In the period 1250-1325 the GIRONDE based family had two main trading activities. They owned their own vineyards outside Bordeaux. They also traded in London, selling not only their wines, but vast quantities grown in the Cahors area. Additionally they imported quantities of leather shoes from Cordova in Spain. Cordwaining was the name given to this activity, from the “CORDOBANES”.

The Calender of Letter Books, City of London (books A,B and C) has a lot of information about the family’s activities. They lived in a part of London called “La VINTRY” in Dowgate Ward. Ironically enough some 200 years later Lord Bernard de la Force was buried in 1471 after the battle of Barnet, at the Church of St. Martins-la-Vintry.

The medieval business between Gascony and England in this period was immense. In some years 100,000 tonneaux of wines were shipped from Bordeaux to England. The trade was killed in 1374 by French government edict, but Fortunes had been made before that. La Reole, a major port, was recaptured by the French, and the Gascon trade abruptly came to an end.

The MSS Commission 1876 5th report p.561 states that in the period 1288-1300 "VINGHE de la FOSSE" wines were famous. The wine was often given by the Kings of France, including Louis XI, to important people in London.

The wine originated in Cahors, and went overland to POISSY near Paris. It was then embarked at Rouen or WITSAND (modern WISSANT) for an English port and thence to London. Louis XI consented that the wine ‘shall be delivered in Gascony or the Bordelais because the countryside round POISSY was ruined and the vines destroyed.’

The Delaforces moved to London, perhaps initially about 1250, to sell their own wines grown by Williams, Raymonds and Peter, and probably others as well.

The first record is unusual. In 1256 ARNAUD DEFFORSIEU of Cahors ‘depensait à ACRE des sommes considerables pour y maintenir les positions des Marseillais en face de la concurrence Montpellieraine.’ This merchant - probably the same man as ARNAUD-GARSINS du FOSSAT, with his brother WILLIAM de Fourcès, witnesses at a major Treaty of AUCH in 1247, and also shown as ARNALDUS de FFONS at SEULA in 1256 - was buying from suppliers at Aix-en-Provence in preference to rival suppliers from Montpellier to supply his family in London with merchandise - possibly wines. The same ARNOLD GARSIE de FOSSATO of Bordeaux received a grant from the English King of £400 in Bordeaux pounds in 1253, and supplied military help to the English in 1254.

Another book called "1275-1292, Enregistrement à Guild Hall des creances de plusieurs marchands de Bordeaux" shows

In 1264 PIERRE DE FORT ‘n’eut été l’amitié qu’on a pour la ville de Cahors.’ Peter, the son of Pierre Fortet, who had been consul of Aurillac in 1284, Mandatoire du Roi, is shown as a ‘Master’ in 1286 in London, as PETER FAURE or FORE; in 1287 as Peter de La FOSIE, and in 1288 John atte Gate, "coureur", was bound to Peter de FORS for 70 shillings, to be paid half a month at midsummer, 8s 4d. at Michaelmas and Christmas, and half a mark at Easter.

Peter or his son is shown again in 1304. Robert Daundeley, cordwainer indebted to PETER FORT, merchant of CAHORS, in the sum of 78s 4d. - one moiety in the quinzaine of the nativity of St.John Baptist - rest at Michaelmas to be paid in shoes "in denarus sotularium".’ John de Brunne, cordwainer, indebted to Peter FORT, merchant of Spain, for 30s. John de Pountoyse, goldsmith, to Peter FORT, merchant of Spain, for 8 marks and 11d. Peter appointed John de Paru to be his attorney and pledged gold for his debt.

In 1346 PIERRE FORS/FORCIUS/FORCII, living in AGEN, was a maker of "Noix le metal, c’est le rouet de Despingole ou de l’arbulete" another skilled metal worker. This is interesting because in 1500 his descendant Peter de FORCE, brother to Anthony, was a goldsmith of London and Faversham, Kent.

William has even more references.

Finally, REMUNDUS de La FORCHE was owed £6 by Willelm de HALLAGBER.

The conclusions are that the Gironde wine growers - Raymonds, Arnolds, Williams and Peter - and their sons, the William and Peter, sons of Aymeric de la Force of the Auvergne, all enjoyed a substantial merchant venturing business in London for half a century.