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Charles Goore letter book, 1774-1783

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Summary

Creator:
Goore, Charles, 1703-1783
Abstract:
The Charles Goore letter book contains letters, dated March 1774 to January 1783, from a prosperous Liverpool merchant to other English merchants, members of Parliament, British naval officers, customers, and friends. These letters touch on various aspects of Atlantic trade, including the detrimental effects of the American Revolutionary War on British commerce, whaling ventures off Greenland, and the trade in tobacco, hemp, flag stones, and ironware.
Extent:
170 pages (1 volume)
Language:
English
Sponsor:
James S. Schoff Revolutionary War Collection
Authors:
Collection processed and finding aid created by Philip Heslip, June 2010

Background

Scope and Content:

The Charles Goore letter book (170 pages) contains copies of 295 letters from Goore to other English merchants, members of Parliament, British naval officers, customers, and friends. These letters, dated March 1774 to January 1783, touch on various aspects of trade, including the detrimental effects of the American Revolution on the tobacco trade, his whaling ventures off Greenland, and trading interests in hemp, flag stones, and ironware. Goore discussed difficulties with war ships, effects of the Revolution on prices and trade, the practice of impressment of seamen, and news from the American colonies. He also described the effects of privateering on trade, the slave trade, and technical matters relating to navigation. Several letters concern helping friends who were hurt by the upheaval in America. For instance, he tried to place seamen, formerly in his employment, in the British navy. This letter book provides an interesting perspective of the British side of the Revolution and particularly English merchants' reactions to the conflict.

While the collection primarily consists of business, legal, and political papers, Goore occasionally related information about his family. Of particular interest are 6 letters related to Goore's niece, Jenny Tatlock, whom he placed as an apprentice to Mrs. Ann Carus (pages 15, 19, 28, 93, 144). Goore wrote two stern letters to his niece Ellen Tatlock, who often begged for money because her husband was in prison (pages 82, 97). Goore also wrote to his niece Jenny, advising her not to marry an apprentice painter because she would end up supporting him (page 162). Several letters document Goore's business relationships with women, and a few letters are condolences to widows of his employees.

Other letters of note include:
  • January 25, 1775: describing a crowd in a coffee house waiting to hear the "resolves of Parliament relative to American affairs..."
  • June 13, 1775: revealing his opinions on the tense relationship between Great Britain and the American colonies: "The ax is laid to the root of the tree & it must be cut down or adieu to the colonies. God grant such measures may be taken that his Majesty may bring the Americans to become dutiful subjects."
  • February 5, 1776: describing his early career in the tobacco trade and the effects of the Revolution on Atlantic trading.
  • November 28, 1776: offering news of the war in America concerning generals Burgoyne and Howe.
  • March 14, 1778: reprimanding a neighbor for physically abusing his wife.
Biographical / Historical:

Charles Goore (1703-1783) was a prosperous Liverpool merchant with substantial interests in the Virginia tobacco trade. In the 1740s, Goore was one of the 4 largest buyers of Chesapeake tobacco. In the 1750s, he expanded his interests to include trade with Africa, and investment in the whaling industry. His ship Golden Lion was one of the few British ships involved with the Greenland whaling industry. He grew rich bringing seal skins, seal oil, whale bone, and whale oil to England. Though he continued trading with North America into the 1780s, largely dealing in hemp, flagstones, and ironware, as well as tobacco, the outbreak of the Revolutionary war severely disrupted his trading operations. In addition to his trading pursuits, he also owned a ropery. Goore was an important civic figure; he was elected as bailiff of Liverpool in 1747, and mayor of Liverpool in 1754 and 1768. He also served as senior alderman and justice of the peace for both the borough and county of Liverpool. He married Margery Halsall (1707-1776) on July 29, 1728, and died in 1783.

Acquisition Information:
1965. M-1351 .
Processing information:

Cataloging funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the "We the People" project.

Rules or Conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Contents

Using These Materials

Info for Visitors

How to Request

Ordering Reproductions

Download PDF Finding Aid
RESTRICTIONS:

The collection is open for research.

USE & PERMISSIONS:

Copyright status is unknown

PREFERRED CITATION:

Charles Goore Letter Book, James S. Schoff Revolutionary War Collection, William L. Clements Library, The University of Michigan

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Collection

Charles Goore letter book, 1774-1783
Total components 1
Last indexed 2024-10-17