Ashley, John

Manuscript volume containing a memorandum by John Ashley, [1745-1747], headed 'A Proposal to support the British Nation against the ambitious views of France. Humbly offered to the consideration of the Right Honourable Henry Pelham', and suggesting the substitution of a capitation tax on sugar and salt for duties on the products of West Indian plantations as a means of undermining French commercial competitiveness.

John Ashley was a planter in Barbados for 28 years. He sat as a Member of the Barbados Council, and was Deputy Auditor General. Ashley was the Leader of the West Indies interest in the UK during the 1730s, when he acted as Secretary of the Planters' Club. He wrote extensively on trade in the West Indies, most notably the sugar trade. Ashley died in 1751.

Single item.

Access to the items in the collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the controlled environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Access to archive collections may be restricted under the Freedom of Information Act. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Bought from Myers & Co. in 1948.

Collection level description.

Manuscript quarto.

Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

Various published works of John Ashley on kindred topics are in the Goldsmiths' Library (Ref: 6874, 6963, 7071, 7200, 7274, 7779, 7979, and 8064).