Sharpe mss., 1733-1755

Records of John Sharpe, 1733-1755, at the Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

Finding aid created by Mary McSparran

Title: Sharpe mss.
Collection No.: LMC 1898
Dates: 1733-1755
Quantity:

Quantity: 1 Box

Abstract: The Sharpe mss., 1733-1755, consists of papers from the office of John Sharpe, 1700-1756, London solicitor for the British West Indies, relating to the enforcement of the 1733 Molasses Act.
Location: ALF (Auxiliary Library Facility)
Language: English .
Repository: Lilly Library
1200 E. Seventh St.
Bloomington, Indiana 47405-5500
Business Number: 812-855-2452
liblilly@indiana.edu
URL: https://libraries.indiana.edu/lilly-library

Biographical Note

John Sharpe, 1700-1756, was a prominent London solicitor who served as the agent for the British West Indies from 1733 until his death in 1756. The Molasses Act of 1733, an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain, imposed a tax of six pence per gallon on imports of molasses from non-English colonies. Parliament created the act largely at the insistence of large plantation owners in the British West Indies.

Scope and Contents

The Sharpe mss., 1733-1755, consists of papers "from the law office of John Sharpe, legal representative of the 'Sugar Planters and Merchants Trading to and Interested in His Majesty's Sugar Colonies,' relating to the enforcement of the 'Molasses Act' of 1733."

The collection may be divided primarily into two groups: [1] "relating to the proceedings in 1750-1751 before the Board of Trade concerning the virtual nullification by the American colonists of the 'Molasses Act' ... in their trading with the French sugar islands, by means of fraudulent ship clearances, perjurious certificates of origin, trade with the enemy in war time under fraudulent flags of truce, etc."; [2] dealing "with the efforts of the English merchants and planters to obtain remedy for their grievances against the Northern Colonies by the passage of an Act of Parliament which would have totally forbidden dealings in molasses, sugar and rum between them and the French islands."

See Kraus, H.P. From Columbus to Lincoln: Fifty Distinguished Americans ... New York, H.P. Kraus, n.d. (Catalogue 92), no. 34, pp. 48-49. A copy of this is filed with the collection along with "A full description of the 28 manuscripts" (typewritten), cited Ibid., p. 49.

Restrictions

Conditions Governing Access:

This collection is open for research.

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Indexed Terms

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Item], Sharpe mss., Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchase: 1961

Collection Inventory

Box 1
Sharpe mss.
Gt. Brit. Laws, statutes, etc. [Preamble to] Act for better securing and encouraging the trade of his Majesty's sugar colonies in America (copy), []. , 1733

Physical Description: 1p.

Jamaica. Assembly. [Record of] the examination of Captain Richard Mumford, Master of the Sloop "Enterprise," regarding a voyage from Rhode Island to Leogane (Haiti), thence to English Bay (Les Anglais, Haiti) where he took on a cargo of Hispanola sugar and molasses, (copy). , Nov. 9, 1749

Physical Description: 6, 1p.

Bellas, George. To Sharpe, John. , Mar. 15, 1750

Physical Description: 1p.

The memorial of the sugar planters, merchants, and others whose names are hereunto subscribed trading to and interested in His Majesty's sugar colonies in America (copy of a draft), []. , 1750

Physical Description: 2p.

Gt. Brit. Board of trade. Copy of all the proceedings ... before the Commissioners of trade and plantations in the year 1750 relating to the trade carried on by the British Northern colonies with the foreign sugar colonies, (copy). , Oct. 18, 1750-Jan. 10, 1751

Physical Description: 80, 3p.

Sharpe, John. The humble memorial of the planters and merchants belonging and trading to the sugar colonies, (draft). , Dec. 1750

Physical Description: 1p.

Proposals humbly submitted to the consideration of the Right honourable the Lords commissioners for trade and plantations by the British sugar planters and merchants for preventing the destructive trade carried on by British North America to the foreign sugar colonies, []. , Jan., 1751

Physical Description: 3p.

The humble petition of the merchants of London in general and of the British sugar planters, merchants and others whose names are hereunto subscribed in behalf of themselves and all others trading to and interested in His Majesty's sugar colonies. , 1751

Physical Description: (3 drafts) 7, 7, 5p.

The humble petition of the merchts. & others trading to the British sugar colonies to North & South Carolina, to Virginia, to Maryland, to Pennsilvania, to New York, to New England & to Nova Scotia, to Newfoundland, to Germany, to Holland, to France, to Spain, to Portugal and to Italy. Whose names are hereunto subscribed, (copy), []. , 1751

Physical Description: 2p.

Bollan, William. A petition ... for His Majesty's Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England presented to the House. , Mar. 28, 1751

Physical Description: 1p.

Partridge, Richard. A petition ... on behalf of His Matys. province of Pennsylvania in America presented to the House. , Apr. 11, 1751

Physical Description: 3p.

Partridge, Richard. A petition of Richard Partridge, agent for New Jersey and also Connecticut, Rhode Island & Providence Plantns. in America presented to the House. , Apr. 17, 1751

Physical Description: 2p.

Proof: rough notes. , Apr. 1751

Physical Description: (2 copies) 3, 3p.

State of the proofs. , Apr. 22, 1751

Physical Description: 8p.

As to the price of sugar, rum, molasses, []. , 1751

Physical Description: 2p.

Notice from the agent of the sugar colonies to the agents for the Northern colonies. , July 1751

Physical Description: 2p.

Drt bill to prohibit the British sugar planters from having foreign sugar plantations, []. , Feb. 1752

Physical Description: 3p.

Published Opinions
Hume-Campbell, Alexander. [Opinion concerning] an act passed entitled An act for securing and encouraging the trade of His Majesty's sugar colonies in America. , May 12, 1753

Physical Description: 3p.

Murray, William. [Opinion concerning] an act passed entitled An act for securing and encouraging the trade of His Majesty's sugar colonies in America. , May 12, 1753

Physical Description: (2 copies) 3, 4p.

Ryder, Dudley. [Opinion concerning] an act passed entitled An act for securing and encouraging the trade of His Majesty's sugar colonies in America. , May 14, 1753

Physical Description: 3p.

Fazakerely, Nicholas. [Opinion concerning] an act passed entitled An act for securing and encouraging the trade of His Majesty's sugar colonies in America. , May 14, 1753

Physical Description: 3p.

Case. The British Northern colonies have of late very illogically and clandestinely fallen into a pernicious practice of introducing French sugars they produce at the French Islands into Great Britain as British sugar, []. , 1755

Physical Description: 8p.