| Description | Early history of the family. Includes notes added by Julia and James Lewis Minet in 1867. The volume was originally an account book with few entries.
James L Minet (1807-1885) wrote in the manuscript a detailed description of it (pp. 75-91), when it came into his possession on 10 May 1867. The volume initially belonged to Isaac Minet (1660-1745) and its original use, according to the title on the rough calf skin cover – ‘Receipt Booke, 1704’, and of various entries scattered in it, was a book of various personal accounts. However, it seems to have increasingly become a notebook where Isaac Minet recorded events, as well as autobiographical accounts.
A note on the inside cover dated 17 September 1749, by William Minet (1703-1767, son of Isaac) explains that he had decided to turn this book into a volume on family history so had torn out a number of pages and renumbered them.
James Lewis Minet stated that the only three individuals who wrote in the volume apart from himself were Isaac Minet, William Minet and a clerk employed by William to copy some notes relating to the Sauchelle family (family of Isaac’s wife). There are no entries earlier than 1705, and none later than 1751. The volume must have then been taken, possibly erroneously, to Dover after 1751 amongst the possessions of the Fector family. When they disposed of the business, from which the Minets had previously retired, the book passed, amongst other old business papers to the National Provincial Bank. In 1867, the Bank wished to change premises and so asked one of the former clerks working for the Minet/Fector business, Mr Boyton, to go through the papers to see what could be disposed of. Mr Boyton found the manuscript, which was handed to James Lewis Minet.
On pp. 3-4 (inv.), Isaac Minet wrote in 1722, a first and shorter account of his escape from Calais to Dover with his mother and some events preceeding the flight. James Lewis Minet commented that this account, whilst shorter and incomplete is more interesting than the longer version written 15 years later. In fact, it contains the story of the death of his maternal aunt at Ardres in June 1685, and how her body had been treated. Isaac also mentioned the duration of his and his mother’s imprisonment from the middle of November to 31 December 1685 (c. 6 weeks).
On pp. 17-33, Isaac Minet wrote a longer narrative of his escape. At the time he was 77, so it was written in 1737. This narrative was copied in HUGUENOT LIBRARY/F/MT/88 and subsequently, HUGUENOT LIBRARY/F/MT/71. |