Copybook, printed by Gillman, Rochester, about 1846

Light blue bound book, with white paper label pasted onto front. The cover features many doodles and signatures of Henry Hood and the name 'GGreaves'. Inside the front cover, the word 'command' is written in large, curving handwriting above a small sketch map in black ink.
The first page has an alphabet in lower case, and a row of numerals. The next has upper case letters. The remainder of the book is a series of sentences starting with different letters in alphabetical order; there are two on each page. The inscription 'Henry Hood, May 10 1846' is written on the reverse of the fourth page. There is a calculation of distance on the obverse of the fifth page, written in pencil.
The back cover is densely covered with single letters, ink blots and the words 'Joseph Wilson' and 'Leicestershire'.

Given by Barbara Jones

This collection of books belonged to Derby tailor Francis Hood and his children.

Francis was born in Ashbourne, Derby, in 1800. In 1823 he married Susanna Wilson, and they had five children. All their names, apart from the youngest, Susanna, appear on the exercise and copy books. Francis was a successful tailor, and the enterprise grew to be a flourishing family business.

George (born 1827) was a tailor with his father by the age of 14. He died aged only 24.

Elizabeth (born 1830) became a milliner and dressmaker. She married Scottish draper John Train, but was soon widowed, and thereafter is listed is woollen goods trader as well as dressmaker.

Francis (born 1832) moved to Australia, possibly before his twentieth birthday, where he stayed the rest of his life.

Henry (born 1836) was an apprentice in 1851. Ten years later, at the age of 25, he inherited the family business, and by 1881 was employing 6 men and 2 boys. He was married to Elizabeth from Somerset, and they had six children. He was able to retire in his mid-sixties and move to a country house on the proceeds of the business. Soon after, Elizabeth died, but Henry remarried at the age of 72 to a woman 31 years his junior. His second son George (born 1868) continued the Hood dynasty from the 1890s, though the shop in St John Street, Ashbourne, remained ‘Henry Hood & Son’ in 1900.

Susanna (born 1838) never married, and lived with Elizabeth. She was also a dressmaker.

The books were passed down through Henry’s children to the donor’s husband.

B.291-2012