Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 7.djvu/164

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. vn. FEB. 23, 1901.

Bristol at a still earlier date. Seyer, an old and trustworthy writer, says :

"Now an enterprising burgess of Bristol

began to introduce into Bristol a new manu- facture, which eventually gave him a name, and

immortalized his fame Thomas, henceforth

known as Thomas Blanket (blanchette, a white

cloth), set up looms in his house and hired

weavers to make a better kind of fabric (i.e., superior to bluett, russet-faldings, and a striped cloth for servants, called Bristol cotton), bleached in the wool, close woven, almost like felt, and fairly waterproof. As a matter of course, there was an outcry against this, the authorities, and the weavers in particular, not liking to see foreign and better skilled artisans brought into their town. So the mayor and bailiffs levied a rate upon them for setting up their machines. The king, however, had more perspicacity than they, and by the following letter relieved the young manufacturers of the impolic [sic] burden. It is addressed to the mayor and bailiffs. [Here it is given in extemo.] At con- siderable length it decrees chat no let or hindrance is to be given to ' Thomas Blanket and others, bur- gesses of the said town of Bristol that they shall

erect such machines as they like, and there shall be no hindrance nor reproach (calumnia) given them for thus doing.'"

From the fact that this letter is dated 25 November, 1339, it is evident that Blanket and his brothers (named Edmund and Ed ward respectively) must have begun their new trade at least some little time before that date. Blanket bears the reputation of having been a good and pious Churchman. He was a great benefactor to his parish church of St. Stephen, Bristol, and founded one of the seven chantries in it. He was buried within the venerable fabric, and in 1886 it fell to the lot of the writer of these lines to place therein a slight memorial to the dis- tinguished citizen in question.

That friend to humanity upon a rainy day, the mackintosh, it is to be assumed de- rived its name much as did the blanket. A story has been told (I think by Punch) that a certain member of an ancient Scotch family journeyed to London for the first time. Arrived at his hotel, the canny Scot got into a dispute with his cabman over the proverbial "saxpence." "Cabby" at last got so demonstratively abusive that his fare turned on him indignantly, exclaiming, "Sir, are you aware I am The Mackintosh?" With a withering look, Jehu eyed the speaker up and down, and then slowly delivered him- self : " I don't care if you are a blooming umbrella; I intend to have that 'tanner'!" And he got it. HARRY HEMS.

Fair Park, Exeter.

The word has been known since the fourteenth century. If the article derived its name from the individual, then the word

was precisely the same six hundred years ago as it is now a state of things that is extremely unlikely. The * H.E.D.' says, 'The Thomas Blanket to whom gossip attributes the origin of the name, if he really existed, doubtless took his name from ihe article." Many other authorities concur. ARTHUR MAYALL.

Haydn ('Dictionary of Dates') gives the 'Thomas Blanket" legend, but wisely adds, ' This is doubtful." In 'Things not Generally Known' (second series), Timbs tersely says, without any qualification, " Blankets are so called from their having been first made in 1340, by one Thomas Blanket, of Bristol."

JOHN T. PAGE. West Haddon, Northamptonshire.

From the information communicated to N. & Q.' there can be no doubt that three brothers named Blanket were engaged at Bristol about 1340 in the manufacture of coarse woollen cloths, for which the city was then famous. The subject has been fully discussed in 'N. & Q.,' and if your corres- pondent is interested in the matter, he is referred to 3 rd S. ii. 318, 359, 398 ; iii. 177, 233.

EVERARD HOME COLEMAN. 71, Brecknock Road.

LANGUAGE TO CONCEAL THOUGHT (9 th S. vi. 368, 432, 476 ; vii. 57). The quotation from South will be found in the first volume of his 'Sermons preached on Several Occasions,' edition in 7 vols., Oxford, 1823, p. 234. It was preached at Westminster Abbey, 30 April, 1676. G. H. THOMPSON.

Alnwick.

J. M. W. TURNER (9 th S. vii. 48). I am unable to answer MR. PAGE'S query, but I think I can usefully add to it. Hamerton says: "Turner's first picture was exhibited in 1787, he being then twelve years old. The subject of this picture was 'Dover Castle." On referring to the Koyal Academy cata- logue for that year, I find W. Turner, " at Mr. G. Turner's, Wai tham- stow," contributed two drawings : No. 471, ' Dover Castle,' and No. 601, " View of Wanstead house, the seat of Sir James Tinley Long." In the two following years no person named Turner exhibited, but in 1790 J. W. Turner, of Maiden Lane, Co vent Garden, was repre- sented by No. 644, 'View of the Archbishop's Palace, Lambeth, 'and there was also a picture by G. Turner, No. 24, ' Charing Cross.' Next year the latter became S. Turner and the former W. Turner, under which style he con- tinued to exhibit annually until and includ- ing 1801, although he had become an Asso-