Scattergood Papers 1
Add Mss, 43730
(Could have also used Mss Eur 387/1 – basically the same volume, although folio numbers may be different)
Adds fuller info to general account of Scattergood’s ventures in Bernard Scattergood’s biography, and in volume four of the papers.
He was clearly doing lots of work on behalf of other more senior merchants early on in his career. First section of the first set of papers is nearly all letters of other merchants, mostly involving Francis Forbes, who, interestingly, was a merchant in Bombay.
Acted as supercargo in the London to Persia in 1707. His Persia accounts begin f. 84. Various accounts of goods sold on account of other merchants – Scattergood acting for several others to sell their goods in Persia, not much on his personal trade here. List of the sale of the cargo of the London, 1707, f. 103.
There is a price current of China goods in Surat at ff.126-7. Perhaps connected to his involvement in hiring of the ship Kent for voyage to China, as mentioned in biography. Perhaps didn’t travel on this voyage as his first China trip as supercargo was in 1711, see below…
Details of JS’s 1st China Voyage as supercargo in 1711 – begins f. 128.
- Was in the ship Bussorah Merchant (alias the Elizabeth) – freight owned by John Cockcroft (the Captain), Philip Gamon and James Penning
- Scattergood and Edward Jones acted as Supercargoes.
- 60,000 Pagodas of silver was laden on board by Thomas Frederick and Charles Boone, consigned to Scattergood and Jones. (f. 146).
- Already we have transactions with Linquah and Anquah here (f. 139) – 400 taels worth of pearls and 6160 taels silver for 5 peculls of quicksilver and 3 peculls of vermillion and 60 pieces of gold.
- Lets out 206 pagodas at respondentia to Abraham Bennett, mariner of Madras, in September 1711. At 25 per cent. The Respondentia bond typed out in full here - useful to get an idea of the wording of these things? He also has several other bonds in play (lending to others), 1711-1712, a few hundred Rupees per time.
f. 165: Good example of how a respondentia bond gets settled: ‘I the subscriber do hereby declare acknowledge and confess to be true (that whereas I had lent Mr. John Scattergood of Madras Merchant the summe of three hundred pagodas at intrest at nine per cent for which the said John Scatrergood passed a note of his hand to me dated December the twenty third one thousand seven hundred and ten which note being lost or mislaid) that I have now received the summe of three hundred forty two pagodas thirteen fanams and forty Cash being in full for principall and intrest of said note which I hereby declare to be null and void and for the better security of the said John Scattergood have passed this paper to him signed in Fort St. George July the twenty third one thousand seven hundred and twelve. Edward Barkham.’
Extremely friendly with Charles Boone at Bombay at this point [this was interesting for me as Boone appears quite a lot in my thesis]. Letter to him in September 1712, illustrates this close connection, and also how ambitious and daring he was prepared to be: ‘Mr Bennett is arrived from Bombay and tells me that Surratt will be stoped up and believes that I shall get little or no subscription from thence, by reason the Generall is angry about the Union and says he will not be concerned with Madrass nor Bengall, sence they would not take him in the Union. However, I am still again [go]ing to Surratt to see and try. Mr. Bennett thinks that he has a great interest with our Governor. He talks no less than a China voyage the next year, and he does not question but that you will goe with him. If my Surratt project is overset, hope you will secure a Persars place with you, or if anything better, it will not do a miss.’ F. 172. JS prepared to network closely with west coast senior merchants, as evidenced by his later activities.
Also trading in tin and agala wood – I think to Persia – ff. 171-4. Something has gone wrong here however, and he can’t recover the money from the sale of these goods. Blames Messrs. Foulkes and Crookes whom he consigned the goods to. Works with Charles Boone here to try and ‘rectifie’ the situation.
Returned to Madras early in 1712 and prepared for a fresh voyage as sole supercargo in the St. Andrew, a country ship that had come from Surat, back to that port and Bombay. Vessel sailed in October 1712, arrived Bombay January 1713 [Bombay at this time was under Presidency of William Aislabie].
‘Account of package of my things bought for my Voyage to Surratt [on the St. Andrew, from Madras, see B.P. Scattergood, p. 20] &c. 28 September 1712’. In f. 175.
Fine Ginghams stript. 10 ps
Ditto painted with flowers 10 ps
Red ditto 5
Pollicatt 2
Gingall stript and painted 8
Black and shite chints 49
Red and white ditto 60
Sarasses black and white 28
Ditto red and white 19
Ditto that I bought at outcry 15
Painted Clouts red and white 58
Chints Metchlepatnam 45
And fine Palempores 7
Fine palempores 7
Course ditto. 19
Gingham musters 4
Sannoes 1
Cotton 2
1 bale qt. Handkerchiefs 15 ps. Fine ca. 16 Had
Ditto course 535 Hander
Cossos 11 Cor[ge]
Ditto 5:10: and 6 cor Ginghams 2 pieces Mus
Baftas 8: 3: Musters 2 pieces
Sannoes 3: 2:pieces 1 piece musters
Blew Ginghams 25 pieces
Blew Moores, 139 pieces: 1 piece musters
f. 176:
‘Returning cargo {of the St. Andrew} vizt.’ [from Surat]
Rupees / PiecesCotton
Corrall head
Ditto 2 sort
Ditto 3 sort
Branches
Ditto
Ophium
Beads
Shaules
Cambelys head
Soap
Pearl earings
Phiscick root
Brimestone / 10000
20000
10000
500
10000
5000
1100
1200
5000
1500
2000
1000
1000
1000
693000 / Shaules Jamawars
Shasses
Cambalys 2 sort
Guspees
Kincaws
Putcaloes
Attlasses red
Cuttanees severall / 20
15
1000
20
100
50
75
100
1380
‘An Account of what I carry with me to Surratt on the St. Andrew, Captain Thomas Greenhaugh’, 4 October 1712.
Sundry goods bought at Madrass as Per Invoice with all charges 1314.12.-
Goods in Company with Captain Greenhaugh
Mullmulls 4:15 at 35. 166. 9.
Sannoes 2: 5 at 16¼. 36. 20.
Doreas 5:10 at 35¾. 196. 22.
399.15
My half is 199.25.404
Goods in Company with the Honble Edward Harrison Esqr.
20 guns pz. 53:2:2 at 3½ }
Shott 867 7:2:18 at 30½ } 107.29.20
Checkings bought of Mr Benion
535½ at 16½ per cent 623.19.
63 at 15 per cent 72.16. 695.35.-
Lent to Captain Greenhaugh at Respondentia at
24 per cent to Surratt on St Andrew 500. - . -
Lent to Captain Peirson to be paid in Bombay in Rupees 1925 500. - . -
An account of money I have taken at Respondentia to Surratt on the St. Andrew at 20 per cent
Mr. Legg Pri[n]cipall 400
Mr Lewis 500
Mr Bennett 200
Muta pauca tombe chitty 300
Mr Benion 500
Trepasure marr chitte 300
Chenande Chittie 100
Chena muta pa. 200 2500
Vincatte Chittie at interes 200
Collaway Chittie at ditto 500 700
3200
JS was hoping to plan a voyage from the west coast to China for 1713:
f. 182: ‘As for my goeing to China and Surratt the next year, I believe nothing will come of it, for I hear that Mr. Phips goes from Bombay, and weither I shall get any subscriptions or noe tis very doubtfull.’ To Charles Boone from Madras, 8 October 1712.
Useful ‘account of what money I have abroad and what I owe with proper Instructions to each voyage &c. to my wide my Attorney in my absence.’ F. 185. 9 October 1712.
Instructions to his wife, same date, includes the line, ‘I would have you as money comes in to pay off my Interest especially the black people for they make the most noise.’ Ff. 189-90.
JS eventually sorted out his venture to China from the west coast. Biography in volume 4 of the papers says that the stock of the ship was 10,000 Rs. Contributed by various free merchants, Company servants. Chief investor was Edward Harrison. Ship returned to Bombay from China by spring 1714, disposed of most of China cargo there.
f. 208: On the Amity to China [this was his second voyage to China, see B.P. Scattergood, pp. 22-23], Scattergood receives instructions from Harrison, in May 1713. He had charged ‘several goods and silver as Pr Invoices amounting to Pags. 3877’ to the care of Scattergood and William Phipps. He desires that they be invested in Gold, to be shipped backed to Madras – he specifies he would like a certain type of gold and says to go to merchant ‘Hingua’ to procure it. Anqua, a merchant Scattergood used on a previous voyage, ‘trick’d them’, so he’s out of favour on this one. Harrison also asks for ‘50 to 100 Cattees of the very finest sort of Bohea Tea, such as Hingua used to provide me’. ‘Do not matter the price so it be of the right sort’ he says.
f. 258: Scattergood to Edward Harrison, 20 December 1713: ‘On our first arrival at Canton [we] had but an indiferent prospect of making a good voyage, all Surratt goods being low, especially Cotton; no Copper, and Sugar at 2 T. 8m. tho’ it fell to 2.6 a little before we went. The reason that the Merchants gave why Cotton was so low was the famine that had been there. … By our Accounts your Honour will see how we sold and bought our goods and do not question after all but shall make a 40 per Cent voyage, except [unless?] the Gentlemen withdraw and sell the ship for a song which I hope will not happen.’
F. 269: Writes to Edward Harrison from Tellicherry January 1714, on his way to Bombay from China. Says the he and Charles Boone want to take the Amity to China again after they have been to Bombay, and hire another ship to go with them if possible, if it can be hired cheaply and subscribers can be found. Expresses concern that they won’t make much money from the Madras-Bombay leg of the voyage.
f. 320: The owners of the Amity
Madras Owners
Principal Surratt Divd Bombay Dividend
The Honble Edward Harrison Esqr 16500 14297.48.80 5693.11.745
William Frasier 4950 4289.20.167 1707.61.445
Thomas Fredericke 16500 14297.48.80 5693.11.745
Henry Davenport 9900 8578.41.155 3415.58.89
Edward Bulkley 3300 2859.35.52 1138.40.1223
William Jennings 3300 2859.35.52 1138.40.1223
Bernard Benyon 3300 2859.35.52 1138.40.1223
Edward Montague 3300 2859.35.52 1138.40.1223
Reverend George Lewis 6600 5719.06.63 2277.17.665
Colloway Chitty 3300 2859.35.52 1138.40.1223
Charles Boone 3300 2859.35.52}
Ditto for Captain Saunders deceased 3300 2859.35.52} 2277.17.665
William Warre 4950 4289.20.167 1707.61.445
John Scattergood 14500 1256.44.92 5003.06.275
Bombay Owners
The Honble William Aislabie Esqr 23300 19930.13.41 7935.60.93
Bernard Whyche 10000 8665.19.119 3450.26.56
Robert Adams 5000 4332.41.149 1725.13.28
William Proby 10000 8665.19.119 3450.36.56
William Phipps 10000 8665.19.119 3450.36.56
John Gomes Febos 8000 6932.15.131 2760.21.09
Capt Eustance Peacock 4000 3466.7.155 1380.10.94
Capt Jonathan Collett 5000 4332.41.149 1725.13.28
Duglass Burniston 2000 1733.3.167 690.5.47
Capt Parrott 2000 1733.3.167 690.5.47
Mr Hill 2000 1733.3.167 690.5.47
Mr Cole 1000 866.33.174 345.2.113
155109 61762.23.-
f. 321:
Goods on board the Amity for China {his second voyage to China on the Amity}: Cotton, Rosumalloes, Silver, Lead, Putchuck. Total appears to be 109,382 Rupees including cooley hire, boat hire etc. Huge amount!
f.326:
Scattergood wrote to his mother 28 May 1714 that ‘I hope shall have the happiness of seeing you in two or three years more, my last voyage comeing out very well.’
He has several outstanding respondentia loans of 100-200 Pagodas to other merchants (account ff.327-328).
f. 347:
Hired the ship Duke of Cambridge to go with them and the Amity to China this time.
f. 360:
Letter from Edward Harrison, William Jennings, Bernard Benyon and William Warre, 9 June 1714: Say they have added 71,150 Surat Rupees’ worth of stock to the Amity at Fort St George (where it has called on its way from Bombay to China), to make the total stock to Canton 139,239. Say they leave it entirely up to Scattergood what cargo to procure for the return journey to Surat. Says they also agree for him to have commission at whatever rate the Bombay subscribers decided – unfortunately doesn’t mention what this rate is, I can’t find it anywhere in the papers.
Ff. 366-67: Account of what laden on board the Amity, at Madras, presumably to add to what was put on board at Bombay:
Cow bezoar, pearls, Rosumalloes, Gogull, Myrhh, Silver (for various individuals – Edward Harrison, Captain Bonner), opium.
ff. 378-380:
Scattergood’s extensive account of various things he bought at Canton in September 1714 {this is part of his third trip there, this time on the Amity from Bombay a second time}:
· ‘This day agreed with Senrs. Linqua and Anqua’ for the following goods:
Cotton, 1000 peculls 5.3.-
Lead 2000 Peculls 2.3.-
Rosumalloes 25 Peculls 30.-.-
Putchuck 10 Peculla 15.-.-
· ‘The goods that we bought of him to be deliver’d aboard all charges free vizt.
Copper Jappan 700 Peculls 12.5.-
Tutenaugh 500 Peculls 7.-.-
Sugar white and good 2000 Peculls 2.7.5
Sugar candy of Chinsu 150 Peculls 4.5.-
Quicksilver 150 Peculls 44.-.-
Gold 150 Ps. at 98 Doller silver