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Letters from the East, 1841-1886

 File
Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS JM/K10

Scope and Contents

A miscellaneous series of letters from Asia, the Far East and occasionally elsewhere numbered 1-60. Most of the letters were exchanged between correspondents in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Manila, Melbourne, Penang, Point de Galle and Singapore, but there is also some correspondence with Great Britain and the United States. The authors are B.A. Barretto, G.A. Brooker, George Brown, W.A. Frederick Brown, John Cairns, C.S. Compton, W.G. Dickson, S. Drinker, Thomas Howard Fellows, M.M. Firth, John Henry Gray, David Jardine, Joseph Jardine, Jardine, Skinner & Co., Pursetjee Jamsetjee, Heerjeebhoy Jehangir, Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, William Keswick, Captain Thomas Larkins, C. Lyall, George Lyall, R. Lyall, Donald Matheson, Dr Edward Menzies, G. James Morrison, Frederick Porter, D. Ruttomjee, C.B. Skinner, Donald Spence, C.T. Still, J. Whittall and C.A. Winchester. The principal recipients are J.C. Bowring, David Jardine, Joseph Jardine and Donald Matheson, but there are also letters to 'Betsy', A.G. Dallas, Andrew Jardine, Robert Jardine, Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, William Keswick, A. Matheson, M.C. Hunter & Co., John Skinner, Tsai Hu Yung, Peter Young and Mrs Young. Item number 19 is a petition from Canton merchants to John Bowring. Many of the letters are manuscript originals, but there are also press copies and typescripts. The correspondence is accompanied by a modern index of the authors entitled 'Letters. East - General', followed by a calendar of the letters' contents.

Dates

  • Creation: 1841-1886

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

From the Fonds:

Access to the collection is subject to special conditions and is at the discretion of Matheson and Co. Ltd, part of the Jardine Matheson Group. A statement of the conditions and an application form are available in the Manuscripts Reading Room. Printed copies of the form are available by post (please contact the University Library). An electronic version can also be found at https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/files/jm_application_form_2024_02.pdf.

Records described in the catalogue as being in a bad condition are in a fragile state that precludes them being made available to readers.

Access is generally available to documents dated up to 1969. Access to some earlier records may be restricted under the terms of the Data Protection Act, 1998.

Extent

1 envelope(s) (1 envelope)

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The documents originated from a box-file labelled 'Notes and original letters handed to ALAN REID [of Matheson & Co. Ltd] by Captain A. R. Williamson'.

Repository Details

Part of the Cambridge University Library Repository

Contact:
Cambridge University Library
West Road
Cambridge CB3 9DR United Kingdom