Cloth Seal, Clothier's Seal, Exeter, Peter Scott
Cloth Seal, Clothier's Seal, Exeter, Peter Scott, Image & Held by Musea Brugge (inventory number XXIII.O.2903.A & B).
Excavated by a member of the Archeological society of Bruges
Blank // 21 1/2 // two six-pointed stars between (? crossed palm leaves), PETER.SCOTT.EXON around
A complete four-disc seal for 21 1/2 yards of serge from the Exeter clothier Peter Scott. The two stars indicate second quality (information supplied by Jane Evans).
From Mike Patrick, "Peter Scott is a familiar name and one of the leading Exeter export merchants, particularly around 1704-22, which has been described as "the most flourishing period enjoyed by the cloth industry of the west". He exported largely to Holland from Exeter and is known to have corresponded with the Dutch agent David Leeuw of Amsterdam. [Arch. Brants 403]."
From Peter Maunder, "Peter Scott exported serge from August 1708 to January 1723.
He isn't in the 1706 port book, 1707 is not extant, and the first entry is 14 Aug 1708, so assume that's when he started.
One could call him a small to medium-sized exporter.
I chose 1711 at random, and he ranked No. 19 (out of 92 individuals exporting that year). He sent 4,900 pieces of serge, principally to Rotterdam. The principal merchants No 1 (Robert Burridge) 41,000, No. 2 John Upcott 36,000, No. 3 Bere & Enchmarch 25,000 pieces, No. 4 George Thorne, 20,000, No. 5 Edmund Cock (the biggest Exeter merchant that year) 13,000. That therefore puts Peter Scott into context I hope.
The quantities exported, as given in the port books, and above, are not wholly reliable, but they no doubt give the broad picture."
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