THE 19TH CENTURY

In this section of the archives you will find a wide variety of documents, including indentures, letters, magazines and newspapers. The nineteenth century witnessed an explosion in printed materials, driven forward by technological changes such as the steam-powered printing press and a reduction in the price of paper. It was also a time when those that could write put a great deal of time and effort into their correspondence, leaving the historian with a wealth of materials from which to draw.

Promissory note for 100 pounds dated 1816.

Indenture related to the apprenticeship of Hebert Charles Morris to Edward Cavell of Deal, Carpenter. 1898.

General Post Office Christmas card celebrating the postal service. Includes an interesting image of the “Postal and Telegraph Service” in Sudan. Dated 1885.

Receipt dated 1888 from B. Goddard, Cabinet Manufacturer and Upholsterer, Finsbury.

Victorian Advertisement for “Real Herefordshire Cyder”

Victorian letter dated October 9th, 1850 related to the William Pulling Distillery in Heretord

Victorian document dated 1859 related to an agreement made between Joseph Deighton and William Cook of York and Henry Driffield, Coal Merchant. In the agreement Deighton and Cook agree to pay Driffield the sum of £88. 

Victorian Inventory and valuation. Stamped Oxford 1872. In it the valuer itemisers the contents of a Sitting Room, two Ante Rooms, and a Bedroom. Total value of all the contents = £45

Letter written by the Dean of the Philosophical Faculty, University of Giessen. In English, dated 22nd November 1843

Advertisement for the sale of “Alder, Sycamore, Ash and other Poles and a large quantity of Cordwood and Fagots” at Clifton, Severn Stoke, May 25th 1868

Letter sent from Liverpool to a Mr. Corrie Ainslie in 1808 regarding the shipment of goods to Jamaica, including timber.

Victorian Advertisement for “Mark Moore” Civil, Naval, and Military outfitter, and maker of the
“Aquavaer” Coat. London

Victorian advertisement for farmland in Romney Marsh. No date.

Programme for the “Grand Procession and Public Rejoicings in Brighton” for the Marriage of
H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, March 10th 1863

Letter, in Spanish, related to the Santa Yolanda Cathedral in San Juan Puerto Rico. Dated 1844

Early nineteenth century American document listing of goods ships via schooner from the Port of
Oswego to the Salmon River

Military document detailing the state of the 30th Regiment of Foot stationed at Gibraltar in 1853

A Victorian letter with invoice from a Funeral home regarding expenses incurred for the burial of a William Earl

Indenture of William Clarke to become a Dredgerman, 1822

Invoice from an early 19th century coach company, 1819

Indenture detailing the apprenticeship of a William Earl to train as a Freeman of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames, 1851

1801 Indenture from the Archbishop of Canterbury Regarding the Apprenticeship of a Benjamin Southam

Programme from the Bristol Queen’s Day Celebrations, 1897

Act of Parliament of King George III dated 28th February 1803. This Act sought to “…amend and continue, until the expiration of Six Weeks after the Commencement of the next Session of Parliament, the restrictions contained in several Acts of the Thiry-Seventh and Thirty-Eighth Years of the Reign of His Present Majesty.”

Act of Parliament of George III dated 11th April 1816. The Act was “for empowering the Govenor and Company of the Bank of England, to advance the Sum of Six Millions, towards the Supply for the Service of the Year 1816”.

Act of King George III dated April 6th, 1819. The Act sought to “…restrain the Govenor and Company of the Bank of England from Making Payments in Cash under Certain Notices given by them for that purpose.

Act of King George III, 1805. “An Act for Raising the Sum of One Million Five Hundred Thousand Pounds…”

Act of King George III, 1816, Allowing the Treasury to Issue Exchequer Bills…

Quit Rent Roll for the Manor of Goring, West Sussex. 1840s

Collection of 5 letters sent from the Bank of England to George Mitchell, Royal Bank of Scotland. The letters date from 1809 to 1816.

Act of Parliament King George III, 1819. Act to Restrain the Governor and Company of the Bank of England from making Payments in Cash under Certain Notices given by them for that purpose.

Act of Parliament King George III, 1815. Act to provide better support of His Majesty’s Household during his continued illness.

Act of Parliament George III 1809. Act Regarding the Appointment of Commissioners to Enquire into Public Expenditure

Act of Parliament of King George III. 1805. The Act regards the establishment of a commission to examine public expenditures, and correct abuses and irregularities in Military departments.

Three Invoices from a Victorian Bricklaying and Plastering Company, 1890s

3 Documents Related to a Slave Plantation on the Island of St. Vincent, 1830-32

Miniature Newspaper “The Aldershot News” 1894

Bankruptcy Document related to the Old Radnor Coal Mine, 1880

Early French Document Related to the Payment of a Debt, 1838

Original Copy of “The Examiner” Newspaper for Feb. 26th, 1809

Collection of Mid-Nineteenth Century Invoices or Price lists for various items and Services. 1831-1860

French Document from 1823 related to Tax collection in the Champagne Region

Collection of 11 Victorian Receipts

Memorandum of Agreement, 1808. This three page document outlines an agreement between a William Bower, of Wilmslow Parish in Chester County, and Samuel Braddock of Manchester, for the “Publick House commonly called or known by the name of Castle Grove Inn”.

Copy of the Examiner Newspaper, February 26th, 1809

Letter from the British Admiralty to the Duke of Argyll giving instructions for placing an embargo on shipping, 1805.

Collection of Victorian Invoices. An interesting lot that looks like a party gone bad. There are invoices for: wine and brandy, cheese, guns and fowling pieces, and funeral expenses.

A Pamphlet Entitled, “The Yearly Meeting’s Epistle”, 1822, produced by the Society of Friends providing an account of an annual meeting held in London.

“The Examiner” May 30th 1830

The Examiner, Sunday May 30th, 1830

Register of a Will, 1821

A Bill to Remove Doubts as to Charging the Duty of Excise on Hard Soap, July 24th 1839

Collection of Letters from a Schoolboy in Tunbridge Wells Writing to his Mother, 1897

Collection of Documents Related to Seaman Alfred Bence. The collection includes a series of discharge papers from the different ships he worked upon during the early 1890s.

Document on the sale of a Property, 1808-1811

Collection of Victorian letters

Document Related to the Clipper Ship, Sea Witch. The Sea Witch was a ship built in New York in 1846. It was built for the China Tea trade and was the first clipper ship to go round cape Horn to California in less than 100 days. It sank off of Cuba in 1856. JFK had a model of the ship in the oval office, there model now residing in the JFK Library and Museum.

A Memorandum of Agreement, 1808

Document discussing Changes to the Wakefield and Ferry Bridge Canal Bill, No date.

Collection of Early 19th Century Insurance Related Documents. The collection includes examples of an insurance questionnaire that makes interesting reading.

Collection of Early 19th Century Letters

Collection of Letters from the Law Office of Edward Jackson, Wisbech Cambridgeshire

Collection of 5 Victorian Letters

Birth, Marriage and Death Records Related to the Haley Family of Bolton, 1856-1940

Letter mailed from London to Cognac, France, ordering a large amount of Spirits, 1862.

5 letters to a Colonel Grattan, 1886

letter of a James Watt regarding repairs at a Foundry, 1844

Collection of Victorian sales Receipts

Collection of Early 19th Century Letters Related to the Booth Family. Several of the Letters were sent from Dublin, and relate to legal and financial matters of the Booth family. Several letters make reference to Sir Robert Gore Booth, a controversial figure in early 19th century Irish history.

Collection of Victorian Letters to an Arthur Grubbe, 1870s-1880s. Part of a much larger collection of letters, the ones chosen revolve around sports and socialising, including Cricket, Fishing, Hunting, Tennis and more.

A Collection of Antiquarian and Genealogical Documents Related to the Carrington Family. Includes Family Trees, Letters and other Documents Related to the Family’s History

Collection of Antiquarian and Genealogical Related Documents on the Carrington Family

Letter Written by a John Jamieson in Glasgow, to His Father in Kirkwall, Isle of Orkney, in August 1855

Programme for a Military Show/Evening of Entertainment. Date unknown, but late 19th Century.

Three Victorian Letters/Love Letters. One of them can be described as a “drunken” love letter, as the writer admits he had been into the Sherry when he wrote it – which comes through in his writing!

Collection of Letters to an Arthur Grubbe, 1870s-80s. This is part of a collection of over 250 letters. Those chosen are focussed around sports and other social activities, including tennis, cricket, fishing and hunting. Although a small collection they give great insights into the social activities of the Victorian elite.

Letter by Seaman Benjamin Tracey aboard the H.M.S. Trafalgar at Lisbon, 1847. A very interesting letter from the sailor to his aunt, where he describes recovering from some injuries and finding strength in his faith.

Two Letters Sent to Mr. John Mercer of Deal, Kent, in the 1840s

A small collection of documents related to a Mr. Broom, Cowkeeper

Collection of Victorian Letters related to the Menzie Family, 1838 to the late 19th Century

Pamphlet on Regulations for Boating on the Thames, 1889

Two Baptism Records from the County of Surrey. Miss Kate West, 1849 and Miss Marion Lee, 1848

Letter to Miss Jeffreys, 1840. A woman writing to her sister, Miss Jeffreys of Seven Oaks in Kent.

Letter to a Mrs Britton, June 1822

Collection of Legal Documents and Bills, 1865 to 1899. Includes a list of rents collected in 1898-99.

Pages from the London Illustrated Almanac, 1862-1869

Pages from an Early Almanac, 1811

Excerpts from the Periodical “The Mirror” 1829-1840

Excerpt from the Saturday Magazine, No.11 September 1st, 1832. The piece has an article on “Bridges of London”

Article from the Penny Magazine, “A Day at a Glass Factory” 1844

Two short Pamphlets on Travel in London: Cabs and Trains, 1886

Pamphlet on the “Hot Springs of Bath” 1898

Three copies of “Tales of the Wars, or Naval and Military Chronicle.” They contain stories of: The Siege of Gibraltar, The Battles of Aspern and Wagram, and Retreat from Waterloo.

A Copy of “The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction” No. 470. Saturday, January 8, 1831.

Three Documents Related to the Coverdale Family of Middlesex County, 1858-1898

Memorandum of Agreement in Regards to the Rental of a Shop and Apartments at 11 Thornhill Terrace, May 1849

Certificate of Contract for Redemption of Land Tax. County of Surrey. 29th January 1803.

Letter Related to the Duke of Argyll, 1842. The letter includes a list of expenditures at a jewellers.

Diploma of a Dame of the Primrose League

Four Letters from the Law Office of John Elliott, Rochdale, 1804. The letters mention John and Thomas Ramsbottom, two early industrialists.

Collection of Letters from the Essex Law Office of E.S. Chalk, 1830s

Letter of Thomas Beevor Thanking a Friend for a brace of partridges.

The Oath of Every Freeman of This City, York, 1807

1840 Map of the Battle of Waterloo

Map of the Battle of Alma, 1854. The battle is considered to be the first of the Crimean War.

Memorandum of an Agreement between John Bailey, Beer Retailer of the Elder Tree, Islington, and John Hyde Gentleman of Middlesex, 1857

Four Letters from Wiesbaden Germany to England, 1890.

Indenture Related to the Early Lancaster Industrialist Thomas Ramsbottom, 1805

Love Letter, 1862

Letter Regarding Sending Something to Calcutta, 1847

Popular Marches – The Stars and Stripes Forever, 1897

Documents Related to the Powers Family, 1817-1833

Extract from the Will of Mr. James Gardiner, 1823

Genealogical Information on the Powers Family from the Inside Cover of a Family Bible, 1835

A Copy of the Mirror of Literature, Amusement and Instruction, Saturday October 4th, 1828

List of Legal Expenses Incurred by Miss Rogers…1835

Marriage Record for William Taylor and Marion Chambers, Paddington 1866

Sale Agreement for the Don Brewery, Sheffield, 1891

Document related to an Agreement Made at Herstmonceux in Sussex, 1844

Indenture of 1865 regarding an Apprentice Carpenter

Vellum Indenture for William Clark wine sampler from Middlesex 1865

Naval Certificate of discharge for a Benjamin Sell after a voyage to China. 1876

Document relating to a Benjamin Southern, Sailor, giving his wager to his wife while at sea. 1808

Victorian letter decorated with Devils, written by a Fred Pow, 1874

Letter of 1831 describing mob in Bristol

Early 19th Century letter discussing the mineralogical makeup of Stonehenge

Plan of Beldon Leed Veins on Lord Crewe’s Estate, Durham County, 1810

Plan of Shilden Veins, lead mining on Lord Crewe’s estate in Durham County, 1810

Letter related to a French ship that had been seized by the British. 1835

1803 print by the famous British caricaturist James Gillray, titled ‘Germans eating sour krout’

19th Century receipt for one year’s insurance. 1835

Victorian advertisement for ‘Patent enamelled kitchen furniture’ Sold by E Parks, ironmonger, 140 Fleet Street, London

Early Victorian Scottish letter complaining that a shepherd named Donald Ferguson assaulted one of the writers female servants, 1840

Victorian Indenture making Sir Nathaniel Lindley a Lord Justice of the Court of Appeal 1881

Victorian Auction Notice for the Sale of ‘Coppice Wood, Black Poles’ and more, Stifford’s Bridge, 1885

Victorian Broadside “To the Loyal Inhabitants of the City of Chester’. Regards a meeting ‘for the Avowed Purpose of Opposing the Further Suspension of the Act of Itabeas Corpus’ N.D.

1834 Arrest Warrant (Lancashire) for an Apprentice Named George Mallalieu who Absconded, Breaking the Contract of his Apprenticeship

Very Early Picture/ Carte de Visite of a Woman and Children in the Village of Woodcater in Norfolk, 1859.

Three Victorian photos of Eastbourne, East Sussex, showing the seafront and Pier

1882 Marriage certificate. Arthur Edwards and Sophie Honor. Surrey

Manor of West Drayton, 1800. Vellum