History of Slavery & Abolitionism Interest
A Rare Bill of Lading [Loading] for a Shipment of One Hundred Slaves Dated 1738

A Rare Bill of Lading for a Shipment of One Hundred Slaves Dated 1738, partly-printed with 'pro forma' text and detailed by hand, 'Shipp'd [...] in good Order and well Condition'd, by Merewether & Manning in and upon the good Ship call'd the Sa[nta] Clara [...] Capn. John Wyllys and now riding at Anchor in the Harbour of Kingston and by God's Grace bound for Havana [...] One Hundred Negro Slaves on Account & Risque of the Royal British Asiento Company [...] at the aforesaid Port of Havana [...] unto Anthony Welden Esq., the said Company's Factor there [...] Dated in Kinston in Jamaica March the 6 1738 [signed:] John Wyllys.', further annotated to the left side '50 Men 20 Women 15 Boys 15 Girls 100 Mark't A on the Right Shoulder', the document in double-sided frame with the reverse visible and behind glass.

Dimensions: The document 12.5cm x 22.5cm

This Bill seems to correspond exactly to an all printed or typed Bill held in the Lloyd's of London Collection: https://assets.lloyds.com/media/de6b80a5-771f-4aab-bdc2-70e21b00d289/100enslaved%20billof%20lading%20Factsheet_VL.pdf

The 'Asiento de Negros' was a contract acquired by Britian in 1713 to supply slaves to the American colonies of the Spanish Empire.