Billhead, invoice

Copper-engraved billhead with handwritten invoice issued by the linen drapery firm of Parker, Topham and Sowden located at the Poultry, near Cheapside. Both the engraved and handwritten script is in English round hand. Parker, Topham and Sowden was both a retail and wholesale business. Parker, the senior partner, regularly toured the country visitng county drapers to obtain orders for his business. He would then liaise directly with the Lancashire cotton manufacturs such as Oldknow in Stockport who would either deliver the order straight to the county drapers or to the London warehouse. This invoice, dated 15th June 1787, refers to the supply of order to the county drapery firm J Thomas & Co based in Hinckley, Leicestershire and includes a handwritten note from the wholesaler noting the difficulty in supplying the required goods due to their rarity. J Thomas & Co went out of business in 1787, the year the order was placed.