The smith's house has probably belonged to the Ordnance since the latter's creation

Author: Ordnance Office

Source: MINT 19/3/429-30, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK

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- Revision History
  - 1 January 2001
    - Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young
  - 29 September 2011
    - Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins
  - 20 March 2017
    - Transcribed by Will Scott
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<429r>

Extract of a Letter form the Board of Ordnance dated the 13^th. of February 1699 to the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's

Treasury

My Lords

As to our Title to the Master Smiths house in the Mintm it is very probable it has belonged to the Ordnance ever since 'twas an Office, But the annext Papers will fully satisfy of above 120 years uninterrupted possession, and that the Office have from time to time repair'd it; and We can't imagine the Officers of the Mint can give your Lordships any tollerable reasons that 'tis at this time for his Majestys service for them to have the Smiths house &c^a when they did so successfully carry on the last vast Coinage without them, & in all probability there never can be the like occasion for Room & Conveniency, and We will Venture to say, they have Twice as much Room as ever they can make use of for the. And it is very well known, that several of their Houses stand Empty & others rented by persons no ways concern'd with them, and We are informed one of the Master Smiths of the Mint has now a House & several Forges sufficient for all their business.

Touching the Master Smiths house

It appears by an Old Book remaining in the Office of Ordnance. That an Estimate was made the 14^th of Feb^ry 1577 by the Officers of the same for several Repairs necessary to be done to the Master Smiths house, with an Account of the Men & Materials that were to be Employ'd in that service.

I the 9^th Year of Queen Eliz^a dated the 3^d of May A Grant was made to William & Martin Hopkins to be Master Smiths to the Toer, the said Martin dyed the 16^th of Iuly 1606, to Enjoy the Fee of 8^d per Diem, ac Mansion Domibus proficuis &c^a

<429v>

In the 43^d of Queen Eliz^a 18^th of Iune, Letters Pattents were granted to Thomas Pdasso for the place of Master Smith of all the Iron Works within the Tower of London, to hold the same during his Life at 8^d per Diem, ac Mansion Domibus proficuis &c^a

King James by his Lett^r Patents dated the 25^th of Nov^r in the 21^st: year of his Reign, grants to Lewis Tayte the said place of Master Smith of all the Iron works within the Tower of London, to hold the same during his lifeac Mansion Domibus proficuis, Emolumentis &c^a.

King Charles the 1^st By his Letters Patents the 17^th of Aug^t: in the 16^th Year of his Reign, grants to Tho^s: Hodgskins the said place of Master Smith within the Tower of London at the Fee of 8^d per Diem, ac Mansion Domibus proficuis Emolumentis &c^a

M^r William Smith aged 58 years Clerk to Thomas Hodgskinns Master Smith to the Tower in the years 1665 & 1666, saith, that M^r Hodgskinns lived & inhabited in the in the Mint wherein M^r Silvester lately dwelt, as also he served M^r Silvester in the like capacity, & during his continuance there He Iustifyes, the said House was always reputed and Esteem'd to be belonging to the Office of Ordnance and was always repaired upon any defects or wants of Reparation by the said Office, & that M^r Hodgskinns own'd his tenure from no other but the said Office, & that he had possession given him by the Officers of the same, where first he took possession of the said Place. He further saith that in the year 52 being then about 11 years old, he knew that M^r Hodgskinns then Lived in the said House & workt to the Office of Ordnance.

<430r>

Thomas Shillingford Master of the Office Barge hath belonged to the Office ever since the years 1666 or 1667, & saith that some time since then he remembers that Prince Rupert & several Lords of the Council or Nobility came down to the Tower to View the Smiths house in the Mint, as he conceives upon a dispute for the same, between the Officers of the Ordnance & the Mint, & remembers that M^r Ball the Messenger & M^r Merry a Labourer then & for above 20 years before in the Ordnance were called for & Examined about what they know thereof, who declared that it had been for their time & before belonging to the Office of the Ordnance & that he the said Merry had been concern'd in weighing Double headed hammered short, Crows of Iron &c^a & fetching them & other stores into the stores of the Ordnance, & that it was always looked on to belong to the Office of Ordnance.

Matthew Bateman late Master Wheelwright to the Office of Ordnance saith, that the Night before my Lord Strafford was beheaded which was about 60 years ago he lay in M^r Hodgskinns's house in the Mint, who then & several years before to he remembrance was Master Smith to the Office of Ordnance & Lived in the same house that M^r Silvesters his successor did till few years since, which was always looked on to belong to the said Office & claim'd, as he heard of by the Office of the Mint or any other.

Robert Bennet Master Purveyor for sea service to this Office aged about 70 years saith, that for about 40 years he hath known that the Smith to the Office of Ordnance Lived in the House in the Mint in the Tower, which is now claim'd by the Officers of the Mint, and that it was always Esteem'd to belong to the Office of Ordnance.

<430v>

Edw^d Snapes now Messenger but before Labourer in Ordinary to this Office from the year 1665 or 1666 saith, that when he was a Labourer he was commanded to go to the Smiths of this Office in the Mint in Tower to assist in Proving & weighing Double headed hammer'd Shott, Crows of Iron &c^a for his Majestys service, and this He did as well in the shine of M^r Hodgskinns as M^r Silvesters late Master Smith to this Office, and that the House, shop &c^a were always Esteem'd to belong to the Office of Ordnance.

Robert Fitch aged about 50 Years Master Bricklayer to this Office, saith that ever since the year 1671 he knew the Smith of this Office dwelt in the house in the Mint now claim'd by the Mint, & did several works for repairing the House & Ships thereunto for the service of the Office of Ordnance, who paid him for the same and that for any thing he knew, it was always Esteem'd the Right & Property of the Office of Ordnance. He saith also that he remembers about 20 or 21 years since, that Prince Rupert, the Earl of Shaftsbury and several other Lords of the Council or Persons of Quallity came to the Tower to View whether another place in the Tower might be found for the Smith of this Office as convenient, as that upon occasion of Esq^r Slingsby who was the Master Worker of the Mint & wou'd have the Smith of this Office out from thence. What Resolution was taken he knows not, But the Smith of this Office still continued there without any disturbance