Dishonoured promissory note issued by Garnham Blaxcell to be paid to Captain Joseph James, together with notice of protest signed by Ellis Bent

MLMSS 11583

fonds

20 March 1812, 16 August 1813

9661676

0.01 metres of textual material (1 folder)

Garnham Blaxcell arrived in Sydney in 1801 and within a few years had become one of the colony's wealthiest merchants. He took an active role in the Bligh rebellion and in 1810, with Alexander Riley and D'Arcy Wentworth, was contracted to build a general hospital in Sydney for the right to import spirits. It brought little profit to Blaxcell and the other contractors, and a further series of costly endeavours led to his downfall. He incurred large debts to John Macarthur and other leading colonists as well as the government and, unable to pay his creditors, fled the colony in 1817.

Captain Joseph James landed in Sydney in 1811 as the master of the brig Daphne. He became a merchant and stayed in Sydney until 1818, when he left for George Town, Van Diemen's Land. He suffered various financial disappointments during his life and died in relative poverty.

Ellis Bent was appointed deputy judge advocate in New South Wales as from 1 January 1809 and arrived in the colony exactly a year later on the H.M.S. Dromedary, which also bought Lachlan Macquarie to his post. He presided over the Civil and Criminal Courts and became known as a law reformer during his time in the position. He later had a falling out with Macquarie, and not long after passed away in 1815.

References:
Library acquisition file
Currey, C. H. "Bent, Ellis (1783–1815)." Australian Dictionary of Biography. 8 August 2022.
https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bent-ellis-1772
Dunlop, E. W. "Blaxcell, Garnham (1778–1817)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Accessed 8 August 2022.
https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/blaxcell-garnham-1794
Broxam, Graeme. "Joseph James." The companion to Tasmanian History. Centre for Tasmanian Historical Studies. Accessed 8 August 2022.
https://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/J/James%20Joseph.htm

Dishonoured promisary note signed by Garnham Blaxcell for 250 pounds to be paid to Captain Joseph James, dated 20 March 1812.

Watermarked notice of protest form signed by Ellis Bent, Judge Advocate and James Foster, Clerk for Ellis Bent, for the dishonoured 250 pound promissory note of Garnham Blaxcell at the request of Captain Joseph James, dated 16 August 1813. This notice of protest is a folded folio sheet printed by George Howe, with manuscript entries by James Foster, the second side is a copy of the original promissory note signed by Garnham Blaxcell.

Out of copyright:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

GR (George Rex) watermark appears on the notice of protest.