Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 7.djvu/456

 376

NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 S.VH. NOV. 6,1920.

THE SURNAME PUTTICK (12 S. vii. 330). Pattick, from its original Puttock is, according to Lower, Harrison, and Bardsley, a nickname from Puttock, a kite; "meta- phorically applied to a greedy, ravenous fellow " says Halliwell. Lower says that Florence of Worcester (d. 1118) mentions an An^lo- Saxon called Puttoc. I doubt if we may assume that Pidduck, Puddock, Pittuck are of the same derivation as Puttick. Harrison says of thf first of these, " appa- rently from the stem seen under Piddington with the O.E. dim. suff. uc " ; and s.v. Piddington we reach " estate of the Pida or Pyda Family." Lower (s.v. Pidd) says "probably the A.-S. personal name Peada born by the first Christian King of Mercia." Hence Pidduck would be little Peada, as hillock from Hill.

(Rev.) F. J. ODELL.

Totnes.

In reply to MB. ELLIS who inquires if this in any of its forms is known as a place name, there are three instances in Essex, viz : Puttock End, a hamlet near Eelchamp Otton, Puttocks End, a hamlet near Little Canfield and Puttocks, a house about a mile south of Great Dunmow.

WILLIAM GILBERT, F.R.X.S.

Tn addition to the variants quoted, there is Puttock, which affords the key to its source. According to Halliw ell's Dictionary of archaic words it is derived from "Nick the Puttock, i.e., Kite ; meaning a greedy ravenous fellow." The earliest mention in Bardsley 's Dictionary is : Richard Puttac, Co. of Kent, A.D. 1273.

The ' English Dialect Dictionary ' gives : Puttik : a small pot.

This clue should be followed up in the ' New English Dictionary ' which I have not at hand. W. JAUGARD, Capt.

[Several other correspondents also thanked for replies. ]

ROMNEY MARSH (12*S. vii. 269, 298, 317). In addition to Holloway's 'History of Romney Marsh,' I suggest that NOLA should secure 'The Charter of Romney Marsh,' by Hy. de Bathe, 1686; 'Csesar's Expeditions and Subsequent Formation of Romney Marsh,' by F. H. Appach, 1868 ; Champneys, 1875. The following works contain interesting references to the district : Dugdale's ' History of Imbanking and Draining,' ed. by Ccle, 1772; Holloway's
 * A Quiet Corner of England,' by Basil

'History of the Town and Port of Rye," 1847; Cooper's 'History of Winchelsea,' 1850; Furley's 'History of the Weald of Kent,' 1871; Bradley 's 'An Old Gate of England,' 1918. W. J. M.

THOMAS THORPE (12 S. vii. 232* 277). In 'Pigot's Directory,' for 1826-7, under " Colchester, watch and clock makers," occurs : "Thorp, Edward, East Hill."

The name does not occur in. White's ' History, Gazetteer and Directory ' of the county sub Colchester, for 1848, nc-r for 1863,.. and it is not to be found in the Colchester Poll Book for 1865.

CHAS. HALL CROUCH.

THE MAKER OF AN OLD COMMUNION" PATEN (12 S. vii. 331). The hall-marks orv the paten belonging to the Parish Church of Llysfaen indicate that it is not only wrought in silver but of silver of the higher or Bri- tannia standard, namely 958.3 of silver iiv, 1000 of silver-copper alloy. The Act of 1697-8 (8 and 9 Wm. III. c. 8) was passed to check the melting of silver coin (925 in' 1000) which was being extensively done for the manufacture of silver plate, and from,, that year until 1720 "Britannia " was the" compulsory and sole standard for silver plate.

By the same Act it was ordained that the worker's mark should be expressed by ther- first two letters of his surname. This- remained in force until 1739 (12 Geo. II., c. 26) when existing punches were ordered to be destroyed, and the initials of the*- makers' Christian and surname to be sub- stituted therefor.

There is a communion cup and paten at" Byfield, Nbrthants of the year 1697 bearing; the maker's mark RO within a shield, but with no device above the letters. This was- the mark of Hugh Roberts of Newgate- Street. Other contemporary silversmiths were Philip Roker, 1698 ; Alex. Roode, 1697; Thomas Robinson, 1682-1710; Philip- Rolles, 1704 ; Philip Rolles, junior, 1705 ; Nathl. Roe, 1710. Each of these makers-' has a device, peculiar to himself, in addition to the letters RO, to differentiate his work from Hugh Roberts, but the individual designs would require too much space to> describe. If the REV. T. LLECHID JONES would care to send me a rough sketch of the maker's mark on the Llysfaen paten I might possibly be able to assist him to better i purpose. J. PAUL DE CASTRO.

1 Essex Court, Temple, E.C-4.