The things one uncovers, or rather what a couple of good sleuths uncovered for me. On my tree there appears to be a father and son, vintners, the widow of the son carrying on the business. In this country (USA) we’ve just had all this ridiculous nonsense of avoiding the “fiscal cliff,” but the consequences of such not passing are benign, I should imagine, compared with 17997 when taxes were levied on watches and clocks which actually put clock and watch manufacturers out of business. This tree percher of mine had one clock, not of silver or other precious metal, no value levied, but she was still taxed at 3/9d (three shillings and ninepence) for nine months. Visualise somebody in 1797 coming into her vintner premises and appraising this cheap clock on which duty had to be paid. Needless to say, people quit buying new watches and clocks, and so such businesses fell by the wayside, until there was a big outcry and the duty was repealed. I found the following on such levied duty/taxes on “horology” very interesting. http://www.horology-stuff.com/clocks/parliament.html The other tree percher was a groomsman, horse trader who had six horses, three of which had duty assessed in the amount of £6...this also in 1797. One last comment, another lister sent me pictures of two flat headstones, with full inscriptions, one of which had RJP after the deceased’s name in the body of the wording, not at the end. Someone had supposed it was RIP, but it is definitely RJP. Would anyone know what this means? Once again, we begin the New Year with such generous volunteer listers going above and beyond to help those of us who skirt around not knowing which end is up in going about researching “past bones.” Maisie