jdaw1 wrote:My question asked “whence”. You have answered everything else (though I think the no-expenses cost was 95/-). And Croft was formerly known as Thompson & Croft.
Your question was noted; I did include my best, though perhaps not very useful, response to the question asked:
PhilW wrote: "Wm. Tilliffe" (shortened Wilhelm?) but I have no confidence in that reading
I included the rest as I was not aware of "Thompson and Croft" in case relevant or helpful, if not already clear/known.
J. C. Iss... ? The second and third letters are both s. They aren't r: see the r in April, and the other s's elsewhere. Based on my belief that the second name is Joliffe, the first initial of the first name is also J, and the first letter of the first surname, which is penned differently, is I. The last letter looks like d. But Issid doesn't sound like a name.
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
I am still puzzling over the first name. The initial letter seems like an I but could even be a copperplate G. The second and third letters can't really be anything other than 'ss'. But the last letter could be an 'r' with a flourishing curl (as also shown in the sheet you uploaded) but there is also a dot visible so there could be an 'i' in there. I'm currently baffled.
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Wm is a common 19th century abbreviation for William. I am certain that this is William. I am less certain but happy to accept that the surname is Jolliffe.
Top Ports in 2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2025: Quevedo 1972 Colheita, b.2024. Just as good as Niepoort 1900!
Perhaps in the morning I may have a different opinion, but right now I am certain it is William.
As a separate but exceedingly important question I would like to know if is it acceptable behaviour to drink Dow 1970 on a train from an empty but not clean Starbucks espresso paper-compound cup? Or is it better to drink from the bottle? If drunk from the paper cup, how many times should I rinse the cup before I post another tasting note?
Top Ports in 2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2025: Quevedo 1972 Colheita, b.2024. Just as good as Niepoort 1900!
Drink from the bottle. At this time of night you will blend right in to the other commuters. Drinking from a Starbucks' cup will confuse them into thinking it's Friday morning!
"The first duty of Port is to be red" Ernest H. Cockburn
1875
April 13
Bought by J.C. ???? (surely not Issn, but that's what it looks like), Esq.
of Wm. Jolliffe "1834"
Thompson & Crofts at 95/-
cost with expenses 100/
The first initial and first letter "J.C." and "Jolliffe" are pretty clearly the same to me.
DRT wrote:Drink from the bottle. At this time of night you will blend right in to the other commuters. Drinking from a Starbucks' cup will confuse them into thinking it's Friday morning!
Ah. So what you are suggesting is that I should open another bottle of Dow 1970 tomorrow morning and drink it from a Starbucks espresso cup. An excellent suggestion which I will employ tomorrow. Thank you, I am glad that you are my life coach and not anyone else.
Top Ports in 2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2025: Quevedo 1972 Colheita, b.2024. Just as good as Niepoort 1900!
DRT wrote:Drink from the bottle. At this time of night you will blend right in to the other commuters. Drinking from a Starbucks' cup will confuse them into thinking it's Friday morning!
Ah. So what you are suggesting is that I should open another bottle of Dow 1970 tomorrow morning and drink it from a Starbucks espresso cup. An excellent suggestion which I will employ tomorrow. Thank you, I am glad that you are my life coach and not anyone else.
You have no idea how lucky you are. My life coach would not allow me to drink Starbucks
"The first duty of Port is to be red" Ernest H. Cockburn
A vertical of Thompson & Croft, the goodies being bought by Messrs Stanley & somebody. During lunch, with the decanter, in the Partners’ Dining Room — but who was it?
The second letter is an 'r'. There is a dotted 'i' either third or fourth. The last letter is an 'm'. In between could be a 'u' or an 'n'. But beyond that I have no idea and I can't work out the initial letter. C? I?
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
I see "Messrs Stanley and frien?".
1. Compare the n to previous ones, it is identical.
2. All other capitals are fully above the line, so I believe the f is most likely to be lower-case.
3. The end doesn't make much sense, with an odd up-stroke.
On the evidence, I would go with "friend"
Or sealed with some sort of plaster rather than wax?
...and I still think it is friend. Perhaps someone who didn't want his presence to be known? Perhaps a lover? Perhaps someone who just said "please put me down as his friend".
"The first duty of Port is to be red" Ernest H. Cockburn
Looking at the 'n' in 'vintage' in the line above I would agree. It is definitely not McKechmie but if they are 'special' with their lower k, it could possibly be McKenckie...but I think that unlikely.
I would say yes McKechnie - especially as that is a surname that is not uncommon, whereas other potential interpretations produce surnames I've never heard of. Bowen? Looks right, more common as a surname than a first name. Perhaps Bowen McKechnie is a partnership business of some sorts, rather than an individual.
Not quite. The link says the company is dissolved. Also, it was incorporated in 1954, well after the port samples your handwriting refers to, were dispatched.
