1850s COMMANDER OF BRITISH FORCES IN HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA: His Retained Archive

A fascinating group of correspondence, ephemera and even a plan of his Halifax mansion, Belle Vue, which was retained by Charles Trollope as a memento of his time as Commander of British Forces in Nova Scotia in the late 1850s. This includes the first ever telegram received in Halifax via the Nova Scotia Electric Telegraph Company. The telegraph was also the means of informing Trollope about political unrest in Newfoundland in April 1861, when the British Governor Sir Alexander Bannerman wrote requesting military support. The military response to the election riots in Harbour Grace and Harbour Maine is tracked through the correspondence along with Trollope’s subsequent investigation, travelling by HMS Hydra on 28 June 1861, he returned to Halifax on 4 July, 1861. Over two dozen documents record this journey and the actions he took in which Trollope singled out Captain Hanrahan and a special magistrate for criticism, afterwards resigning his post and returning to England. The thanks of colonial dignitaries and organisations to Trollope are represented here in manuscript and printed form.

Charles Trollope (1808-1888) had served as a junior officer in New Brunswick during the Aroostook War of 1838-9 before postings in the Ionian Islands and Crimea. He was rewarded for his successes in the Crimean War with the Command of British Forces in Nova Scotia, Canada (1856-61). His colleague the Scottish merchant and politician, Sir Alexander Bannerman served as the Governor of Newfoundland (1857-1864).

PROVENANCE: Charles Trollope and by descent through descendants until sold in 2023

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

1. CORRESPONDENCE (letters – originals and copies – and telegrams; 40+ items) Written on a variety of paper stocks, in different hands and ink, a number with ribbon-ties and some pins, a few with original envelopes. Pleasingly well preserved and well organised: some spotting, toning and soiling, some creasing and ragged edges. The majority individually annotated by Trollope, who was a meticulous record keeper.

Comprising:

- Letters marking Trollope’s appointment to British North America (1856) and his subsequent move from Quebec to Halifax (1858) (2 letters);

- The first telegram received in Halifax (31 August 1858), with Nova Scotia Electric Telegraph Company printed header and completed in brown ink, addressed to: General Trollope, Halifax Nova Scotia” advising that, “The sixty second regiment is not to return to England”, from the Military Secretary to the Commander in the Chief of the Horse Guards (London), and annotated in Trollope’s hand: “The first message received in Halifax”; plus two-page handwritten despatch (Halifax, 5 August 1858) about landing the Atlantic Telegraph wire: “every man on board the Telegraph Fleet has exerted himself to the utmost to make the expedition successful” and a brief handwritten letter (16 August, 4.30pm) from Jesse Hoyt informing Trollope that the Atlantic Submarine Telegraph Cable “is now in successful operation, and that the Message from Her Most Gracious Majesty The Queen to the President of the United States, is now passing through Nova Scotia”, with elegant handwritten copies of the messages, plus cover letter in envelope (5 items);

- Correspondence (April-June 1861) concerning election riots in Newfoundland in spring and summer 1861, incl. from the Colonial Secretary, the Duke of Newcastle, the British Governor, Alexander Bannerman and Liet. Col. Grant, Commanding Officer of the British Army in Newfoundland. Grant informed Trollope via telegram and letter that “detachment three officers and one hundred men proceeded to Harbor Grace” to aid civil power (22 April 1861); further correspondence in May 1861 from Grant and Bannerman about ongoing unrest, resulting in Trollope sending 200 men of the 62nd Regiment to Newfoundland; Trollope is later informed that Captain Fordyce and 50 men of the 62nd had “apprehended the ring-leader of a mob, which had, the previous day, pulled down a house at Harbor-Maine,” ransacked it and killed livestock: “all the property of a returning officer, a Roman-Catholic”, and, later, about the “salvation of the town of St. John’s in that evening, it being in the hands of a lawless mob, ready for outrage and plunder” (13 May); letters between Trollope and the Admiral of HMS Hydra regarding naval support: though in harbour at St John’s, the outbreak of the American Civil War meant HMS Hydra must instead “proceed to

NY at a very short notice for the protection of British life and prosperity” (20 May); on 29 May, Bannerman “return[ed his …] most sincere thanks for the promptitude which you have shown in this emergency” (12 items);

- Correspondence, notes and confidential reports (June-August 1861) relating to Trollope’s visit to Newfoundland and investigation of the British military response to the election riots, and the conduct of volunteers, incl. correspondence with Bannerman, the Military Secretary, Major General William Forster and the Duke of Newcastle. Trollope discussed the ongoing investigation into the special magistrate at Harbour Grace, as well as Dr Mullock, the Roman Catholic Bishop; in his report, he concluded in favour of Grant and singled out Captain Hanrahan, who “did not that zeal and energy which every officer should adopt in suppression of [...] violence” and who had “informed him that he could and would only (if he was called out) fire on the mob” (16 July); Trollope also concluded that the volunteers were divided by religion and political allegiance, and that “the men are intimate with the inhabitants some of whom encourage them to drink” (21 items); -

Handwritten letters and addresses of thanks to Trollope from various Halifax and regional dignitaries and leaders, including printed copies, published as Addresses to Major-General Trollope, C.B., On his Departure from Halifax, Nova Scotia (1861), pp. 1-10: 2 copies, plus repeat pages, in envelope (6 items).

2. Miscellaneous manuscript material (13+ items)

Including:

- Ground plan of Belle Vue, the Commanding Officer’s residence in Halifax, a grocery and a furniture bill, plus Trollope’s Account of ‘Wine handed over’ and ‘List

and price of articles left at Belle Vue,’ including “Sleigh - Canadian, with 2 bear skin aprons and 2 Buffalo Robes — £30”;

- A number of loose letters, documents, scraps and envelopes, dating before and after his posting in Nova Scotia, including a letter from the Secretary of State for War informing Trollope he had been awarded £100 distinguished service pension (11 Feb. 1857), an envelope containing carte de visite of ‘Officers of French Navy who visited Halifax’ (1859), sheets titled ‘Crops of 1860’ and sales of sugar ‘received by the “Mermaid” Berry Master from Barbados’; Trollope family pedigree and armorial bearings; obituary clipping and overseas shares for a descendent.

3. PRINTED MATERIAL (3 items)

- ‘Appendix No. 28. Governor’s Instructions’. Foolscap printed pages (pp. 427-434), bound by Trollope in blue laid paper wrappers, green ribbon ties, front wrapper hand- lettered in black ink. “Copy” written in brown ink to chapter title, gently toned, some

foxing. Else, clean.

- Two copies of Petition of the City of Halifax, Nova Scotia, to her Majesty the Queen, Respecting the Interference of the Military Authorities with the Common of Halifax (1859): original colour wraps (pink and yellow), lettered in black, pp. 44; pink-wrappered copy, incl. fold-out map tipped in to title page. Gently soiled and creased, heads of spines lifting. Creased and toned, some staining, else, clean.

BIOGRAPHY

Charles Trollope (1808-1888) had served as a junior officer in New Brunswick during the Aroostook War of 1838-9 before postings in the Ionian Islands and Crimea. In addition to his other honours, he was rewarded for his successes in the Crimean War with the Command of British Forces in Nova Scotia, Canada (1856-61). The Scottish merchant and politician, Sir Alexander Bannerman served as the Governor of Newfoundland (1857-1864), which had been awarded full Dominion status and a responsible government in 1855.