Melvin McGinness tailor shop ledger

Content Description

This collection contains one ledger book kept by Melvin McGinness (1896-1970) for his tailor shop in Charlottesville, Virginia. Dates in the ledger indicate that the book was kept between 1964 and 1968, evidenced by two dated “Look-Rite Cleaners” receipts and a handwritten date by McGinness at the top margin of page 27. Earlier material is tipped in at the front and back endpages. McGinness graduated from Hampton College in 1914 and served in the First World War before marrying his wife in 1923. He relocated to Charlottesville and began to operate McGinness Tailor Shop at 273 West Main Street. This location was eventually demolished in early 1964 during the Urban Renewal razing of the Vinegar Hill neighborhood of Charlottesville. McGinness moved his tailor shop to 151 Brown Street in the Starr Hill neighborhood. This ledger records work completed by McGinness at this second tailor shop location, as evidenced by receipts throughout the book dated after the razing of Vinegar Hill. Entries in the ledger include the account holder’s name, their clothing size, the work they have commissioned, and the price of the work. Checkmarks indicate the closing of a transaction after the customer has paid. Laid in material throughout the ledger includes a Singer Sewing Machine Exchange advertisement, an advertisement pamphlet for incense oils, and a 1966 receipt for automobile work at Knauf’s Auto Service Co. On West Main Street, a November 1939 program for the cornerstone laying ceremony of Trinity P.E. Church, handwritten notes from June 1969 about sending delegates to an unspecified state meeting, a ruler advertising Atlanta Thread & Supply Co., a Look-Rite Cleaners receipt from June 1969, a May 1964 Trinity Church program, a Virginia National Bank envelope, a Medicare Insurance Card informational sheet, an August 1968 Trinity Church program portion, several blank sealed envelopes, a Remington Shaver box, and a sheet cardstock with written ledger entries.

Acquisition Type

Purchase

Provenance

Purchased from Franklin Gilliam Rare Books, 5 November 2025.

Language of Description

English

Script of Description

Latin

Restrictions Apply

No

Use Restrictions

This collection contains some in-copyright material. Visit our Permissions and Publishing page for more information about use of Special Collections materials. The library can provide copyright information upon request, but users are responsible for making their own determination about lawful use of collections materials.