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Details
FRANKLIN, John (1786-1847). Autograph document signed (“John Franklin”), Hobart Town, Van Diemen’s Land, 10 February 1840 and 22 December 1841.
A manuscript pardon, signed by Captain John Franklin, during his tenure as the Lieutenant Governor of the chief penal colony in Australia. This document pardons one John Pearse, who had been serving a life sentence since 1817, for “good conduct and behaviour during his residence.” Cross-hatched text in another hand provides Pearse’s name, place of birth, and physical description ("Height without shoes five feet one inch, age 47, complexion fair, hair brown, whiskers reddish brown"). Franklin served as governor of Van Dieman’s Land (now Tasmania) from 1836-1943, when he returned to London and was selected to head the fateful expedition to find the Northwest Passage.
One page (290 x 312mm). Vellum, paper seal affixed to lower left corner. Provenance: Walkabout Books.
A manuscript pardon, signed by Captain John Franklin, during his tenure as the Lieutenant Governor of the chief penal colony in Australia. This document pardons one John Pearse, who had been serving a life sentence since 1817, for “good conduct and behaviour during his residence.” Cross-hatched text in another hand provides Pearse’s name, place of birth, and physical description ("Height without shoes five feet one inch, age 47, complexion fair, hair brown, whiskers reddish brown"). Franklin served as governor of Van Dieman’s Land (now Tasmania) from 1836-1943, when he returned to London and was selected to head the fateful expedition to find the Northwest Passage.
One page (290 x 312mm). Vellum, paper seal affixed to lower left corner. Provenance: Walkabout Books.