Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 10.djvu/371

 11 S. X. Nov. 7, 1914.1

NOTES AND QUERIES.

3G5

Cooper, manager, New York : published by D. .Longworth, at the Dramatic Repository, Shakespeare-Gallery, 1806." 12mo, 6+7-84 pp.

This is evidently the impression referred to in an advertisement of ' The School for Arrogance ' in a " New York : D. Long- worth, 1807," edition of 'The Lady of the Bock.' ELBRIDGE COLBY.

Columbia University, New York City.

(To bf. continued.)

WINE BOTTLES: MAGNUM, JEROBOAM, REHOBOAM.

THE ' New English Dictionary ' states that a " Magnum " is a bottle containing two quarts. Its actual capacity equals two ordinary bottles, or approximately one and a third imperial quarts.

The capacity of a " Jeroboam " is not stated, but there appears a misleading quotation from The Daily News, 1889, 25 July, viz. :

" Enormous bottles of fabulous content called ' Jeroboams,' which some say contain 10, others 12 ordinary bottles."

The capacity of a " Jeroboam " is six ordi- nary bottles, or approximately one imperial gallon.

It is necessary to use some word such as " approximately " because a " bottle " is only a customary measure, and is not exact. Indeed, I believe that a bottle containing cognac is always or generally slightly smaller in capacity than one containing wine or whisky. According to ' Whitaker's Al- manack,' 1914, p. 447, " The customary glass bottle of wine or spirits should contain one-sixth of a gallon."

The word " Rehoboam," as meaning a certain huge bottle of wine, is not given in the Dictionary.

In answer to a letter of inquiry, I have received the following information from M !*. H. R. Williams & Co., wine merchants of Lime Street, E.G. :

" The capacity of the Magnum, &c., runs as fellow's :

A Magnum is equal to 2 bottles.

Double Magnum 4

Jeroboam ,, 6 ,,

Rehoboam 8

" With regard to the two latter, there is among the public a very vague idea as to their actual size, and although they are now not used in the trade, you may take the above as being quite authentic."

ra. Williams & Co. in a postscript say that, they have in their cellars some Reho- boams.

I have before me a price-list of another firm of wine merchants in which Magnums and Jeroboams appear. In this list " Im- perial," holding " about eight reputed Quarts " i.e., customary wine bottles stands for " Rehoboam."

A Rehoboam alias Imperial should con- tain one and one-third gallons approxi- mately. Whether the word " Imperial " is- fully recognized in " the trade " I do not know. It may be that the proper place for all these words is a slang dictionary.

ROBERT PIERPOINT.

TAVERN SIGN : " THE KILTON." An old historical signboard, very much worn and exposed to all weathers, representing the famous racehorse Kilton, with a jockey riding him, was taken down from outside the front door of " Kilton " Hotel, Hoo Green, near Knutsford, during the summer of 1896. I undertook to paint over this- sign in oil colours in a new method in the back outbuildings of the yard. It was replaced in position on the centenary day, 29 July, 1896, in the presence of a large number of visitors, including the Lymm bowling club.

The landlord, Mr. Joseph Power, showed me a short written account of the racehorse by his late father, which he found pasted up inside a cupboard at the hotel. I subjoin a. copy : The Kilton.

This cup was won by Thomas Langford-Brooke's

horse, Kilton,

Five years old,

Over Knutsford

Friday, 29th July, 1790,

Delmere, Three

years old, giving

him 31 Ibs. on Four

mile Heat.

Trafford Trafford

and Isaac Blackburn,

Esqrs., Stewards.

I was told the hotel was called the " Kil- ton " in 1796, and it was called " Hoo- Green " before it was called the " Kilton.'' Dick Turpin came to this hostelry and played bowls on the green a few minutes after he had committed a robbery near Altrin- cham. He came on Black Bess, his famous mare.

Kelly's ' Directory of Cheshire ' states :

" It is related that the notorious Dick Turpia was apprehended in this house [Kilton Hotel} after a robbery committed by him at Newbridge Hollow, a lonely spot about four miles from here- on the road towards Altrincham."

FRED L. TAVAR.

22, Trentham St., Pendleton, Manchester.