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HASTINGS SHIP LETTER SI
(Known 1775-1795. Scarcity H)
M ontserrat 25th July 1775 to M adeira, via London, per the “Lovely Lass”
Transit to London 54 days, to M adeira 5 months, arrived 30th December.
An entire addressed to Newton & Gordon in Madeira cancelling orders and regretting that
payment could not be made on existing deliveries because of the very poor crop of sugar. However,
it was endorsed to “The care of Messrs Pringle & Cheap” in London. There are no Montserrat or
Antigua marks so it was put directly on board in the care of Capt. Burrows. On arrival at Hastings it
was struck with S1, one of only two Eighteenth Century Ship Marks known in Sussex, of which this
is now the 4th known copy.
It was charged 4d - Id Ship Letter and 3d inland to London for under 80 miles in
accordance with the 1765 Act. There are no onward charges to M adeira so it was probably sent
as part of a parcel of letters.
