| Description | (1 vol. and 5 pieces)
On the outer cover, in James Watt jr.’s hand is: ‘Correspondence with Messrs. T & R Walker etc. 1792 & 1793.’
James Watt jr. was employed by the Walkers in Manchester as an agent for their textile business in Europe. He travelled from London to Paris in March 1792 where he remained for most of the year before travelling down to Marseilles then across to Leghorn and down to Naples which he reached in January 1793. He stayed there until July, when he travelled to Senegaglia, Bologna, Turin, Milan, then left Italy for Dusseldorf in Germany. By December 1793, he had reached Amsterdam.
The volume has no page numbers and no index. The letters are numbered up to no. 25 and then the practice ceases. The letters occupy perhaps a third of the volume, about 85 pages. Various loose papers were found at the end of the letters and these have now been placed in a separate folder. They include a list of debtors in France.
At the end of the volume is a list of letters of introduction from T& R. Walker for France and Italy and Amsterdam.
The copy letters from Watt jr. include those to various of the shipping companies and details of Lewis Gabourin’s travelling and goods account in France for 1786 to 1790. There is also information on the collecting of debts, as well as on the market for cottons.
The last piece in the volume is headed ‘Cursory remarks upon the trade of Italy.’ |