To Mr. Cha: More.
28th May, 1741. By an order made this day in reference to the Ladies’ feast it was directed—
that the Entertainment shall continue no longer than twelve of the clock when there shall be no more Dancing but that the Musick be then dismissed and the Company depart.
28th August, 1741. The Court having taken into consideration the ill behaviour and abusive language of John Atkinson Distiller in White Chappell (a Liveryman of this Company) on the last day of Election, who in a most gross manner (in the Common Hall of this Company) the Master of the said Company did greatly insult and abuse and did otherwise very indecently and rudely behave to other Members of the Company whereby the Peace of the said Company then assembled was greatly disturbed, and being determined to put a stop to and prevent the like grievances for the future by punishing all such offendors herein Ordered that the said John Atkinson be fined for such his ill behaviour to the Master the sum of 6s 8d and 10s for bringing in to Dinner on that day another person with him after having been acquainted by the Master that the same was contrary to the By laws of the said Company.
1745. It is noticeable that the Potation Money fell off on the separation of the Surgeons from the Barbers. During the three or four preceding years the amount had been steadily running down from an average of £105 to £57, and there seems to have been no Election or Livery Dinners this year, though the gallant Barbers did not forget the Ladies, for they gave them (and themselves) a dinner at a cost of £52 1s. 9d.
The Barbers, too, at this time do not seem to have drunk quite so much wine as the Barber-Surgeons did, and in the year 1747 is the first mention of Beer, when 12s. was paid for a barrel of small Beer for the Lord Mayor’s feast, and only 68 bottles of wine were consumed on this occasion.
Between the years 1750 and 1786 no records are kept of any but the Mayor’s feasts, though doubtless the Company did not fast during the intervals.
There is now a striking similarity in these dinner accounts year by year; usually there were six stewards each of whom provided, about the years 1775, and later on, no less than 53 bottles of wine each, thus emulating their predecessors the Barber-Surgeons; there are numerous references to these bottles as being quarts, so that about 80 gallons must have been drunk at each dinner. Happily, all this is now changed.
It is noticeable from the earliest times that the Company on every occasion of a feast, invariably hired their Pewter dishes and plates at great cost; it seems strange that this continual outlay should have been incurred, instead of keeping a stock of pewter.