Description:

ENTIRE LETTER: 1855 lengthy entire headed "Milton near Brisbane/Moreton Bay/...May 5th 1855" & signed "Ambrose Eldridge", to Gloucestershire "Per Gazehound" with a large NSW Imperf Diadems 6d blue-grey (large margins) cancelled with BN '95' & light but obvious oval 'BRISBANE/MY14/1855/NEW.S.WALES' b/s, London arrival d/s of 17SP17/1855, 'CHELTENHAM' transit b/s & 'WINCHCOMBE' arrival cds on the face all in red, stained & rather fragile with archival tape reinforcing within. Eldridge was a member of the MBD sub-committee for NSW's participation at the Paris Exhibition. [The letter states: "...Agriculture is quite a novelty here...I believe I am the first that has gone into farming in any way like extensive operation...I also cultivated the cotton plant and was the first to grow any quantity...[which] will most likely cause the abolition of slavery in America..." [A big claim indeed!] and "...a sample of my cotton has gone to the Paris Exhibition..."] This lot also includes an original 1854 Victorian Government paper, being an advice of the forthcoming Paris Exhibition.