Bermuda: 1620 (Sept. 24) entire letter “To the Ryght Worshipfull Sir Nathaniel Rych at Allinton House in High Holborne I pray you geve these with spede yfGod Permet” and a simliar example of 1628 (Mar. 18) both written by John Hanmer, the latter datelined “Summer Island” (Somers Island) and endorsed “John Hanmer his letter and invoice sent by the Lydia dated from the S Ilandes 18 Marche 1628 It was delivered unto me on Tuesday the 28 April 1629: being sent me from Dartmouth where the ship putt in”. With the content transcribed for each and concerning report of the recipient’s brother’s death in Portugal and the trade in tobacco, mostly fine and with double ring “PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE” (London) marks on rear of each with an accompanying letter from the Public Records Office confirming their deaccessioned status in 1969. Ex Pitts. Photo. Sir Nathaniel Rich (1585? - 1636) was a merchant adventurer and shareholder in the Virginia, Bermudas, Somers Isles and Providence Island Companies. John Hanmer was a one-time Royal Commissioner into the dispute between the Earl of Carlisle and Captain Hawley in the Bahamas in 1640. The second earliest known letter from the islands in private hands. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1684 (Jan. 3) entire letter, file folds, addressed “These/For Mr John Wise Marchante/In London”, datelined “Bermodas”, the content (concerning the writers brother Benjamin’s bill of exchange) and is transcribed incl. “in closed is a bill of lading for a bag shipt one board the Constant Love Capt John be comnds containing one ounce of gold or more and two hundred ninty five pesis of 8.....” and signed by Joseph Stowe. Ex Ludington. Photo. The writer asks for assistance to raise payment of a £200 ransom for the release of his brother Benjamin following his capture by Barbary pirates. Captain John Bee sailed from England in the ‘Constant Love’ leaving England on about 26 Oct. 1683 and arriving in Bermuda on 29 Jan. the following year. This believed to be the fourth earliest letter from the islands. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1726 (Apr. 18) entire letter to Worcester (England) endorsed at the base of the address panel “These p Capt. Jno. Gilbert Q.D.C” with London Bishop mark on reverse and rated ‘9’(d) and deleted and rerated ‘in all 1 N 5’. Datelined at Bermuda with content by a Hannah Gilbert to her Uncle Samuel Sandy “I much wonder none of my fathers relations have ever been here more especially since it was said they had so much land in these islands....”, a closed tear and minor stains, believed to be the earliest example of mail from Bermuda with a postal marking and with a typed transcript of the content. Significant exhibition item. Ex Ludington (1999) and Osborn (2009). Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1757 (Mar. 12) entire letter (some splitting at edges) to Blocksford, Dorsetshire endorsed ‘Q.D.C.’ at lower left, with London Bishop mark on reverse, initially rated ‘7’(d) but deleted and re-rated ‘In all 1/7’(d). Datelined at Bermuda with a full typed transcript, content by a Thomas Durant to his uncle “....I reckon myself capable of doing any business either upon land or by water I am now living with one John Buccols a joiner which is counted a creditable hand....”, an uncommon early letter. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1804 (Jan. 9) entire letter to Philadelphia, datelined at Curaçao and endorsed ‘p Schr Sukey/Ed. Lewis Mr/for Pha.’ at lower left, the ship captured during the Napoleonic War, by HMS Driver and carried to Bermuda where endorsed ‘No.14’ at right, probably by the Vice Admiralty Court and likely to have been released on April 6 at the same time the vessel freed. With typed transcribed content. Ex Ludington. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1807 (Mar. 10) entire letter (a few worm holes clear of the address panel) to Hamilton endorsed “On Service” at top and datelined “St David’s Island” with short content concerning the date and position of the military troops and written by Lieutenant and Adjutant M. Lang. Ex Ludington. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1815 (Mar. 25) entire letter (peripheral splitting at base) to London where posted on arrival, endorsed “Duplicate” and datelined at Bermuda, with “Two Py Post/Unpaid/Chas. St Westm.”, “2” and “4 O’Clock/EV” datestamp with typed transcript with content by a James Cockburn concerning “...a sum of money lodged by Mr Pafsaie at my bankers for the payment of his creditors in these Islands.” Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1820 (Mar. 16) reduced entire letter to London (Wesleyan Mission) with “BERMUDA” fleuron datestamp (type PM1; the second earliest example believed to exist) and London c.d.s. on reverse. Rated ‘2/2’(d) and content by a W. Sutcliffe “...I shall not be able to give you a correct account of the Members of the Society at present as the St Georges part is rather in an unsettled state....I intend to proceed to N Scotia by the 1st means of conveyance.....”, fine. Ex Leuhusen. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1822 (Feb. 22) entire letter (rear torn) to Scotland rated ‘2/6’(d) with framed “1/2” Scottish turnpike charge mark and faint but rare “BERMUDA” small fleuron (type PM1) in red on reverse. Datelined at ‘Bermuda’ with a typed transcript, with content by a Francis Dickson “You say you are anxious to be employed as a teacher in this Island, where I reside, I have only to observe on this head that there is considerable scarcity of persons whom are capable....I myself teach a school and am in want of an assistant....”. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1824 (Apr. 2) entire letter to London, posted upon arrival and with step-framed “T.P/Lombard St”, “2” and double-ring oval “4.EVEN.4” datestamp, datelined at Ireland Island with a typed transcript of the content by William Topham “We arrived out here in 35 days....Major Nicholson has got a very neat house made, near the Hospital....the island is not 2 miles long and in one place called Cockburns cut only 50 yds broad & the only society here is in the Dockyard....we can buy beef very good at 8d. a lb. - turkeys 9d....in case of war taking place this Island will become a place of Importance.....”, mostly fine. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1833 (May 12) entire letter to Philadelphia, datelined at Demerara with “NEW YORK” datestamp and straight-line “SHIP” mark. The reverse endorsed “Hamilton Bermuda June 27th 1833/Forwarded by your most obt srvt Wm B Perot/Per Sch Brilliant via New York” and signed by this very famous future Postmaster who went on to create his own stamps for the island. One of two examples of mail from Perot in his capacity as a forwarding agent and prior to becoming Postmaster. Major exhibition item, very fine. Exhibited at a World Rarities Display in Monte Carlo (1999) and with a typed transcript of the content. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1835 (Mar. 19) entire letter (a few faults) to Southampton, the address panel headed “From Alexander Spain on board/His Majesty’s Sloop Wasp”, endorsed by the Commanding Officer directly below and rated ‘1’(d) for the military concession rate. “BERMUDA” fleuron (type PM2) and “0 BERMUDA 0/PAID” (type P1) datestamp, both in black and rare thus. Datelined “On passage to Bermuda, On Board H.M.S Wasp” the content to his sister “.....sailed for Bermuda without troops and am glad they are gone for we were miserably crowded......The Letter Bag will be sent this afternoon by a merchant Brig for England....”. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1835 (May 18) entire letter to London, rated ‘2/2’(d) datelined at St Georges and with content (with a typed transcript) by a J Tudor Tucker concerning Admiralty and pay matters with “BERMUDA” fleuron (type PM2) in red-brown (error “1825” for 1835 in datestamp) and London c.d.s., both on reverse, fine. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1836 (Aug. 27) entire letter (peripheral faults) to Liverpool rated ‘2/3’(d) but without any markings, datelined at St George’s with a typed transcript and content written by a John T Fisher “...this conveyance per Packet to inform you that the Brig Friendship, Mr L Thompson Master left St Domingo on the 30th.....has performed 6 days quarnatine....”.

Bermuda: 1838 (Sept. 7) official warrant (foolscap double-page; light folds) with Coat of Arms wafer seal decreed by “His Excellency Major General Sir Stephen Remnant Chapman C.B. K.C.H. Governor and Commander in Chief in and over these Islands.....To William Bennet Perot Esquire.....appoint you....to be Post Master for the Town of Hamilton in these Islands, to have, hold, exercise and enjoy the said office for and during pleasure: duly conforming yourself to the provisions and enactments of the said Act.....” some splitting and reinforcement but an important historical document relating to the instigator of one of the most important of stamp issues in the British Empire. Exhibition centrepiece. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: A group of documents from the William Perot estate apparently from a Trust Department of the Butterfield Bank in Hamilton headed Mrs Maude E..L.Taylor (whose family is understood to have intermarried with the Perot family) and dated 1968, (with 2005 covering letter from David Muscott providing background information), 1825 letter signed by Perot, 1837 receipt signed by the Treasurer of the Bermuda Flour and Bread Company for £10 for a share purchase, 1838 letter from the Governor, Stephen Chapman, confirming the appointment of Perot as Postmaster, 1839 large wrapper addressed to Perot, 1842 contract for a purchase signed by Perot, 1850 Power of Attorney to William Perot by John Perot etc. (14 items) Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1842 (July 22) wrapper inscribed ‘William B Perot/Postmaster for Hamilton/Commission 22 July 1842’ and believed to have previously contained a document confirming his third appointment as Postmaster, also 1857 (July 17) manuscript petition for a grant of land at Spanish Point signed by Perot (and others), fine. (2 items) Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1843 (Jan. 2) slightly reduced entire letter to Glasgow endorsed “RM Steamer” at lower left and with “HAMILTON/BERMUDA” (type PM4; error “JY” [July] for January) in black and “0 BERMUDA 0/PAID” (type P1) in red datestamps and part framed Glasgow arrival datestamp endorsed “Paid 4d/More to Pay 8d” and very unusual thus, fine. Ex Ulrich and Dickgiesser. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1843 (Aug. 31) entire letter (a few faults) to England, with “BERMUDA” fleuron (type PM2) datestamp, London transit c.d.s and Romsey double-arc “A” code arrival c.d.s. Carried on the Velocity to Halifax and the Britannia to Liverpool. Content (with typed transcript) by a Henry Murray “We have been very sickly during the hot months the yellow fever having been imported from the West Indies....The 1st Battalion at the other end of the Islands have been pretty healthy....I have mentioned our having some sickness here to my mother lest she might first see it in the papers, but did not say it was the yellow fever” also 1841 (Oct. 15) datelined at Bermuda apparently carried privately initially endorsed ‘p Patrick......’ but deleted and endorsed ‘p Britannia’ and posted on arrival in Liverpool where rated ‘1/-’ and with an oval “AMERICA/L” mark applied and London datestamps on reverse. (2 items) Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1843 (Nov. 6) reduced entire letter to London endorsed ‘p Packet/via Halifax’ rated ‘1/-’ with “HAMILTON/BERMUDA” (type PM4) datestamp in black and London c.d.s. both on reverse. Datelined on Turks Island and probably carried on the “Margaret” to Halifax and on the “Britannia” to Liverpool, very fine. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1843 (Nov. 20) entire letter to Guernsey endorsed “Paid 1/-” at top and with “BERMUDA/PAID” (type PM4) and London tombstone Paid datestamps and the reverse with “HAMILTON/BERMUDA” and “GUERNSEY” double arc datestamps. Probably carried on the Thames to Southampton, having commenced from Tampico (Mexico), attractive and unusual. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1844 (May 4) envelope to Glasgow endorsed “prepaid paid 1/-” at top and with “BERMUDA/PAID” (type PM4) datestamp with “HAMILTON/BERMUDA” and octagonal “GLASGOW” arrival datestamps on reverse. Probably carried on the “Velocity” to Halifax and “Hibernia” to Liverpool. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1845 (Mar. 26) wrapper (a few faults) to London, endorsed “Paid”, rated “1/-’” with “BERMUDA/ PAID” and London Paid datestamps in red and showing on the reverse the very rare “IRELAND/ISLE” (type PM4) c.d.s. in black with red London May 14 arrival. Ex Hamilton and Longtail collections. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1846 (Jan. 12) entire letter to Guernsey rated ‘1/- at top and with “HAMILTON/BERMUDA” (type PM4) datestamp and with a London c.d.s. and Guernsey double arc datestamps on reverse . Probably carried on the “Trent” to Southampton, mostly fine. Photo. (Image1)

Bermuda: 1846 (Sept. 20) entire letter (small faults) to Jamaica with “ISLAND-ISLE/BERMUDA” (type PM5) and “KINGSTON/JAMAICA” double-arc datestamps on reverse and rated ‘8’(d). Content by a William Jack and datelined at Bermuda Yard, to his mother “....if you decide on returning to Bermuda I can offer you a home with me as long as I hold my present situation..... Photo. (Image1)