Sugar

63pp., foolscap 8vo. Stitched. In ruled 31.5 x 20 cm notebook with original marbled card wraps. Begun from both ends, with 40pp starting at one end and 23pp at the other. Internally in fair condition, on aged and worn paper; in damaged wraps with loss at foot of one cover, and to a printed item laid down inside it. The volume contains sixteen pages of double-entry family accounts, dated from 30 June 1864 to 31 September 1890. These begin with details of 'Cash at Bankers', 'Cash [at Alexanders]', 'Investments', 'Ships', 'West India Accounts', and later feature 'Merchandize' and loans.

The Countess of Clarendon had inherited the Mesopotamia Estate from her previous husband John Foster Barham (1799-1838), who had died a certified lunatic year before her marriage to the Earl. The Estate had been in the hands of the Barham family for more than a century. The four items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All four with notes by the recipients. ONE: Letter signed by George J. Nicholson of the London soliticitors Vizard & Leman, in secretarial hand, to Messrs Thomson Hankey & Co. Lincolns Inn Fields; 7 July 1845 ('Mesopotamia Estate'). 1p., 4to.

The story of the Johnstone family has been told in Emma Rothschild's 'Inner Life of Empires' (Princeton, 2012). According to Rothschild, Alexander Johnstone 'became a soldier in the British army and was sent to North America.

1p., 8vo. Bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf 'To Thomson Hankey Junr.' In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter begins: 'Dear Thomson, | I give to you as a free Gift the Sum of Four Thousand Pounds & authorize you on 30th. of this Month to place that Sum to your Credit with our House by the Debit of my private Account. I also give you the one fourth Share of my two thirds Share of the Ship Elizabeth Capt.

3pp., folio. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Signed 'Isabella Hankey' and witnessed by 'John fforster Carey Street'.

On one side of a 47 x 20 cm piece of paper. Docketted on reverse. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. In part a form, printed in copperplate, with the details completed in manuscript, and signed on behalf of the firm 'Bristol 3rd December 1822 | Errors Excepted | Gibbs Son & Bright'. Included on the debit side are: Duty; Entry Fees, Wharfage, Town & Dock dues; 95 day's Interest; Freight; Warehouse Rent, Porterage, Weighing & Hauling; Insurance from Fire; Brokerage; Commission, leaving 'Nett Proceeds' of £257 18s 10d on £819 5s 0d.

Fifteen partnership agreements (indentures, memoranda, articles of copartnership) relating to the London banking firm of Thomson Hankey & Co., dating from between 1825 and 1929.Having traded with Jamaica, Antigua and the Leeward Islands in partnership with John Houblon. Captain Samuel Hankey commenced in business as a City of London banker-goldsmith in 1685. The firm prospered to such an extent that his son Henry owned Jonathan's Coffee House in Exchange Alley, the precursor of the London Stock Exchange, and was knighted in 1732.

The two items are in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Accompanying the two items is the envelope in which they were contained, docketted: 'Letters. | Duckinfield [sic] Hall Estate | { | Meylersfield Estate & Friendship Estate Trust'. Both items are signed 'Cyril Gurney | H. A. Trotter | L. M. Harvey'. ONE (Duckenfield Hall Estate letter): 1p., 4to.

The three items form a letter of 4pp., foolscap 8vo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf: 'Bill loading | Messrs. Hankeys Plummer & Wilson | Mincing Lane | London | Lady Kathe Barham'. Docketed '97 Robert Locke | 10 | 28 July 1837 | Received 20 September [1837]'. The bill of loading covers the whole of the first page, with two columns of closely written items, ranging from '2300 yds Osnabury 8lbs do thread' to quinine, opium and '1 Box Hydrometer proof Bubbles from 15 to 30'.

The connection between the two firms of London bankers Thompson Hankey & Co., and Plummer & Wilson & Co. is unclear, but after the bankruptcy of John Plummer and William Wilson of Fenchurch Street 1831, a new firm named Hankey, Plummer & Wilson was formed, Plummer & Wilson bringing to it a number of clients including Beckford. The source of Beckford's vast wealth was of course the family's sugar plantations in the West Indies, and this document dates from before the abolition of slavery. 3pp., foolscap 8vo. Bifolium. Very good, on laid paper with Britannia watermark of 'E SMITH | 1828'.

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.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. 56 lines. Good, on aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mrs. Curling'. Casamajor is taking 'the earliest opportunity' to inform Mrs Curling 'by the last Packet', that he has 'received an Acc[oun]t. from my agent in Antigua, that the Court of Chancery in that Island had disallowed all Charges of Interest on the Arrears of the Annuities on the late Mathew Christians Estates amounting to £2567.2.5 also the Trustees Commission of £50 a year for 16 years, to this our Counsel'.

Scottish lawyer and politician (-1801)(DNB). 2pp., 4to, good. He is forwarding for Sheffield’s attention a copy of a memorial prepared by him in 1780 when at the Board of Trade concerning disputes between England and Ireland “on the subject of the equalising duty on sugar”. His recommendations were adopted.