11 S. X. Nov. 7, 1914.1
NOTES AND QUERIES.
3G5
Cooper, manager, New York : published by
D. .Longworth, at the Dramatic Repository,
Shakespeare-Gallery, 1806." 12mo, 6+7-84 pp.
This is evidently the impression referred to in an advertisement of ' The School for Arrogance ' in a " New York : D. Long- worth, 1807," edition of 'The Lady of the Bock.' ELBRIDGE COLBY.
Columbia University, New York City.
(To bf. continued.)
WINE BOTTLES:
MAGNUM, JEROBOAM, REHOBOAM.
THE ' New English Dictionary ' states that a " Magnum " is a bottle containing two quarts. Its actual capacity equals two ordinary bottles, or approximately one and a third imperial quarts.
The capacity of a " Jeroboam " is not stated, but there appears a misleading quotation from The Daily News, 1889, 25 July, viz. :
" Enormous bottles of fabulous content called ' Jeroboams,' which some say contain 10, others 12 ordinary bottles."
The capacity of a " Jeroboam " is six ordi- nary bottles, or approximately one imperial gallon.
It is necessary to use some word such as " approximately " because a " bottle " is only a customary measure, and is not exact. Indeed, I believe that a bottle containing cognac is always or generally slightly smaller in capacity than one containing wine or whisky. According to ' Whitaker's Al- manack,' 1914, p. 447, " The customary glass bottle of wine or spirits should contain one-sixth of a gallon."
The word " Rehoboam," as meaning a certain huge bottle of wine, is not given in the Dictionary.
In answer to a letter of inquiry, I have received the following information from M !*. H. R. Williams & Co., wine merchants of Lime Street, E.G. :
" The capacity of the Magnum, &c., runs as fellow's :
A Magnum is equal to 2 bottles.
Double Magnum 4
Jeroboam ,, 6 ,,
Rehoboam 8
" With regard to the two latter, there is among the public a very vague idea as to their actual size, and although they are now not used in the trade, you may take the above as being quite authentic."
ra. Williams & Co. in a postscript say that, they have in their cellars some Reho- boams.
I have before me a price-list of another
firm of wine merchants in which Magnums
and Jeroboams appear. In this list " Im-
perial," holding " about eight reputed
Quarts " i.e., customary wine bottles
stands for " Rehoboam."
A Rehoboam alias Imperial should con- tain one and one-third gallons approxi- mately. Whether the word " Imperial " is- fully recognized in " the trade " I do not know. It may be that the proper place for all these words is a slang dictionary.
ROBERT PIERPOINT.
TAVERN SIGN : " THE KILTON." An old
historical signboard, very much worn and
exposed to all weathers, representing the
famous racehorse Kilton, with a jockey
riding him, was taken down from outside
the front door of " Kilton " Hotel, Hoo
Green, near Knutsford, during the summer
of 1896. I undertook to paint over this-
sign in oil colours in a new method in the
back outbuildings of the yard. It was
replaced in position on the centenary day,
29 July, 1896, in the presence of a large
number of visitors, including the Lymm
bowling club.
The landlord, Mr. Joseph Power, showed me a short written account of the racehorse by his late father, which he found pasted up inside a cupboard at the hotel. I subjoin a. copy : The Kilton.
This cup was won by Thomas Langford-Brooke's
horse, Kilton,
Five years old,
Over Knutsford
Friday, 29th July, 1790,
Delmere, Three
years old, giving
him 31 Ibs. on Four
mile Heat.
Trafford Trafford
and Isaac Blackburn,
Esqrs., Stewards.
I was told the hotel was called the " Kil- ton " in 1796, and it was called " Hoo- Green " before it was called the " Kilton. Dick Turpin came to this hostelry and played bowls on the green a few minutes after he had committed a robbery near Altrin- cham. He came on Black Bess, his famous mare.
Kelly's ' Directory of Cheshire ' states :
" It is related that the notorious Dick Turpia was apprehended in this house [Kilton Hotel} after a robbery committed by him at Newbridge Hollow, a lonely spot about four miles from here- on the road towards Altrincham."
FRED L. TAVAR.
22, Trentham St., Pendleton, Manchester.
