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Edward Bridgen and James Waller to Elizabeth (Murray) Smith, 15 March 1770 J. M. Robbins Papers Over the course of early 1770, merchants James Waller and Edward Bridgen assisted Elizabeth [Murray] Smith in her plans to set up her niece Polly Murray, the oldest daughter of her brother John, as a shopkeeper. John was struggling to maintain his large family on his physician’s income, and Elizabeth, now a wealthy widow, tried to help her brother by assisting his oldest children in supporting themselves. Her former trading partners in the firm of Bridgen and Waller, the pair investigated apprenticeships in London and provided advice about shopkeeping opportunities and retailing in England and America. In a series of letters, they addressed bookkeeping issues, the costs of apprenticeships, and the degrees of specialization in shop stock. |
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Edward Bridgen and James Waller to Elizabeth (Murray) Smith, 15 March 1770 J. M. Robbins Papers, Courtesy, Massachusetts Historical Society. Page 1
For more of the merchants’ advice, see also 