that represents "s" in that period.

"Preservs"? No idea...!

[figheadair]

I'd say purse does indeed equal a sporran. Most documents in English from that period refer to sporrans as "purses."

Also listed - Cash in his purse 17sh 6d (shillings and pence) which was about 3% of his household worth.

[Mike_Oettle]

Brian (Woodsheal) wrote: “ ‘Shifts’ is shirts, with that ‘f’ shaped character that represents ‘s’ in that period.”

Thanks for mentioning that. Although the letter resembles an f with a hook below it, it has no crossbar, which is how it can be distinguished from an f. It was generally used within a word, not at the end.
I would guess that the so-called “prefervs” were jams or preserves.
Regards,
Mike

[figheadair]

Brian (Woodsheal) wrote: “ ‘Shifts’ is shirts, with that ‘f’ shaped character that represents ‘s’ in that period.”

Thanks for mentioning that. Although the letter resembles an f with a hook below it, it has no crossbar, which is how it can be distinguished from an f. It was generally used within a word, not at the end.

That's not quite right . The character only seems to have been used as the first of a double 's' and is found in the middle and at the end of a word. For example, the invantary (sic) includes vefsel, sicfers (the single 's' might be a c1970 transcription error), brufs and harnefs to name but a few.

I would guess that the so-called “prefervs” were jams or preserves.

Guess again. There is no other food stuff in the valuation and jams don't come in pairs. To 5 more shifts & 2 pair of prefervs suggests to me that prefsevs were some sort of clothing.