© Palatine Lodge - 1893 - 2023 - In se ipso totus teres -
Let’s take a look at David Maurigy, I have seen his surname spelt in several
different ways, if you look at the enlarged signature, actually taken from “The license for the
solemnization of matrimony” . From comparison with other individual letters there appears
to be little distinction between ‘n’ and ‘u’, but the letter “u” is obviously correct.
The letter refers to the sale of the Station and the Hotel, but specifically what, it
doesn’t say, apart from asking for £6000 for the Hotel and with the station included £8000.
He does refer to Mr Gill accepting Mr Cuff, so it would appear that he was just selling his
interest as operator, when the hotel opened in 1843 the licence covered the Palatine Hotel and the station buffet bar, as he values his furnishings and
fittings in the hotel as worth £6300 and £1100 at the station, totalling £7400 and the remaining £600 possibly for goodwill. £8000 in 1847 is the
equivalent to £851,340 today. From further investigations, David Maurigy was quite a wealthy man as we shall see. Unfortunately, I have been unable to
find any reference to Mr Cuff anywhere as operator of the hotel from 1847, but the licenses were certainly sold, as a notice on Monday 11th January 1847
showed that the partnership between David Maurigy and Yenoni Vantini, hotel keepers was to be dissolved.
Palatine Hotel
Manchester
Robert Blackmore (Solicitor)
4 Trafalgar Square
London
15
th
February 1847
My dear Sir
Mr Cuff has been here today, and I have shown him over both establishments, he
seems much pleased with them, but wishes for the station at the same time as (the)
hotel by the 25
th
March next and if I can’t get my price, I do not know whether I shall
not give it him. I told him I should not take less than £6000 for the hotel which I think
he would give and he wishes me to let him know what I ask for the station. To give
you an idea as to whether I am asking a proper price I will tell you there are £6300
worth of furnishings and fittings in the hotel and £1100 at the station. Therefore, I
have decided on asking £8000 for the two establishments, and giving them up on the
25
th
March, as I do not think I can do better, he has, (Mr. Cuff) seven sons, and wants
this for one of them. Mr Cuff will write to Mr Gill upon the subject tomorrow and I
have written to him today. I have promised Mr Cuff to write him in a few days, telling
him what I ask for the station and as you say “letters are awkward things” perhaps
you will be kind enough to give me a hint as to the wording of it, I wish to tell him
that I offer him the two establishments for £8000 (and to come in on the 25
th
March)
but not a pound less, I think like-about (the likelihood is) Mr Cuff will come to those
terms and if he does I think we should be wrong to refuse. If anything comes of this
affair do you think you could come down to make a final arrangement and also does
not the incoming steward pay my solicitors as well as his own expenses, please let
me hear your opinion of the matter by return (crossed out) or at least by
Wednesdays post I mean
& believe me
My dear Sir
(with very kind regards)
Yours very truly
David Maurigy
To
Robert Blackmore Esq
London
P.S. I think Mr Cuff a likely man for Mr Gill to accept I went about the license this
morning and they have appointed 11 o’clock tomorrow morning for me to be there
The David Maurigy Letter deciphered.. just in-case you can’t
read the original
Click on the image above to view the original four
page letter.
Most of the letter was not that difficult to decipher, but there
were several words that proved rather challenging, particularly
the term “like-about” which has now fallen out of use as have
very many terms, words, and phrases that were commonly
used in the 1800’s
