INDIES

Chester Vale, a substantial estate of 1420 acres, paid taxes on 124 slaves in 1801. McLarty (d.1844) was Physician-General for Surrey (Jamaica), and several letters written by him from the island are in the National Library of Scotland, and are quoted in Alan L Karras's 'Sojourners in the Sun: Scottish Migrants in Jamaica and the Chesapeake, 1740-1800' (Cornell, 1992). In 1794 he acquired Chester Vale on his marriage to Elizabeth Susanna Breon, whose father Edmund Breon had died in 1792, leaving her the ward of the solicitor Thomas Cockburn.

The story of the Johnstone family has been told in Emma Rothschild's 'Inner Life of Empires' (Princeton, 2012). According to Rothschild, Alexander Johnstone 'became a soldier in the British army and was sent to North America.

1p., 8vo. Bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf 'To Thomson Hankey Junr.' In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter begins: 'Dear Thomson, | I give to you as a free Gift the Sum of Four Thousand Pounds & authorize you on 30th. of this Month to place that Sum to your Credit with our House by the Debit of my private Account. I also give you the one fourth Share of my two thirds Share of the Ship Elizabeth Capt.

3pp., folio. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Signed 'Isabella Hankey' and witnessed by 'John fforster Carey Street'.

On one side of a 47 x 20 cm piece of paper. Docketted on reverse. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. In part a form, printed in copperplate, with the details completed in manuscript, and signed on behalf of the firm 'Bristol 3rd December 1822 | Errors Excepted | Gibbs Son & Bright'. Included on the debit side are: Duty; Entry Fees, Wharfage, Town & Dock dues; 95 day's Interest; Freight; Warehouse Rent, Porterage, Weighing & Hauling; Insurance from Fire; Brokerage; Commission, leaving 'Nett Proceeds' of £257 18s 10d on £819 5s 0d.

3pp., foolscap 8vo. 90 lines of text. Bifolium. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The signature, in a different hand from the rest of the document, is difficult to decipher: '<?> | Barrister at Law'. (The Paterson family were prominent on the island.) The document begins: 'The question submitted to me for an opinion is whether Messrs Thomson Hankey & Co. are entitled to a right of way for carts drawn by cattle &c along a passage lying between a lot of land in the Town of Grenville the property of the firm, and a lot in the occupation of Mrs. V. Morrison.

3pp., foolscap 8vo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. The letter begins: 'Gentlemen, | I am directed to inform you that a Bill of Exchange drawn by His Excellency the Governor and the Members of the Executive Committee, on the Lords of the Treasury, for the sum of £10.822 .. 9 ..

1p., 8vo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The letter begins: 'Dear Madam | As I only landed in England yesterday your two letters of May 31st: and June 9th. have only just reached me.' He thanks her for forwarding photographs, which he is returning, and informs her 'that the Isle of Wight is at present not considered a suitable climate for my wife'.

4pp., 4to. 112 lines of text. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper, with closed tears along fold lines. Addressed, with two postmarks (one of Trinidad) to 'W. Wilson Esqr. | 7. Mincing Lane | London | Packet'. A closely-written letter, well-written and filled with content, and with a few clues about the identity of the writer. It begins: 'A merry Xmas to you & all my friends in England. I remembered you in my cups, but the liquor was only water for I have become almost a teetotaller of late, having had a little about me when I left St Kitts.

1p., foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with red ink postmark and broken black wax seal, to 'David Williamson Esqr | Advocate | George's Square | Edinh'. There is no indication in the letter that the two men are kinsmen. 'My Dear Sir, | I am happy to inform you that the ship called the Nevis Planter sails from Liverpool for St. Kitts on the 12th. Inst - with your approbation, I propose sailing with her - | Mr.

Four pages, 4to, fold marks, closed tears on folds discreetly repaired, some marking, fair condition. Information about (headings) the climate, health, water, soil, fruit trees, cost of land, fruit, grain and fodder, vegetables flowers, sea water, fish, game, snakes, insects, animals, laboor, steamers. freight, cost of boats, cable, roads, inhabitants (mostly black, main occupation sponging, some petty theft, indolent, etc,) houses. schools. taxation, government, Wood Cay.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition on aged paper, with 2 cm closed tear. Addressed to 'Mrs Crofton Vandeleur' and dated 'Antigua April 20th 1807.' Headed 'Duplicate', and in a neat secretarial hand, but with the genuine signatures of 'Edward Byam | President of the Council' and 'Jno. Taylor | Speaker of the Assembly'.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Addressed, with red wax seal and postmark in red ink, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Captain Pack | Royal Fusiliers | Barbados'. The letter begins: 'My dear Captain Pack | I take the earliest opportunity of letting you that [sic] the Ship Herefordshire - a noble vessel - has been taken up to convey the 67 to Gibraltar, & the 66 & 72 from thence to the West Indies, proceeding afterwards with the Fusiliers & 19th Halifax'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. 56 lines. Good, on aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mrs. Curling'. Casamajor is taking 'the earliest opportunity' to inform Mrs Curling 'by the last Packet', that he has 'received an Acc[oun]t. from my agent in Antigua, that the Court of Chancery in that Island had disallowed all Charges of Interest on the Arrears of the Annuities on the late Mathew Christians Estates amounting to £2567.2.5 also the Trustees Commission of £50 a year for 16 years, to this our Counsel'.

2 pp, folio. Bifolium. A frail survival, on brittle, aged paper: a horizontal closed tear across the head and other damage has been obtrusively repaired with archival tape.

One page, folio, fold marks, good condition. She has approached Dingwall as someone who could help make conditions in British Guiana better known in England. She refers to the enclosure of "Resolutions" from public meetings, identifying herself as the wife of a King's Counsel "who has acted as a judge on the Supreme Court Bench of this Colony." They need help to take on the merchants who are standing in the way of improving the standard of living. "The extreme poverty of the working classes of this Colony makes it imperative that steps be taken to bring down the cost of living . .

8vo bifolium (leaf dimensions 30 x 18 cm): 4 pp. Fair, on aged paper with slight wear to extremities, and minor damage to the area around the breaking of the black wax seal, which adheres, with a clear impression of a crest, to the reverse of the second leaf. Damage to a couple of words: otherwise text clear and complete. Circular 'F' postmark in red ink. Docketed. An impassioned, anguished letter, long and unguarded, and unusual in the valuable light it casts on the state of West Indian colonial affairs.

On one side of a piece of watermarked laid paper, 22.5 x 29 cm, folded to make an envelope, 9 x 21 cm. A thin strip of paper (not affecting text) has been torn away in the breaking open of the wafer, under which it still adheres. On aged, grubby paper, with a couple of pin holes and a few closed tears to extremities. Address reads 'London, May thirty first 1822. | Mrs: Manning, | West Cliff. | Brighton.' Signature, in bottom left-hand corner: 'Wm Manning.' Autograph note to one flap: 'I will take Measures about Mr: Mundy immediately | W: M/'.

12mo: 36 pp. Stitched. In twentieth-century card wraps. Good, with a little light spotting, on aged paper. Note, dated 'December 30th, 1837.', on last page, attributes the work to Palmer. Scarce: half of the ten copies listed on COPAC are facsimile or microfilm editions.

The collection is lightly aged and in good condition. Letter One (12mo, 3 pp), Oxford, 1 November 1827, signed 'W: M.': Begins by saying that he will be pleased to join Charles 'in the Lodging you propose or any other more to your mind - I had not fixed upon any plan, but thought once of being at Ellis's Hotel - (the Colonial Club House, St. James St.) Your proposal, however, I like much better.' He will 'much prefer being in the Regent Street on late Nights in the Ho. of Commons [Manning was also a Member of Parliament], as I found Wimpole St.

12mo, 1 p, 6 lines. Good. Inviting him 'to partake a family dinner on Monday next at 6 o'Clock'. He hopes his son Charles will dine there, '& Catherine proposes to come in the Evening'. Written on the verge of Manning's death.

Landscape 8vo (roughly 12 x 20 cm), 1 p, 8 lines. On creased and lightly aged paper. Text clear and entire. Stephen is afraid that Valentine's 'poor protegée will not [...] get much out of her claim!' Stephen cannot help her 'because litigation in a colony can only be conducted by a solicitor resident within it, and bad as we are reputed to be at home, they are far worse in the Colonies!' However he has 'written a strong professional letter for her that may perchance obtain an answer'.

4to: 2 pp. Sixteen lines. Good, on lightly aged paper. Thanking Wood for his 'kindly notice of "Historic Jamaica"'. He hopes 'the good people of Jamaica will appreciate the book in time - I spoilt my 1914 holiday to produce it'. Wishes Wood could 'come out to Jamaica in these days of motor cars'. Cars 'make seeing the country very easy - the only drawback is that one goes too fast for seeing the country well'. The 'Examiner for the <?> Board' ('this year it is to be Dr Lloyd') is coming to the island the following month. 'I usually go with the Examiner, to keep him happy!

English poet, essayist and civil servant (1800-86), author of 'Philip van Artevelde' (1834). Four pages, 12mo. Very good, on somewhat grubby paper. He is glad that his correspondent's aunt 'is getting so well thro' the seventies of this winter & the changes, which are perhaps more trying than a constancy of coldness. Indeed what were in my time the established notions about the evil effects of cold weather seem to be subverted, & not without reason.

4to. 4 pages. In poor condition: on paper creased, discoloured and frayed, with several closed tears, but with the text entirely legible. Apparently a copy, and docketed 'No. 1'. Seymour (1759-1801), the commander in chief at Jamaica, died of yellow fever on 11 September. 'R. M.' begins this unusually forthright document by informing the Commissioners that Seymour's death has caused their 'Letter relative to the public service' to pass under his inspection.

Book Collector. One page, 4to, discoloured, sl. chipped, fold marks, mainly good, clear text. "Mr. Watson Taylor requests Mr Triphook to send him down Ld Byron's new Work as soon as it comes out. enquiring first whether he is in Town at the time. He also wishes to have "Hints on the formation of Gardens & pleasure Grounds royal 4to coloured 3 gs. - at Gale & Jenners also the Rejected Addresses on drawing paper hot pressed - 10/6d.

Clerk to the Privy Council (1794–1865) and noted diarist. Items clearly disbound from volume, with minute foliated '84'. The Order in Council is three pages, folio, on two leaves of gilt-edged laid paper. Good, though slightly discoloured, dusty at head, and with several closed tears and stab marks along one edge. Small square cut away from corner of second leaf (not affecting text). Entirely legible in a clear neat hand.

Two pages, 4to. Very good, though on rather discoloured paper, and with strip of previous mount adhering to right-hand edge of verso. Johnston desires the settlement of the 'account of Incidental Expenses incurr'd during the period of [Johnston's deceased brother, A. Johnston's] command' in St Domingo.