Page 4 - Jarvis & Wright: Jamaica Display to RPSL

Jamaica: Pre-Adhesive Postal Markings

Duplicate and Triplicate Letters
Bills of Exchange from Westmoreland, Jamaica to Scotland, 1762.

Bills of exchange were used for transferring value on paper, in a way similar to a cheque.
It was usual to send important correspondence by several different ships in the hope that one would arrive.
Post Office packet ships, naval vessels and merchant ships were all used for post.
The third copy went as a ship letter by a merchant vessel, the Rubie, Capt. Suttie.

20 Jun 1762

Sent by HMS Centurion
(a 50 gun naval ship that is
recorded on Jamaica service in
1762).

Addressed “To - Mr. James Smyth
writer to the Signet Edinburgh”.
(A ‘writer to the Signet’ was a
member of an ancient society of
solicitors in Scotland).

20 Jun 1762

Sent by the Grand Vale
(perhaps the Grenville?)
Capt Nathanshaw?

Rated ‘2’ excised and then ‘3’,
the 3s double packet rate that
applied until 1765.

Text of letter which contained
one of the three copies of the bill
of exchange. Each is payable
only if the others are not paid.
Reads:
I wrote to you by His Majesties
ship Centurion, & the Rubie,
Capt. Suttie to which I refer,
inclosed in each was a bill on
Hitchison Mure Esqr. London
for £45 sterling being 3 years
interest of £300. this serves only
to cover the third. Yours sincerly
John Kinloch.
Jamaica Westmoreland
20th June 1862.