Papers Relating to Land Settlement in Nova Scotia : 1748/49 - 1752.

            The House of Lords Record Office has custody of the records of both Houses of the British Parliament, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The parliamentary archives is a major repository of manuscript material relating to America in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries reflecting Parliament and the nation's commercial and strategic interest in the colonies. The importance of the Anglo-French rivalry in North America is also reflected in the papers laid before the House.
On 12 March 1753, two large bundles of papers from the Secretary of State and the Board of Trade respecting the settlement of Nova Scotia, 1749-1752, were delivered to the House. This was followed on 20 February 1756, and again on 24 February 1756, by Papers with enclosures and translations from the Secretary of State and the Board of Trade relating to encroachments committed by the French in North America, 1748/49-1755.            

            The Papers Relating to Land Settlement in Nova Scotia are arranged in two series: Series 1, Papers 1-37; Series 2, Papers 1-106.
The letters in Series 1 begin on 6 March 1748/1749 and end on 1 September 1751, and are arranged chronologically. They consist of letters and extracts of letters from the Secretary of State, including correspondence between the Duke of Bedford and Governors Hopson and Cornwallis; letters from the Duke of Bedford to the Lords of Trade, Lords of the Treasury, Lords of the Admiralty, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Mascarene, and principal officers of His Majesty's Ordnance; an inventory of sundries to be provided for 100 families [March 1748/1749]; and other correspondence.
The letters in Series 2 begin on 6 March 1748/1749 and end on 22 December 1752, and are arranged chronologically.  They include letters from the Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, including correspondence between the Duke of Bedford and the Board of Trade as well as between Governors Hopson and Cornwallis and the Board of Trade; a plan presented to His Majesty for the settlement of Nova Scotia; draft of a commission for Edward Cornwallis to be Captain-General and Governor of Nova Scotia, which is followed by a draft of instructions, and a draft of orders and instructions relating to the trade and navigation of Great Britain and His Majesty's plantations in America; minute of the first day's Council held by the Governor, 14 July 1749 [in Halifax]; list of civil officers at Chebucto and their salaries; letter from the French inhabitants to the Governor, and the Governor's answer, 7 September 1749; letter from the Mi'kmaq (Micmacs) to the Governor; Nova Scotia Council Records from 14 July 1749-December 1752; journal of the proceedings of a detachment under the command of Major Lawrence after entering Chignecto Basin [1750]; estimate of expenses for Nova Scotia from 1 August 1752-December 1753; proposal for peace made by one of the tribes of Micmac Indians, 16 September 1752; petition of the well-disposed German settlers in Nova Scotia to Colonel Hopson; account of the annual expenses of the civil establishment in Nova Scotia which is followed by an account of annual expenses of the military establishment [1752]; and many other documents of great historical importance.            

            A hand written List of Documents has been microfilmed preceding each of the Series (I and II). The List of Papers reflects the chronological order and numbering system of the Papers and includes the names of correspondents or type of document and dates.  Available in print in the Loyalist red binders and as a an electronic finding aid.

A listing of documents has been published in American Papers in the House of Lords Record Office:  A Guide.  This calendar was edited by Walter Minchinton of the University of Exeter, and Peter Harper of the University of Keele, and published in 1983 by Microform Ltd.            

A microform shelf list has been created by the author of the Loyalist Collection Inventory. The Microfilm Shelf List is available in print with the Loyalist Collection Finding Aids and on the World Wide Web.