ALL BOXED UP OVER TAXES

It’s tax time and The Johnston Collection is exploring taxation in Eighteenth Century England. Through its fabulous array of fine and decorative arts The Johnston Collection considers an era when male servants, mantel shelves, fabrics, glass and wig powder all attracted tax.

In those days special purpose containers – tea caddies, writing slopes and sewing boxes – often concealed items that attracted tax and you’ll see some of them in several rooms around Mr Johnston’s residence.

There’s glassware, food and beverages, all part of the tax story in the Blue Dining Room. The Kitchen highlights taxable goods used by the working classes and the Green Drawing Room displays the elegance, taste and social life of the wealthy and the way taxes affected them. Upstairs, the Yellow Room explores more personal taxes such as those imposed on fabrics and jewellery – while the Study traces the evolving nature of taxes, the politicians who introduced them and the writers and artists who reacted to them.

It is a fascinating story and when you leave this household of tax traps you’ll never again complain about your taxes.

image: Plate Two, from A Rake’s Progress, Date: June 1735, Artist: William Hogarth, English, 1697-1764