Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

The Barber Shop (Photos N-6590, 6671-2-3)

This building can be traced back to 1749, when it was mentioned in the Crosby-Buchanan deed as a "storehouse". The earliest mention of a barber shop is that of 1768. A likely theory seems to be that John Carter, -7- in 1752 (when Hyndman advertised the lot for sale) or soon after, bought the lot and small store, and that before 1768 (perhaps soon after 1752) he built a larger store and rented the smaller one as a barber shop. The latter continued in this use until at least 1806.

The insurance plats show the barber shop 12' east of the tavern, and excavations were carried out in that direction with indecisive results. A small foundation was indeed discovered, but at a distance of 45' from the tavern, and larger than the building shown on the plats (16' wide and 19 or 20' long).

The rear wing of the tavern was shown on the west side on the plat of 1796, and on the east side on the plat of 1806. It was argued from this discrepancy that confusion might also be present in other east-west relationships. The Frenchman's map, showing a small building in the space between the King's Arms and the Servient house, was further evidence to the same effect. Possibly the barber shop had actually stood westward of the tavern. More digging was undertaken, and this somewhat audacious theory was vindicated with the discovery, just 12' west of the tavern, of a foundation precisely 16 x 20' in size.

The street front is the short side.

The walls have been considerably altered from time to time. At present they are 9" at the sides and 13" at front and rear, enclosing an unpaved basement 5' deep. At the southwest corner, an earth bank extends into the basement and the foundation is at grade level. The rear wall, of late (though perhaps colonial) brickwork, has an opening near center and another on the west. Both are on the high level. Flanking the west opening are 4" and 13' wing walls of early brickwork.

The west wall is of later brickwork and has an opening near the south end. Inside this opening and to the north of it (in the deep basement) is a block of early brickwork which may indicate a pier. It seems just possible - 8 - that this may be a fragment of a chimney, or that a chimney may have stood on the high level near the southwest corner.

The east wall consists of early brickwork at the ends and center and later work between, as if openings between early piers had been filled in.

The front (north) wall is of late 9" work at the west end and early 13' work at the center. At the east end are clear traces (photograph N-6590) of a bulkhead stair leading from the street to the basement. These were the usual brick steps with wood nosings. The cheeks seem to have been farther apart when first built, and to have been thickened at a later period by four inches of brickwork on the inside.

The great variety of brickwork in these foundations is puzzling. One possible interpretation is that the barber shop was the second building on this site, replacing an earlier building on 13' walls or piers which might have stretched westward under the present Servient house. The 9" portions of the foundation would then belong to the second period, when the barber shop was built. Unfortunately this theory cannot be tested, for the Servient house stands in the way of investigation and its foundations may have destroyed any evidence that may have existed.

The evidence of the existing foundations is inconclusive on several important points: Where did the chimney of the barber shop stand? Where were the basement window openings, if any? etc.

The Frenchman's map indicates that at the time it was drawn (1786?) there may have been a connection of some kind between the barber shop and the tavern.

From the insurance plats it was learned that the shop had a "Dutch roof."

The Tavern

The date seems to be after 1749, because only one "storehouse" is mentioned as standing on lot 23 in the deed of that year, and that is probably the building which was later the barber shop¹⁷. John Carter may have bought the lot as early as 1752¹⁸. But there is no evidence to show how soon he built the larger house, for he could have lived and traded in the "storehouse" for some time¹⁹. At any rate, it is highly probable that both buildings were standing by 1769, when an advertisement²⁰ mentions both a -10- store and a shop. It seems reasonable to suppose that John Carters having constructed the larger building, moved his store into it and rented the smaller building as a barber shop. It seems likely that the barber shop of Geoghagan and Brazier²¹, opened in 1768, was in this location. This year then may be taken as a probable posterior limit for the construction of the building which was to become the tavern, or at least of its earlier portion.²²

The main portion was clearly built at two periods, the eastern portion first.²³ The rear wing may have been built at still a third period. But the entire front and the rear wing must have been completed by 1796, Since they appear on the insurance plat of that year. It may be surmised Further that both the west front portion and the rear wing were built before 1779, the year of the removal of the seat of government. Strong evidence in support of this supposition is Humphrey Harwood's account with Jane Vobe, beginning in 1777. In this year is mentioned the whitewashing of 14 rooms; in 1778, 12 rooms, 3 passages, and front porch; in 1779, shop; in 1780, 14 rooms and 4 passages; etc.

To sum up, the most likely theory seems to be that the east front portion was built not long before 1768, and the west front portion and rear wing between 1772 and 1777.²⁴

The purpose and history of the great brick vault²⁵ under the east or early portion of the building must be a matter of conjecture. If the foregoing reasoning is valid it was built as part of a store, rather than a tavern. A vault of this sort was almost certainly intended for the storage of wines and liquors. Yet no mention of such wares is to be found in any of the advertisements of John Carter at this location.

The foundations of the front portion of the tavern measure 54 feet in length, but the insurance plats show a building 57 feet long. (The width checks at 24 feet.)

At the southwest corner of the foundation there was a stair bulkhead which may have projected three feet. If this bulkhead was included in the overall the actual length would check with the dimension of the insurance plat.

There is some evidence²⁶ that an outside chimney stood at grade level at the east end; perhaps with the outside frame closets that were so common in such cases. Such a construction could also have brought the overall length to 57 feet.

Further evidence that this chimney and closet (or closets) existed is considered below under "Purdie's Dwelling" (p. )

In the insurance plat of 1806, dimensions of 57 by 34 feet are given for the rear wing. In the absence of any archaeological traces, these dimensions are of dubious value. (The wing itself is shown on different sides of the building on this plat and on that of 1796.) The length of 57 feet might include the wing alone, or the overall of the wing, plus the front portion, perhaps even including one or more porches. The latter possibilities seem the more nearly in accord with common practice in drawing up these plats, and also with the scale - such as it is - of the two plats in question.

Similarly, the width of 34 feet might be that of the wing itself, or of the wing and a porch or lean-to, more likely the latter, as a wing wider than the main building would present an awkward problem in roof plan, especially with the gambrel construction which is indicated on the plat.²⁷

The foundations of the tavern are unusually thick (18" or 19") for a wood building. Yet the insurance plats clearly state that it was of wood. The reason for their thickness was probably the great depth of the cellar.

Outbuildings (See Photograph N6672)

Thirty to forty feet south of the southwest corner of the tavern foundation were found traces of a late well and outbuilding (See Ragland Report, p.4).

Immediately west of the outbuilding were several areas of earlier brickwork, of which one had the shape of a kitchen or laundry chimney, -13- and another seemed to be a trace of floor or hearth paving of a kitchen of a different - probably earlier - period. Apparently related to this earlier kitchen was a pit four feet square, more than a foot deep, and walled and floored with brick. It is possible that this pit served as a cooling basin, perhaps an interior cistern. Two stretches of brick laid in the pattern of drains radiate from it to south and east.

According to insurance plats, two large outbuildings existed at a late period behind the tavern., The kitchen was given in 1796 as 50 x 16 feet, and ten years later as 30 x 16 feet. This kitchen is shown with its long dimension east and west, whereas the archaeological evidence suggests that the second kitchen, at least, ran north and south. This evidence, however, is scanty and inconclusive.

The stable seems to have been 52 or 54 feet long, and 20 feet wide with an 8 foot lean-to shed. No traces of this stable were found. Its great size suggests that it may have been in sue during the time of the King's Arms Tavern. The distance of 100 yards is shown on the plat between the tavern and the stable. This is manifestly a mistake, for at 100 yards the stable would be beyond Francis Street. Probably 100 feet is intended.

The Frenchman's map shows two outbuildings behind the barber shop, one of which from its size might be a kitchen, the other a smokehouse or dairy. From the supposed kitchen an alley seems to run south to Francis Street. A fence is shown crossing the lot about halfway between "Sud" (Francis) Street and the Duke of Gloucester Street.

Many if not all the buildings on the Frenchman's map were located by pin pricks before being drawn in. Close study of the map, under magnification where necessary, reveals such pricks still visible near the corners -14- of most buildings. In a few cases buildings were pricked out but for some reason never drawn in. It is certain that the reason for the omission was not that the buildings did not exist, for sometimes foundations corresponding to the pin pricks have been found.

Behind the King's Arms two sets of pin pricks can be made out on the Frenchman's map, in addition to the buildings which are drawn in. Apparently they represent a medium sized outbuilding north of the half-way fence, and a large one south of the fence. Both run east and west. No foundations were found in these areas, but it was clear that early brickwork had been scattered and destroyed by plowing by the landscape department. It is assumed that these indications on the map represent a laundry on the north and a stable on the south. Humphrey Harwood's accounts mention a kitchen and a laundry.