Oranges and lemons trade

Oranges and lemons trade

Editorial history

01/12/12: CSG, created page

Purpose of page

The MarineLives project is seeking to link and enhance HCA 13/71, not just to transcribe it.

Reference is made to the import to England of oranges and lemons in a number of HCA 13/71 cases and depositions.

All associates, facilitators, advisors and PhD Forum members are encouraged to contribute to this page from their knowledge of the material, and from their broader knowledge and interest in the topic.

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- HCA 13/71 f.XXXX Case: XXXX; Deposition: XXXX; Date: XXXX. Transcribed by XXXX^[1]

Cases in HCA 13/71 mentioning oranges and lemons

Oranges and lemmons seized by the French

XXXX

"1. ..................., which were noe part of the XXXdd 2500000) alsoe

2. boxes of sweet meates and many gammons of bacon, and some earthenware
3. with the said shipp for his owne account, which oranges and lemmons, sweete
4. meates, bacon, and earthen ware together with his clothes taken away by the
5. said ffrenchmen, were worth the summe of fiftie pounds sterling, all which
6. hee utterly lost by the said seizure."

- HCA 13/71 f.275v Case: On the behalfe of Robert Turner and companie Merchants owners and freighters of the ketch Elizabeth (whereof John Love was master and on behalfe of the said Love and companie; Deposition: 2. William Childe of the parish of Saint Mary at Hill London Salter, aged 27 (Signature of "William Childs" at end of deposition); Date: 16/06/1656 ("same day"). Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet.^[2]

Oranges and lemons laden at Saint Remo, near Genoa

The twenty year old mariner, Joseph Smith, of Ipswich in Suffolk, had been a member of the Christopher's crew on a voyage from Saint Remo, near Genoa, to London. He gave details of goods laden onto the Christopher by its captain, Daniel Bradley, at Saint Remo. These included several parcels of wines, oranges and lemons. The ship was surprised by a Brest man of war on the return journey, and Bradley's goods were lost.

"15. To the second Interrogatory This deponent saith that the sayd Daniel Bradley

16. the Master of the sayd shipp did lade on board the sayd shipp in the moneth
17. of December 1655 last past att Saint Remo aforesayd severall parcells
18. of wynes, lemmons and Oranges for his owne benefit and aććompt
19. this deponent being present att the lading thereof and seeing the same
20. brought on board. And otherwise he cannot depose."

- HCA 13/71 f.149r Case: On behalfe of the said Daniell Bradley; Deposition: 3. Joseph Smith of Ipswich in the County of Suffolk mariner Late one of the Company of the sayd shipp Christopher aged 20 (Signature of "Joseph Smith" at end of deposition); Date: 12/04/1656. Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet^[3]

Oranges and lemmons laded at Veales Road, Spaine

XXXX

"25. To the 9th hee saith that towards the latter end of September 1655

26. and after the difference aforesayd the Culpepper arlate an English
27. shipp came into Veales Roade empty to seeke a freight, and this
28. deponent and Mr Robert Swale English Marchant, did betwixt them
29. freight and lade the sayd shipp Culpepper (the arlate Jacob Reynolds Commander
30. with a Cargoe of Orranges and Lemmons and Raisens, with which hee
31. the sayd Reynolds departed quietly departed thense notwithstanding the
32. difference aforesayd, and arived safely therewith in England,"

- HCA 13/71 f.606v Case: Browning and Company Owners of the Plaine dealeing agianst Mr Bulkley; Deposition: 1. Thomas Baudes of London Merchant aged thirty yeares; Date: 01/07/1656. Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet^[4]

Oranges and lemmons laded at Saint Lucars, Spain, for the account of George Robinson, servant of Martin Noell, trading independently

XXXX

"To the second and third and fourth articles hee saith that the said George

Robinson being this deponents covenanted servant, and soe not free to
trade for himselfe without this deponents permission, hee in or about
October last told this deponent that hee had a desire to freight
a shipp at Rotterdam to goe for Spaine to lade oranges and lemmons
for this port and for his owne accompt, and desired this deponents
leave thereto, which this deponent graunted, and was acquainted with
his writing to the said Rocus Parvé about the said affreightment
and with the answers of the said Rocus and his signifying that hee
had freighted a shipp called the Annes of Brill for the said
voyage upon account of the said Robinson and company. And this
deponent hath bin often informed that the said shipp came to Saint
Lucars and tooke in the said oranges and lemmons upon the said
account, to be brought into the downes, where shee was to expect
further orders from the said Robinson. And otherwise hee cannot depose.

To the fifth hee saith that hee hath often heard the said Robinson
say to the effect arlate, and verily beleeveth the same to be true
And otherwise hee cannot depose."

- HCA 13/71 f.214r Case: Complaint of the said Robinson against the Annes of Brill; Deposition: 3. Martin Noell of London Merchant aged 42 yeares; Date: 04/06/1656. Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet.^[5]

Cases in other HCA volumes mentioning oranges and lemons

Lemmons (= lemon)

"A matter of unladeing and receaving of a parcell of 46 chests of lemmons Laden in the Anne and Joyce" (HCA 3/47 f. 480r (orig), f. 477r. (new); "Satterday 24th October 1657")

"the aclate Manuel Lewis Carrero was and is a Spanish borne and a subiect of y:e King of Spaine and lives in Cadiz and there keepes a house and family and is a merchant trading in lemon and other merchandizes which he deposeth, himselfe living in Cadiz and having good acquaintance with the sayd Carrero" (HCA 13/69 no f.))

Oranges

"Thomas Taylo:r and Loys Taylo:r his wife were, Comonly accounted and reputed the true and Lawfull owners and Proprietors of Eight & twenty Ceder Chests, w:ch contained & were filled (as this depo:t verily beleeveth) with Tobaccoe; and alsoe sixty six Rolls of Tobaccoe, and of foure more Rolls of Tobaccoe, and of a quantity of Oranges" (HCA 13/73 Part One))

Initial literature review of oranges and lemmons in early modern period

Where did lemons originate?

"Lemon The fruit of Citrus medica, a tree whose original home may have been in the north of India. It only reached the Mediterranean towards the end of the 1st century AD, whemn the Romans discovered a direct sea route from the sourthern end of the Red Sea to India. Tolkowsky...adduces complex arguments in favour of this view (as against the earlier view that the lemon did not arrive until the 10th century), and refers to frescos found at Pompeii (and therefore prior to AD 70) which show what he regards as indisputably lemons; also a mosaic pavement probably from Tusculum...of about 100 AD in which a lemon is shown with an orange and a citron. Thus the fruit which can reasonably be regarded as the most important for European cookery was a comparatively late arrival. Nor was its use in cookery, as an acid element, appreciated at once. Nor, indeed, was there a Latin word for lemon. It seems likely that in classical Rome the fruit was treated as a curiosity and a decoration, and that lemon trees were not grown in Italy until later. The Arabs seem to have been largely responsible for the spread of lemon cultivation in the Mediterranean region...Arab traders also spread the lemon eastward to China...During the Middle Ages lemons were rare and expensive in N. Europe, and available only to the rich...Lemons reached the New World...in 1493, when Columbus, on his second voyage, established a settlement on Haiti."^[6]

"Lemons were one of the most sought after fruits in early modern Europe. Being associated with sunny southern Europe they were considered healthy, much the same way we think of Mediterranean foods today. Their juice was used as a condiment, especially on fish because its acidity was thought to cut through the "gluey humors" abounding in seafood, making them more digestible. Northern Europeans generally had to import lemons, but eventually a way to grow them indoors was devised. Lemon peel, grated or candied lemon was also a typical garnish."^[7]

Geoffrey Doye, 'Oranges and Lemons: The Rise and Fall of the West Country Shipping Involvement with the Fruit Trade', in Maritime South West 2006

Dictionary of Traded Goods and Commodities, 1550-1820: Lemon related entries

Nancy Cox and Karin Dannehl, 'Leech - Lewkes hemp', Dictionary of Traded Goods and Commodities, 1550-1820 (2007). URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=58809 Date accessed: 08 January 2013.

Lemon lozenges

LEMON lozenges have been noted offered for sale only once and in circumstances that leave it unclear whether they were intended for medicinal purposes or merely as a SWEETMEAT. Possibly this was intentional. Although lemon was known to help relieve sore throats and the like, it also has a pleasant taste [Tradecards (1800)].

Not found in the OED online

Found in units of small BOX

See also LOZENGE.
Sources: Tradecards.

Lemon pickle

LEMON - PICKLE was apparently not the same as PICKLED LEMONS. It seems to have been a relish or a SAUCE, rather than merely a way of preserving lemons as in a typical pickle. This distinction may be observed in the way this product was advertised; for example one London retailer listed it under 'Sauces' [Tradecards (19c.)].

Mrs Raffald seems to have regarded it highly, She not only named it specifically in the title of her 'English House-keeper', but also gave the recipe on page 1 [Raffald (1772)]. In effect her recipe was for a highly spiced essence, intended for adding to 'fish sauce and made dishes' where a teaspoonful would suffice.

OED online earliest date of use: 1769

Found in units of BOTTLE

Sources: Newspapers, Tradecards.
References: Raffald (1772).

Lemon vinegar

A modern recipe suggests adding the juice of LEMON and the thinly pared rind to VINEGAR and leaving it to steep for some days before straining and returning the rind to the liquor to continue adding flavour [Picklenet (2000-1)]. This is probably similar to recipes used in former times. Lemon vinegar would have been used with salads and anywhere else where a flavoured vinegar was desirable. ORANGE VINEGAR was probably made and used in the same way.

Not found in the OED online

Sources: Tradecards.
References: Picklenet (2000-1).

Lemon water

[lemon-water]

Martha Bradley described lemon water as 'a very pleasant Cordial' that 'strengthens the Stomach'. Her recipe involved distilling the rinds of LEMON and a few grains of MUSK in FRENCH BRANDY and then adding SUGAR, ROSE WATER and ORANGE FLOWER WATER [Bradley (1756 facs.1996-8)]. Fairly large quantities were imported; for example, in 1694-5 six TON and three HOGSHEAD came into London, far more than ORANGE WATER [Houghton]. Since John Houghton seems to distinguish LEMON JUICE from the water, it is unlikely the two terms were confused.

Not found in the OED online

Found imported in HOGSHEAD, TUN Found rated by GALLON, TON

See also AQUA LIMONIS.
Sources: Houghton, Rates.
References: Bradley (1756, facs. 1996-8)."

Dictionary of Traded Goods and Commodities, 1550-1820: Orange related entries

Nancy Cox and Karin Dannehl, 'Opening comb - Orange oil', Dictionary of Traded Goods and Commodities, 1550-1820 (2007). URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=58832 Date accessed: 08 January 2013

Orange

[orringe; orring; orrange; oringe; oring; orenge]

Orange is the name given to the FRUIT from several varieties of the Citrus genus. Citrus sinensis gives sweet oranges, generally called the CHINA ORANGES, known in this country at least since the mid seventeenth century, while Citrus aurantium gives the bitter SEVILLE ORANGES, which had been known for much longer. Both species are better suited to the Mediterranean region but it became fashionable to grow the ORANGE TREE in this country even though hardiness was doubtful. The resulting oranges were possibly better flavoured by comparison, since they could be picked when ripe and did not have to withstand a long voyage. Although oranges had a limited geographical market in England when John Houghton was writing, he did note that in LONDON they were 'carried in the eye of all about the streets, we see they are very much consumed by the ordinary people' [Houghton]. He argued that it was both unfamiliarity with the fruit, and the difficulty of transporting them to the provinces 'without great charge, and the rotting of many', that prevented more widespread availability. In the same letter he made the further point that damaged oranges, like other products past their best, were sold very cheaply in the capital, effectively reducing the potential loss merchants of a slow market would otherwis have to face [Houghton]; [Houghton].

Houghton, however, was not entirely right in his analysis of the market in the provinces. Oranges were available in some shops even before 1600, for example [Inventories (1592)]. Evidence in one probate inventory even suggests that oranges may have been available in the streets of Shrewsbury along with other typical products sold that way [Inventories (1669)]. Nevertheless, at least one northern housewife felt it necessary to order them from London [Diaries (Fell)] and the record of 'orringes and leemons being frost bitten' [Inventories (1688)], show that keeping the stock free from harm posed a problem. After 1700, oranges in the shops became fairly common, and some held quite large stocks, for example [Inventories (1740)]; [Inventories (1790)].

While the market in the provinces struggled to supply at a price most could afford, the well-to-do were making oranges part of life. Samuel Pepys recounted many tales; of 'Mrs Jennings, one of the Duchess's maids' dressing herself up 'like an orange wench' to the amusement of all [Diaries (Pepys)], of the expense (and apparently the perceived necessity) of buying oranges at the theatre at 6d apiece [Diaries (Pepys)], and the purchase of oranges and oysters for a supper party [Diaries (Pepys)]. In the eighteenth century, both Italian warehousemen and seedsmen used the orange or the orange tree in their shop signs, for example by Barto Valle and brothers in Haymarket (1751) [Heal (1957, new ed. 1988)], while another retailer actually called his premises the 'Orange Shop near the Jack of Newbury' [Newspapers (1709)]. Later in the century a foreign visitor commented how 'pyramids of apples and oranges' were used by confectioners as part of a display that dazzled the eye [Diaries (Lichtenberg)].

The products made from oranges and ORANGE FLOWER were far more important than the fruits themselves and the range is indicated in the list of imports in the 1690s given by John Houghton [Houghton]. The most important were ESSENCE OF ORANGES, ORANGE OIL and ORANGE PEEL. More were processed in this country, while the recipe books show that housewives too preserved oranges in the form of MARMALADE and CANDIED ORANGE in variety. Oranges were also used in LIQUEURS and similar alcoholic drinks. These were sometimes given a French name, as in 'Creme de fine Orange' [Tradecards (1800)].

Orange was not a particularly popular colour during the period, though various items including TEXTILEs, CERAMICs and HABERDASHERY were so described.

OED earliest date of use: 13--

As a colour: Found describing BROADCLOTH, CUP, FILLETING, GIRTH, HANDKERCHIEF, PADUA, SAUCER, TABBY, TAMMY, THREAD, TWIST, WEB
Found in units of BOX, CHEST, CWT, LB, QUARTER Found imported from the Guernsey, Portugal, Straits, Spain Found rated by M, THOUSAND Found measured by the CASE, CHEST

See also CREME, NEROLI OIL, ORANGE NECKLACE, ORANGE PEA, ORANGE SHRUB, ORANGE VINEGAR.
Sources: Diaries, Houghton, Inventories (early), Inventories (mid-period), Inventories (late), Rates, Recipes, Tradecards.
References: Enys (n.d.), 114 (1705), Heal (1957, new ed. 1988), Simmonds (1904), II, 259, Oxford food plants, 84-5, Toussaint-Samat (1987).

Orange chips

[orange chipps]

Orange chips were what we would now called CANDIED - ORANGE PEEL. Mrs Eales gave instructions on making 'China chips', and the only difference between them and modern candied peel is that the rind for the older version was cut in 'long chips, but very thin, with none of the White'. Although Mrs Ealse recipe suggested the use of CHINA ORANGES, she also said that SEVILLE ORANGES 'would do the same Way, if you like them with a little Sugar, and very bitter [Eales (1718, facs. 1985)].

OED earliest date of use: 1769

Found used to make 'Orange Chips Syrup' Found in units of CWT, QUARTER, LB

See also CANDIED ORANGE.
Sources: Inventories (late).
References: Eales (1718, facs. 1985).

Orange flower

[orange-flower; orange-flower; fleurs d'orange; fleur d'orange]

The white flower of the ORANGE TREE was used in PERFUMERY to make, for example, ORANGE FLOWER BUTTER, ORANGE FLOWER POWDER, ESSENCE of ORANGE FLOWER, NEROLI OIL and ORANGE FLOWER WATER. They were also used in cooking; for example, Mrs Eales gave a recipe 'To candy Orange-flowers' [Eales (1718, facs. 1985)] and Mrs Kettilby one to 'To make a Marmalade' [Recipes (Ketilby)]. Orange flowers were also used in LIQUEURS and similar alcoholic drinks. These were sometimes given a French name, as in 'Creme Royale de Fleurs d'Orange au vin de Champagne' and 'Syrop a la Fleur D'orange' [Tradecards (1800)].

In 1705 the Cornish merchant, Valentine Enys, complained that he was unable to purchase dried orange flowers alias 'asajar' 'for ladies' use to scent their clothes' [Enys (1997)], and in so doing he revealed where some came from and how some were given an extended life by drying. John Houghton, possibly also highlighting the difficulties of imported supplies, when he wrote that some grew ORANGE TREEs in this country specifically for their flowers, making thereby ' a great deal of money' [Houghton].

Note that in recipes the petals were usually referred to as 'leaves', for example [Recipes (Bradley, R.)].

OED earliest date of use: 1626

Found described as DRY
Found in units of OZ Found imported by C

See also CREME.
Sources: Houghton, Recipes, Tradecards.
References: Eales (1718, facs. 1985), Enys (1997).

Orange flower butter

[orange jessamy and rose butter; orange butter; orange and jessamin butter]

Probably a purified BUTTER made by allowing SWEET BUTTER to melt in the sun and to re-solidify, and repeating the process until the butter turned white. The product was called 'May butter' or 'BUTIRUM Majale'. It was used as an UNGUENT, but was never of much importance in medicine [OED, Butter]. However, when grease for the hair became fashionable, it may have been used as the foundation of a product scented with ORANGE FLOWER similar to ORANGE FLOWER POMATUM, though LARD is a possible alternative. The single reference to 'Orange butter' in the Dictionary Archive [Newspapers (1770)], was almost certainly made with orange flowers, and was not the confection called 'Orange butter' by Mrs Eales [Eales (1718, facs. 1985)].

John Houghton suggested that some ORANGE TREEs were grown commercially in this country in order to have the flowers 'to make some butter ... to help at a dead lift', that is when imports were unavailable [Houghton].

Not found in the OED

Found described as NEW

See also JESSAMY BUTTER, ORANGE FLOWER OINTMENT.
Sources: Houghton, Newspapers, Tradecards.
References: Eales (1718, facs. 1985).
Orange flower candy

An unusual SWEET MEAT flavoured with ORANGE FLOWER. Orange flowers gave off a strong scent important in PERFUMERY, but only one example of their culinary use in the Dictionary Archive has been noted [Inventories (1740)]. However, Mrs Eales gave a recipe 'To candy Orange-flowers' [Eales (1718, facs. 1985)].

Sources: Inventories (late).
References: Eales (1718, facs. 1985).

Orange flower ointment

[orange-flower oyntment; orange flower oyntment]

An OINTMENT made from ORANGE FLOWER. It has been noted in the Book of Rates of 1657 [Rates (1657)], but not in the shops, though it may be the same as UNGUENTUM AUREUM.

Not found in the OED

Found among the DRUGS, rated by the POUND

See also ORANGE FLOWER, BUTTER, ORANGE FLOWER POMATUM.
Sources: Rates.

Orange flower pomatum

A POMATUM scented with ORANGE FLOWER. This preparation was probably substantially the same as ORANGE FLOWER BUTTER and ORANGE FLOWER OINTMENT, though it may have had a different base.

Sources: Tradecards.
Orange flower powder

[orange-flower powder]

A POWDER, most probably a HAIR POWDER perfumed with ORANGE FLOWER.

Sources: Tradecards.
Orange flower water

[water orange flower; oringe flower water; oring flower water; orange-flower-water; orange-flower water; orange, rose, or clear water; orange rose or clear water; orange flower ditto; orange flower and rose-water; orange flower and rose water; ditto orange flower]

There were two meanings to the term. The first was the aqueous solution of ORANGE FLOWERS, that is the fragrant watery distillate left after the preparation of NEROLI OIL from the blossoms of SEVILLE ORANGES. It was used extensively in TOILETRY and PERFUMERY. The second is a distillation or CORDIAL made from orange blossom and used medicinally or as a pleasant drink. Unless there is clear evidence to the contrary, it is the first of these two meanings that is found in the Dictionary Archive, though the orange-flower-water added to CHOCOLATE by some according to John Houghton[Houghton], is probably of the latter type. He claimed it gave the chocolate 'a most excellent taste' [Houghton].

'Orange water' has been noted in [Houghton] and [Inventories (1708)], which is probably the same.

OED earliest date of use: 1591

Found described as BEST Found used to make LOZENGEs Found in units of QUART Found imported by CHEST, GALLON, JAR Found among the DRUGS in the Rate Books rated by the GALLON

See also AQUA NAPHAE.
Sources: Diaries, Houghton, Newspapers, Rates, Recipes, Tradecards.

Orange juice

[juice of oranges; juce of oring]

Orange juice was probably not available commercially for sale unprocessed. The editors of Pepys Diary believe it was drunk but rarely at the time when in 1669 he drank about a pint, commenting 'here they drink the juice as wine, with sugar, and it is very fine drink; but, it being new, I was doubtful whether it might not do me hurt' [Diaries (Pepys)]; [Pepys (1971-1983)]. It is just possible that Pepys was in fact drinking a weak version of ORANGE SHRUB. The single entry noted of orange juice in a retailer's stock [Inventories (1682)] must have been processed in some way or it would not have been included in the inventory as it would not have kept.

OED earliest date of use: 1838

Found in units of LB

Sources: Diaries, Inventories (mid-period).
References: Pepys (1971-1983).

Orange necklace

[oringe necklace]

Two examples of orange NECKLACEs appeared among the stock of retailers at a time when the ORANGE itself was becoming increasingly available and fashionable [Inventories (1679)]; [Inventories (1682)]. It is possible that these were records merely of necklaces coloured orange, but it remains at least a possibility that each bead was in the form of an orange, reflecting the growing interest in the fruit at the time.

Sources: Inventories (mid-period).

Orange oil

[orange, jessamine, and perfumed oil; orange jessamine and perfumed oils; oil of oranges]

The OED suggests that this term was applied to the ESSENTIAL OIL distilled from ORANGE PEEL. This may well be what was intended in some cases, but the contexts of some of the examples in the Dictionary Archive suggest that it may have been used also in the early modern period for NEROLI OIL. In the late-seventeenth century, John Houghton's lists of imports show that a small quantity of oil of oranges was imported from Holland, used according to him chiefly 'as a scent to pomatum' [Houghton]. In Latin, orange oil was labelled OLEUM AURANTIORUM. Another type of oil, called 'Oil of petit grain', was distilled from the leaves [Leyel (1937, pb 1987)].

OED earliest date of use: 1863

Found imported from Holland by the GALLON Found among the DRUGS in the 1784 Rate Book, rated by the POUND

Sources: Houghton, Rates.
References: Leyel (1937, pb 1987).