The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE 19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Sicily (Brig).

Title: Records of the Sicily (Brig), Gershom Bradford, Master

Dates: 1822-1823

Call No.: Col. 505

Acc. No.: 77x50

Quantity: 50 items

Location: 34 J 3

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

The brig Sicily was owned by Joshua Blake and others. From its name, it may be deduced that the ship was involved with trade in the Mediterranean, particularly with Italy. Joshua Blake was a Boston merchant, with an office at 19 Central Wharf; he lived at 20 Atkinson. On the Sicily’s fourth voyage, Gershom Bradford was the master. He was not listed in Boston directories.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

This collection contains papers recording the fourth voyage of the Brig Sicily. The ship set sail from Boston, Massachusetts, bound for Trieste, Italy, in September 1822, and returned to Boston via Messina, Italy, in 1823. Many items are bills for goods and services related to the voyage, including repairs to the ship's sails, planks, and the covering of the boat in pitch. Supplies for the voyage are noted, including cordage, twining, knives and forks, rags, brooms, nails, water, and beef. Other notable items in this collection include a bill of health, a portage bill, a role of crew which indicates the wages paid to the nine member crew, orders, a bill of lading, a list of consignments, and several freight lists. The freight lists indicate that the Sicily carried large quantities of sugar, coffee, indigo, cod liver oil, pepper, and logwood to Italy. On the return trip, it carried mostly lemons and oranges.

ORGANIZATION

Items are in accession number order.

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

The materials are in English.

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.

PROVENANCE

Purchased from Nina Hellman.

ACCESS POINTS

People:

Blake, Joshua.

Bradford, Gershom.

Topics:

Shipping - Accounting.

Ships - Cargo.

Ships - Equipment and supplies.

Ships - Maintenance and repair.

Ship's papers.

Ship registers.

Shipment of goods.

Merchant marine.

Merchant ships.

Coffee - Commerce.

Sugar trade - 19th century.

Indigo - Commerce.

Exports - 19th century.

Spice trade - 19th century.

Merchant mariners - Salaries, etc. - 19th century.

Citrus fruit industry - 19th century.

Bills of lading.

Bills of health.

Merchants.

Merchant mariners.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 34 J 3

Accounts of the "4th voyage of the Brig Sicily":

Acc. 77x50

.1 Receipted bill, Peters, Pond & Co. to Messrs, Stanton, Fiske & Nichols, for logwood, [Boston, Massachusetts], August 13, 1822.; on back: payment received of Capt. Trask

.2 Bill for Bill of Health for Sicily at Customs, n.p., n.d. [1822].

.3 Receipted bill, Geo. Hallet to Stanton, Fisk & Nichols for 150 Bags Pepper, Boston, [Massachusetts], August 22, 1822.

.4 Receipted bill, Jones & Co. to S[tanton], F[iske] & Nichols for 250 and 100 Bags Pepper, Boston [Massachusetts], August 22, 1822.

.5 Receipted bill, Winslow Lewis & Co. to Owners of Brig Sicily, J. Blake, and others, for cordage, twine, mugs, plates, marline and cod line, sail needles, knives & forks, etc., n.p., August-September 1822.

.6 Receipted bill, Benjamin Comey to Brig Sicily for different kinds of booms, Boston [Massachusetts], August 26, 1822.

.7 Receipted bill, James Davis to Capt. Joshua Blake for copper and nails, n.p., August 1822.

.8 Bill, Rice(?), Hereshaw(?) & Co. to Capt. Joshua Blake for Brig Sicily for lamp black, paint and turpentine, n.p., August-September 1822.

.9 Receipted bill, Francis Wade to Owners of Brig Sicily, for 8 hogsheads of water, n.p., August 28, 1822.

.10 Acknowledgement of receipt, Francis Wade from Eden Wadsworth, for water received aboard the Brig Sicily,.August 29, 1822.

.11 Receipted bill, Leach, Harris & Son to Brig Sicily & Owners, for oakum, pitch, and work on brig, Boston [Massachusetts], August 30, 1822.

.12 Receipted bill, Joseph Locke to Messrs. Stanton, Fisk & Nichols, for liver oil, Boston [Massachusetts], August 30, 1822.

.13 Account, "Return of forty Eight Casks oil Gauged for Mr. Joseph Locke," Boston [Massachusetts], August 30, 1822

.14 Receipted bill, Benjamin Rich to Joshua Blake for Ravens Duck and Russia Duck, Boston [Massachusetts], August 31,1822.

.15 Receipted bill, Henderson Inches to Messrs. Stanton, Fiske & Nichols & J. Blake for wharfage and storage of rags and feathers, Boston [Massachusetts], August 1822 [on printed form]

.16 Receipted bill, Henry Huxford, stevedore, to Owners of Brig Sicily for discharging and loading said brig, n.p., August 1822.

.17 Receipted bill, Jotham Barnes to Owners of Brig Sicily for "Refuse Plank," n.p., September 1822.

.18 Receipted bill, Joseph Jones & Co. to Owners of the Brig Sisley (i.e. Sicily) for mending sails, rope, spun yarn, marling, twine, thimbles, leather, and line Boston [Massachusetts], September 2, 1822.

.19 Receipted bill, Rufus Holbrook to Brig Scily for wood, Boston [Massachusetts], September 6, 1822.

.20 Bill, Williams, Putnam & Co. to Owners of Brig Sicily for foodstuffs (molasses, rum, flour, sugar, tea, butter, cheese, fish, vinegar, ham, etc.), Boston [Massachusetts], September 6, 1822.

.21 Receipted bill, W. Stevenson to Brig Sicily for "Roll of Crew," n.p., September 6, 1822.

.22 Receipted bill, James Weld to Brig Sicily & Owners, for bread, Boston [Massachusetts], September 6, 1822.

.23 Receipted bill, John Smith to the Owners of Brig Sicily, for Mr. Wadsworth's board, n.p., September 6, 1822.

.24 Order, G. S. [George S.] Blake to "My Dear Uncle" [Joshua Blake] to pay the bearer, Mr. Isaac Larkin, $13, it being the balance due him for board, n.p., n.d.

.25 Copy of orders to Capt. Gershom Bradford as Commander of the Brig Sicily on her 4th voyage to Trieste; Boston [Massachusetts], September 6, 1822.; upon arrival in Trieste, he is to present letters to Grant, Hepburn & Co.; gives details about unloading coffee and pepper at Trieste and taking on cargo, brimstone, or stone as ballast before setting sail for Messina; at Messina, is to buy lemons and oranges, and gives directions about how to pack them

.26 Receipted bill, George Darracott to the Brig Sicily & Owners for repairing tinware and boiler, also for a shovel and copper pot, Boston [Massachusetts], September 8, 1822.

.27 Receipted bill, Peter Puglia to Brig Sicily for unspecified services on board from August 20 to September 7, 1822.

.28 Receipt, Gershom Bradford to Stanton, F[iske] & Nichols for advance wages of Brig Sicily, 4th Voyage, Boston [Massachusetts], September 7, 1822.

.29 List of consignments aboard the brig Sicily, n.p., n.d. [lists numbers of hogsheads, barrels, bags, boxes, and cases, but not contents]

.30 Freight list for Brig Sicily, G. Bradford, Master, for Trieste; [Boston, [Massachusetts], September 7, 1822; lists names of shippers, consignees, articles, quantity, etc. The articles include coffee, indigo, piece goods, sugar, beef, logwood, cod oil, and pepper.

.31 Bill of lading of cargo of Brig Sicily for Trieste, listing beef, logwood, cod oil and pepper, Boston [Massachusetts], Sept. 7, 1822. On form printed by Russell and Gardner.

.32 Outward Foreign Manifest. Report and Manifest of the Cargo, laden at the Port of Boston on board the Brig Sicily, Gershom Bradford Master, bound for Trieste; listing beef, coffee, rags, piece goods, indigo, logwood, cod oil, pepper, and sugar, Boston [Massachusetts], September 7, 1822.

.33 Portage bill of brig Sicily for Trieste, Messina, &c; [Boston, Massachusetts], September 7, 1822. The following crew members are listed: Gershom Bradford, master; George Peterson, mate; George S. Blake, 2d mate; Edw. B. Lathrop, Jno. Grew, Peter Morse, Peter Lions, all seamen; John Kelley, cook, Robt. W.(?) Welsh, position not listed. The list includes the men’s monthly wages and how much each was advanced before sailing.

.34 Letter, Jos[hua] Blake to Messrs. Grant Hepburn & Co. [partners and agents], Trieste; Boston [Massachusetts], Sept. 7, 1822.

.35 Freight list of the Brig Sicily, Gershom Bradford, Master, from Boston; signed at Trieste, November 1822, by Grant Hepburn & Co. Goods listed are coffee, indigo, pice goods, sugar, beef, logwood, pepper, and oil.

.36 Account of Sales of 500 bags Black Pepper per Grant Hepburn & Co., Trieste, November 30, 1822. Includes proceeds of sale of pepper, plus deductions for such charges as import duty, repacking, weighing, brokerage, etc.

.37 Invoice of 200 boxes Roll Brimstone purchased by order of Joshua Blake of Boston and shipped on board the Brig Sicily for Messina and Boston [as ballast]; signed by Grant Hepburn &: Co., Trieste, November 30, 1822.

.38 Invoice of Specie (5 bags cont. 5000 Spanish Pillar Dollars) purchased by order of Joshua Blake of Boston & shipped on board the Brig Sicily for Messina; signed by Grant Hepburn & Co.., Trieste, November 30, 1822.

.39-40 Bills of lading, five thousand Spanish Pillar Dollars, on the Brig Sicily, Trieste, signed by Gershom Bradford, November 30, 1822. On printed forms.

.41-42 Bills of lading, Two hundred boxes Roll Brimstone, signed by Gershom Bradford, Trieste, November 30, 1822. On printed forms.

.43 Letter, G. Hepburn to Jos[hua] Blake [as partner], regarding the Sicily's voyage to Messina; Trieste, December 4, 1822.

.44-45 Bills of lading, 1250 Boxes Lemons and 1128 Boxes Oranges, shipped by Payson & Rose for account of the Owners of the Brig Sicily; signed by Gershorn Bradford, Messina, January 14, 1823. On forms printed by Russell and Gardner.

.46 Duplicate invoice of 1250 Boxes Lemons and 1128 Boxes Oranges shipped by Payson & Rose on board the Brig Sicily by order of Messrs. Benjamin Gardner & Co. of Palermo, for account of Joshua Blake; Messina, January 14, 1823.

.47 Account of sale of fruit by order of Messrs. Stanton, F[iske]& Nichols per Brig Sicily; signed by Samtuel F. Coolidge, Boston [Massachusetts], April 1823.

.48 Sales, Sundries rec. by Brig Sicily for account and risk of the Owners of said brig, signed by Stanton Fiske & Nichols, Boston, May 29, 1823.

.49 Account, Brig Sicily's disbursements, Trieste, &c; signed by Gershom Bradford, Boston [Massachusetts], April 16, 1823. The charges are divided into what was spent in Boston, Trieste, Messina, and Gibraltar. The charges include board for sailors, fresh meat, Indian meal, brooms, tin pot, replacement for a broken oar, fees for pilots, blacksmithing, and carpentry work, vegetables, the consul’s bill, assistance to get underway, water, and quarantine guard.

.50 Wrapper, Brig Sicily's Bills, 4th Voyage.