Loose papers and one newspaper from Patrick and his son James Colquhoun's correspondence files. RCMS 263/1-9 have a cover headed 'Nevis 1820' and RCMS 263/11-31 are in a similar cover '1832 West Indies'. Each has a note of contents, but these do not tally exactly with the items now present.
West Indian documents
Archive Collection
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- ReferenceGB 115 RCS/RCMS 263
- Dates of Creation1820-1832
- Name of Creator
- Language of MaterialEnglish .
- Physical Description1 file(s) 1 file paper
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Patrick Colquhoun (1745-1820) met his first commercial success at age 16, after leaving his birthplace of Dumbarton for Virginia. He returned to Scotland in 1766 and his varied commercial activities led to his being elected Lord Provost of Glasgow. He moved to London in 1789 and became a magistrate, where his contacts with West India merchants led to his appointment as agent for the Virgin Islands (1802), St. Vincent (1806), Nevis (1806) and Dominica (1806). He also became the London representative of the Hanseatic towns. James Colquhoun (1780-1855) continued his father's West Indian agency until the 1850s and was also Charge d'affaires of the King of Saxony, the Duke of Oldenburg, and of the Hanseatic Republics. He became a knight of the Ottoman Empire, and Commander of the Saxon Order of Merit.
Access Information
Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
Note
Includes index.
Other Finding Aids
MSS 7
Donald H. Simpson, ed., 'The manuscript catalogue of the library of the Royal Commonwealth Society' (London, 1975), p. 143.
A catalogue of the collection can be found on ArchiveSearch.
Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements
fair condition
Bibliography
'Patrick and James Colquhoun: 'West Indian Agents' in the 'Royal Commonwealth Society library notes', no. 61, January 1962, pp. 1-2, describes their careers and something of the contents of these papers.
Additional Information
This item level description was created by MJC.
Colquhoun, Patrick, 1745-1820, Metropolitan Police Magistrate and Colquhoun, James, 1780-1855, Hanseatic Consul General in Britain