ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the accuracy of Samuel Garbett's evidence about early silver by Matthew Boulton, and his then partner John Fothergill, and to gauge its impact upon later writings by scholars on the subject. It is structured according to the questions put to Garbett: when the partners started silver smithing; their use of the Chester Assay Office before The Birmingham Assay Office opened. The arguments, put forward to the Committee in several documents by silver smiths from the capital and the two provincial towns, centred on the issue of whether there was a need for assay offices in Birmingham and Sheffield. Much of Garbett's evidence focused on Matthew Boulton since he was the key figure in the efforts to secure The Birmingham Assay Office and since his early silver smithing was relevant to the Committee's enquiry. Even now the silver business developed very slowly: in the assay year 1768-69 only eight candlesticks are known to have been made.
