Genealogy Chat

Hi Elva,

That's prompted me to find out who had the best bed - I've been meaning to look it up for a while.

This link

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/museum/item.asp?item_id=21

suggests it went to his oldest surviving child Susannah.

In 1760, £50 0s 0d would have the same spending worth of today's £3,739.50 (1970)

In 1760, £0 0s 8d would have the same spending worth of today's £2.49 (1970)

In 1790, £50 0s 0d would have the same spending worth of today's £2,801.50 (1970)

WOW! William can stuff his bed...just give me the 50 quid! lol

Having said that...I have just bought a new fangled bed and it cost me £2000!


http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency/default0.asp#mid

Gerri x

LOL Shelly...and dont forget the pooh and puke!

Hi
I have just received a copy of a will today and ironically enough they too left a feather bed to each of his 3 daughters.
The will was dated 1794 and like Kirsty's will it was very difficult to read.
I have translated quite a bit but there are gaps.
William also left £50 to his eldest daughter so he must have been quite affluent for that time.

Carol

A bed was a very desirable thing in the days when most people couldn't afford one.

At the time of the ripper (1880's) some lodgings in the east end would provide you with a place sleeping over a rope. It would be strung across the room for several people sharing for half penny a night.

I found an article written in 1761, that gives the following prices:

Goose Feathers from 14d to 18d per Pound.- Common Feathers from 5d to 8d.- Milpuff from 8d to 11d. per Pound

I guess it depends on what kind of feathers were used!!! The other 3 beds he left in his will were feather beds.

Thanks for letting us know Kirsty. I would have been awake all night on my Memory foam mattress wondering about that! lol

Sounds better than a horse hair mattress!! (which we had when i was at school)..abt 1000 years ago! lol

Gerri x

I've been looking at this again, and it says milpuff, which apparently they sometimes used to stuff mattresses instead of feathers. (It was slightly more expensive)

Thanks for trying - I've tried googling but can't find any possibilities. There is a gap before the last 3 letters, so it may even be 2 words.

What looks like ff in old writing is usually ss but they doesn't make this word any more understandable!

I've just received a copy of a will of one of my ancestors. The writing is quite difficult to read, but one of the things he appears to be leaving is a milhouff bed. Has anyone ever heard of this? I may be wrong with the end of the word, but it definitely begins with mil.

Thanks