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Foreign Office, S.W.1.—Presents to Trinity College a bill of lading for the shipping of Lord Byron’s furniture, discovered among the archives of the British Consul at Venice.

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Transcript

FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W.1.
21st July, 1932.

L 3720/43/402.

My dear Gow,

Our Consul at Venice has recently been engaged in sorting out old archives, and has been sending home to us a mass of expired passports, ships’ articles or crew lists, and a collection of copies of Bills of Lading dated between 1817 and 1823.

Among these latter there is one of some historical interest, as it covers the furniture sent by Byron from Venice to Ravenna in January, 1820. I think he had himself returned to Ravenna shortly before Christmas, 1819, and had these things sent after him.

I have been authorised to dispose this document where it will be appreciated and preserved with care, and after considering the British Museum, Harrow and Trinity, I think that you are the most suitable people to {1} have it, if you want it.

I enclose a translation of it so that you may see its nature {3}. I think the last item the “small child’s bed” is rather pathetic as it doubtless belonged to little Allegra, who had been ill just before they left Venice.

I do not know whether you will find it necessary to consult anybody else before accepting this offer. I presume your Council does not meet in the long vacation, nor your Library Committee, but you can doubtless speak to the Master or Vice-Master about it, and if you tell me that you would like it, I will send it by registered post or bring it with me some week-end when I come to Cambridge.

Yours ever,
Stephen Gaselee

Andrew Gow, Esq. {2}

I feel that if it went to Harrow it might set the boys asking “But why did the poet go from Venice to Ravenna?”

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Typed, except the signature and the postscript.

{1} Typed as a catchword at the foot of the first page and repeated at the beginning of the next.

{2} Typed at the foot of the first page.

{3} It is unclear whether the translation accompanied the bill from Venice, or whether it was made in England by Gaselee himself or someone else.

(It is unclear whether this accompanied the bill of lading from Venice, or whether it was made in England by Gaselee himself or someone else.)

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Transcript

Venice, January 26th, 1820.

Embarked, in the name of God and under good auspices, one {1} and for all in this port of Venice by Mr. Richard Belgrave Hoppner, His Britannic Majesty’s Consul for account of Signor Milord Bajron, in the hold of the sailing ship named Divina Provvidenza, owner Francesco Ceolin, Austrian, to convey and consign in this present voyage, to the said Signor Milord Bajron the undermentioned and numbered goods, dry, entire, and well conditioned and of the numbers stated: and so the said Master promises to consign them on his safe arrival; and as freight there shall be paid to him in all eighteen Roman crowns, Crowns 18, and in proof thereof this, together with other similar (copies) shall be signed by the said Master, and if he shall be unable to write, a third person shall write for him, and only drawn up, the others being of no value.

No. 4 Mattresses, with 3 pillows and bolster.
” 1 Small padded bed cover.
(a) 2 Empty mattress cases.
(b) 4 Comodes—packed in matting
2 Footstools
1 Basket with various effects, covered in cloth.
1 Valise.
1 Bundle containing a bracket and other effects packed in matting.
1 Dining-room table.
1 Small table.
1 Filter.
4 Cases of printed books.
1 Case containing a plaster Statue.
(c) 1 Sofa of cherry wood.
4 Cushions for the above.
(d) 16 Small walnut chairs.
6 Small straw-seated arm chairs.
1 Caldron containing various effects.
2 Small wooden dog-kennels.
1 Bath tub.
(e) 1 Package containing a double bed and a small child’s bed, taken to pieces.

Lodovico Barbaglia,
for the Master Franco Ceolin as witness.

Notes:—

(a). It was usual at that time to stuff mattress cases with straw—hence the word “Pagliazzo”—(paglia—straw)—presumably the servants’ mattresses.

(b). Como stiorati—the latter word is probably derived from stiora or mat, and possibly they were cov-ered in matting. “Stiorati” a term which is used locally for “inlaid”.

(c). Sofa di Cevesar—this word is evidently Cereser—or the local dialect for cherrywood.

(d). “Careghe”, diminutive “Careghino”—Venetian for a chair.

(e). “Cocchietta”—mispelt† for “cocetta”—double bed. “Putello”—Venetian for child.

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1 single sheet.

{1} A slip for ‘once’?

{2} ‘aj’ possibly typed over other letters.

† Sic.

Venice.—Certifies that R. B. Hoppner, the British Consul, has embarked, on Lord Byron’s account, certain goods aboard the Divina Providenza, bound for Ravenna.

(The envelope bears the printed words ‘On His Britannic Majesty’s Service’, and is labelled ‘Bill of Lading | for Lord Byrons Furniture | Ref. F.O. Desp. No 9. (L2523/43/402) | 19/5/32.’ This is presumably the envelope in which the bill was sent from Venice.)