Interpreting seventeenth-century probate documents: John Carter, master carpenter in St Albans

Area of Science:

• Social History
• Economic History
• Material Culture Studies

Background:

• Utilizes probate inventories and a large-scale computer database of St Albans residents.
• Focuses on a successful seventeenth-century carpenter, John Carter.

Observation:

• Reconstructs Carter's family, work, house, and possessions from historical documents.
• Analyzes Carter's social standing within local and broader contexts.
• Examines the material life of a 'middling sort' individual.

Findings:

• Provides a micro-study of a 'middling sort' person in a thriving market town.
• Illuminates aspects of life at the dawn of the consumer age.
• Offers detailed insights into carpentry and domestic life in the 17th century.

Implications:

• Contributes to understanding social mobility and economic practices in the early modern period.
• Demonstrates the value of integrating digital humanities with traditional archival research.
• Enhances knowledge of urban life and consumption patterns in pre-industrial England.