Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library Research Report Series - 1356
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Library
Williamsburg, Virginia
1990
(Superseding previous report on Raleigh Tavern, West, and Lot West of Raleigh Tavern, 11/18/30.)
Tavern & Shop: One and a half story house built
about 1724, used as a tavern. Four rooms and four fireplaces on first floor,
inventory available; upstairs were 4 rooms. A kitchen probably in the cellar,
fully equipped. In 1765 a jewller's shop, "Sign of the Golden Ball"
was here. Probably 36 feet front on Duke of Gloucester Street. Two entrances.
High basement. Three old photographs available. Photostat of "Sign of
Golden Ball", London 1721 available.
(Superseding previous report on Raleigh Tavern West, and Lot West of Raleigh Tavern, 11/18/30.)
This lot had on it throughout most of the 18 century, two buildings. One of brick on the eastern portion of the lot within about 6 feet of Raleigh Tavern built about 1765; and the other a wooden dwelling house and shop on the Western portion built before 1724. It is the wooden house that became the jewelry shop of James Craig, "The Sign of the Golden Ball".
On May 16 1724, John Holloway sold Henry Bowcock, an ordinary keeper, lot # 53 with all houses for £ 70. Bowcock died in 1729 while he owned this lot and an inventory of his estate was taken, probably at this house. The complete inventory giving the contents of each room is on file:
A kitchen; a Little Room (with a fireplace); Hall (3 tables, 14 chairs, Dining Room (large closet for china, glass & silver, also a fireplace); Little Chamber; (fireplace, fully furnished, bed room & study with a fire place). All the preceding seems to have been on the first floor. The remaining rooms are not listed except as "Above Stairs". There were 6 beds and 4 fireplaces in addition to a large amount of other furniture, and a cellar containing wines.
After Bowcock's death his widow married Henry Wetherburn, and record of the tavern is missing until about 1765.
2The following deeds to lot # 53 which touch on the double brick house east of the Golden Ball indicate the dimensions of the lot and probably of the wooden house.
August 30, 1765.
Carter, James - Surgeon
One piece or part of a lot of ground purchased by the said James Carter of Edward Booker and Henrica, his wife, lying and being on the North side of Duke of Gloucester Street in the City of Williamsburg aforesaid in the County of York, and bounded on the West by the lot of Dr. George Gilmer, deceased, on the South by a line from the corner of the said Gilmers lot down the said street so as to include 15 feet of the house where the said Craig, now keeps his shop, thence North through the said house including the said shop a straight course to the Northern bounds of the said lot, and thence West to the said Gilmers lot, together with the privilege of a passage 6 ft. wide on the back side and on the East end of the said house so as to have a way round the said House to the Main Street. (York Records - Book VII --Deeds)
Hester, his wife
to
Craig, James - Jeweller
Consideration: 230 Pounds.
Carter, James - Surgeon
One piece or part of a lot of ground purchased by the said James Carter of Edward Booker and Henrica, his wife, lying and being on the North side of the Duke of Gloucester Street in the city of Williamsburg, County of York, and bounded on the West by the ground lately purchased by the said James Craig of the said James Carter, on the said Duke of Gloucester Street 21 3 feet 9 inches Eastwardly to the said James Carters brick house or shop and along and adjoining the wall of the said House or shop a straight course the whole length of the said lot to Nicholson Street and along the said street Westwardly 21¾ feet to the ground of the said James Craig. (York Records - Book VII - Deeds.)
Hester, his wife
to
Craig, James - Jeweller
Consideration: 200 Pounds.
March 12, 1767.
Carter, James
One part of a certain lot or half acre of ground situate lying and being on the north side of Duke of Gloucester Street in the said city and in the Parish of Bruton, County of York, denoted in the Plan of the said city by the figure 53, which lot the said James Carter purchased of Edward Booker and Henrica, his wife, June 20, 1764, and to begin at the end of the still house adjoining the ground purchased of the said James Carter by the said John Carter, August 15, 1765, thence Northerly 149 feet 8 inches along the said John Carters line to Nicholsons Street, thence Westwardly 20 feet 7½ inches along the said street to the lot of James Craig purchased of the said James Carter party to these presents, thence Southerly along the line of the said James Craig 149 feet 8 inches and from thence Easterly 20 feet 7½ inches to the beginning.
to
Carter, John - his brother
Consideration: 50 pounds.
And all houses. (York Records - Book VII - Deeds.)
James Craig advertised his shop and business:
October 1, 1772.
JAMES CRAIG, At the GOLDEN BALL,
WILLIAMSBURG,
Begs Leave to inform the Publick that he has just got an eminent Hand, in the WATCH and CLOCK MAKING BUSINESS, who served a regular Apprenticeship to the same in Great Britain, and will be much obliged to those who favour him with their Commands. He makes, and repairs, REPEATING, 4 HORIZONTAL, and STOP WATCHES, in the neatest and best Manner.JEWELLERY, GOLD, and SILVER WORK, as usual, made in the neatest Manner, and on reasonable Terms, at the above Shop.
(Virginia Gazette - Purdie & Dixon, eds.)
Mr. Charles in his "Recollections of Williamsburg" describes the house as it was before the War Between the States:
"...an old story and a half frame building with dormer windows and shed attached to the rear. Up to a few years ago a brick wall was hard against the eastern side of the house. This wall was the western end of a big brick building with stone steps in front..."
Mrs. Victoria Lee described the old "Golden Ball" at the time when it was called the "Lee House".
"... the Lee House, a quaint story and a half house, with two front entrances on Duke of Gloucester Street, built high from the street on a four or five foot foundation. Steps led up to two small platform porches."
A picture of the Golden Ball from an old photograph loaned by Miss Morecock is available.See also: #2809 Va. Gazette
Harold R. Shurtleff, Director
Department of Research & Record
Report by: Helen Bullock
HB/vbl
cc: P.S.& H., Boston & Wmsbg; Dr. Goodwin; A. A. S.
Obsolete
11/18/30-?
This lot, just west of the Raleigh Tavern was numbered 53 in the town plan of the city of Williamsburg. It is by this number that all the following deeds were recorded in the York County records. The missing deeds are missing from the York records and not from the files, as it not infrequently happened that deeds were unrecorded, in such cases the unrecorded deed is usually referred to in the next recorded deed (as in one case below).
This report supersedes the prior report "Block #17 Raleigh Tavern West" which was written before the data was complete:
There was no building on this lot in January 30, 1723, at which time the Trustees of the city deeded it to John Holloway for 15 shillings, on the condition that he build within 24 months. A building of some value was erected in the next year, when John Holloway deeded the lot to Henry Bowcock in May 1724, for £70 "with all houses".
In August 1765 there was a large brick house on the site, which is described in the following deed from James Carter, Surgeon, to John Carter, his brother:
For a consideration of £95.
One full fourth part of a certain lot or half acre of ground situate lying and being in the North side of Duke of Gloucester Street in the said city and in the Parish of Bruton, County of York, denoted in the plan of the said city by the figures 53, which said lot the said James Carter purchased of Edward Booker and Henrica, his wife, June 20, 1764., which said lot is to begin about against the middle brick wall partition of a certain large brick house lately erected and built thereon jointly by the said James and John Carter and is now in their 2 possession and to extend thence Eastwardly along the said Duke of Gloucester or Main Street 20 feet 7 inches and an half which is the exact breadth of the fourth part of the said lot or half acre, thence Northwardly by a line parallel to the Western line of the said lot to Nicholson Street, thence Westwardly 20 feet 7½ inches, being equal and parallel to the first and front line and from thence by a line through the said lot and parallel also to the Western line to the beginning.
And all houses.
Another portion of the lot was deeded by Dr. James Carter on the 30th of the same month and year, to James Craig, a jeweller, this transferred for £230, a large consideration. This consideration emplasizes the value of the building and the desirability of its location. In the deed the property is described as follows:
One piece or part of a lot of ground purchased by the said James Carter of Edward Booker and Henrica, his wife, lying and being on the North side of Duke f Gloucester Street in the City of Williamsburg aforesaid in the County of York, and bounded on the West by the lot of Dr. George Gilmer, deceased, on the South by a line from the corner of the said Gilmers lot down the said street so as to include 15 feet of the house where the said Craig now keeps his shop, thence North through the said house including the said shop a straight course to the Northern bounds of the said lot, and thence West to the said Gilmers lot, together with the privilege of a passage 6 ft. wide on the back side and on the East end of the said house so as to have a way round the said House to the Main Street.
In June 24, 1766 Dr. James Carter again deeded valuable property on or near this lot to James Craig, the jeweller, for a consideration of £200. The property was described:
One piece or part of a lot of ground purchased by the said James Carter of Edward Booker and Henrica, his wife, lying and being on the North side of the Duke of Gloucester Street in the city of Williamsburg, County of York, and bounded on the West by the ground 3 lately purchased by the said James Craig of the said James Carter, on the said Duke of Gloucester Street 21 feet 9 inches Eastwardly to the said James Carters brick house or shop and along and adjoining the wall of the said House or shop a straight course the whole length of the said lot to Nicholson Street and along the said street Westwardly 21¾ feet to the ground of the said James Craig.
Dr. James Carter then deeded to his brother John for £50, on March 12, 1767:
On part of a certain lot or half acre of ground situate lying and being on the North side of Duke of Gloucester Street in the said city and in the Parish of Bruton, County of York, denoted in the Plan of the said city by the figures 53, which lot the said James Carter purchased of Edward Booker and Henrica, his wife, June 20, 1764, and to begin at the end of the still house adjoining the ground purchased of the said James Carter by the said John Carter, August 15, 1765, thence Northerly 149 feet 8 inches along the said John Carters line to Nicholson Street, thence Westwardly 20 feet 7½ inches along the said street to the lot of James Craig purchased of the said James Carter party to these presents, thence Southerly along the line of the said James Craig 149 feet 8 inches and from thence Easterly 20 feet 7½ inches to the beginning.
And all houses.
On July 19, 1779 Dr. James Carter deeded to Dr. William Carter for £1000:
All that moiety of the brick house which belonged to the said James Carter, situate, lying and being on the North side of Duke of Gloucester Street, as also all that part of ground whereon it stands, which said lot of land is bounded on the East by the lot of John Carter, merchant, on the West by the lot of James Craig, and on the South by the said Duke of Gloucester Street, being the moiety of the lot and house where the said William Carter now keeps his shop.
The following advertisements of this property appeared in the Virginia Gazette:
March 29, 1783- For sale:... My brick house adjoining the Raleigh Tavern, with a store and counting room below, and 4 rooms above, Kitchen, etc - John Carter.
4 June 30, 1793- Sold at auction, the house and lots of the late John Carter, also tenement adjoining the Raleigh Tavern now occupied by James Davis.
In May 1806 James Davis insured a two story brick dwelling house and shop 40 x 38 feet, within 4 (?) feet of the Raleigh Tavern, having a brick Kitchen 24 x 18.
Harold R. Shurtleff, Director
Department of Research & Records
HB/vbl
Report by: Helen Bullock