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Pewter pepper pot. Until the 18th C. there was no fresh meat avialable in winter and pepper was used to season the salted meat.
The origins of this pewter pepper pot, which possibly dates from the eighteenth century, are unknown. It is lined with tin and the top, which has twenty holes arranged in its sides, screws into the base. Until the eighteenth century there was no fresh meat available in winter and pepper, and other spices, was used to season the salted meat to make it more appetising.

1 pepper pot; metal [pewter]; good condition

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'Spices were known in England in early times through overland trade with the East but were not imported very generally until the formation of the East India Company at the beginning of the 17th century and were much welcomed because until the 18th century when Townsend and Coke improved farming and the turnip and other fodder crops were introduced, there was no fresh meat in winter. The salted meat had to be highly seasoned during cooking to make it appetising. // Pewter took the place of wood for plates and dishes in the 15th century and by the beginning of the 17th century it was in general use and remained so until the 19th century when crockery largely replaced it, although for condiment sets pewter continued in use. // This pepper pot, the origin of which is unknown, is made of pewter. It consists of a top with a pointed knob on it and 20 holes arranged on its sides in alternate vertical rows of 2 and 3 holes each. This top screws onto the base which gradually swells out into the main body of the pot, it then narrows sharply to a neck which immediately flattens out into the base. The base is rimmed with a separate band of pewter. The pot is lined with tin. The holes in the top are slightly irregular and it looks as if it is fairly old, possibly 18th century. The earlies [sic] pewter did not have a separate rim on its edges. // The pot is 4.3 inches tall and 2.25 inches in diameter at the widest point of the container.', No Lavinia Smith No. recorded.

1700-01-01 - 1799-12-31

Eighteenth century

Rippon, Miss Dorothy May Lyddon (Agent)