crop of washer woman's hands and bucket

Spring Cleaning Trail

From miniature tins of polish in Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House to Old Master paintings, take a closer look at how cleaning has been portrayed historically through Royal Collection objects

    JOHN SPINNAGE

    Bill issued by John Spinnage for repairs, cleaning and painting works at Leicester House and Kew

    March-August 1747
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    Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales arrived in England in 1728. He was the eldest, but estranged, son of George II. The Prince married Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha on 27 April 1736, and together they had 9 children including the future George III. Prince Frederick died of an unknown illness in 1751 aged 44. Amongst his papers held at the Royal Archives, Windsor Castle, are a series of 109 loose bills recording the purchase of goods for the Prince’s residences for 1745–8. This bill from John Spinnage is for repairs, cleaning and painting in 1747, totalling £79 18s and 7½d at the Prince’s London residence, Leicester House, and both the Great House and the Little House on the Green at Kew in Richmond.

    Explore the images below to see further examples of bills relating to cleaning in the Royal Archives.

    Bill issued by John Spinnage for repairs, cleaning and painting works at Leicester House and Kew (GEO/MAIN/5428)
    Royal Archive bill
    Bill issued by Benjamin Goodison for furniture making, repairing and cleaning at Kew, Cliveden, Leicester House and Carlton House (GEO/MAIN/54556)
    Royal Archive bill
    Bill issued by Ann Pavonarius and Elizabeth Redecker for sheet washing in the months of October, November and December, with acknowledgement of payment received (GEO/MAIN/55480)
    Royal Archive bill
    Bill issued by Vile and Cobb for cleaning drains, repairing kitchen floor, cleaning bed furniture, cabinet making (GEO/MAIN/55476)
    Royal Archives bill
    Bill issued by John Eiser for carriage and maintenance of musical instruments (GEO/MAIN/55213)
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