Item 60: Letter from John Wilkes, Not Mayor, to Mr. Rowley , 1808 July 19
Item — Box: 6, Folder: 60
Dates
- Created: 1808 July 19
Creator
- Wilkes, John (Person)
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Biographical / Historical
Possibly:
John Wilkes (1794)
John Wilkes
Born 1794 in Shalford, Essex, Englandmap
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of Mary (Johnson) Wilkes — married about 9 Apr 1820 in Shalford, Essex, Englandmap
Descendants descendants
Father of Mary Ann (Wilks) Shore
Died [date unknown] [location unknown]
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Letter
Condition Note:
Good, paper is very discolored.
Measurements:
8 13/16 in. x 7 ⅛ in.
Description:
The following letter dated July 19, 1808, is written by J. Wilkes to Mr. Rowley. In the letter, Wilkes is requesting the service of a Barouche, a lightweight transport carriage to be conducted by horses. He writes that he requires one for his travels to Brighton, but that if one cannot be procured, he can make due with a Phaeton. Either carriage requires room for coachmen to ride at that back and must be neat and in good order for their work. He concludes with a request for an answer before next Thursday and includes a short additional note that the Barouche must be more lightweight than his current chariot.
An original collector wrote that this was John Wilkes, “the famous politician and agitator.” However, Gilbert Stuart McClintock proved this to be untrue, as he writes that it is not Wilkes’ handwriting and the letter was written after the man’s death in 1792, being created in 1808.
There is a second item in this record, a penciled letter by Gilbert Stuart McClintock, which disproves the creator as John Wilkes, the Mayor.
It is plausible that this is John Wilkes of Wendon Lofts, a city mentioned in the letter. It appears that this John Wilkes may have served as a High Sheriff of Essex during his life.
Location:
Lofts, [Pos. Wenden Lofts]; Saffron Walden, Essex;
Transcription:
Lofts July 19th, 1808
Mr Rowley,
I want a very light Barouche
for a pair of Horses to go to Brighton for
about a fortnight, & if you have got
one of those very light ones, with an
half head, that is neat & in good
order I will thank you to accommodate
me with it. It must have a box +
ready for me to see on Monday next.
If you have not one of this description
or cannot procure one I should in that
case like a very light Phaeton, with
a dickey behind for the Coachman to
ride in, but that must be neat &
in good order. I will thank you to do your
best for me, + to return me an answer
on Thursday next. I am
your humble Serv[an]t
J. Wilkes.
Lofts Saffron Walden Essex
PS. I should like the Barouche } to be about half as light } as my Chariot }
Back: In Pencil and Different Hand
John Wilkes famous politician & agitator
Second Item: Red Pencil and Different Hand
This is not John Wilkes Mayor Jordanite it is not his handwriting & he died before it was written! McC [Gilbert Stuart McClintock]
Lofts Saffron Walden Essex
PS. I should like the Barouche } to be about half as light } as my Chariot }
Back: In Pencil and Different Hand
John Wilkes famous politician & agitator
Second Item: Red Pencil and Different Hand
This is not John Wilkes Mayor Jordanite it is not his handwriting & he died before it was written! McC [Gilbert Stuart McClintock]
Creator
- Wilkes, John (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu