Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 20041 - The "Dubois" Collection of Jamaica Postal History and Stamps - Part I - conducted behind closed doors
Lot: 3

1655 Officer's Letter from Jamaica to London
The Earliest Recorded Example of Jamaican Postal History in Private Hands
1655 (9 July) entire letter from Charles Sparke, an officer within Oliver Cromwell's Army during the Caribbean Campaign of the Anglo-Spanish War of 1655-1660, to his brother Arthur in London; the address panel inscribed "To his ever Loving Brother one Arthur Sparke theis in Chancery Lane opositt to Lincolnes In att.Mr. Turno's house London" with a notation inside “I desired Mr.Stott the bearer hearof to present my petition to ye…”; the contents of the letter giving a first-hand detailed commentary on life in the island at that time and including ..wee are all prisoners heare, for how longe I know nott for I have bourne my owne expense all alonge and proffered to pay my passage to goe for England and it woulde nott be granted mee"... "I beleave if my lord p.tector knew how wee are searved & starved for want of breade he woulde tye sum up from their mits(?) when thay cum home, they take worse care and provission for our eveninges(?) then for dogs(?)."
"Wee bury comonly 105 in a day. Butt(?) if wee settle this island(?) Lord Protector will give mee certificate(?) your procuringe of five hundred akers of lande and you furnishe mee wth sarvntes and nessicaryes as I want I shall(?) God's assistance quikly send you over a better (?) estate then yt yow have in England"
"Itt is as gallant(?) lande as cann be settled for sugar, cotton, tobacco, indeco, ginger, horses and cows & 10000s of neager and mules enough."
"pray do find my mother to make me 6 shirts and linen drawers large and goode and nott long, 6 capps & handkerchefes."..."I pray sende mee two of the beste & largest wascoates wth a good saddle & bridle girtes sturrups halter strong & good"
"a goode fowlinge piece wth two lookes wte a moulde fitt to itt wth fuifty poundes of pidgoin shott & fourty poundes of swan shott wte fuifty poundes of good powder, 2 (?) of brandy, a barrill of the best baked breade wth sum oatmeale, 6 fallinge(?), 6 narrow hoes, 6 broade hoes, 2 crawscutt saws". Photo

A hugely important letter which predates the previous earliest recorded letter from Jamaica in private hands by some fifteen years and the earliest recorded "military" postal history item by some eighty years.

Note: Charles Sparke was one of four brothers. One of his brothers, Gabrielle, left to work in Barbados and Charles followed some years later but the relationship became strained and as a direct result Charles decided to join the army. His intention was to join the regiment of Col. Lewis Morris, a regiment raised locally in Barbados. Morris declined to go at the last minute and the regiment was given to Edward D'Oyley who later became one of the most important characters in the first five years of English rule in Jamaica. Sharpe joined the army just 10 days before the fleet left Barbados in April 1655. Following the disastrous attack on Hispaniola, the fleet turned its attention on Jamaica which was lightly defended. The fleet arrived at Jamaica on 10 May and following a bombardment the port was taken on the following day. The army advanced inland though most of the Spanish inhabitants escaped to Cuba. A guerrilla war lasted for a further five years with two further battles after the Spanish had landed several hundred reinforcements in an attempt to win back the island. Half of Oliver Cromwell's invading army were dead within the first year from dysentery, disease and starvation


It is not yet known what became of Charles Sparke after 1660

A detailed article on this fascinating letter appeared in the March 2011 BWISC Bulletin, a copy of which accompanies the lot

provenance:
Spink, November 2011

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Estimate
£12,000 to £15,000

Starting price
£10000