Julian Billingham facts for kids

Julian Billingham (1673-1730) was a Scottish woman from a noble family in the 17th century. She was also known for her family's special soap-making recipes.

Early Life and Family

Julian was the daughter of Grizell Ker and Patrick Hume of Polwarth. Her older sister was Lady Grizel Baillie (1665-1746), who was famous for collecting songs and writing recipe books. Their family home became Mellerstain House in 1707. Julian also had a brother, Alexander Hume, who became the 2nd Earl of Marchmont in 1724.

Time in Exile

In 1686, Julian's family had to leave Scotland and live in another country. This is called going into exile. They had a difficult trip to Brill. They finally settled in Utrecht, where her father pretended to be a doctor. While there, Julian and her sisters learned to play a special musical instrument called a Ruckers harpsichord. The family returned to Scotland in 1688.

Marriage and New Beginnings

Some of Julian's mother's old account books still exist. They mention clothes bought for Julian in 1695, like black crêpe and muslin.

Julian was supposed to marry Sir James Hall of Dunglass. However, it seems Sir James actually wanted to marry Julian's younger sister, Anne Hume. Instead, Julian Hume married Charles Billingham. He was an English soldier who did not have much money. His father, John Billingham, was known as "Justice Bellingham" and had managed a glass factory.

Charles Billingham's Career

Julian's sister, Anne Hume, did marry Sir James Hall. He helped Charles Billingham get a job as a deputy governor at Dumbarton Castle. The main governor of the castle was John Erskine, Earl of Mar.

Charles Billingham also worked as the warden of the Scottish mint in Edinburgh between 1701 and 1704. The mint was the place where coins were made. He later sold this job to William Drummond. In 1706, Julian's father, who was now the Earl of Marchmont, suggested Charles for a command in Lord Mark Kerr's army regiment. However, Charles Billingham was not well and passed away before June 1715.

A Legacy of Recipes

One of Julian Billingham's daughters, probably Jean or Charlotte, created a recipe book. This book included instructions for making soap! It also had recipes for making and painting wax fruit to decorate tables, and for a special way of decorating furniture called Japanning. These types of painted decorations and large mirrors were very popular in Scottish homes at the time.

Her daughter wrote down a recipe for fresh soap from "four pecks of wood ashes" and said it came from her mother. A peck is an old unit of measurement. The book also had a method for making lye, which is a strong liquid used in soap making.

Julian's Soap Recipe

The recipe from her daughter's book was:

My Mother Lady Julian Billinghams receipt
To make Soap Lees
Take equil weight of Russia potash and quick lime and throw water upon it by degrees till the Lime is Slaik’t then throw on more water and Stir altogether till the Salt of the ashes is desolved after Some time pour the Liquor (filtered through a paper if needful) into another vessil as true Flanderes wine, pint of this Liquor measured with the greatest Sweetness ought to weigh just 16 ounces of water if it is, However an ounce of Stone & half of water is to be added to each pint of Liquor, but if Lighter it must be boiled till the like quantity of watter is carried of or Else must be throwen upon fresh lime and ashes.

This recipe shows how to make a strong liquid (lye) from potash and lime, which was then used to make soap.

Later Life and Daughters

In her later years, Julian Billingham took care of her father in Berwick-upon-Tweed. In 1720, her daughter Jean married Charles William Tonyn. He was a Colonel in the Enniskillen Dragoons and was based in Berwick. Another daughter, Charlotte, married John Hume, who was a minister in Abbey St Bathans.