Correspondence and documents from the office of William Blathwayt mssHM
32265-HM 32287
Finding aid prepared by Diann Benti.
The Huntington Library
2014
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Business Number: (626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Note
Finding aid last updated on December 10, 2021, by Maggie Hughes.
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Correspondence and documents from the office of William Blathwayt
Creator:
Blathwayt, William, 1649?-1717
Identifier/Call Number: mssHM 32265-HM 32287
Physical Description:
1.4 Linear Feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1671-1712
Abstract: This group of 34 documents consists of
correspondence, reports, and accounts primarily accumulated by British civil servant William
Blathwayt (1649-1717) between the mid 1670s and 1712 in his capacity as a British government
official in such roles as Surveyor and Auditor General of Plantation Revenues and Secretary
and member of the Lords of Trade. The materials consist chiefly of miscellaneous drafts or
copies of documents related to the British colonies in North America and the West Indies.
Items pertain to taxation, revenue, trade and shipping, and defense, primarily in the
Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Kitts, and Nevis.
Language of Material: The records are in
English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. Correspondence and documents from the office of William
Blathwayt, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Sotheby's through the agency of Maggs Bros. on February 10, 1970.
Custodial History
The collection was previously the property of Justin Blathwayt, Esq.
Biographical / Historical
English politician and administrator William Blathwayt (1649-1717) was one of the most
distinguished civil servants of his time. Blathwayt was born in London, England, in 1649.
Beginning in 1665, he attended the Middle Temple and in 1668 entered public life as clerk in
the embassy of Sir William Temple at The Hague (1668-1672). In 1672, Blathwayt toured
Germany and Italy, before returning to England.
Through the influence of his uncles, Thomas and Richard Povey, both of whom were prominent
in colonial affairs, Blathwayt secured a position in the Plantation Office in 1675 as a
minor clerk. Advancement came rapidly, and among the offices administered from that time on,
were: Clerk Extraordinary of the Privy Council (1678); Secretary of the Lords of Trade
(1679-1696); Surveyor and Auditor General of Plantation Revenues (1680-until his death);
Under-Secretary of State to Lord Conway in the Northern department (1681-1683); Secretary at
War (1683-1704); Clerk in Ordinary of the Privy Council (1686-1689); acting Secretary of
State with William III, during his campaigns in the Low Countries in Flanders (1692-1701);
member of Parliament for Bath (1693-1710); and a member of the Board of Trade (1696-1707).
During the reign of Queen Anne, he gradually lost his posts: in 1704 he was dismissed as
Secretary at War, in 1707 lost his Board of Trade position, and three years later, his seat
in Parliament. In 1712, Blathwayt, driven from active public life by ill health, withdrew to
his seat at Dyrham Park, where the last five years of his life were spent in retirement.
Blathwayt married Mary Wynter (1650-1691) of Dyrham Park in December 1686, and the couple
had two surviving sons and a daughter. William Blathwayt died at Dyrham Park on August 16,
1717.
Scope and Contents
This group of 34 documents consists of correspondence,
reports, and accounts primarily accumulated by British civil servant William Blathwayt
(1649-1717) between the mid 1670s and 1712 in his capacity as a British government official in
such roles as Surveyor and Auditor General of Plantation Revenues and Secretary and member of
the Lords of Trade. The materials consist chiefly of miscellaneous drafts or copies of
documents related to the British colonies in North America and the West Indies. Items pertain
to taxation, revenue, trade and shipping, and defense, primarily in the Bahamas, Jamaica, St.
Kitts, and Nevis. Within the collection, there are six letters from Henry Carpenter, the
collector of customs in the Leeward Islands, and eleven documents concerning Colonel John Strode, Sir Charles Wheler, and
issues related to the four and a half percent tax.
Existence and Location of Copies
Related Materials
-
William Blathwayt Papers
-
William Blathwayt Papers (Addenda)
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in two series:
- General papers (ca. 1676-1712)
- Documents related to Colonel John Strode and Sir Charles Wheler (1671-1686)
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Great Britain -- Colonies -- America -- History -- 17th century --
Sources
West Indies -- History -- 17th century -- Sources
Letters (correspondence) -- Great Britain -- 17th century
Government records -- Great Britain -- 17th century
Professional papers -- Great Britain -- 17th century
Blathwayt, William, 1649?-1717 --
Archives
General papers (ca. 1676-1712)
Blathwayt, William : office of. General heads of the revenue in
America.
HM 32265
[c. 1670-1700]).
Blathwayt, William : office of. A Draught of the Proposition for the
Improvement of the Customs upon Tobacco. Differing somewhat from the Draft first
putt into my hands.
HM 32266
[after 1676, Mar 27]).
Nevis (West Indies). House of Assembly. Act for appraisement of lands,
houses, Negroes, horses, etc. in Nevis.
HM 32267
1683/84, Jan. 22).
Great Britain. Privy Council. Committee for Trade & Plantations. Report
concerning the 300 malefactors [to be transported to St. Kitts].
HM 32268
1684, June 11).
Scope and Contents
In the handwriting of William Blathwayt.
Blathwayt, William. To Henry Guy. HM 32269
1684, Sep. 22).
Great Britain. Privy Council. Committee for Trade & Plantations. To
[unknown recipient].
HM 32270
1684, Sep. 22).
Scope and Contents
Corrections in the handwriting of William Blathwayt.
Great Britain. Privy Council. Committee for Trade & Plantations. To
William Byar, William Freeman, Christopher Jefferson and other planters &
merchants concerned in the Leeward Carribee Islands.
HM 32271
1684, Oct. 27).
Scope and Contents
In the handwriting of William Blathwayt.
Great Britain. Privy Council. Committee for Trade & Plantations. Report
concerning [satisfaction for damages caused by Spanish attacks on] the Bahama
Islands.
HM 32272
1684, Dec. 6).
Carpenter, Henry. To William Blathwayt. Nevis, [West Indies] HM 32273
1685, May 11),
Carpenter, Henry. To William Blathwayt. Nevis, [West Indies] HM 32274
1685, June 25),
De Witt, Phillip. To William Blathwayt. St. Kitts, [West
Indies]
HM 32275
[1685, Aug. 1]),
Carpenter, Henry. To William Blathwayt. Nevis, [West Indies] HM 32276
1685, Sep. 9),
Carpenter, Henry. To William Blathwayt. Nevis, [West Indies] HM 32277
1685/86, Mar. 13),
Carpenter, Henry. To William Blathwayt. Nevis, [West Indies] HM 32278
1686, May 28),
Carpenter, Henry and Belchamber, Thomas. To William Blathwayt. Nevis, [West
Indies]
HM 32279
1687, Oct. 27),
Scope and Contents
Annexed: Oct. 27, 1687 Green, John. Receipt.
Blathwayt, William. Distinctions to be writt upon the Map of New
England.
HM 32280
[c.
1690?]).
Scope and Contents
In the handwriting of William Blathwayt. The document lists colonies with and
without charters.
Blathwayt, William : office of. Memorandum concerning Mr. B's [William
Blathwayt's] Patent [of Auditor of the Plantations].
HM 32281
[between 1690 and 1712]).
Forbes, Charles and 4 others. To Sir William Beeston. Caledonia, [Jamaica?
West Indies]
HM 32282
1699, Apr. 20),
Scope and Contents
Enclosed in : 1699, May 5 Beeston, William. To James Vernon.
Beeston, Sir William. To James Vernon. Jamaica, [West Indies] HM 32283
1699, May 5),
Scope and Contents
Enclosure : 1699, Apr. 20 Forbes, Charles and 4 others. To William Beeston.
Blathwayt, William? To ----- Perry. HM 32284
[1702, May 9]).
Blathwayt, William : office of. Accompts of the revenues in the Plantation
received since the stating of those for declaration.
HM 32285
[after 1703, Apr.]).
Blathwayt, William : office of. List of Accompts received from the
Plantations the 10 August 1704, with observations there upon.
HM 32286
[after 1704, Aug. 10]).
Anne, Queen of Great Britain. Queen's warrant for confirming to Ralph
Willet, Esq. lands in St. Christophers [St. Kitts, West Indies] which were granted
him by Col. Hamilton for years and a half which was granted therein.
HM 32287
1712, Nov. 19).
Documents related to Colonel John Strode and Sir Charles Wheler
(1671-1686)
Wheler, Sir Charles, 2nd Bart. Letter of attorney to John
Strode.
HM 32288
1670/71, Mar. 24).
Strode, John. Answer to the petition of Sir Charles Wheler. HM 32289
[before 1674, May 6]).
Wheler, Sir Charles, 2nd Bart. Petition to the King in Council. HM 32290
[before 1674, May 19]).
Great Britain. Privy Council? Draft of the order between Sir Charles Wheler
& Col. Strode.
HM 32291
[after 1674, May 19]).
Scope and Contents
Similar to HM 32292 and HM 32293 but with some differences.
Great Britain. Privy Council? Draft of the order between Sir Charles Wheler
& Col. Strode.
HM 32292
[after 1674, May 19]).
Scope and Contents
Similar to HM 32291 and HM 32293 but with some differences.
Great Britain. Privy Council? [Order in Council relating to the dispute
between Sir Charles Wheler and John Strode]
HM 32293
[after 1674, May 19]).
Scope and Contents
Similar to HM 32291 and HM 32292 but with some differences.
Wheler, Sir Charles, 2nd Bart. Representation to the Lord Treasurer about
Mr. Strode.
HM 32294
[before 1680, Aug. 31]).
Great Britain. Court of Exchequer. Minute of the Court of Exchequer, Strode
v. Blathwayt.
HM 32295
1683, July 5).
Stapleton, Sir William, 1st. Bart. To Phillip Dewitt. Order concerning the
customs of 4 1/2 per cent
HM 32296
1684, Dec. 9).
Strode, John. To -----. HM 32297
[after 1685, Aug. 19]).
Scope and Contents
Extract of a letter; in the handwriting of William Blathwayt.
Prescott, Lew. To William Blathwayt. HM 32298
1685/86, Feb. 12).
