The alum farm : together with a history of the origin, development, and eventual decline of the alum trade in north-east Yorkshire / by R.B. Turton.

  • Turton, R. B. (Robert Bell), 1859-1938.
Date:
1938
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The alum farm : together with a history of the origin, development, and eventual decline of the alum trade in north-east Yorkshire / by R.B. Turton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    1,500 tons a year only produced 766 tons 1 cwt. up to 31st January, 1614-5, for which the contractors were entitled to receive ^7,468 19s. 9d. Slape Wath being-, as we have seen, the earliest of the houses and the most expensive to work, was much more difficult to let. It was managed directly for a further period of 363 days until 25th March, 1614, during which time only 56 tons 5 cwts. of alum were produced. The cost per ton must have been enormous. Carpenter showed in his accounts an expenditure of ^1,033 8s. upon various items of manufacture. In addition there were other payments, such as the rent of ,£300 to the assignees of John Atherton and the other subsidiary rents, the cost of getting and delivering at Coatham 789 chalders of coal, the proportion of Sir John Hedworth’s rent of ^500 applicable to the same, and the cost of delivering the alum in London. From 24th March, 1614, these works were let to Dr. Edward Jordan. This unfortunate physician was born at High Halden in the County of Kent in 1569 (1) ; educated at Oxford, probably at Hart Hall, took his degree of M.D. at Padua about 1591 ; admitted licentiate of the College of Physicians 7th November, 1595 and fellow 22nd December, 1597. He appears to have been more interested in science than in his own profession, although he claimed that he enjoyed a large practice in London. On 8th June, 1608, he obtained (2) a patent for twenty- one years for a process of extracting silver from lead ores ; when the lease to Turner, Bourchier, Bowdler and Jones finally failed he turned his attention to alum. It is probable that he was one of the associates of the Earl of Southampton, who on the 12th Jan., 1609-10 (3), entered into an arrangement (never actually carried out) with William Turner with the sanction of the then Lord High Treasurer, Lord Salisbury, for the making of alum. But whether this be so or not, there can be no doubt that in 1613 (4) Dr. Jordan made a distinct offer to farm the whole of the alum works and to deliver alum at £8 a ton. He was prepared to offer as security for the performance of his contract bonds to the value of ^17,000, guaranteed by Lord (1) Roll of Royal College of Physicians, i., 113. (2) Grant Book (1608), p. 35. (3) Lands, 152/69. (4) Lands, 166/175.
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