Cloth Seal, Clothier's Seal, Exeter, Matt Lee, Image & Found by Heidi Jonkman
Cloth Seal, Clothier's Seal, Exeter, Matt Lee, Image & Found by Heidi Jonkman.
Found in the Netherlands, 25mm.
Blank // 22 in partial square border // lion rampant, * MATTW:LEE.& SON EXON around // blank
This is probably the same version of this clothier's seal as BSG.CS.01703 and we can see the correct inscription on this example. Another example with clear inscription of this variant was found earlier in the year by the same detectorist (inner discs only).
From Peter Maunder, "My port books database gives Matthew Lee as an exporter from 1715 to 1754 (the last available port book).
Prior to 1715, there are entries for "Bere & Lee". I can't now recall, but I would have assumed these were Exeter merchants, and therefore did not investigate them further. It's possible that there was a partnership between the Bere family of Exeter / Tiverton and the Lees.
Looking at my Lee family tree, I have Matthew Lee (the first) (1681 - 1742). Married Elizabeth Venn, 1711 at Woodbury. 2 x children Matthew (II) and Elizabeth
Matthew Lee (the second) (c1712 - 1774). Married Jane Hucknell (sometimes Huckell or Huckle) 1742 (in London). She was daugher of Thomas Huckell (died 1753) a London banker. 3 x children, Matthew (III), Thomas Hucknell Lee and Jenny.
Matthew Lee (the third) (? - 1789). Married Hannah Wakeford. Had a daughter Jane Mary Lee who married John Worth of Worth nr Tiverton.
Thomas Hucknell Lee (c1752 - 1822). Married Mary Wakeford 1774. 10 children).
Let's assume that the "son" in Matthew Lee & Son was at least 21 years old.
If Matthew Lee (II) is the "son" then the seal cannot date from before 1712 + 21 = 1732. This "son" was the chap whose diary is preserved at the DRO. His father died in 1742, which would mean the seal dates 1732-42.
If the "son" is Matthew Lee (III) then the seal cannot date before about 1745 (guess at his birth date) + 21 = 1766. His father died in 1774, so the date is 1766-74.
The "father" can't be Matthew Lee (III) because he had no son.
Therefore in summary, I reckon there are two possibilities:
Matthew Lee (I) and Son - 1732-42
Matthew Lee (II) and Son - 1766-74
The port book records for the period 1732-42 only say "Matthew Lee" no mention of a son in any of the entries.
I had a look at the bale books for Topsham, and in 1771 I see an entry for Matthew Lee & Son
Therefore, based on this evidence, I deduce that this seal dates to approx 1766-74, 1766 being the approximate year when Matthew Lee (III) was 21 and 1774 being the year Matthew Lee (II) died."
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