Paper copybook with green cover, owned by Hood family, Ashbourne, England 1810 - 1845.

Paper-covered booklet of landscape proportions. Each page is printed with three lines of text in black italic type. Each line comprises a short text which starts with each letter of the alphabet. The last sheet, letters X, Y and Z, appears twice.

Throughout the book, there are examples of marginalia in black ink: on page one, the word 'knowlede' (sic) appears twice. One page three, the word 'odious' is written. On page four, two letters K. On the back of page six, there are two lines of Ts. The inside of the back cover has been used to do a sum. There are three more Ks on the back cover.

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.292-2012