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Auction: 4029 - Great Britain Stamps & Postal History
Lot: 323

RE, just clear or touched to large margins, on entire letter with printed address to the Under Secretary of State in London and with imprint at lower-left reading ”Enquiry for a Convict.”, indistinctly cancelled in red, the reverse with Lowestoft and London circular datestamps for 25 and 26 November 1840, attractive and most unusual. The printed contents (with manuscript details completed) are fascinating and relate to a woman, Eliza Hayes, who had been convicted of an unspecified crime in February 1831 at Newington before being transported to New South Wales later that year. The reason for this letter of enquiry is uncertain but was probably due to a request from one of her relatives for information – manuscript notes inside suggest that the enquiry was first noted in November 1838 and state that no woman of that name had ever been registered as having arrived in the Colony – the last note is dated April 1843 and which merely confirms the original sentence. Photo Estimate £ 400-500

Sold for
£420