Letters from Justice William Norcott, 15 Jul 1836
Item
Shelfmark: MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 444 Vol. 32, pp. 297-330
Held at the Weston Library
Comprises:
- Justice William Norcott from Sierra Leone to Buxton about his address to the grand jury on 22 Jun, which he was enclosing, on the need for those employed in the several departments of Sierra Leone to attend to their own work instead of squabbling among themselves and sending scurrilous reports back to England. He also reports on a local drop in crime, the fact that no sentence of flogging had been passed in the last session, the distress caused him by seeing a Portuguese slaver, which had been brought in reputedly in fine order, and his desire that the Portuguese be brought to their senses on this matter, 15 Jul 1836
- Justice William Norcott to Buxton; letter of introduction for Burslem, who had been forced to return to England for reasons of health after taking several slavers. Norcott promises to redeem his promise when he visits the Gambia, 9 Aug 1836
- Norcott to Buxton about the Sep sessions, at which no one was sentenced to whipping, the hostility of the Lieutenant-Governor towards him, the neglected state of the Liberated Africans Department, the lack of a clergyman, due to the suspension of Rev. Morgan, and the reports sent home by the Lieutenant-Governor about every individual of respectability. All this he believes [Henry] Macaulay would corroborate. He did not wish to lodge a complaint at the Colonial Office himself because of the recent difference of opinion he had with Lord Sligo. On arrival in the colony he had spoken well of the Governor but that was before he had come to know him. He refers to the case of rape mentioned in the address to the grand jury which he was enclosing. He cements on the working of the Spanish Treaty and hopes the same results will ensue on the passing of the agreement with Portugal and that Buxton would have success in obtaining a treaty with Portugal. Finally, he reports that the army was at odds with the Governor, that several officers had been suspended, and that the Governor was returning home by the same vessel that would carry his letter. Attached to his address to the grand jury is the latter's presentment on the state of the gaol, the buildings in Freetown, their agreement with many of the opinions expressed by Norcott in his address, and complaining of the frequency with which the same people were chosen for service on the grand jury, 4 Oct 1836.
Dates
- Creation: 15 Jul 1836
Extent
34 pages
Language of Materials
- English
Shelfmark
MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 444 Vol. 32, pp. 297-330
Former reference:
S 7
Repository Details
Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository
Contact:
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk