Description:

BRITISH JAILS ARE EMPTIED TO POPULATE VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND
SIR ROBERT WALPOLE (1676 - 1745) English Prime Minister who conducted the impeachment of Bolingbroke and Harley, helped accomplish the reconciliation of George I and the Prince of Wales, and navigated investors through the South Seas Bubble scandal. Superb content manuscript D.S. "Walpole" as Prime Minister, 1p. sm. folio, "Whitehall Treasury Chambers", June 18, 1740. Walpole approves payment to have convicts shipped to the Colonies. In part: "...By virtue of His Majesty's General Letters Patent...Require your Lordship to Draw an Order for paying unto Andrew Reid Esq. or his assigns the sum of Five hundred eighty five Pounds...the same being the Allowance of five Pounds by the Head for the whole Charge of Transporting one hundred & seventeen Persons sentenced for Transportation..." The document also lists the numbers of prisoners removed from Newgate Prison and other jails in six other counties, noting: "...Persons shipped the...on board the Essex Ambrose Cock Commander for Maryland or Virginia...". Signed at bottom by Walpole, also signed by WILLIAM CLAYTON, LORD SUNDON (1671-1752) and SPENCER COMPTON, 1ST EARL OF WILMINGTON (1673-1743). Old catalog description tipped at top, along with a collector's stamp from 1896, rough margins, still very good. Also present: manuscript D.S. by Capt. ANDREW COCK, Master of the Essex, 1p. sm. folio, Gravesend, June 4, 1740, a list of the names of 62 prisoners which he certifies he has shipped onboard on behalf of Andrew Reid: "...in order to their being immediately and Effectually transported to America...".The prisoners and their respective county jails are listed by name. Also: a similar list of five felons being shipped from Bucks Co., June 4, 1740, also signed by Capt. ANDREW COCK. Also: an A.D.S. by Capt. ANDREW COCK, 1p. 4to., Thames River [London], May 31, 1740, "...bound for the passages in Maryland...the above persons were this day shipped...to be immediately and effectually transported to Maryland or Virginia...". Listed by name are: "...fifty Felons from Newgate...". Both "bills of lading" bear performance bonds on verso, this from Newgate describing the cargo as those convicted of: "...divers Felonies Thefts and Larcenies...". Overall very good. A very impressive document, all the more interesting as the descendants of many of these "felons" likely hold prestigious places in government and industry!

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July 8, 2015 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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