Business Papers of Samuel Very of Wendover, Hemp-Dresser

This collection consists of over 450 incoming letters from suppliers, customers and a small number from Very's own agents. The majority are from suppliers and are in the form of bills reflecting the quantities and types of hemp and flax purchased, the quality of the merchandise, its price and transport; they also include extensive comment about the state of the market and the effect of bad harvests and European war. A more limited number are from customers but they give some indication of the area and volume of Very's market.

Although mainly of a business nature, many of the letters contain personal and some political comments, and among the most interesting of these are the following:

Owen Buckingham to Samuel Very, 1688

January "... I am glad to heare yt younge Mr. Hampden is alive againe, I know yo will endeavour to send him up to ye convention either for your town or county, God be thanked for this day ..." (D4/5/12)

February "... I am very well pleased in our new K. and Queene and ye continuance of our Parlement and with there proceedings ..." (D4/5/14)

March "... Dunbartons officers and many souldiers are at this tyme in Newgate and I hope will have there deserts, the Scotch parlement goe on braveley and will stand fast to ye Protestant interest. I cannot beleive ye late K. James is in Ireland, some say he is dead in France I know not what to thinke nor where he is ..." (D4/5/15)

William Burton to Samuel Very:-

... ber 30th 1694(?) "... Last night newes was brought that the deanes and sweeds are now resolved to picke aquarill with us for thay have order sum men of ware out againest ower shipes that are to com home ..." (D4/11/12)

For the purposes of the catalogue the letters have been arranged in annual bundles [March to March], those of uncertain date being placed at the end under correspondent. The original arrangement is not clear, but all the letters have filing holes. There is some evidence (e.g. pattern of rodent damage on letters from William Burton, 1692-1694) to suggest that separate files may have been kept for individual suppliers, however, alternatively, this may simply reflect the use of one particular supplier over a period of months.

The papers were found under the floor of an attic against a chimney in a house on Aylesbury Road, Wendover, by Mr. Fred. Ward, a builder, in October 1944. They were brought to the notice of Mr. Hudson, of King and Chasmore, Horsham, agent of General Abel-Smith, Lord of the Manor, who then deposited them with the Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society.