Dear Judith Is it possible that you have slightly misread Tobacco Rowle? Could this be Tobacco Rowe with an upwards stroke at the end of the w which is set to confuse almost anyone? If this is so, then Tobacco Rowe with be part of Tower Street, i.e. a row of shops, trading establishments or other business premises, or even a row of houses for the workers. Row is a word often just meaning a terrace of houses or other buildings in a longer street and often shows how a rural street has developed into a built up zone for either housing or business. I would try to have a look at two possible web sites (access through a search engine) that for W.H. Wills and the Imperial Tobacco Company (now tied up to British American Tobacco aka BAT). They are ancient founded companies and may well be able to provide you with information and perhaps archives addresses. The history of the George Inn at Southwark has been discussed on this list before now and I have a feeling it still survives. It is an old coaching inn and figured a great deal in trading of all sorts. It was a centre of trade - not cloak and dagger at all. Must go now. Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Akhurst" <richard.akhurst@btinternet.com> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2004 11:12 PM Subject: [OEL] Background on tobacco trade England c1625 - help please > (Apologies if this has appeared twice.) > > I'm trying to find out about the tobacco trade into England (especially > London) in c1625. I am deciphering Court of the Exchequer documents about > a Ralphe Akehurst who was accused of non-payment of duty on a > hundred weight of tobacco in 1625. > > Ralphe had a tobacco business at the Tobacco Rowle in Tower Street and was > moving "burdens" in > "private ways". His people were going to the signe of the George in > Southwarke and the "dwelling" called Tobacco Rowle. All very cloak and > dagger.<g> > > So far I have street maps showing the George and Tower Street c1555, 1597 > and 1736 as well as some undated engravings of the George. > > My next step is to get a working knowledge of the tobacco trade in order to > put the > documents into context, and my initial questions are :- > > was tobacco only coming into England from America ? > how did the trade operate ? > what was the duty payable on tobacco ? > what was the cost of tobacco per pound after the duty had been paid ? > what was the usual size of cargo shipped ? > what is tobacco rowle ? > are there custom records available for c1625, and where could I find them ? > I have contacted the Customs & Excise Museum and am awaiting a reply. > > If anyone could give me any help, guidance or suggestions of where to look > etc, it would be much appreciated. > > I apologise if this is off-topic > > Regards and many thanks in advance > > Judith Akhurst > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > Going away for a while? > Don't forget to UNSUBSCRIBE! > OLD-ENGLISH-L-request@rootsweb.com > >