Contents...
  Summary.
  Receipt Book, 1748-51, and Letters.
  Sugarhouse 'Refining' Book, 1758-60 - Extracts.
  Sugarhouse 'Bills Delivered' Book, 1759-60 - Extracts.
  Will, 1761 - Transcript.
  Inventory/Sale catalogue - Dwelling House, 1761.
  Leases, 1761.
  Chancery - Statement of Joseph Hess, 1771 - Transcript.

*****

Summary .....
Christian Tielhen lived, and probably refined sugar, in Leman St, Whitechapel. He married Ann Hart in 1750 (1) and the registers of St Martin's in the Fields, Westminster (2), show the baptisms of two children, Edward (1751) and Mary (1753). From his Will, it would appear that Ann and Mary died before Christian, leaving Edward, aged 10, to inherit all (3). Edward was apprenticed to Thomas Sowerby in 1766 (4). There is a possible family connection to Gehlenbeck, Westfalen, Germany (2).
The 'Refining' Book Christian Tielhen used to record the sugar produced at his sugarhouse and to whom it was sold, for the short period 1758-60, is possibly a unique document from that time. This along with an early receipt book and letters, a 'bills delivered' book, and numerous other documents (5) is available to us because some 10 years after Tielhen's death the joint executors of his will, John Arney and Joseph Hess both sugar refiners, became in dispute regarding the contents of a box of Tielhen's documents and money stored at the dwelling of Hess and seized during his absence abroad, bankruptcy having been filed against him - a lawsuit followed for which we have Hess's initial statement, and for which the documents we see today were required.
His Will gives no indication of Chistian Tielhen's wealth, but the Sale Catalogue for the auction of his belongings shows his lifestyle to have been a good one ... a large house in Leman Street probably adjacent to the sugarhouse, mahogany furniture, Venetian printed curtains, and clothing which included good suits, wigs, and riding apparel.

*****

Receipt Book, 1748-51, and Letters - PRO C104/211 .....
3½"x6" dark brown, this early receipt book would appear to relate to Christian Tielhen's refinery. Two of the customers noted are John Camden & Son and Dederich Backman & Co, with the receipts being signed by a variety of people, eg: John Strutt, Charles Abbott, John Mackelean, John Camden, John Tomlinson, Thomas Moore, Stephen Burman, Robert Taylor, Gabriel Hesse and W Williams. The names of Camden, Backman, Hesse and Mackelean are known refining names.
Letters from Germany dated 1751 are addressed to Mr Chr Tielhen, Gingerbread Baker, Round Court in the Strand, London, and local letters of the same period are addressed The Wheat Sheaf, New Round Court in the Strand ... whilst the address may be where he was living immediately after his marriage, the sums involved in his receipt book suggest he had changed occupation before 1748. The local letters are mainly personal ones and household bills, along with the Sun Insurance policy for the property in Leman Street. The few German letters appear to be from the same person, a friend Stahne of Wildeshausen [about 20km west of Bremen in Oldenburg], and one, written 5 Jan 1751, thanks him for money sent, talks of a cattle plague in Wildeshausen and of the death of the Queen of Denmark, and asks whether Mr Ehlers could send some delicious English honey cake ; a Bremen shipmaster could bring it to Bremen and give it to Herr Simmis.

***** top *****

Sugarhouse 'Refining' Book - 1758-60 - PRO C104/211 .....
8" x 6" vellum covered, it begins by listing, on consecutive pages, the sales of the products from each of the refines (a two week boiling session), but early in 1760 Tielhen changed the format so that the products of the refine are on the left page with the corresponding sales on the right facing page. Around early September 1759, it would appear that new duty was introduced and Tielhen began a new series of refines through to the end of June 1760, numbered 1-18 and shown below. After that a new series began, but only ran to Nov 22 when records stopped shortly before Tielhen's death. It looks as if tax was paid on the weight of sugar products sold, as he recorded the weight of each sale rather than the value, with the price per cwt given in shillings and pence. [ 112 lbs (50.8 kg) = 1 cwt, 20 cwt = 1 ton ]. Note the large total weight of each refine.
(The names of Chitty, Rawlinson and Spalding are known refining names.)

***** top *****

Sugarhouse 'Bills Delivered' Book - 1759-60 - PRO C104/211 .....
It would appear that some customers paid for their sugar products either when they ordered them or on delivery, but the refinery sent bills (invoices) to customers who received their goods on account. These were often the larger concerns who purchased tons of sugar every few weeks. A tiny, 4"x2½", notebook has survived in which the dates, names, and amounts of these bills is written. Below are extracts which coincide with the time of the 'Refining' Book, and I have added in () the refine that they relate to ...........

***** top *****

Will, 1761 - PRO PROB 11/862 .....

In the Name of God Amen. I Christian Tielhen of the parish of St Mary Whitechapel in the County of Middlesex Sugar Refiner being in health and of sound memory and understanding but considering the uncertainty of this transitory life do make publish and declare this my will and testament in manner and form following (to wit) Imprimis I give my body to the earth from whence it was taken in full assurance of its ressurection from there at the last day to be interred as near as possible can be to my wife in the churchyard of St Martins in the Fields my funeral charges not to exceed fifteen pounds. As to my worldly estate I will and positively order that all my debts be paid. Item I give and bequeath to Mrs Susannah Frolick one yellow gown and one green gown and all the rest residue I give and bequeath unto my son Edward Tielhen except that I give to my executors hereinafter named for their trouble at my decease to work out my house to collect and pay my lawful debts the remainder to be laid out on interest in some of the publick funds the interest to be paid to my executors for needs of education clothing and other necessary expenses (at their discretion) of my son Edward Tielhen until he arrives to the age of twenty one years. But in case my son Edward Tielhen should dye before he attains the age of twenty one years then what is remaining of the funds or stocks or in the hands of my executors or otherwise belonging to me to be divided into two equal shares. One share or one half part I give and bequeath to my worthy friend Mrs Mary Harrison spinster of Five Fields Row Chelsea in the parish of St Georges Hanover. I give the other share or one half part to be divided amongst some of the German poor men and widows belonging to the German Lutheran Church in the Precinct of St Mary Le Savoy. And all other things money goods or whatsoever shall or may be left to my son Edward Tielhen on his mothers side or by her relations if he dyes before he attains the age of twenty one years the same shall be returned to his uncles and aunts or the nearest relation on his mothers side then alive. Lastly I give and bequeath to John Arney and Joseph Hesse of the parish of St Mary Whitechapel Sugar Refiners the sum of forty pounds and necessary expenses for extraordinary trouble to be divided equally between them and do constitute the said John Arney and Joseph Hesse executors of this my last will and testament and trustees for my son Edward Tielhen. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the fifteenth day of December in the year of our Lord 1760. [signed] Christian Tielhen. Witness, Henry Barker, Susanah Freolick.

This will was proved at London the twentieth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty one ... etc ... by the oaths of John Arney and Joseph Hesse the executors ... etc.

[Public Record Office PROB 11/862 - copy of full original available at PRO-OnLine.]

The City of Westminster Archives Centre holds a transcript of this Will in the records of Saint Mary's German Lutheran Church, Sandwich Street, WCI, 1694-1935, under Catalogue Ref. 90/15/16. The section regarding the possibility of a bequest to them has been highlighted in the margin with a long bracket.

***** top *****

Inventory/Sale catalogue - Dwelling House, 1761 - PRO C104/211 .....