Six north country diaries - The MAN & Other Families

DIARY OF JACOB BEE OF DURHAM.
INTRODUCTION.
Jacob Bee, whose diary is printed in the following pages, was a
native of the city of Durham and wa^ baptized in the church of St.
Margaret, Crossgate, on the 19th of June, 1636, as son of Nicholas
Bee, whose marriage with Margaret Ussie, widow, had taken place in
the same church on the 15th of June, 1624.
Breda skinner and glover,
there are suggestions in the diary that at one period of his life he
may have kept an ale-house : at all events he did a little brewing,
the ' grains ' being sold by his wife after each brewing. He was
possessed of a stable and loft which were let oflf to one William Drury.
When about twenty-two years of age he married Elizabeth Rabbet, the
banns of marriage being published in the market place at Durham on
the 28 of January 1657/8. What is known of his family is set out in
the accompanying pedigree.
He did not prosjDer in business, and at the age of 65 he became
an out-pensioner of the hospital of Sherburn-house. Dying in 1711,
he was buried at St. Margaret's in Durham on the 11th of January of
that year.
It i.s not known whether the original diary exists, but happily
a small edition consisting, it is said, of only twenty copies, was
printed for private circulation by Sir Cuthbert Sharp.
One of these
copies is in the possession of the editor. It comprises only thirtythree
octavo pages, issued in a plain paper cover.