Featured Soldier's note re land grant, 18th century, US? UK?

This is an odd one.

A semi literate faded note with a transcript to back.

I have no idea whether this is genuine 18th century or a later scrawl or even a reproduction

Written on thin sheet of paper, old tape to left side, brown stained/foxed.

Found in our ephemera treasure trove

 

I wish I could read it but... I can't.

 

A government committee has recommended a free grant of land for soldiers with £500/-

Then basically it says go for it, life and climate are ideal, I'm writing this in a tent on an estate.

Both US and UK were proposing awarding land grants of up to 500 acres in the 18th century

 

Is the letter written in ink or by a pencil?

 

I'm not sure, possibly pencil

 

Is that Mombasa (sic) at the top?

 

It may be.

Then again......

 

And what's with the watermark "PENLLYN COLLECTABLES" on the original???? Or is that from you, @rhiwfield ??
(Actually, I see it's on both copies)

 

Ah that's my website, I tend to put it on images which I might sell later. Good spot, it is 95% transparent!!

 

Good for you.....it makes sense to do that!!!!

 

Canada was offering land grants with $500 in scrip for ex-servicemen in 1912.

 

Interesting, I'd thought the £500/- was a mistake for 500 acres. So this could have been more recent?

Does the climate qualify as ideal?

 

I don't know anything about that but that seems like a much more reasonable date. I'm not convinced this is 18th century and I'll give a few reasons why:
1: The writing style looks fairly modern (I would think no earlier than 1850)
2: It looks from the photos to be written in pencil, pencils were not commonly used till the very end of the 18th century
3: The type of paper does not look terribly old

 

I suspect you may be right.

 

It's signed "(Something) of Khartoum" which I would think to be a reference to Gordon of Khartoum who defended the city during the 1884 siege. Late 19th century a much more likely date given pencil. And British troops were stationed in Mombasa at the time. Can't imagine why it wouldn't be genuine. What would be the point in faking a document of this nature? Appears to be an ordinary domestic letter, albeit one sent from during unusual circumstances. A very uneducated hand, by way.

Debora

 

Still..........a very cool find!!!

 

It looks like £500 to me rather than $, but my point was that it could be later. (The Canadian land grant was 160 acres.)

Why is this person living in a tent on an estate unless he is there on active duty?

£500 in the 18th C was a major chunk of change.

 

Anyone know whether the UK offered land grants to soldiers in Mombasa? I can't find a record of it

Edit Soldier settlement scheme 1919 for British officers? Which this guy would not have been.

 

Could have been involved in a agricultural project which would make sense with the word "estate."

Debora

 

The letter refers to the son as being the soldier. From the letter, we have no idea where he was stationed.
Debora