Search

This collection contains financial records related to the mercantile interests of Henry, Richard, and Lowbridge Bright, who owned several ships that made trading voyages between Bristol, England, and the Caribbean in the late 18th century. Accounts cover prizes taken by the Tryall during the Seven Years' War, as well as transatlantic trade between Bristol and several Caribbean islands, primarily Jamaica.

This collection contains financial records related to the mercantile interests of Henry, Richard, and Lowbridge Bright, who owned several ships trading between Bristol, England, and the Caribbean in the late 18th century. Volume 1 (approximately 88 pages) consists of accounts related to six prizes captured by the Tryall under Captains George Burford and James McTaggart between 1757 and 1758, including wages paid to the ship's crew and money received as the prizes' goods went to auction; along with the seamen, investors Henry Bright and Richard Meyler also received a share of the profit. In addition to wage payouts, the book notes the cargo of the captured ships, and lists buyers and prices for the goods, which included foodstuffs, soap, oil, clothing, and a variety of other items. Expenses are also occasionally recorded, such as the cost of housing prisoners.

• La Bellona, captured from France on April 28, 1757
• Cockermouth, re-captured from France on May 24, 1757
• La Mutine, captured from France on June 17, 1757
• Middenhoek, captured from the Netherlands on September 20, 1758
• Juffron Maria, captured from the Denmark on October 1758
• [Swimmer], captured from the Netherlands on October 21, 1758

Records for the final three ships are brief and do not make note of receipts from auction sales of individual items.

Volume 2 (approximately 112 pages) contains invoices for goods shipped onboard several of the Brights' sailing ships between Bristol, Nevis, St. Vincent, Jamaica, and Ireland. The accounts, compiled between October 8, 1772, and May 4, 1775, cover the final years of Henry Bright's operations, and additional later records (May 25, 1780-May 1, 1789) reflect the financial affairs of his heirs, Lowbridge & Richard Bright. Most of the records are invoices that primarily pertain to shipments from Bristol to the Caribbean, and include the names of agents who would sell the goods locally. The Brights sent a variety of nonperishable goods across the Atlantic, frequently consisting of items made of iron and other manufactures not yet prevalent in the Americas. Along with nails, pans, and other necessary items were less traditional items such as rat traps and parrot cages. Another common cargo load was limestone. Though several westward trips included shipments of cheese, most of the foodstuffs handled by the firm originated in the Caribbean and were sent to Europe; later records indicate that the company sent shipments of sugar and rum to Cork and Dublin, Ireland. The later records, belonging to Lowbridge & Richard Bright, are more general, and most frequently include a summary of the total value of goods shipped rather than the detailed invoices.

Volume 3 (approximately 124 pages) contains financial records and documents for Lowbridge & Richard Bright and for Bush & Elton, including correspondence with their captains regarding assignments. Limestone and other general provisions appear most frequently in the book's detailed outgoing invoices, and sugar, rum, and other local spices and products from various Caribbean islands appear on invoices for return ships. Additional invoices detail wages paid to laborers prior to each voyage, and several contain lists of provisions taken onboard in addition to cargo. Many of the accounts relate to the firm Bright, Milward & Duncomb.

• Kingston Packett, Captain William Mattocks, March 23, 1775-January 30, 1778
• Industry, Captains Thomas Powell, William Ball, James Henderson, and John Honeywell, December 9, 1780-June 26, 1787
• Severn, Captain James Henderson, March 5, 1777

Volume 4 (approximately 43 pages) consists of records for the Union, owned by Lowbridge & Richard Bright and by Davis & Protheroe, covering May 15, 1778-January 1, 1809. In addition to correspondence containing Captain John Henderson's orders, the ship's owners provided a list of friendly agents at a number of ports, to use in case of an emergency on the way to Jamaica. This volume also records wages paid to various laborers and sailors, as well as invoices and lists of provisions. Though the accounts cover only two voyages, undertaken in 1778 and 1779, financial settlements continued until 1809.

Sir Walter Raleigh's A Discourse of the Peace with Spain and retayning of the Netherlands is a 49-page manuscript treatise intended to persuade King James I to maintain a positive relationship with the Netherlands during peace negotiations with Spain in 1602.

Sir Walter Raleigh's A Discourse of the Peace with Spain and retayning of the Netherlands is a 49-page treatise, bound in vellum, intended to persuade King James I to maintain a positive relationship with the Netherlands during peace negotiations with Spain in 1602. Raleigh outlined the reasons for his belief that England should accept an alliance with the Netherlands following a thaw in relations with Spain and discussed relationships between major European powers.

This collection consists of manuscript copies of Sir William Monson's six books on naval history and theory, written by him in the first half of the 17th century. The volumes contain accounts of English voyages around Europe, contemporary assessments of rival navies and of international trade, and stories of famous voyages, including those of Magellan and Columbus.

This collection consists of manuscript copies of Sir William Monson's six books on naval history and theory, which the English naval officer wrote in the first half of the 17th century. The cover of each book is stamped with a decoration and the letters "W M." The volumes contain accounts of English voyages around Europe, contemporary assessments of rival navies and of international trade, and stories of famous voyages, including those of Magellan and Columbus.

• Volume 1
  • History of English conflict with Spain, ca. 1585-1602
  • Voyages of Sir Francis Drake
  • Voyages of other English sailors, including lists of ships and their commanders
• Volume 2
  • History of English conflict with Spain, ca. 1588-1636
  • Timeline of important encounters with Spain
• Volume 3
  • Structure of and hierarchy within the English admiralty
  • Contemporary naval life, including notes on punishment at sea and officers' duties
  • Notes on current Spanish naval strength
  • How to fight naval battles
  • Trade with the East Indies
• Volume 4
  • Important historical voyages, including those of Magellan and Columbus
  • Voyages of Sir Francis Drake
  • Exploits of Cortés
  • Geography of Africa, inland seas, and the Northwest Passage
• Volume 5
  • A plan to prevent the French from landing in England
  • Proposals for how to fight a war against Holland
  • The security of English shores
  • Trade with the East Indies and West Indies, particularly for tobacco
  • "A Project how to Ruyne Spaine"
• Volume 6
  • Trade with Holland and the West Indies
  • "what is necessarie for a plantacon in, Lewis"
  • Notes on salt, casks, and fishing
  • "A Story of 2 Piratts" [Pirates]
  • "The favours England have done Holland" and assessments of Holland
  • The books of Sir Roger Williams