Herbert family papers, 1667-1780

Printable guide [HTML]
Request items

Summary

Abstract:
This collection contains the personal and business papers of Thomas Herbert (died 1712), who was bailiff of the estates near Whittlebury, Northamptonshire, England, and his son Edmund Herbert (died 1769) of Gray's Inn, a deputy in the Pay Office of the marines.
Extent:
22 Linear Feet (14 boxes, 13 volumes)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Herbert family papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains the personal and business papers of Thomas Herbert of Whittlebury, Northamptonshire, and of his son, Edmund Herbert, of Gray's Inn. Persons represented by five or more pieces: Agnes Cooke (19 pieces); Edmund Herbert (approx. 150 pieces); Thomas Herbert (35 pieces); John Leighton (8 pieces); John Scrope (11 pieces); and Sir Charles Hanbury Williams (6 pieces). Items related to Thomas Herbert include his estate accounts as bailiff (including wood books and documents relating to Whittlebury Forest). The papers related to the life of Edmund Herbert document his work at the Pay Office of the Marines and his personal life. Documents related to Herbert's work at the Pay Office consist of accounts and memoranda, as well as drafts of memorials address to the treasury commissioners and correspondence regarding payment of marines. Personal papers include expense and memoranda notebooks and notes regarding his duties in the pay office; correspondence with his sister and nieces; papers relating to his quarters in Gray's Inn, including accounts, receipts, leases, etc. There are also school copy books and a few papers regarding poor rates and levies for church repairs at Whittlebury and Paulerspury, Northants. Of particular interest in the collection is Edmund Herbert's daily account of expenses and memoranda. These records were kept assiduously throughout his life, with all of his accounts and notes for each month carefully written on long narrow strips of paper. Each year these strips were tied together, making a small bundle or booklet. The notes run continuously from 1708-1734, and from 1739-1768. His accounts were kept with the utmost detail and record expenditures for such items as food, drink, clothing, rent, transportation, gratuities, charity, books, postage, entertainment, and household expenses. Specific items of interest include: liver for his dog; a new watch crystal; mathematical club dues; "wine to soak millepides"; violin lessons; birds, birdseed, and cages; mousetraps; and ketchup. On the back of each month's account Herbert would note down a record of his business transactions, including money borrowed or loaned; his trips out of London; the dates of births, deaths, marriages, and christenings of his friends and their children; and occasionally more personal records of his life. From these notes one can also learn quite a good deal of his daily work in the Pay Office of the marines. The account books also document Herbert's gambling expenses; each month he noted down how much he won or lost at backgammon or hazard. He frequently purchased lottery tickets, and for several years was even a paid commissioner in the lotteries. The accounts reflect Herbert's interest in music, book-collecting, astronomy, and the study of foreign languages. One learns from his notebooks that he actively studied French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, German, Polish, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic, Persian, Chaldee, Ethiopic, and Samaritan. While learning German he kept his accounts in the language (1726) and did the same while studying Greek (1731-32). His instructor for Hebrew and the Biblical languages was Moses Marcus, and for Greek, a Mr. Xeres. One interesting entry in his accounts is for three astronomical instruments he purchased at the dissolution of Cannons, Mx. Parallel with this study of languages, the volumes document his book buying. On a single day, he often purchased from six to a dozen volumes. His interests centered in languages and the classics, though he bought widely, including works on arts and crafts, bookkeeping, farming, forest law, etc.; and literature. A number of times he subscribed for books currently being published. Of particular interest are the lists of books he bought at the following auction sales: Thomas Pellett, 1745; Lord Oxford, 1746 (120 vols.); and the Michael Mattaire sale, 1748 (200 vols.).

Biographical / historical:

Thomas Herbert (died 1712) served as bailiff on the estates of Earl Arlington and Duke of Grafton from 1672 until his death in 1712. His son Thomas (died 1728) took over the position. In 1709-1710, Edmund Herbert (died 1769) took part in an expedition whose purpose was to recover sunken treasure from the Sir Clowdesly Shovell's ships wrecked in 1707 at Scilly Isles. He then moved to London and worked in the Pay Office of the Royal Marines. In 1740 Sir Charles Hanbury Williams, paymaster of the marines, appointed Herbert his deputy. In 1725 he was entered a member of Gray's Inn and lived there throughout his life. Edmund Herbert also owned estates near Whittlebury. He was an avid student of foreign languages, amateur astronomer, and book collector.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from H. M. Fletcher, 1954.
Arrangement:

Organized in six series: 1. Correspondence and papers; 2. Gray's Inn; 3. Edmund Herbert's expense accounts; 4. Copy books; 5. Miscellaneous; 6. Loose volumes.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Herbert family papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Website