Almack, William, 1811-1843 (tea merchant)
Person
Dates
- Existence: 1811 - 1843
Biography
William Almack (1811-1843) was born on 26 November 1811, the sixth son of Thomas Almack and Anne Barugh of Cherriburton, Yorkshire. His eldest brother was the solicitor and antiquary Richard Almack (1799-1875), of Long Melford, Suffolk. After several years as a tea taster with a London merchant house, William Almack travelled to Canton in China in 1837 to buy teas for the house of Messrs Jamieson and How. He died at sea on 15 December 1843 whilst returning home an invalid on the Indiaman Euphrates. His property in the city of Victoria, Hong Kong, was designated 'Almack Place' by the colonial government.
Found in 1 Collection or Record:
Fonds
William Almack: Journal
Fonds
Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS Add.9529
Scope and Contents
A bound journal of 164 pages, plus a further 17 pages of miscellaneous items at the end. The journal describes Almack's voyage out to China on the barque Anna Robinson, and thereafter provides a clear and detailed record of the events leading up to the first Anglo-Chinese or Opium War (1840-1842). The account also covers the principal events and military engagements at the outset of the war, leading up to the convention which ceded Hong Kong to the British crown in 1841. There are numerous...
Dates:
July 1837-July 1841
Conditions Governing Access:
Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
Found in:
Cambridge University Library