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Estimated expenses incurred on the 12^th, 13^th, 14^th, 17^th and 27 of March 1826 (D1610/A91)

This five-day banquet to celebrate the 21st birthday of Sir Christopher William Codrington in March 1826 cost a staggering £223 14s 8d (around £13,000 today)! The quantities of food involved are equally astounding – just under a ton of beef, mutton and veal, followed by 200 loaves of bread, 76lbs of butter, 194lbs of sugar and 18 quarts of cream! In addition, there’s all the usual party things; flour, eggs, lemons (40 dozen!), currants & raisins, fruit (green and preserved), hams & tongues, fowls, tea and coffee. Oddly, only 6lbs of cheese was purchased. Partying obviously went on into the early hours as £3 17s of lamp oil was used. Tables, chairs glass & cutlery were hired from Bath at a cost of £19 14s (collection and delivery was £1 14s extra) and a charwoman was hired at accost of 16s. Coal and soap cost £1 10s in addition to 1000 feet of gas. Obviously, a 21^st birthday party requires alcohol and this starts with 36 bottles of port wine and 36 bottles of white wine – which pale into insignificance when set against the 23½ gallons of rum and 200 gallons of beer!