It would seem Mr Samuel Farrer was not a gentleman who settled his accounts promptly. He obviously enjoyed a tipple since on July 7th he took delivery of half a gallon of gin. From August 1st until December 1st he bought 6 dozen bottles of porter (dark stout). That’s 72 bottles for three months. If that’s 2 dozen (24) a month then that’s 6 bottles a week give or take. So looks like a beer every evening exceept on Sundays. Certainly he was not a member of any temperance group. We can’t be sure how big the bottles were, and whether it was for his sole consumption or for a busy household. I’m well aware there’s a great deal we cannot know, but it’s fun to speculate.
There are two things I notice straightaway. Mr Fenton, the Spirit Merchant, as he describes himself on the back of the invoice, sent out quarterly invoices. He must have had a good business to be able to provide such credit. Secondly, the account was not settled until March 10th 1855. That’s over 8 months since the first order in July. AND the generous Mr Fenton gave his (good?) customer a shilling discount. The original total was £1 8/-.
I cannot, as yet, find any reference to Mr Fenton’s business or Mr Farrer with the material I have to hand and Covid has put restraints on archival visits. However I notice there are other Farrers living in Whitehaven in 1861 a little later than the date of this invoice. John, a stonemason on Fox St and Mary Ann, a fishmonger at 17 Tangier St. Another John is aso a fishmonger and he’s at 14 King St.
More original invoices another time if I come across any.
From Lorna's Command Centre 