| Description | (4 pcs - The first sheet is docketed "Case between B. & F." The text of the first sheet has been transferred in reverse onto the fourth. The fourth sheet refers to Boulton having entered his 38th year, which began 3 Sep. 1765, and to Fothergill’s intention to go abroad, which he did about 20 Mar. 1766.)
[Sheet 1.]
Case between B. and F.
About January ’61 B. had conceived a plan for the manufactoring of various articles in the Birmingham hardware and toy trade in which a water mill was essentially necessary, and that as near to the town of Birmingham as possable. He according apply’d to one Mr. Edward Ruston, who had at in the year ’56 taken a lease (for one hundred years) from J.W. Esqr. of certain lands and priveledges situated in the parish of Hansworth, about 1½ miles from Birmingham, and in that and the following year did make a canal full half a mile in length to convey a little brook to a place for the working of a mill, which he accordingly erected, with a dwelling house for himself, at about 150 yards distance from the mill, which, with other lasting improvements made upon the said premisses, it appeared by his accounts that he had expended the sume of £1000. Now, as this situation appear’d more eligable than any other for M.B. intended plan, he therefore agreed with Ruston and did purchase his lease of him, with all his improvements, for the sum of 1000; but, as the mill was the only object of the trade, and M.B. being desireous of keeping his accounts of trade as distinct and clear as possable, he therefore open’d two accounts in his books, Soho Mill and Soho House, which two accounts then became debtor to his Cash for 1000 paid Edward Ruston for his lease, viz. Mill at Soho debtor for 700, and House, etc., 300, which was as near each of those original expences as could be guesed; after which, M.B. was carefull to keep a distinct account of the mony layd out on either of these account, and did accordingly expend a larg sum same year in finishing the house within (which before was almost bare walls), and in makeing a new kitchen garden buidling, planting above 2000 firs and a great variety of shrubs, which in the whole amounted to about 500 additional expence to the house; but the mill being M.B. great object, he labour’d assiduously to perfect and perticularise the several parts of so larg a machine. About July the said summer ’61 he had procured the necessary workmen, timber, brick, etc., and did according then begin to build some dwellings for workmen, a warehous with several shops, and, as the old construction of the mill was ill favoured for M.B.’s new plan, he thought it most convenient and prudent to pull down the old mill, which he accordingly did and rebuilt it. But as these building were not finished that year (viz. 1761), and has M.B. had been at the expence of building a brick kiln and open an mine of clay, and thought it proper to agree with his brick maker to make more bricks in the spring to compleat the building then begun, and to sell the overplus. It happened that M.B. had a call to London in January ’62, during which time some difference arrose between F. and his old master Mr. Duncumb, a merchant in Birmingham, and in consequence an immediate seperation ensued. Two days after, F. set out for London to propose a partnership with me, which I then declined; but upon repeated application of himself and friends, B. consented to the proposed union. B. and F. then dayley confer’d together upon the terms of their partnership. F. told B. he would be content with 1/3 share of the profits, and advance eaqual sums, in consideration of M.B. superior skill and of the greatest burthen of the business so naturely falling upon him.
[Sheet 2.]
When B. & F. first agreed to enter into a partnership F. was much perplexed for want of a house, and B. joyntly with F. sought after many, but not one could be found to their satisfaction. B. then made an offer to turn his mother out of his house at Soho in order to accomodate them, which was accepted. F. offer’d to buy the house of B., which B. rejected, assigning as a reason why he did so, that he intended to live there himself some time or another. F. then apply’d for a lease, which B. declin’d granting, but at the same time told F. that he should live there so long as it was consistant with, or convenient to, their plan of business; that a fair account should be shewn to F. of the cost of the house and garden; and that F. should pay a rent that was eaqual to 5 per cent. of the amount of such cost, and keep the place in the same good order he found it in. But F. soon distuinguish’d that his love for mony was greater than for a garden, and the whole would soon have become a desert, but B., being unwilling to see what he had taken so much pains about fall into ruin, he offer’d to be at one half of the expence himself, and in consequence thereof the garden hath been in some degree preserved; but the land (which F. alone was to reap the fruits of) is much impoverish’d, haveing not receiv’d the assistance of one load of muck since F.’s residence. F. soon wanted additions and alterations made in the house, which he solicited B. to do; he also soon shew’d some discontent in business, and therefore, in order to accomodate his wants and to shew that B. was desireous of giveing all the satisfaction in his power by advancing more into the trade than his first agreement, he made a volontary offer of putting the house into the trade, and building out of the trade any additions that F. might want, which was accordingly done.
[Sheet 3.]
It was never intended to bring the whole of the manufactory to Soho, but one thing hath begot another untill about one half was fixed there, and then we found by experience such great inconveniences arise from not haveing the other half there that our clarks have frequently declar’d they should be disheartened and would desert it if it could not be got together, as they, as well as ourselves, found in many cases more than the profits of some articles lost for want of a proper pilot there. In takeing our stock at Christmass last, all our assistants declar’d that it was impossable almost to guard against the losses we were exposed to by haveing our patterns, goods, and materials scatter’d about in so many different street and places; nor could B., without a constant fateague to him self, over look the workmen to see as we had justice done us in the quality of it. We were obliged to place a greater confidence in many workmen than it was prudent to do, and thereby were oblig’d to give ’em greater prices than we ought, or should do if it was more under our eyes and immediate management. The reasons for collecting it altogether were so many and so obvious that one and all our clarks and assistants, as well as B.F., cryed out for building a warehouse and shopes sufficient to contain the whole at Soho Mill, which B. consented to, not consulting his own ease, although he had a genteel indipend’cy. But as F. must have sustained a very considerable loss, besides the loss of a future harvest, if B. had declin’d business upon his accession to his estate, B. therefore was not only resolv’d of finding the harrow shot over the house by B. and F., but also of hitting the mark originally aim’d at, as he had now a stronger bow and was become a better archer. Now, let us see what must be the means of doing this—why, by sagaciously and prudently arranging and manageing 6, 7, or 8 hundred persons in the recepticle prepar’d for ’em at Soho, and employing each person in such way as to yeild the most profit to B.F., which requires a master of some resolution, some knowledge of human nature, and great skill and ingenuity in all mechanick arts, both in theory and practice; which master must indispencbly live amidst them, as every day and almost every hour will present something for his consideration and guidance. Where shall we find such a one? Shall we find him amongs the unletter’d Birmingham handycraft men, or shall we find him amongst the speculative theorists whose knowledge have been drawn from books? No, neither will do; but he must be one that is both, and therefore ’tis presum’d F. will not do, as he is neither. Then if B. hath any claim to that character, let it be him. And now suppose all thus fixed but orders for goods are wanting, for our English factors will not give us any, as they say we clash with them by dealing abroad our selves; then we must endeavour to secure as many foreign friends as possable. But, says some of the foreigners, I cannot give you my order, as the whole will make but one larg cask and there is not perhaps more than one quarter, one third, of it of your manufactory, and therefore I must give it all to some one person as can furnish the whole, for I must not have two shipping charges and two troubles when one is sufficient. Besides (says the foreigner), if I give you my order for those goods which the factor can buy upon credit, he will not except my order for such goods as he must pay ready mony for, and therefore I must beg to be excused. Well now, what must be done? for we know that if this foreigner gives his order to a London or Birmingham factor we certainly shall not have it; and therefore, if we would supply a manufactory of 6 or 7 hundred hands with orders, we must not let such orders as these escape us, but must, in order to obtain a part, supply the whole; and as the rest furnishes a tolerable business to our factors, why will it not afford the same advantages to us?
Hence ’tis concluded to furnish the whole only, where ’tis required; which makes it necessary to have a warehouse in Birmingham for the reception of goods and a partner that can speak French and German and understands something of the commission business. If we were thus fixed, many people would do business at the warehouse in town who had not time to come to Soho; every forreigner might be caught that comes to town, or at least heard of; all the people in Birmingham who supply us with a great number of little orders for the country trade might thus be accomodated, and that otherwise would not give themselves the trouble of sending to Soho; all goods and materials that are brought for us by wagons or carriers to Birmingham would be regularly deliver’d at the warehouse in town, but would not, nor could not, be deliver’d by them at Soho; many of the dealers from the North of England and from Dublin as call at Birmingham in there road to London would visit our warehouse, but not Soho, besides many chance customers that might be pick’d up at Birmingham, that would never be heard on at Soho; and a number of other reasons might be assign’d that make it absolutely necessary to preserve a warehouse in town, with one of the Company residing near it, for people love to trait with principles. Hence, as F. can be of no manner of use in the manufactory but may be of considerable use in town, if he will not come to live in town, query what advantage will our trade receive from him?
[Sheet 4.]
1. B. always intended liveing at Soho some time or another, which intention F. very well knew, and the late alteration of the house was made conformable to B.’s future plan. F. hath frequently said that he suppos’d B. would do so-and-so when he came to live Soho, which shews what he expected B. had reserved it for future.
2. F. hath not layd out one farthing of his own at Soho but the trade hath done it, even white-washing and grate-setting.
3. B. volentery put the house into the trade the year after B. and F. joyn’d (for the house was not concern’d in their original agreement). He put it in to accomodate F. and to shew him that he was not backward in putting all the property he could into the trade; but as B. hath now more than double F. in the trade, he thinks he hath an equitable right to take the house out again. As the trade gets nothing by it, undoubtedly he hath a legal right.
4. B. did not suppose but F. would of his own accord offer the house to him when B.’s business all was fixed at Soho, particularly as it is F.’s interest for B. to live there.
5. And if B. must remove at all into that neighbourhood, it must be into that house only, which he is likely to end his days in, and which he intended to do when he bought it.
6. F. asks for a house to be built adjoyning to it for himself, to which B. says that he hath not mony to spare, nor would he build one there if he had, for a hundred substantial reasons.
7. B. is realy very sorry to disturb F. and would not do it if it could be prudently avoided. B. doth it to accomodate F. rather than to incomode him, for he cannot have any other motive of liveing there than that of promoting the interest of the trade; for if B. was to consult his ease and private interest only, then Soho would be the last place he would live at, for by liveing there he will sit at a greater rent* and be exposed to much greater expences than in many other agreeable situations he could find; besides, the care of an immense work devolves to him, as well as the keeping in order a great many unruly family’s and persons; for without somebody of spirit and authority over the whole it would soon be in a state of anarchy and confusion, it would be a nuisance to the neighbourhood and a disgrace to the proprietors of it—then, who ever consults their own ease would not choose such a task, but the interest of our trade and our reputation demand it.
8. As no state, community, or private family can be upon a respectable footing without a proper governer or master, so neither will our Babel at Soho, nor our warehouse in town, be compleat without one well adapted to each.
9. As F. is not of the least use in the manufactory, if he will not live near a warehouse in the town, query of what use will he be?
10. He says he had rather get £200 per annum with pleasure than two thousand a year with care and anxiety; therefore, if he is so lukewarm in business, query if he had not better retire to Sutton or some place agreeable to him and live upon the income of his fortune; for if he will not bear any fateague B. can do without such a partner as well as with.
11. B. now approaches that time of life when it would be madness in him to risque his health by a daily going backward and forward in all seasons and weather, and, without he doth attend at Soho every day and almost all day long, F. will share but small profit. But, waveing all consideration of health, is it reasonable that B. should sacrifice his domestick happiness, and likewise the happiness of his wife, by such a continual abscence from home that the manufactory at Soho will require? for, as F. talkes of going abroad for 12 or 14 months, then surely B. must attend it.
12. According to the common course of things B. has but about 10 years good for business to come, as he is now enter’d into his 38th year, and to loose one out of ten of one’s time is worse than loosing 10 per cent. of one’s fortune, and therefore a speedy determination is necessary.
13. If B. doth not live at Soho he will naturally accuse himself of haveing been guilty of an error in advancing so much mony as he of late has done into so precarious a trade as B. and F.’s will be unless B. lives in the midst of it, and therefore B. will naturally avoid increasing that error, though the trade may want more money.
As B. & F.’s platina button article would be greatly convenienced by their makeing of gilt, laquer’d, and plated buttons, and as those are staple articles, and as they have prepar’d shops expressly for that trade, and as both our manufactory and merchantile trade would receive very perticular advantages from such addition, and as we have long been convinced and determin’d (from various other consideration) to add those articles to our present scheme, so there remains not the least doubt but that it must be done—then let me ask, who is to lay this plan and carry it into exicution? who is to adapt all the perticular shops, workmen, and tools to their proper office and to the best advantage? who is to make many of these workfolks? (for ’tis impossable to get a sett ready made).
[Edited transcript.]
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