""Marbrock"?" Topic

I mentioned this on another thread,and now it's bugging me. I'm not near my library, but IIRC, it was a term applied during the WSS to the two-wheeled carts that saw extensive service in Marlborough's army. It appears on the Blenheim Tapestry:

Roundway made one in 15mm.

I'd swear I read references to the term somewhere--Chandler,maybe? Input from WSS experts here would be much appreciated.

Here's the thread,BTW:

TMP link

Found a picture in David Green's book on Blenheim (opposite p37 the Book Club edition, published 1974) He calls it a " Marlbrouk".
Saul David refers to "a two wheeled sprung cart" and other authors mention that the march to the Danube could only be done so quickly because of these light- weight carts, pulled by two horses. Picture shows one horse between the shafts and the other in front, with a driver.
Not sure that the tumbrel from Pendraken would fit the bill. The sides on this one are made from wooden boards, rather than wattle. The load is sheeted over. Apparently they were used as bread- carts, but also for moving ammunition.
Nice little scratch building project in 10mm?
Pleased to confirm you have not yet lost your marbles!!!

Interestingly ( or not?), just found another reference in a book published in1815 (Hints regarding the Agricultural State of the Netherlands by Sir John Sinclair). The book has an inventory of a farm in Flanders and it lists: "Waggon (a la Marlbrouck) with large fellys: Valued at 1100 French francs/45 Pounds six shillings and eightpence". So the term Marlbrouck was obviously in common useage 100 years after Blenheim. Don't have a clue about "large fellys" though.

Thanks heaps,Dave--nice to know not all of my marbles have rolled away!

Now,if we can get Leon or someone do do them in 10mm. . .

"Fellys" presumably = felloes, that is to say the wheel-rim into which the spokes fit.

Yep:
link

Kind of amazed at the price of the cart. It's roughly 2X the annual wage of a working man in the 18th century.

@ Lascaris:
Yes, pretty pricey piece of kit. Same list shows 3 ordinary wagons at about £56.00 GBP total, work horses averaging £10.00 GBP and a riding horse at £16.00 GBP:

link

Wealthy farmer? Of course, this is at the end of that series of minor social upheavals called the. . .what was it now? It would take an Annales historian to dig through the records to come up with an answer.

Speaking of which,though much earlier,my foggy memories of reading "Montaillou" decades ago seem to recall a finding that the reason for the small areas of cultivation in that village was that no one could afford a wagon. I'd gladly accept correction,though.

Remember the whole price of labor vs price of stuff ratio is vastly different in 1815. People in England who couldn't afford any sort of transportation could still have domestics.

Well,twelve hours later. . .more googling for "Marlbrouck" has turned up a wine,a liqueur,a country dance,a monkey,a castle in Lorraine, and of course this:

youtu.be/yjR7mMDzWLA

(used by Beethoven in his "Wellington's Victory" BTW).

But not the cart.

Aaarrrgh! Now I find all kinds of things "a la Marlbrouck"! It seems more and more things acquired this appellation as the 18th century went on. In the 1780's,it was applied to caps,dresses,hairstyles,and other items associated with the "peasant costume" in fashion among court ladies in France. I wonder what the connection was?

These fashions were naturally exported to the rest of Europe, including England. Was that considered flattery,or insult?

So I just had a vision of a clog dancing monkey in the ballroom of a castle downing a fine glass of Bordeaux…

Well then,give me a glass. . .