Dr Thomas Trotter sometime surgeon on the slave ship Brookes writing in 1827

 

This short letter is significant only because of its author. Older biographies of Thomas Trotter (1760-1832) like that to be found at Electric Scotland (and which appears unreliable) focus on his career after he graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from Edinburgh in 1788 and rose to be appointed Physician to the Royal Navy’s Channel Fleet in 1794 on the strength of a 1790 published proposal to reform the Medical Department of the Royal Navy. He was aboard ship during the naval engagements with the French fleet during 1794 and 1795 and had occasion to treat Nelson. But in 1802 an accident at sea produced a hernia which rendered him unfit for active service; he was given a pension and went into medical practice at Newcastle. He published significant work on reform of naval medicine, scurvy, the effects of drunkenness on the body, and on the prevention of “Fire and Choak Damps” in coal mines. He had literary pretensions and published poems and plays.

More recent biographies, like that now online at the Royal Museums of Greenwich website (see References) draw attention to his earlier career. The son of a baker, he enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1779 from uncompleted medical studies at Edinburgh and was assigned the role of surgeon’s mate. He saw very active service in conflicts, including those around the Great Siege of Gibraltar, and was promoted to full surgeon but then discharged in 1783 when those conflicts ended. Unemployed, he took a job as surgeon on a ship which  for over two centuries has been familiar to students of the slave trade, the Brookes. He was horrified by what he encountered at sea and found himself in conflict with the ship’s Master, Clement Noble, who refused his appeals to allow the captives on board more freedom of movement and more fruit & vegetables to combat scurvy, He made just one round trip on the Brookes and returned to Britain with a strong sense of guilt and convinced that the slave trade should be stopped.  He appeared before a House of Commons committee and recounted his experiences; Noble was also questioned. Later in life he argued for the abolition of impressment into Navy service; the practice was not formally abolished but lapsed after the end of the Napoleonic wars because the Navy was able to find enough voluntary recruits. My maternal grandfather ran away from his unhappy Kentish home in the 1870s, aged fourteen, made his way to the naval dockyards at Chatham, falsified his age to sixteen and enlisted. Only at his death in 1924 was his real age  recorded and revealed.

Mark Benson writing for the Royal Greenwich Museum (see References)  indicates that Trotter felt that the value of his work had not been fully recognised in the size of  his pension and this letter contains a statement to that effect; but he may also have hoped to receive some honour for what he had done both as a practising surgeon and, perhaps more so, as a contributor to both medicine and policies of naval reform.

The recipient of this letter, living fairly near to Trotter, is a man who eventually became Lieutenant General James Home (died 1849) of the Royal Marines. See the final reference for more about his career.  There were family as well as professional connections between the Trotters of Melrose and the Homes of Broomhouse. 

 

 Transcription

Addressed: To   Col. James Home    R.M.     Broomhouse    Dunse

Datelined: Melrose, July 30. 1827

Postmarked MELROSE and other markings which suggest the letter followed a rounabout route

Docketing note: 30 July 1827 Dr Trotter Melrose

My Dear Sir

Permit me to acknowledge the receipt of your kind Letter, with the inclosure for which again accept my warmest thanks.

Many of our old friends are now dropping into the grave; among the rest I lately observed Willie Minto, aged above 72.

I feel my general health improved in the country [he has been living in Newcastle and has returned to his place of birth], but my local [?] complaints cannot be mended.

The Duke of Clarence seems doing some liberal things [as Lord High Admiral he severely reduced the range of offences for which corporal punishment could be used in the Navy] but I have no hopes of any favor being extended to me. The acknowledged Good which I have done the Navy, seems only to have been the means of being treated with neglect & injustice. I remain, My Dear Sir, your ever grateful friend

T. Trotter

References

Wikipedia: Thomas Trotter (physician)

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/maritime-history/library-archive/dr-thomas-trotter [Mark Benson]

https://electricscotland.com/history/men/trotter_thomas.htm

https://snr.org.uk/two-scottish-marines-in-the-american-war-the-letters-of-william-and-james-home-of-broomhouse-1778-1782/

 

 

The Logistics of Emigration Betsy Stewart in Liverpool waiting to board ship for Australia 1853

 

This very detailed letter recounts a rail journey from Perth to Liverpool and preparations for embarkation on an unidentified ship sailing to Australia. The letter is written by Betsy (presumably Elizabeth in passenger records) Stewart to her married sister Mrs Margaret Anderson in Perth, Scotland; she is travelling with Jean and Kate and Donald – the latter two may be a married couple.  The financial details given in the letter indicate that she was not travelling by Assisted Passage. Australian arrival records should allow identification of the ship which sailed from Liverpool on or about the 12 May 1853 and the names of those who accompanied Betsy. It might then be possible to track their future lives 

Transcription

Addressed to: Mrs Henderson    Annat Bank    New Scone   Perth

Datelined: Ramesys Hotell   Liverpool    Thursday evening

Despatch postmark     LIVERPOOL MY 9 53

My dear Margret

Here we are all safe after Eating a good Breakfast not the bit the worse of our long journey of 200 & 70 miles Jean is briskest of us to day and her Cough much better we got the Carriage we started from Perth in all to ourselves till we came to Carlyle we had to shift Carraiges there (Luggage and all) and was put in to a common third Class where we had no so such room we were shifted a Second time within 16 miles of Liverpool and had to wait half an hour for the train that took us here it was a very long and heavy one so that it was 12 o’clock before we arrived late as it was Mr Duncan Robertson was the first person we saw for to hand us out of the Carriage. We had such Luggage that we saw no common horse could hold it and it was locked up at the Station until it goes on Board.

Duncan put us all in a Noddy and came down with us here (and payed the Cab of course) it was one o’clock before he left us and he is to be here to day about 12 o’clock and arrange about the heavy Luggage and everything that has not been put on Board yet but is to be to day. Kates Trunk is also safe at the Station Donald and her are away just now with Ramesy to see about it. We got nothing to eat all day yesterday but what we took with us for we stopt no time at any of the stations, we had 15 minutes at Carlyle changing but it took it all to see the Luggage right and at the other place we stopt at as it was so late that nothing could be got. There was a large room with a good fire for the Passengers we took Tea here although it was late and was in Bed about two in the morning and realy slept wonderfully well better than we expected. There is a nice young woman here with a Child that is going out to her Husband in Melbourn she is to be in the Second Cabin with us she is from Glasgow she intends going on Board tomorrow afternoon so if she goes we will go also we have to pay 2 / [two shillings] for our Beds here every night there are many going aboard even to day.

Thursday afternoon. Duncan has been here I went with him to Bains & Cos office to pay the rest of our Passage Money. Duncan tried to get our heavy luggage as reasonable as possible payed for I showed the Clark the measurement Mr Easson made out he said we should put the three largest Boxes on Board as Ships Cargo and that we would get it much chaper than by the feet measurement & give us a Card to that effect & when the Luggage is put on Board, we will get all the rest on as our due so that we think that it will not be so expensive as we thought. Kate has got her Trunk and after Packing the Crockery Box in it they have bought also all the Tin articules they required they got it and the mattress for 10/ [ten shillings] we payed 4/6 for the tin things we got also bought 2/ worth of nice soft Biscuite for Jean. Duncan is coming tomorrow to see all our Luggage on Board and then ourselves we cannot be grateful enough tot him for all his attention what could we do without him here. There are to be about 36 to 40 Passengers in the Second Cabin which will make it quite chearfull. There is only 4 or 5 first Cabin Passengers (no wonder tho they were anxious to get us) the most on Board are Steerage Passengers they think there will be very near 400 Passengers all together as we are going on Board tomorrow and the Ship is not to sail till Sunday morning perhaps I may write a few lines on Saturday after being a night on Board Donald says he will write home from the ship also. I hope you get home safe and not worse of coming to the Station with us and that you found the Calf better. This is a terrible town with traffick down at the wharf you would not hear yourself speak let you roar never so much Carting going as it is a real business town. Duncan took me through a great part of it to day to see as much of it as I could according to Miss Betsy Naughton Ideas.

I must now bid you good night and if I can get a letter Posted from the Ship on Saturday I will write a few lines. Jean joins me in kind love to you & Henderson and believe me my dear Margret your affte. Sister

Betsy Stewart

Diplomatic Manoeuvres in the Dark James Mario Matra British Consul at Tangier 1789

 

In the two immediately preceding posts I transcribed two 1790 letters from James Mario Matra, British Consul at Tangier, addressed to General Charles O’Hara in Gibraltar. This third letter to the same recipient is dated 1789 when the previous Sultan or Emperor, Sidi Muhammad ibn Abdallah, was still alive and in power.

What strikes me most is that this letter on its own, and even more so when taken with the two previous ones, shows Matra doing a job which looks more like that of an ambassador or diplomat than that of  a consul who would often be mainly concerned with trade matters and the needs of citizens of the consul’s own country. Here it is clear that Matra has direct access to the Emperor and other governing figures and is looking to solve a diplomatic problem the nature of which is not entirely clear. The Sultan wants one of his ships repaired at Gibraltar (and, presumably, at considerable British expense) but Matra is prevaricating and at the same time does not wish to cause offence.

Three references in the letter can be clarified:

 “Layton’s affair” involved the British merchant Layton out hunting one day who got into an altercation with local people over one of his dogs chasing a calf in the course of which – but seemingly by accident – he knocked out two teeth of a local woman. Retribution was sought and the Sultan, the Sidi Muhammad ibn Abdallah of this letter, ordered two of Layton’s teeth to be extracted. But by way of compensation, he awarded Layton a trading privilege.

The reconciliation with a son  referenced at the end of the letter was with his eldest son Mulay Ali, governor of Fez, who had been resisting orders from his father to impose additional taxes on the Jewish population of Fez, arguing that they were already impoverished. The dispute was settled by mediation but the relief afforded the Jews of Fez was short-lived: when the Sultan died another son, Mulay al-Yazid, seized power and launched new and bloody persecutions of the Jewish population.

"young Barrington" refers  to George Barrington, the 18th century's "King of Pickpockets" who has a Wikipedia page.

The clarification of those three things was enabled by AI results.

Transcription

Addressed to: No outer wrapper but note bottom left of letter in Matra’s hand: General [Charles] O’Hara &c &c &c [Gibraltar]

Datelined: Tangiers 2 August 1789

Docketing note in another hand: 1789 2d Augst Tangier [in another ink “12” as if a serial number]

Sir

I am honoured with Your Letter of the 29 Ult acquainting me with the arrival of Rais Hamaly [“Rais” used here to mean a Moroccan naval commander] and the conversation he has had with You.

I have been acquainted with the Emperors design of sending that ship to you, since Feby. last, but have had her detained by various artifices, until the Emperor sent a positive Order for her to go, and would not permit the Capt. any more to come on shore.

Mr Raleigh [John Raleigh, Secretary to the Governor of Gibraltar] can inform you of my last arrangement with him but I have no official information of it unless Layton’s [see introduction above] letter to me  & Rt. [Robert] Anderson can be considered as such, which by me they were not, & I refused to give an answer although I sent the Letter home [to England].

He [the Emperor]knows very well that it is not in your power to refuse his Ship; he must likewise know from what I have said to him & his Ministers, that there is no hope that the King [George the Third] will depart from the Declaration he was pleased to make last year “that whatever favour the Emperor required, he must apply immediately to His Majesty for”. I therefore conclude he is only in search of a pretext to show his ill will to Your Garrison and that when he hears of the departure of his Frigate he will stop the communication [between Morocco and Gibraltar]; for he is most sensibly mortified, at not receiving an Answer to the Letter I sent home in Feby. & would long before this have kept his word had not Laytons affair [see introduction above] happened.

It remains now to be decided whether considering the Emperors great age; the opinion of Europe on disputes with this country, and the advantages of his Provisions, it be, or not, worth while to parry this thrust, at the expence of fifty or a hundred Guineas.

As to repairing his ship, I do not think it will be done; at least I have reason to believe that while Lord Sydney [Thomas Townshend, Home Secretary until June 1789] was Secry. of State it would not, particularly if the Emperor did not ask it properly; what Mr Grenvilles [William Grenville, Home Secretary from June 1789] sentiments are I know not, as I have not yet heard from him.

Should you think it worth while to attempt any thing, I see but two ways – Keeping him till you know Mr G’s [Grenville’s] sentiments is dangerous; from what I have heard of her state, she may sink in the Bay, or what is as bad, He may two months hence send out a direct refusal.

If by an agreement with the Rais [the naval commander Hamaly], she was properly surveyed, & he join in opinion that it was impossible to repair her without a Dock; or that she could not float till proper stores arrived that it was necessary for her to go to some Port immediately, & that a ship must even escort her to Cadiz, I think it would do.

The Rais may be prevailed on to agree to this, & I dare say in his report to the Emperor, would mention how very ready You all were to please him had it been possible. He has I think some Plan of his own, which he was to have mentioned to me but he arrived late at night & was ordered out at daylight next morning.

He would rather be at Cadiz because the Corn junto [ association of corn merchants in Cadiz who import from Morocco and need naval co-operation] pay him well; our Bashaw    [ variant of “Pasha” and referring here to the Governor of Tangier, Mohammed ibn 'Abd al-Malik, a significant figure who travelled to Vienna in 1783 to establish diplomatic relations with the Holy Roman Empire] would report as favourably as possible, because he is ruined by the Emperor & has no way of getting money but by selling his Cattle at Gibraltar.

If any thing like what I have proposed be adopted You will probably have another attempt in the winter when his remaining frigates return from the Westward. But by then you may be well assured of the sentiments of the new Secretary of State. Some resolutions on our part must be taken, we must either drub, or pay this Man, unless we choose at once to abandon his Provisions [What is supplied to him or what he supplies?], & preserve Peace without a connection. His word or treaty, is on a par with the morality of young Barrington [see introduction] but just at this time I would not willingly quarrel, because we have eleven men among the Arabs whom I want to get [informers he wants to protect?]

I have not seen the Bashaw since the receipt of Your letter, for I have been confined to my room more than a week, & am at present, so ill that it is a pain to me to write. I am paying a heavy Tax for my winters journey.

The Empeor (they say) has reconciled to his son [see Introduction for details], to whom he has sent some handsome Presents. He is to reside at Fez [where he was already Governor]. He has cut off all communication by Land with Algiers, & orders any Caravans coming from thence to be confiscated, for reasons which he reserves to himself.

The Bashaw told me, when I last saw him, Orders were given to raise an Army of 45,000 men.

I have the Honour to be Sir    Your most Obedient Humble Servant J.M.Matra

Reference

Wikipedia: George Barrington

Yesterday I had a sealed Letter from the Emperor delivered with the utmost caution of secrecy The British Consul James Matra intrigues at Tangier 1790

 

Should you ever have been tempted to think diplomacy a polite synonym for intrigue, this letter will renew the temptation.

Since the installation in 1789 of the violent, mercenary, and unpredictable Sultan Yazid as Emperor of Morocco, the British consul in Tangier, James Matra, has been busy trying to keep him friendly to Britain, whose garrison in Gibraltar is partly provisioned from Morocco, and to ensure that if there are hostilities they should be directed against Spain, as indeed they were, culminating in the siege of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. In this letter, Matra proposes the acceptance of Yazid’s request for two artillery men to come over from Gibraltar to train his troops in firing cannon. As it happens, the letter was written just at the beginning of  what turned into a long ceasefire at Ceuta. Some artillery training might be useful in the interim before a resumption of hostilities, something which did indeed happen in 1791.

I have not been able to establish the identities of all those mentioned below, notably Harcas. This water-damaged letter was written nearly six months after an earlier letter posted immediately before this one at

https://www.otherpeoplesletters.com/2026/09/on-death-of-sultan-mohammed-third-his.html

The letter is written on the same Britannia watermarked paper as the previous letter (and other letters in my possession) and the paper is probably official issue. I do think it is written in Matra’s own hand but may be a second copy. The outer wrapper with an address  is missing, as is true of the related letters I have.

 

Transcription

Addressed to: “Gener” [ General Charles O’Hara in Gibraltar]

Datelined: Tangiers 15 October – 1790 –

Docketing note: 1790 15 Oct Consul Matra [ and in a different ink] 45 [presumably 45^th item in a series]

Dear Sir

I am particularly obliged to you, for your Introduction of Col. Symes, with whom I have had much conversation [Edward Symes, at this period the minder of Prince Edward feckless Duke of Kent recently despatched to Gibraltar by his father George III ] – as R. [?] is rather costive of his information. I knew not that Harcas [?] had risen his demands beyond the Feramaty [?] & Pully[?] which the Emr. [Empe[?]ror = Sultan of Morocco Yazid, 1789-92] mentioned to me. The fellow has behaved like a Moor & probably may pay for it. Both he & our acting Governor [of Tangier] had twice written to Master that he had everything. [That is to say, they had handed over all the money in their Treasury to Yazid]. They were both so frightened that I had some difficulty to keep them from deserting. I have sent H [Harcas] of & given him a Letter to his Master – if the fellow be not in a scrape at his first onset, it may save him on a supposition that there is some reason left [in his or in  the Emperors’s mind?] – I have explained the delicacy of our situation to him; but I might just as well sing him a Psalm.

Harcas has picked up much military information from you, which I have digested for him & if he is to give it to his Master, that he may be prevailed on to let Ceuta sleep in quiet, until he is better prepared to disturb it. [Sultan Yazid set siege to Ceuta on September 25, 1790, followed by a ceasefire from October 14, 1790 – note the date of this letter - ending August 15, 1791] I have always been driving at this, but indirectly, for here, one must not appear wiser than an Emperor. Under your shield, I may, & so may H [Harcas] talk more freely.

Now for a hot shot –

Yesterday I had a sealed Letter from the Emperor delivered with the utmost caution of secrecy. After mentioning the purchase of some Prize Cannon as Gib. [Gibraltar] he tells me – that his People are very ignorant, and that he wishes I would have two sent here from the Garrison, good Artillery Masters, capable to instruct some of his men to fire hot Balls. If they come, he says by the blessing of God he will reward them liberally, & will never forget my rendering him that service. The arguments ordered to be used with me were that the French did so for the Turks while they were at war with the Germans, and as that we always have a number of soldiers & officers here, it may be done without being known.

Certes [Certainly] if a Gentleman & his Deputy, or two Deputies without a Gentleman, would volunteer such a business, for benefit of health, I think I could conduct it so, that neither you, nor the Government at home – nor probably anyone here should know anything of the matter. And so I have told Mr Grenville [presumably in Tangier?] – all I should require would be a little discretion on the part of the two - & I assure you - & If by accident two such People come over here on any other account I shall privately employ them that way - & let you know nothing of the matter. You may call me a Moor, or what you please. The whole is a childish piece of business and will end in a Present [presumably from the Emperor to Matra].

Some of your People have shaved us completely. Except myself every human creature believes the Spaniards are coming from Algeciras to knock Tangier down; & we are busy making Fagots & Batteries – Colasso [the Portuguese consul in Tangier, Jorge Pedro Colaço de Sarre] & Chappi [? ] have written to the Emr. for leave to send their families to Europe.

None of your reports about the place are true – no war is declared against Spain – not a shot has been fired – no Ships have been taken or lost on the Coast – nor no Cruizer out. But they say Spain wishes to accommodate with this country which looks like quarrelling with us. I will now assure you a truth which I have proof of – Count Florida Blanca [ Chief Minister of Spain 1777-1792] was concerned in the Corn trade here. He must in the end protect Salmon [Spanish consul who presumably knows about Floridablanca’s business dealings; the Moroccan Jewish vice-consul for Spain was gruesomely executed by Sultan Yazid a few months previously]. This was generally believed, but until within these last few days, I could not suppose a Prime Minister capable of such things.

For the particulars of Business here I must refer you to Col. Symes.

Would to God our Masters knew their own minds, & would give us either War or Peace, and invalid me with an Irish Mitre, for that is the utmost of my Ambition now – here I will not stay [Matra stayed and died in Tangier in 1806].

If it be War, you stand a worse chance of getting [out] from Gibr. than I do from this; for I suppose they have sense enough to know that you are the properest person to defend your own works [Gibraltar’s defences]. The Government [Governorship of Gibraltar] may be hung up as expectancy, as long as Jamaica did [O’Hara  was sent to Jamaica from 1782-42 after being freed from American wartime captivity]. It is too good a thing to be given in a hurry. [O’Hara did eventually become Governor of Gibraltar].

I must turn away all my workmen before I can move from this, which I wish I could tomorrow. I have already a Drawer full of Letters from this Man [Sultan Yazid] – am hourly pestered from every corner of the Coast, that my name may be made use of, & till the Sp. [conflict with Spain?] blew up, was hourly pestering every body that their name might be made use of, so that I can never lose sight of my Desk.

I am ever Dear Sir Your most Faithful Humble Servant

J. M. Matra

 

 

 

 

 

On the death of Sultan Mohammed the Third his son and successor Yazid wreaks vengeance as described in this 1790 letter from James Matra in Tangier

 

The British captured Gibraltar in 1704 and Spain ceded it in 1713. It was heavily garrisoned and also became home to a growing and ethnically mixed civilian population serving the everyday needs of the military; but the territory could not feed itself. Food could be imported locally from Portugal, Spain, and from the independent kingdom of Morocco just across the Strait of Gibraltar provided Britain was not in conflict with any of them which was not always true. Maintaining good relations with the Sultans of Morocco became of strategic importance and placing British consular officials in Morocco’s ports provided a necessary lubricant to smoothing both political and trade relationships.

For much of the 18^th century things went well though Morocco sought to play off both sides during the French and Spanish Great Siege of Gibraltar (1779-83) - see on this site

https://www.otherpeoplesletters.com/2026/09/the-author-of-these-letters-which-may.html

- things became difficult again when the violent (quite possibly psychopathic) and mercenary Sultan Yazid succeed his father in 1789, opposed by his brothers and significant parts of Morocco’s very mixed community, notably its Sephardic Jews. Yazid’s troops terrorised Jewish communities and were sent to re-take Ceuta from Spanish control. Yazid  was killed in battle against his brotheres and rivals in 1792 and life returned to something like normal.

Yazid’s hostile intent towards both Jews and Spain was signalled very early on when he ordered the gruesome execution of the Spanish vice consul in Tetuan, Solomon Hazzan, a prominent local Jew. The letter transcribed below includes an eye-witness depiction of the scene.

It was written by a man with a past both remarkable and colourful and addressed to another in the same category; they probably knew each other from shared pasts.  The relaxed tone of his letter suggests to me that he knew the recipient quite well.

James Mario Matra (ca 1746-1806), author of the letter and born a British subject in New York, got himself a place in the history books when he sailed to Botany Bay with Captain Cook, at the same time cementing a long friendship with the actual botanist Joseph Banks. Back in England he published his experiences and lobbied for the creation of a colony in New South Wales which could become a home for the Black Loyalists who had fought on the British side in the American War of Independence; the colony was established but it was one designed to house convicts; the black soldiers were offered Sierra Leone.

There is then a gap in his life story which  research by Wendy Moore suggests may have had unsavoury elements . Through his brother Captain Perkins Magra (an amended spelling of the original Corsican name which James Matra had reverted to) and probably directly James Matra knew the fabulously wealthy Mary Eleanor Bowes who as a young widow in London was tricked into marrying an unscrupulous (and, as it turned out, abusive) self-syled "Captain" Andrew Robinson Stoney. The plot to achieve this outcome was extraordinarily devious and involved  a cast of bit-part players. Jame Matra could have been one. But it is also the case that James Matra and Mary Eleanor Bowes were connected through a shared acquaintance with the botanist, Joseph Banks.   

When James Matra re-surfaces it is as successively consul in Tenerife, Constantinople and – from 1786 – Tangier where he lived until his death in 1806.

Charles O’Hara (ca 1740 – 1802) eventually became Governor of Gibraltar but at the date of this letter  was a senior military officer there. He had fought in America and was one of those who surrendered to Washington (though the sword was handed to Washington's second-in-command) at Yorktown in 1781. At Gibraltar he had children by two women and both families benefitted very substantially from his will as did a black servant who had probably stayed with him since his time in America.

I have glossed as much as I can but have not succeeded in clarifying every reference in this long and interesting letter. The letter concludes with an opaque passage which I think may be some kind of encoded message. The status of this letter is itself puzzling. It is probably a duplicate or copy letter and it could be that it is not in Matra’s own hand. Similar letters are known: in 2023 the London auction house Christies sold 99 copy letters from Matra to home secretaries Henry Dundas and the Duke of Portland dated between 1792 - 1801. They achieved a very modest hammer price of £2,250; the foolscap paper, handwriting and organisation of the material on the page appear identical to that of this letter. 

Click to Enlarge

For a continuation of this story see the next Post:

https://www.otherpeoplesletters.com/2026/09/yesterday-i-had-sealed-letter-from.html

Transcription

Addressed to: Genl. O’Hara [annotation at bottom left of first page]

Datelined: Tangier 24 April 1790

No outer address wrapper and probably a second copy, but folded into filing format and docketed 1790 24 Apr Tangier

My dear Sir

I left Tetuan this morning & what with the confusion we were in there & the journey I am quite stupid. One of Andersons boats goes in the morning early [to Gibraltar] when certainly I shall not be up, there fore however dull I be I shall say something to You before I lay down. I left a Letter for You to go by Checardo [alternatively Chicardo ] who tho the communication be open there [Tetuan], I fancy will go with a few fowls [?]. For such is the state of things there, that the Moorish merchants will not allow they have any money – Here the communicatn [with Gibraltar] is not yet opend, tho the order of Tarif [ ?] be signed. Our Governor [of Tangier] has them, & he will be here with his Master [Moulay Yazid, the new Sultan of Morocco] tomorrow or next day. In short none of us have our Papers & that is one reason why you get no official letter from me – what I have done is – confirmation & renewal of old Treaties – new Tarif – order for our shipwrecked Seamen – letter to the King [in England?]; & the usual Papers – As the Empr [Emperor- meaning the Sultan] has requested his letter to the King may be sent home in a Frigate I take it for granted one must go – but lest I forget – I now send a Letter to the Admiral [probably Rear-Admiral Joseph Peyton in command of the Mediterranean fleet] – if he be gone to Algiers, it may cool [uncertain, could be he may call?] but if he be cruizing with intention to come to me I wish above all things it may be forwarded to him – in fact I must stop his coming here – not knowing if a single ship is at Gibraltr I write not to any of them  but if you should have a friend in, I wish you would prevail on him to set off immey [immediately] to the Admiral if he be cruizing –

Atall [Jacob Attal , Jewish secretary and adviser to Sultan Mohammed III of Morocco who died in 1789 and succeeded by Yazid] was cut into pieces and burnt – his head fixed here on the market – the Spanish Vice Consul at Tetuan [Solomon Hazzan] had a hole through the heels & hung up naked. I saw him alive 20 hours after, left on purpose for the Spanish Consul [González Salmón] after which he was burnt – my old acquaintance Gl [General] Abbas, Commander in Chief of the black Army [an army of technically enslaved African men] & his Deputy – killed, for attempting to debauch [detach?] the [?] Ulemma [the religious scholars] from his brother. Heavens how I shall shock you when we meet – when the Emr. goes away from this [place] I mean if possible to go over to Gibr to finish my [diplomatic] letters & have a little holiday. I shall give you the substance.

At our first publick audience I was particularly distinguished. The Empr. declared his friendship for our nation, with whom he would preserve a good peace & grant what we asked for, & with the Ragusians [from the city state of Ragusa, now Dubrovnik] – to the other nations he gave 4 months at the end of which time he would be at war with them – the next day he recollected that the Swedish Consul had joined with me once, in privately sending him a Present at Abslem [Moulay Abdesalam]  – H.M. immediately sent for him, promised to renew the Treaties, & made him a present of a Horse. In time all got on good terms. How the Spanish Affairs are I know not, but I believe their arrangement will prove very temporary – It is hinted that a very considerable annual sum is demanded – what they spent at Tetuan I assure you was very considerable.

Now we are in high favour; I may say thanks to me, for to obtain it, I have truly risked roasting for many months past – had I been detected it would have certainly happened. Will they do anything at home to preserve it. No.

Hadge Hassen el Huash [?] is appointed Vice Consul at Tetuan.

Nothing yet, that I know of from Morocco [used to designate the southern part of the kngdom] but the Prince there Hesheim [Hisham, Yazid’s brother and rival] has neither party not abilities & as far as our intelligence extends the Empr. is acknowledged, & he has given me a Horse.

His favourites are: Capt of Cruizers & the Cheriffs of Muly Abslem [Moulay Abdesalam]– Would to God our Army such!!! were come & gone for I dread a general plunder – the following is an extract from one of my private letters – I formerly mentioned a friend of mine to you I cannot tell what to make of him. When he lived alone & had but one adviser he adhered steadily to his plans; but I am told since he has come into company, he listens to everybody, is of opinion with the last speaker, does whatever is required of him & of course must be doing wrong  a dozen times a day – beside which he trifles away his time most egregiously, so that if anyone wished to set up in business they have all possible opportunity instead of playing the great man in a pretty villa  he should be exercising in London but they say every hour produces new Schemes. I hope this want of steadiness may mend, if not the House rich as it is may be ruined, for he has a determined and active Enemy away down in Cornwall.

A confidential letter cannot be sent to me by way of Tetuan.

I have the honour to be   Dear Sir Your most faithful Hum. Servt.  J.M. Matra

 

References

Wikipedia: James Matra

Wikisource: Dictionary of National Biography Charles O’Hara ca. 1740-1802

Wikipedia: Black Army

Wikipedia: Muhammad_III_of_Morocco

Wikipedia: Yazid of Morocco

Wendy Moore, Wedlock (2010)

 

 

By the way, I was shipwrecked off the French coast … a phlegmatic correspondent in 1828

 

Robert Abbotson from Westmoreland is in London conducting various kinds of loosely specified business and writes to his brother John back home and who is likely to have been the John Whaley Abbotson practising as an attorney in Black Bull Yard, Kirkby Stephen.

Robert Abbostson is probably lodged over the Mori and Lavenu sheet music shop at 28 New Bond Street and more likely works nearby rather than in the music shop; he regularly visits a draper in Clerkenwell, John Pemberton, who is well-established selling printed cottons. Abbotson writes about business and everyday matters but describes - without making it the centrepiece of his letter - having been to France on an excursion which went wrong when the steam packet from London ran aground off Boulogne. This would have been the Columbine which was wrecked north of Boulogne on the 18^th September with over 300 people on board, all of whom were rescued. One would have expected the rescued passenger to have written earlier about his experience but, no, he says “I had nothing particular to write about”. This letter, however, does fill three sides and is then cross written over one and a half sides.

 

Transcription

Addressed to: Mr John Abbotson   Kirby [sic] Steven   Westmoreland

Datelined: 28 New Bond Street    Nov 16 1828

Despatch postmark: [London] NO 17 1828

My Dear Brother

You will think me very negligent in not answering your letter sooner as I had nothing particular to write about I pospon’d it till now. I am a regular visitor at Pembertons in St John Street the first time I saw him he gave me a general invitation, I din’d there a fortnight ago they always enquire after you. Miss P you have been a great favourite with when she comes down to Yorkshire she vows she will not return without seeing you. The younger of the Miss Ps poor lass has long had a love fit her Brother did not approve of the match, she left London in March for Burton and has been there ever since her true lover followed a short time afterwards and I have heard that they were married, you perhaps will know him he was Clark at Mr P. when you were in Town. I stay all night the last time I was there. Mr P. and myself went up to the angel at Islington and had a couple Bottles of wine we then went to his house in St John Street & had supper by that time it was eleven o’clock too late for me to gain admittance in Bond Street. I slept with Mr P had Rump stakes & Coffe for Breakfast and got to Bond St time enough for business. My Cousen Whaley [?] and me are good friends he was in town about three weeks ago we went to the theatre at his expence he generally stays in town a week or ten days and during that time I sleep with him four or five times I had a letter from him yesterday morning, some commission he wants me to execute for him I believe he is doing business in Liverpool I am going to the city tomorrow morning about his business perhaps that is the reason of his being unusually generous to me when in Town I have had an excursion to France but to give you a description of it, I should require several sheets of paper, you would read in the papers, an account of a steam packet  been wreckd on the french coast, I unfortunately was on board and had a very narrow escape, lost my luggage but that was trifling. The vessel struck about ½ past eight and, remained there till Eleven expecting every moment to go down to rise no more after we got on shore by the assistance of small boats we walkd a cross the country about 15 miles that night or rather morning when we arrived at Bolongue which was the place we were going we banished from our minds what had past and determined to enjoy ourselves which we did much to our satisfaction

Robert Burrows has return’d from the Indes he poor fellow had but an unfortunate voyage. I have nothing more to say at present I heard from home by Mr Thomas Redmayne he returned a bout a fortnight ago they were all quite well I am going to write to Mary this week if you have been at Austwick [ North Yorkshire] lately you will have the goodness to insert all the news when you write which I hope will be soon

If you could send me a couple brace of game to give to Mr Pemberton or send them to him carriage paid I should feel particularly obliged to you. When you write tell me how you are getting on in the way of business I hope it continues to answer well for you I was sorry to hear of Richards misfortune but I hope he will be no worse for it …. and pray tell me what they are going to make of William it is quite time he should be off some where I have no opinion of him staying at home. Write to me as soon as you have time excuse all faults for I know there are many have you heard any thing of John Metcalfe Ann gave me a shocking account sent but I hope it is not correct & must conclude hoping this will find you quite well as it leaves me at present

I Remain Dr Brother Yours affectionately   Robert Abbotson

Reference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shipwrecks_in_September_1828

Sarah Lawrence is seeking admission to the Colston Alms Houses in Bristol 1839

 

Dictated letter from a woman in Bristol who has probably been a servant in the household of a Mrs Rice who appears now to be making her occasional gifts of money. The writer is seeking admission to the Colston Alms Houses in Bristol built in 1691.They are named after the Bristol-born slave trader, merchant, philanthropist and Member of Parliament, Edward Colston. The Alms House originally designed for 12 residents still exists with an unchanged purpose, though internally modified to provide tweve one bedroom flats. The deferential tone of the letter may be due in part to the intervention of the friend who wrote the letter. The mention of riots in Bristol probably refer back to those which occurred in 1831 following the rejection in the House of Lords of the Great Reform Bill; the palace of the Lord Bishop of Bristol was burnt down. 

Transcription

Addressed to: Mrs Rice. Original address heavily crossed out and replaced by 9 rue de Pierres à Bruges Belgium

Postmarked: BRISTOL JU 24 1839, LONDON 25 JUN 1839, OSTENDE transit mark 26 JUN

Datelined: June 23^rd 1839

Docketing notes indicating Five Pounds sent on June 12 1839 and a further payment on Dec 14 1839

 

Most honor’d Madam

This comes with my most humble duty & beg pardon for not writing before, I hope you will forgive me. I hope my dear Master & you my Dear Lady, with the dear Young Lady & Gentleman are in good health as I bless God I am at present. I beg to return you my most thanks for your kind present & may the Lord bless you my dear Lady & each of the dear family with health happiness & prosperity.

I havea petition for Coulstons [ = Colston’s] Alms-houses but must wait for a vacancy I hope in the Lord I shall succeed. I feel distress’d in not having answer’d  your kind letter before & Lady’s call’d on me twice & ask’d me if I had receive’d it & said they should write or I should have written before. I do hope I shall get in the Alms house to have a Home if it is ever so small for every year I feel the want of one more as I almost feel at times I am as an intruder. I pray God to protect my dear Mr George. We have now built where Reeve’s Hotel was where yo once staid a most splendid Hotel call’d the Great Western Hotel is was expected there would be a riot here again but now we have Barracks filled up at the Armoury Stapleton Road  the 29 Regiment of foot soldiers and the Band plays every evening  at the Great Western Hotel it is the officer’s head Quarters and at Clifton, a detachment of Horse Soldiers the 10^th Hussras which makes  Bristol very gay.

I have made Dear Madam several attempts to try & write myself but every day I feel I get still more nervous. I have dictated this & got a kind friend to write it for me.

I remain Dear Madam

Your obedient Humble Servant

Sarah Lawrence

Reference

Wikipedia: Colstons Almshouses