Elementary Education in North Walsham Norfolk 1814

 

Until the Elementary Education Act of 1870 schools in England and Wales were controlled by charities, religious organisations mostly connected to the Church of England, and private individuals running schools as a business. The Act did not make schooling compulsory (that did not happen until 1880) but committed the state to the building of government-funded “Board” schools managed by locally-elected School Boards to which women were eligible for election. Existing schools were not merged into the new system but could qualify for government-funding for half their running costs. As a result, the voluntary sector actually expanded significantly after the Act was passed  and the dominant Anglican "National Society" added about 6000 schools to its portfolio between 1870 and 1885; in 2026 such schools constitute a significant part of a supposedly “state” system, the schools now receiving most of their funding from the state but retaining semi-independent status as “voluntary aided” or “voluntary controlled”; most are Church of England or Roman Catholic denominational schools with a scattering of other denominations and religions, now including Islam and Judaism. In many parts of England and Wales, and especially at primary level, parents will find themselves without a local non-denominational school despite the collapse of organised Christianity. As of 2026, no Westminster government has shown any interest in changing this anomalous situation.

The pioneers of elementary education for the lower orders or working classes in England and Wales were two Anglican societies: the British and Foreign School Society (founded 1808) and what became the dominant National Society for Promoting the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church (founded 1811). Both societies adopted what are called monitorial systems of instruction which employed proficient pupils as instructors. The British and Foreign used what came to be known as the Lancastrian system (after its originator Joseph Lancaster) and the National Society used the Bell system, named for Dr Alexander Bell. Both methods kept down costs but eventually gave way to ones dominated by more costly trained adult teachers.

The early schools were often called “Sunday Schools” but as this letter indicates did not necessarily meet on Sundays, making it possible for the Boy Wilson to instruct in several schools in the course of a week. And some schools met several times in the week depending on the supply of teachers and the demands of parents who usually had to pay something, however nominal.

The history of the National Society’s school in North Walsham has been documented; I quote from the online North Walsham Guide:

“A 'National' Sunday School had been set up in North Walsham by 1813……The school was held in a large room in the workhouse superintended by a Mr. Hay. There were 150 pupils on the register made up of 67 boys and 83 girls. By 1815 the school also met one day during the week but the number attending was now only 89-51 boys and 38 girls. The school was described as extensive by 1818 and was meeting two days in the week to teach the girls needlework, in addition to Sundays. The Vicar, the Rev. W. F. Wilkinson felt that the poor of North Walsham were not ' without means of education'. By 1827 the school was meeting in the parish church and in addition to the Sunday school sewing was taught on three half days each week. There were two teachers, William Moyes and Susanna Pope to manage 33 boys and 45 girls. The youngest children at the school were five years old and the eldest 12 and 14 years of age”.

I cannot discover how old or how well-schooled was Wilson, “the Boy” who is being despatched to North Walsham but it is clear that he is not being appointed in any regular manner or has much choice in the matter. He is in the hands of the Reverend Dr Charles Sutton (1756-1846), who as well as being a long-serving Norwich vicar held an administrative post in Norwich Cathedral and this letter is directed to him at the Cathedral’s Close – the Close being the group of administrative and residential buildings which always surround a Cathedral. 

The Mr Spurdens who is giving up one secretarial post is probably the Rev. William Tylney Spurdens, headmaster of Paston Grammar School in North Walsham from 1807 to 1825, and if not him then a relative of his.

Following the Education Act of 1870, North Walsham acquired a purpose-built Board School in 1874 able to accommodate 500 boys and girls aged 5 to 13 and charging a  penny per week.

Transcription

Addressed to: The Revd. Dr Sutton   The Close    Norwich

Datelined: North Walsham     January 3d 1814

Postmarked NORTH WALSHAM and endorsed Post Paid, 4d.

Docketing note: North Walsham

Dear Sir

Mr Hepworth at my request had the goodness to enquire at what time, a Boy qualified and accustomed to train schools on Dr. Bell’s system would be at liberty to come to North Walsham. He has informed me that Wilson, the Boy who has been at Harleston is returned and can now be spared to come here. I would therefore request that you would allow him to be sent next Wednesday & should recommend his coming by Moneyment N Walsham Carrier from the Pope’s Head, in the Upper Market. He has a good covered caravan, leaves Norwich, I think about three o’clock and arrives at N.Walsham, usually about ten O Clock. Moneyment will inform him where He is to board, or if Wilson would call at my House, as soon as He arrives on Wednesday, He shall receive proper directions. Mr Spurden has already corresponded with you upon this subject, & from him you would hear that there are other schools in this neighbourhood, which are desirous to avail themselves of Wilson’s assistance. It was at first intended that the Boy sent should instruct this Sunday School and one or two other in the neighbourhood in the course of each week but it ow seems preferable that He should continue here to train the Boys & Girls Schools at North Walsham for a fortnight or three weeks as may be found necessary (a sufficient number of children with the Master & Mistress having engaged to attend every day) and after this school is enough instructed that the Boy should proceed to others, in the Dean’y [Deanery?] which may require his aid. As Mr Hepworth made use of my name in his application to you, I trouble you upon the subject myself, otherwise I should have begg’d Mr Spurdens as Secretary to have written to you on the business.

I am, Dear Sir, with much respect, Your faithful Humble Servt.  T. [or J.] Hay

PS. As you are already probably informed, Mr Spurdens (retaining the situation of Secretary to our District Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge) has desired to resign the Secretaryship to the School Committee here, but Mr Gur….  [seal broken here; likely name would be Gurney] has kindly offered his assistance to supply his place. Till our next Committee Meeting Mr Spurdens handsomely promised however to continue to be our Secretary. The next meeting is appointed for the 25^th of his month.

 

References

https://www.northwalshamguide.co.uk/chapter-11-education-in-north-walsham

Wikipedia: Monitorial System

Wikipedia: National school (England and Wales)

Wikipedia: Elementary Education Act 1870

 

Politics, Religion and Money Making all in one 1811 Glasgow letter to the Principal of St Andrews James Playfair

 

 

The recipient of this 1811 letter has a brief Wikipedia page which confirms his identity as Principal of the United Colleges of St Andrews – now the University – between 1800 and his death in 1819. The first half of the letter is written by his son-in-law Patrick Playfair (1765-1836), prominent in Glasgow’s West India trade, importing sugar and other commodities; he had a particular connection to Antigua and he or his son claimed unsuccessfully in the 1830s for compensation as a creditor of Antigua’s Drew’s Hill estate which housed 144 enslaved persons.

The recipient may not have been entirely comfortable with his son in law’s robust approach to life, evident in this letter, and the docketing note is very dry, “Mr Playfair May 1811”. But the Principal’s elder daughter, Jean, was married to this Patrick Playfair and she writes the second half of this four-side letter. Both writers are currently excited by the activities of Jean’s brother, William (ca. 1782-1851), the second son of the Principal.  He achieved the rank of Colonel with the East India Company and is currently in Mauritius, then known as the Isle de France, and which the British had captured from the French in 1810. About this period of his life the internet appears to be silent; about Jean Playfair’s life it is simply silent. The Lord Minto who figures as a godfather figure was Governor General of India from 1807 to 1813.

Disputes in the Church of Scotland were endemic and related both to more obviously theological questions and more substantively to church organisation and government with a strong party in favour of complete independence from the state and from patronage analogous to that which was central (in the form of “advowsons”)  to the organisation of the Church of England. These disputes eventually led to a major split in 1843 which created the Free Church of Scotland which itself split in 1900. Whatever the disputes of 1810-11 referred to in this letter were, they do not seem to have been as critical as the first part of the letter paints them.

*

Addressed to: The Revd. Principal Playfair    St. Andrews

Datelined: Dalmarnock May 7^th 1811

Postmarked GLASGOW  8 MAY  1811 and receiver mark of MY 9 1811

Docketing note: Mr Playfair May 1811

My Dear Sir

The contents of your letter to Mrs Caw & your two last letters to me, you may believe afforded much rejoicing at Dalmarnock & Brunswick Street. The complete victory obtained at the Synod over your malignant & insatiable foe was received with the most heartfelt satisfaction & I think it will be followed by a decision as gratifying at the General Assembly. Such fierce persecution is perhaps without precedent, for, it should seem, every irregular & unlawful artifice which could be thought of by your adversary has been resorted to in order to effect his diabolical purposes. Your cause however is good & I think the high Ecclesiastic Court will rid you of the grasp of the foul enemy & clothe him & his party with confusion.

The joyful accounts from the Isle of France are delightful beyond all measure. William’s success can be compared with none other I recollect than a Mr Brown’s who from being the master of a ship from London in the Antigua trade & with whom I had the honour twice as passenger is now at the receipt of £100.000 annually from Government. This Gentleman with his wife & friends paid us a visit last autumn in a coach & four [horses] & petrified me with his success. From the Duke of Portland he lately purchased an Estate of £200.000 he has another in Essex & one in Antigua besides a seat near London! If Wm [William] go on paying £300.00 a month for some years his commission for transacting the business must be very moderate indeed if he do not accumulate equal at least to the purchase of all Fyfeshire. It is therefore high time for those who wish for land in that quarter should supply themselves immediately or [should be before?] such wealth can reach us to raise the price. But to be serious, Wms. luck has certainly been wonderful at last he is placed in the situation which of all others, from his former pursuits, he is best qualified to fill with  advantage, & if he discharges his important trust to the satisfaction of those to whom he is amenable, whether he holds his office for long or for only a short period, it will in my mind lead to the making of his fortune for since he has attracted the attention of Lord Minto to such a degree he will be provided for in some other way should the Ile be given up to Government. It is somewhat remarkable while his Lordship has been induced without solicitation to render such services to one of our connexions in the East his brother Governor Elliot of the Leeward Islands [Governor from 1809-14 and an opponent of the slave trade, banned in 1807] has shown his good wishes to my establishment in the West. On his arrival at the seat of Government Antigua about 8 or 9 mo’s [months] ago he it should seem appointed our firm there his agents so that the whole of his money & other transactions connected with it centres in us & this Mr Crichton wrote me was quite unsolicited on his part.

What dreadful times we have had here in commercial matters, that blackguard Bona: [Napoleon Bonaparte] will ruin us by his system of exclusion from the continent, unless a spark of resistance be kindled soon in the North. Something like dissatisfaction if report says true manifests itsefl there at present but I fear it will as usual end in smoke. If they do come to blows I wish a Wellington or a Graham [General Sir Thomas Graham, a Scotsman] were opposed to the Monsieurs – we might then hope. As you are soon to be within 6 hours ride of us might not you come & see  us, if it were but for a day. James Roger [The Reverend James Roger (1767–1849), a prominent figure] would perhaps accompany you. I was much gratified to learn that all along he has taken deep interest in your cause & he has risen in my esteem in consequence for although in some instances he may have defeated his own purposes by a little impudence yet his warm interference has been well meant & of course has been well taken by you. I have procured a [illegible]: of good rum for you  & your associates lying at Greenock in the King’s ware house neat[?] as imported & have order’d it to be sent to Leith whence it can be ship’d for ….[illegible] but I must conclude yours aff Pat Playfair [Patrick Playfair]

Third page of the letter in a different hand:

Dalmarnock 7^th May 1811

My Dear Father

Your letter to Mr Playfair last week gave us all extremely great pleasure, & amazement to hear of William’s wonderful fortune, what a reverse! In a moment to be raised to such honour & preferment. I cannot get over it even now. Many thanks to you for taking the trouble to transcribe his history of this astonishing piece of good luck, to us & sincerely do I congratulate you & my Mother upon it, may both your lives be spared for many years that you may embrace all your [letter torn] distant sons who are such an honour to you … [letter torn] when parents have comfort in their children, as you have, it makes other trials in life appear lighter, than otherwise would be the case. I was very sorry to find you had been labouring under a bad cold, when you wrote, I hope it has left you before now, these East winds are much against these complaints, & will prevent you taking necessary exercise for your health. I am quite vexed to hear that you have determined to go by sea to London, & alone, indeed Father you must really give over this intention the sickness it brings on you is more than you can bear, immediately before taking so much fatigue in Lond’n as you are obliged to do, will you then be prevailed upon to go by land? You agree much better with it & the diference of expense is not worth mentioning now that Willm. is a paymaster General! he will send home soon I hope, as much money as pay your Ticket at least so do not I entreat you put your precious foot into a ship. I again repeat I shall be quite miserable if you do so. It would be a great comfort to yourself & a wonderful one to us, if you would take Jessie [ youngest daughter?] to be company to you. I’m sure you would not repent so doing but your own inclinations must determine that point.

I had a long letter from William two days ago viz. Saturday which is a repeatition of the substance of yours, this is dated 14^th Feby & he mentions having written St Andrews on the 11^th by the same ship he does not mention his pay – but says it is very handsome & that we need not be afraid of him not acting with the strictest integrity, as it is as possible to make gold out of stones as to make more money than his monthly pay, in his situation, he says he has a good allowance, because he must be responsible for all deficiencies in his accounts – he mentions he has paid in one month £300.000 has employment for 5 or 6  clerks – he has no time to make acquaintance with the inhabitants, as he has not a moment to himself day or night, his accts. are kept up to a day – accurate to a penny hitherto. The inhabitants, very illiterate, the first mate cannot write a common note the ladies are beautiful & engaging, about 15000 in Port Louis (I mean inhabitants). What do we not owe the generous Ld. Minto? I beg my love to my Mother & Jessie. I ever am your most affectte Daughtr Jean Playfair.

Mary Bertram is quite well, & is to write home by Jean Trail, she is continuing to give great satisfaction in her Pupils.

References

Wikipedia: James Playfair (minister)

“Your Sincere Unknown Admirer” to John Head of Tavern Street Ipswich 1822

 

The genre of Anonymous Letters comprises two sub-genres: those whose writers do not wish to be identified and those who do. This letter falls into the latter class, written perhaps by a customer if John Head is a Tavern Street shop-keeper or perhaps by someone who moves in the same religious or social circle. The surname “Head” was common in Ipswich at this period and some Heads were Quakers. If I could home in on the right John Head – I can’t – it would be possible to discover whether he married and, if so, who.

The writer values constancy, identified as a female virtue, and is attracted to someone who she judges inconstant, identified as a male failing. I doubt this is a unique case. The poetry is her own but there are strong hints of borrowing: “may calm the troubled breast” hints at a line in John Newton’s 1779 hymn How Sweet the name of Jesus Sounds. Google is not quite sure whether to attribute the contrast between “The applause of Angels” and “the gaze of fools” to William Blake or John Constable or accept it as an unauthored trope. “beauties, formed in virtues rules” suggests an educated acquaintance with either classical or 18^th century philosophical thinking, or both.

The ink of the letter is very faded and a crease prevented transcription of one or two words. The letter ends with a pleasantly light-hearted reference to the fact that John Head will have to pay one penny postage to be handed the locally-posted letter.

 

Transcription

Addressed: To Mr John Head    Tavern Street   Ipswich

Datelined: March 23 1822

Postmarked straight line undated IPSWICH and manuscript “1” (One Penny postage to be paid on receipt, as noted at the end of the letter).

 My Dear John Head

With pleasure the most sublime I sit down to pen this short Epsitle to you to express the great Partiality I have so long entertained for you, therefore I express the following lines

Have you a pasion firm and true,

Avowed for me that loveth you,

Neir for me inconstant like your sex,

Nor Boast you have the power to nex [variant of to nix],

At Hymens shrine your vows renew,

Haste, and may happiness ensue.

But I fear John Head your mind is too much disipated to confine yourself to one Woman alone, there is nothing more Respectable than Stability of mind, those who are continually betraying new signs of the inconstancy of there Dispositions, can be esteemed by no one, and though every things in nature is subject to change, (the mind of Man more frequently than anything else) yet it is possible to possess a fidelity unshaken by time or circumstances, and pleasure has no charms, when it madly overleaps the bounds of discretion, there cannot be a greater reproach upon our understanding than an immoderate love of  frivolous and idel amusements, for when the attention is chiefly occupied in the thoughts of pleasure, but little progress can be made in any other useful improvement, well may the Poet say

Let idle flatteries miserably say

In dress and trifles, waste there useless day;

Seek then for beauties, formed in virtues rules,

The applause of Angles [sic], not the gaze of fools

 

believe me John Head I have the greatest respect for you and hope that my sentiments will not fail in giving you some little pleasure, the gentility of your Person and the Affability of your maners has inspired a pasion of the warmest, yet purest kind. Oh! John Head what would I give to gain your Affections, think what a pleasure I should have in your society, what a pride in your confidence, our sex when truly attached, have unhappily for themselves, a propensity to be constant, and rarely, if well treated seek abroad for forbidden pleasures ethe blindness of love can convert faults into beauties, men, indeed talk of tenderness but it is Woman only that feel it, Oh! John Head sole Name that makes Language Enchanting

Musick’s soft powers, may calm the troubled breast,

And soothe distraction into peaceful rest,

Reason a cure for lighter ills may prove,

But cannot ease the Heart that’ sick with love,

Love poisons deep, it sinks in to the Heart;

Since only you, who did the infection give,

The pleasing, painful evil can relieve;

Exert your power, and kindly ease my pain,

Better …. comfort to your love sick swain.

Allow me to subscribe myself

Your Sincere Unknown Admirer

~ ~  ~  ~

John Head that loves to read,

Will find amusement here,

One penny is the cost

You cannot think it dear

~ ~ ~ ~

Sir Henry Bayly in London writes to his son the adventurer Hugh Forbes currently in Siena 1845

 

Wikipedia entries for prominent figures of the past often rely on old sources which were coy about personal lives. The Wikipedia page for  “Henry Bayly (British Army Officer, born 1769)” summarises his military career and appointments (Aide de Camp to the Prince Regent 1811; Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey 1816) and notes that a cousin was First Marquess of Anglesey; but it does not mention his better-known son, Hugh Forbes, who has his own short Wikipedia page as “Hugh Forbes (soldier)” which is also coy but does footnote a 2022 full-length biography by Virgilio Ilari and Viviana Castelli, Vita e tempi del colonnello Forbes (1808–1892): un inglese italianissimo tra Risorgimento e guerra civile americana [Life and times of Colonel Forbes (1808–1892): A very Italian Englishman, between the Risorgimento and the American Civil War]. A second biography by the American historian David T. Dixon is due for publication in 2027 with the title Rebel, Criminal, Patriot, Scapegoat.

Hugh Forbes, born in 1808, is not mentioned on Sir Henry’s page because his father never married and Hugh was a natural son – in the language of the period, a bastard or illegitimate child. But this 1845 letter to Forbes from his father indicates their continuing relation. It has been dictated and only the signature is in Henry Bayly’s very shaky hand – he died eleven months later in April 1846, aged 77, and thus never knew of his son’s active military involvement in the Italian Risorgimento. Elsewhere on this site I have published a letter from Hugh Forbes to his own son Archibald written in 1862 which makes reference to several of his later activities:

https://www.otherpeoplesletters.com/2026/07/an-1862-letter-from-garibaldino.html

The letter shows that Henry Bayly is informed of  his son’s current business involvements in Italy. In February 1845 Forbes had acquired rights from Francesco Senesi to undertake escavazione dei minerali (mineral extraction) from land he owned at Montagnola Senese and known to be suitable for quarrying Siena’s yellow marble (Giallo di Siena). The reference to iron in the letter must relate to another project, of which I have no details. The reference to “Cox” leads to the bankers of the British Army, Cox and Co, who paid out army pensions and made loans to its military clients. Henry Bayly’s request for the ages of Forbes’s sons, Archibald and Hugh, is no doubt in relation to Bayly’s intention to provide for them in his will – which he did and also made provision for their father.  Forbes had other children born in Italy to a second partner and who do not figure in this part of the story.

Addressed to: Hugh Forbes Esq   Via della Volpe No 1309   Siena   Toscana   Italy

Datelined:23 Albermarle St [ London]    May 10th 1845

Despatch postmark of Chancery Lane [London], transit mark of Boulogne, transit mark of FIRENZE 19 MAG 1845 and arrival mark of SIENA 21 MAG 1845

 [No salutation]

After I had sent a answer yesterday to your letter of the 25^th Ult I received your’s of the 29^th by which I judge that you have perceived great difficulties in carrying through your plan respecting the Iron Mine, indeed, it appears to me that the further you go the more you will be puzzled to get through such a Work without materially involving yourself in pecuniary responsibility, and Italian confinement for debt would not be a very pleasant result.

Your undertaking however to try this Speculation has proceeded from industrious and honest motives and is therefore laudable and though I fear you will be disappointed in your expectations of forming a company to carry the work through without risk to yourself I shall be very sorry should you fail in your hopes. You shall know by the Post next Tuesday further about Mr Bolland [ possibly Bollard but either way not traced].

I believe that the value of Iron is increasing every where on account of the quantity required for Rail Roads.

As regards yellow marble the English market is overloaded and it sells at a very low price that is at least 75 per cent lower than the Carrarra Marble.

Wishing you every success I remain &c &c

H. Bayly

P.S. By Tuesday’s Post you will also hear from Craigs Court

What are the respective ages of your two children? 

Acknowledgments

Viviana Castelli and David Dixon filled in blanks to enable me to write-up this letter.

References

Wikipedia: Henry Bayly (British Army officer, born 1769)

Wikipedia: Hugh Forbes (soldier)

Bankruptcies in South Carolina 1812

 

The Napoleonic Wars in Europe had a global impact. In the Atlantic, Royal Navy ships seized American merchant ships bound for France and French forces likewise seized American ships headed to Britain. Privateers joined in the fun, The United States sought to demonstrate its neutrality with an 1807 Embargo Act which basically forbade the shipment of any goods to the European powers; an 1809 act (the Non-Intercourse Act) removed the embargo except on shipping destined to France or Great Britain. As the letter transcribed below indicates, both Acts were ignored when possible (as it often was) but they were nonetheless disruptive of commerce. At the end of the year 1812 in which this letter was written Great Britain brought matters to a head by declaring war on the United States, creating an armed conflict which lasted for three years.

As the letter illustrates, Great Britain in this period imported goods, notably cotton and tobacco, produced on slave plantations not only in its own Caribbean colonies but also in the USA; the transactions recorded in this letter are for very large sums: £3000 in 1812 equates to about £190 000 today.  “Nisbet” would have been one of a family of merchants of Scottish origin; some of their business papers are held by the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. “Hindley and Gregorie” was a prominent firm of cotton brokers which supplied raw cotton to British textile manufacturers. George Mitchell was (Chief) Cashier of the Royal Bank of Scotland from 1808 to 1816.

I cannot find anything which clearly relates to the George Keith who wrote this letter.

Addressed to: George Mitchell Esqr Cashier of the Royal Bank of Scotland Edinburgh

Datelined: Charleston S. Carolina 13^th Janry 1812

Postmarked on arrival with an illegible oval Ship Letter mark in black and illegible date mark in red

Docketing note: Geo Keith 13 Janry 1812 Rec’d 20^th Febry 1812

Sir

I beg leave to refer you to my Letters inclosing A Forbes bill on Nisbet for £1056 & my other Inclosing Hindley & Gregories for £3000, and now advise you that since receiving the last they have likways failed in this place, and beg you that if there bill be not Accepted, that the Cotton here is shipped to order in Liverpool & the proceeds to be paid to you, I do hereby authorise you in Case it does not amount to as much to pay the Whole £3000 pounds you are at full liberty to receive what may be paid over to you on Acct [Account] and in all and every Case you may allow time in Case of any of my Bills sent to your Care and protection to do the best you can for me as there is no probability of any things to be recovered here as every Merchant in this place almost without exception  is in a State of Bankruptcy, you will particularly Oblige me by  giving the earliest information of there fate – you will please to allow Nisbet time if wanted and at any rate receive whatever he can pay. I am tottally sick of Bills & shall send no more for the present.

I remain respectfully

Sir your Obt. & Humble Servt.    Geo Keith

 

George Mitchell Esqr.

 

References

https://rylandscollections.com/2023/09/18/mcconnel-and-kennedy/

Wikipedia: Embargo Act of 1807

Hugh and Robert McCalmont, merchants and slave-owners 1828

 

The McAlmonts of this letter, father Hugh in Dublin and son Robert in London, have been well-researched in the recent past with long biographical entries at the UCL Legacies of Slavery database and David Alston’s Spanglefish website; I provide References at the end. After the abolition of slavery in 1833, compensation was paid to Hugh McCalmont of Abbeylands County Antrim for 426 enslaved people at the Hope and Experiment plantations in British Guiana. A different Hugh McCalmont also made claims in respect of other plantations; it is not clear to me how long the Hugh of this letter lived and worked in Guiana before going or coming back to Dublin.

The Hugh McCalmont of this letter was born 1765 and died 1838. The Robert of this letter was born 1808 – so just twenty when writing this letter - and died 1883. The Thomas mentioned became a clergyman dying in 1872. The “Jonny” of this letter may be Robert’s youngest brother James who would have been at school in 1828; he matriculated at Magdalen College Oxford in 1839. Robert’s younger brother Hugh (1810-1887) named after his father is not mentioned in the letter unless he is the “Jonny” and at university.

This letter mixes business and personal matters in a way which might seem strange to a modern reader, especially in relation to the fact that the McCalmont family was very - and eventually fabulously – wealthy from its business activities. It is perhaps noteworthy that the main references in this letter are to trade with Latin America in general and not specifically British Guiana. Five years before this letter was written, a large-scale slave revolt – brutally repressed – took place in British Guiana and with the abolition of slavery in British colonies clearly in prospect by 1828 the McCalmonts would have had good reason to diversify their activities.

The Henry Lauauze (sic) of the address panel was a prominent insurance broker in Dublin.

The Mr Exter of this letter was Richard Exter, born about 1791,  who did indeed obtain extraordinary grants from the government of Mexico, though not quite so extraordinary as the letter may suggest. Many governments have sought to control and tax those who trap wild animals for their skins. Exter pitched a plan to the Mexican government that suggested he would employ Mexican personnel to control fur trapping and as part of the process raise tax revenue for the government, though of course he would have hoped to reap a very handsome profit for himself. The story continues at length on the internet but Exter himself died on a voyage from Vera Cruz to London less than a year after this letter was written.

Transcription

Addressed to: Hugh McCalmont Esq   Care of Henry Lauauze Esq   Dublin

Datelined: London 18^th Novr. 1828

London postmark of 18 No 18  1828 and Dublin mark of  20 NO 20 1828

Docketing note: Robt McCalmont 18^th Novr 1828

My Dear Father

Received your letter of the 15^th & also that of last Saturday week & one from Mamma of last Tuesday. I am sorry to find that Thomas is not recovering so fast as was expected. I hope however he will not go back [either backwards in getting well or back to the Caribbean?]

Your order for Negro Cloathing was in time for the Highbury as she was detained a day longer than I expected. She is waiting a wind at Portsmouth & I am afraid she will hardly be out [to the Caribbean] by Christmas as she is to call at Madeira.

Mr Inglis [W.Inglis & Co was the predecessor firm of McAlmont Brothers – Robert and Hugh -  which replaced it a few years after this letter was written, the takeover funded by their father] arrived on Saturday week & your letter from him via Glasgow the same morning. There has been nothing to write to you about since his return. He & Mrs & Miss Inglis are all quite well. Mr Hooton [probably a merchant or plantation manager in British Guiana; a Mary Hooton claimed for loss of 8 enslaved people there; no other Hootons appear in the slavery database] left for Falmouth last week, but all Mr Inglis could do he could not persuade him (by fair means) to go till the Decr Packet [boat ;Falmouth a regular port of departure for Atlantic crossings] & he will therefore remain at Falmouth till then. He is rather slow on his motions & if every one was equally so it would be absolutely necessary that there 48 hours in the day.

You will find when you go home [to Abbeylands, the family estate ] your share of the Chocolate. It is a great rarity even in Mexico & not to be had there for money. It is made by the Huns & Mr Exter got it as a present from the Bishop of Oajaca [ Oaxaca, whose nuns had for a couple of centuries added sweeteners to traditional indigenous chocolate recipes creating powders which would make what we now call hot chocolate].

Mr Exter’s new grant is certainly the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of. It is not confined to New Mexico, but includes also California, New Albion [northern California up to Oregon] &c, & no one, not even one of the Indians, dare kill a rabbit or a badger or a fox or any other animal with a skin on its back in all that immense district nearly as large as the half of Europe without a permit from him. That is, if he can hinder them. This he considers a valuable privilege.

There has been nothing from Mexico since the last Packet & in Mr Hooton’s letter by her there was very little that could interest you farther than what you already had. The best thing was an account of a Sale of some Cinnamon which Mr Inglis sent out in June.

There was 500 lb [pounds] weight which sold for $5000 Charges including about $400 commis[ion] &c  1195 [balance] $3805 or at 45… [converts] to £713=8 = 9 [pounds shillings and pence] Cost £200 [leaves] £513=8=9 Profit besides £80 Commission but there was a P.S. to the letter which said that the buyer had returned in the afternoon in great trouble about his bargain as he bought it in ignorance of the large qu [antity – letter torn here] that was on board the same vessel & Mr Graves to oblige [him] cancelled the sale. He will not be able to sell it again at the same price but there will still be £200 or300 Profit

What is Johnny [ one of his younger brother, could be Hugh or James] to do in vacation? As he will have 6 or 7 weeks of it I think he had better go home. Thomas will be sorry to hear that Covent Garden is on fire [? No obvious major fire in 1828]. There is scarcely anything new from any part of the world. There is an arrival this morning from Para  ta [ ? ] the 25^th Septr but nothing doing.  Corn which has been till lately 1400 rs[? reales, Spanish currency] p[er] ….. has fallen to 800 rs & if the Blockade of Guayaquil continues [as part of a Peruvian-Colombian War] I think there is some chance of the price keeping up here but if it continues so low out there the people will not be ale to pay for the Goods.

Yours affectly. R McC

 

References

Wikipedia: Battle of Cruces [ for blockade of Guayaquil]

https://www.spanglefish.com/slavesandhighlanders/index.asp?pageid=314815

[David Alston]

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/search/

As well s the basic compensation details for two Hugh McCalmonts there are lengthy narratives with many references to other sources including archival holdings of letters like this one.        

https://thechocolatewebsite.com/thehistoryofchocolate/

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/History_of_California_(Bancroft)/Volume_3/Chapter_6

https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/exter-richard

For more about British Guiana type “John Davies” into my Search Bar at the top of the page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sir Thomas Dyke Acland of Holnicote seeks a Gamekeeper 1806

 

The Aclands of Devonshire were locally prominent across generations and this one, Thomas Dyke Acland (1787-1871) was educated at Harrow and Christ Church Oxford. At the time this letter was written he had not yet graduated from Oxford. He was a Tory MP at various times between 1812 and 1857 and belonged to that part of the conservative gentry which acknowledged social obligations. He has a Wikipedia page.   

His father had married a member of the Hoare banking fmaily and this son did likewise in 1808. The writer of this 1806 letter  signs only with initials the last one of which is fairly clearly an H and may be a member of the Hoare family or  fellow-student at Oxford or both.

 

Transcription

Addressed to: Sir Thos Acland Bart    Holnicote   Minehead   Somersetshire

Datelined: 2 o’clock at Night

Postmarked from London JA[nuary] 15 1806 arrival indicated by Two Py[Penny] Post postmark of Minehead

My Dear Tom

Ridiculous as it may appear I really have been worried by business for the last two days & have in consequence been prevented from fulfilling my promise of writing more fully about the Gamekeeper – I could find nothing in his exterior appearance with wch to quarrel – He is tall & well framed for activity & his deportment bespeaks his having lived with people of respectability being the farthest possible from any thing be approaching to pertness. He professes to be perfectly acquainted with the management of Dogs  & says he is a tolerably good shot – the last person with whom he lived was Champion Dymocke [probably the youthful Sir Henry Dymoke currently hereditary King’s Champion who provided a colourful bit-part  at Coronations - check it out! - the next one coming up in 1820] and before that with Lord Donegal, the latter he left on his removal to Ireland, when he was dismissed with several other gamekeepers from his L’ship not requiring their services. Perhaps his misfortunes may find him in more ways than one to recommend him to yr. service. He had lost all his children except one & that with his Wife was either the only remaining torment of his life or solace of his cares. But lamentable to relate they were about two months ago seized with the small Pox & died. What the poor fellow must have suffered can only be known by Parents. He is however left unemcumbered & perhaps on that account more desirable as Gamekeeper.

His name is Wm Marshall – living at the Dickinsons Tap [part of the extensive Brewery complex at] St John Street Clerkenwell – Age 29 Yrs – I should be glad to have yr answer about him as soon as possible, as I am under a sort of promise to send him the earliest possible intelligence of the result of my representation – you had much better drop the  …. [letter seal broken here] that prevented your coming to town on yr return to Oxford – as you will the have ocular proof of the truth of my relation & may be able to form an opinion of the man for y.self & set on foot enquiries into his character.

Wednesday

I am now setting off for London & therefore must conclude with kindest remembrances to …. Believe me most … & affect[ionate] yrs. [initials only and possibly:] TMH

 

Reference

Wikipedia: Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, 10^th Baronet