PRO B 3/268:

Included here are notes and transcriptions of the various documents found in PRO B 3/268--the chief record of information regarding the 1810 bankruptcy proceedings against John Bone and William Hone.  Like the archive from which they are taken, these notes are not always thorough and complete, but they should give a reasonably good sense of the extant materials.  As always, questions may be directed to Kyle Grimes at kgrimes@uab.edu.

Readers seeking a prose description of this episode in Hone's life and career may wish to see the biographical fragment entitled The Bone-Hone Bookshop and After.

Item / Date  Brief description and/or transcription
Initial documents

2 Nov 1810

At No. 9 Quality Court, Chancery Lane, 2nd day of November 1810.

Depositions and Examinations, and other proceedings had awarded and taken under a Commission of Bankrupt issued against John Bone and William Hone of the Strand in the County of Middlesex Booksellers and Partners.

The commissioners: James Abercromby, William Wingfield, and John Turner [sp?]

 

Bill of Sale

28 Dec 1808

Purchased at "Queen's Arms Sale": total of £233.18.6 worth of stock.

Purchased from Benjamin Crosby & Co., Booksellers, 44 Stationers Court near Paternoster Row.

[Probably Hone and Bone, in order to establish their own business, made a large stock purchase at one of the trade auctions, this one at the Queen's Arms pub.]

Note signed by "Benj Crosby" dated 2 Nov 1810 verifies, in formal legal language, that Bone and Hone do indeed owe him £143.18.6, the debtors having already made three £30 payments.

 

Deposition

2 Nov 1810

Deposition from Thomas Coram, Upper Litchfield St., Marylebone, 2 Nov 1810. Coram has known Bone and Hone for two years. On 16 October 1810 they asked Coram to tell any creditors who might show up at the shop that they were not at home. Benjamin Crosby showed up at about noon or 1:00; Coram told Crosby that the proprietors were not in, though he believes they were upstairs.
Commissioners' Statement

2 Nov 1810

A formal statement from the Bankrupts commission: Bone and Hone have talked to the commissioners under oath, and on 2 Nov, 1810, the commissioners "do therefore declare and adjudge them Bankrupts."
Public Notice

30 Oct - 3 Nov 1810

from The London Gazette, Tues. 30 Oct-Sat. 3 Nov., 1810:

"Whereas a Commission of Bankrupt is awarded and issued forth against John Bone and William Hone . .. and they being declared Bankrupts are hereby required to surrender themselves to the Commissioners in the said Commission named . . . on the 10th and 17th of November instant, and on the 15th of December next, at One o'Clock in the Afternoon on each Day at Guildhall, London, and make a full Discovery and Disclosure of their Estate and Effects; when and where the Creditors are to come prepared to prove their Debts, at the Second Sitting to choose Assignees, and at the last Sitting the said Bankrupts are required to finish their Examination, and the Creditors are to assent or dissent from the Allowance of their Certificate. All Persons indebted to the said Bankrupts, or that have any of their Effects, are not to pay or deliver the same but to whom the Commissioners shall appoint, but give Notice to Mr. Birkett, Bond-Court, Wallbrook."

[The language here is largely pro forma; it occurs practically verbatim in several other notices in the paper.]

Record of Appearance

10 Nov 1810

Guildhall, 10 November, 1810

Standard legal document, signed by both Bone and Hone, saying that they did indeed appear on 10 Nov. as directed by the commissioners. An addition claims that Bone and Hone under oath "say that they are not at present prepared to make a full disclosure and discovery of the Estate and effects and humbly [request] further time for the doing thereof till the last day appointed in the London Gazette for that purpose."

Creditor Appearance

10 Nov 1810

Guildhall, 10 November, 1810

A note in proper legal jargon claims that "no Creditor appeared to prove or claim any debt under the said commission." Signed by the three commissioners.

 

Creditor List

17 Nov 1810

[Guildhall] 17 November, 1810; a preliminary list of Bone and Hone's creditors:

  • Samuel Leigh and Elizabeth Matthews, his partner, (Booksellers), in Strand, are owed £19.16.0
  • Theodore Page of Blackfryars Road . . . Printer is owed £36.10.0 A payment schedule is set up.
  • Robert Macdonald Jr., Cloth Fair, Printer; £42..11/0, "for work and labor performed and delivered"
  • Benjamin Crosby, Stationers Hall Court, Bookseller; £143..18/6, "for goods sold and delivered"
  • Thomas Gillett, Salisbury Square, Printer; £34..0/0 (payable to Sir Richard Phillips in 7 months)
  • James Robertson, Great East Cheap, Merchant; £11..0/0 for "goods"
  • Charles Taylor, Jr., Hatton Gardens, Bookseller; £19..16/8 for "goods"
  • Thomas Hurst, Paternoster Row, Bookseller; Bone and Hone "are justly and truly indebted to this Deponent and to Thomas Morton Longman, Owen, Rees, and Cosmo Orme his copartners . . . " £125..6/6 to be paid to Longman @ £30 every three months.
  • William Brownley, Whych St., Ironmonger; 5..13/5 "work and labor"

 

Designate "assignees"

17 Nov 1810

Memo from the commissioners establishes Hurst, Crosby, and Jordan as the "assignees" (executors) of the estate; Also, the memo lists court costs of 40..9/3 and Messengers costs at 26..19/6.
Creditor List

15 Dec 1810

Records for meeting of 15 December, 1810--a listing of more creditors to add to list from 17 November:

  • Thomas Ottway, Barbican, Engraver; 120..0/0 "for money lent and advanced" (the "acceptor" of the 100 promissory note, payable to J. S. Jordan, is Alexander Galloway of LCS fame; original bill dates 24 June 1809, 9 March 1810)
  • Alexander Galloway, High Holborn, Engraver; 60..5/0 "for money lent and advanced by deponent to said Bankrupts" (original date, 7 April 1810; "acceptor" is Mr Joseph Hone, Red Lion Square)
  • John Mackinlay, Strand, Bookseller; 46..15/2 "goods" (1 July 1809)
  • Sainthill Lindsay, Whych St., Plumber; 10..9/0 (entry crossed out)
  • George William Cartwright, Albion St. Blackfryars; 77..18/3, "goods" (20 May 1808)
  • Robert Scholey, Paternoster Row, Bookseller; 82..7/0, "goods" (entry crossed out)
  • Richard Tayler, Shoe Lane, Printer; 34..6/4.5 "work, labor, goods" (entry crossed out)
  • James Blacklock, Cornhill, Bookseller; 5..1/0 (entry crossed out)
  • John Robinson and George Wilkie, Paternoster Row, Booksellers; 64..18/7 for "goods" (20 June 1809 and 23 June 1810)
  • Thomas Levensharp, Aldgate, Stationer; 13..0/0, "goods" (15 June 1810)
  • Thomas Hood and Charles Sharp, Poultry, Booksellers; 127..6/2 for "goods" (1 Dec. 1809)
  • John Porter and Thomas Beckett, Pall Mall, Booksellers; 30..0/0 (entry crossed out)
  • Thomas Inskip, Red Lion St., Watchmaker; 5..13/7, "goods" (crossed out)
  • John Winkfield, Hatfield St., Carpenter; 12..17/8, "work, labor, goods" (20 May 1808)
Bone-Hone Statement

[15 Dec 1810?]

A signed statement by Bone and Hone says that they have indeed made a full disclosure of their property and that all is now in the "custody possession or power" of the executors, their "wearing apparel and the wearing apparel of their wives and children only excepted."
New Commissioner

29 Dec 1810

Note dated 29 Dec. 1810; Guildhall; William Gould, Esq. "did qualify himself . . . before he proceeded with the above commission [of B&H bankruptcy]."
Public Notice

9 - 12 Feb 1811

London Gazette, 9 Feb-12 Feb, 1811, p. 275:

"The Commissioners in a commission of Bankrupt, bearing Date the 22d of October 1810, awarded and issued forth against John Bone and William Hone . . . intend to meet on the 5th day of March next at One of the Clock in the Afternoon, at Guildhall, London, in order to make a Dividend of the Estate and Effects of the said Bankrupts." 

[Creditors were to appear at designated time with proof of debts.]

Creditor List

More creditors:

  • Jeremiah Samuel Jordan, Kentish Town, Bookseller; 705..4/11 for goods "and for the consideration for this deponents assigning to them certain Leasehold Premises situate in the Strand and for the Goodwill of this Deponents Trade of a Bookseller and for Interest on the Securities hereafter mentioned." (Several bills: 20 Feb 1809, 24 June 1809, 26 July 1809 . . . . "Acceptors" include William Hone, Joseph Hone, Alexander Galloway)
  • J. S. Jordan (and partner) Alexander Maxwell, 10..17/10, for "goods"
  • Nathaniel Ravis, upholsterer; 24..12/5, for goods delivered to Wm Hone (20 May 1808)
  • Thomas Tegg, Cheapside, Bookseller; 54..18/11, "goods" (30 Jan 1810)
  • Maurice Jones, Newgate St., Bookseller; 19..16/0 "goods" (10 April 1810)
  • John Macreery, Black-Horse-Court, Printer; 3..14/6
  • George Hubert [Herbert?], Moore St. Bookseller; 5..7/1, "newspapers"
  • Benjamin Gardiner, Bridge St., Bricklayer; 6..10/9, "bricklayer's work," (23 July 1811[?])
  • John Bunce, Denmark Court; 23..0/0, "bookbinding", 29 June 1810.
Division of Assets

5 Mar 1811

Long document, from Guildhall, 5 March 1811:

Commissioners gathered to make dividend of the estate. Assignees (Hurst, Crosby, and Jordan) have received a total of 533..3/0, of which they have already spent 82..11/8 on the solicitor's bill and other costs; also, assignees are instructed to retain some 51..0/0 for incidental expenses. This leaves 400..0/0 to be divided.

"And we having examined such statements and compared the receipts with the payments and ascertained what balances have been from time to time in the hands of such Assignees and it also appearing to us that the debts proved and claimed under the said Commission make together the sum of 1995..14/7 we do order and direct that the said assignees do forthwith pay and provide unto and amongst all and every the Creditors of the said Bankrupts who have proved their debts and the Claimants when they shall have substantiated their claims four shillings in the pound in proportion to their several and respective debts."

[in other words, the creditors received 20% of their bills]

This statement is followed by a sheet with all creditors and the amounts paid to them.

Public Notice

25-29 Feb 1812

London Gazette, 25-29 Feb. 1812, p. 399. Wording identical to previous notice (see above, Public Notice, 9-12 Feb 1811). The commissioners intend to meet on 21 March next to make dividend.
Second Division of Assets

21 Mar 1812

Baptist Head Coffee House, Aldermanbury, 21 March 1812.

The commissioners met "for the purpose of auditing the Assignees Accounts prior to the declaring a Second dividend. . . ." There is a total now of 284..6/6.5 to divide.

Creditor List

[21 Mar 1812?]

Additional creditors' claims:

  • Robert Scholey, 3..6/0
  • J. S. Jordan, 116..15/8, (balance of account)
  • William Smith, 21..7/0, (money lent and advanced on promissory note, 13 June 1810.)
Second Division of Assets, continued

21 Mar 1812

Document from Guildhall, 21 March 1812.

This is much like the document of the previous year, only this time there is a pool of some 284..0/0. The commissioners, having examined Hurst's books, have decided to pay creditors and additional 2s/4d for each pound of debt. [A list of claims and payments worked out accordingly follows.]

Further Division of Assets

19 Jun 1812

Baptist Head Coffee House, 19 June 1812. The commissioners have examined and accept Hurst's books.

Guildhall, 19 June 1812. As in the earlier documents, this document accounts for previous dividends and then looks at present accounts-- a total of just 6..14/8. The commissioners say that this sum is "insufficient to make any further dividend."

Public Notice, Conclusion of case

25-29 May 1813

Concluding document, from London Gazette 25 May-29 May, 1813:

"The Commissioners in a Commission of Bankrupt bearing the Date the 22d day of October 1810 awarded and issued forth against John Bone and William Hone . . . intend to meet on the 19th day of June next, at One of the Clock in the Afternoon, at Guildhall, London, in order to make a Final Dividend of the Estate and Effects of the said Bankrupts; when and where the Creditors, who have not already proved their Debts, are to come prepared to prove the same, or they will be excluded the Benefit of the said Dividend. And all claims not then proved will be disallowed."

[In other words, it wasn't until mid 1813 that Hone and Bone were free of the bankruptcy charges.]

 

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