[The Friendship Estate, Westmoreland, Jamaica, West Indian plantation.] Autograph Letter Signed from estate manager 'Geo: R. Gow' to London bankers Thompson Hankey & Co., including a coloured plan of the estate, with acreage and 'Quality of leaves'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed, with two postmarks (one of Savannah la Mar, Jamaica) on reverse of second leaf to 'Thomson Hankey & Co: | Merchants | Mincing Lane | London | p packet', and docketted '84 | Geo R Gow | 29 Augt 1840 | rec 26 Oct [1840] | ans 31 [Oct] [1840]'. The letter is 38 lines long, and written in a difficult hand. Further to his last Gow writes that the sugar plantation's 'excellent seasons [...] still continue good [...] It is my intention to begin the full plant in the <?> of September and expect to have in by Christmas 30 Acres for the fall'. He explains that he has made 'a rough sketch of the present state of the cane field and what I intend to put in for the full plant'. In contrast to the letter the plan is neatly executed and coloured in green and blue. Approximately 13 x 20 cm, it shows the estate divided into 60 plots with a river running through it, and the 'Fort William Estate | Rented Land'. The key is in two parts, enclosed in a pink border. On the left is a section headed 'Reference', giving the Acres, Roods and Perches for 22 areas, including 'Fig-tree', 'Greenwich Pltn. Walk (Part)' and 'Negro House'. The other section of the key gives the 'Quality of leaves' for the 22 areas, including 'Full Plant', 'Spring Plant' and 'Second Returns'. In November of 1847 Gow was one of the witnesses before the House of Commons 'Committee appointed to Inquire into the Depressed State of Agriculture in the Island of Jamaica'. An opponent of the slave trade, Lord Holland owned extensive plantations in Jamaica by right of his wife, previously Elizabeth Vassall. From the Hankey banking archive.