| Description | Letters from James Sands [Sands, Sir James Patrick (1859-1925) merchant and politician in the Bahamas]. Letters from G. W. D. Adderley, Nassau; F. B. Matthews; and Harcourt Malcolm, Chambers, Nassau to Neville Chamberlain; and from Addlerley and E. Y. Villiers Sutton to Sands; and copy of agreement between Sands and Sutton are also included.
Sands was given power of attorney over Chamberlain's land at Mastic Point following the cessation of the Andros Fibre Company and Chamberlain's return to Britain. The letters include letters regarding the agreement for Edward Yorick Villiers Sutton who traded as the 'Sisal Cleaning Company' based at Mastic Point for the cleaning and sale of fibre at Chamberlain's land at Mastic Point under an agreement under which Chamberlain received a portion of the revenue from fibre sold.
The following is a summary of the main topics in the letters. The items are letters from Sands to Chamberlain unless otherwise stated:
/1: Copy of agreement between James Patrick Sands, acting for Neville Chamberlain, and Edward Yorick Villiers Sutton dated 18 March 1901.
/2: Letter from Adderley to Chamberlain regarding: Sutton seeking rights to clean and sell sisal fibre at Chamberlain's land at Mastic Point. 2 May 1899.
/3: Letter from Adderley to Sands regarding: Roberts and Sutton's offer for cleaning and selling fibre at Mastic Point. 12 April 1900.
/4: Roberts and Sutton's offer for cleaning of fibre. 16 April 1900.
/5: Seeking confirmation for agreement with Sutton for cleaning of fibre; details of estimated costs. 8 January 1901.
/6: Manuscript copy of letter from Chamberlain to Sands regarding financial support for the late James R. Knowles' [former manager of the Andros Fibre Company sisal plantation] children. 14 February 1901.
/7: Financial support for the late James R. Knowles' children; visitors to the Bahamas. 19 March 1901.
/8: Sands' news about his business. 23 July 1901.
/9: Sutton's work at Mastic Point and statement of fibre cleaned. 13 January 1902.
/10: Legal matters regarding deeds; Sutton's work at Mastic Point; estate of James R. Knowles being wound up. 1 April 1902.
/11: Deed and power of attorney; financial support for Knowles' children; problems with Sutton's machinery. 30 May 1902.
/12-14: Power of attorney; Sutton's statement of fibre cleaned at Mastic Point; celebrations for Coronation of King Edward VII. Account statements are also included. 18 August 1902.
/15: Joseph Chamberlain and the 'South African trouble'; Sutton 'going on very nicely at present at Mastic Point'; hopes that Chamberlain will visit. 29 September 1902.
/16: Sutton's statement of sisal cleaned at Mastic Point; Sutton's suggestion for weeding and investment at Mastic Point; the forthcoming expiry of Chamberlain's agreement with Sutton; Sands' business including in cigars. 21 November 1902.
/17-18: Regarding statement of sisal fibre cleaned at Mastic Point. The statement is also included. 3 December 1902.
/19-21: Sutton's statement and him having 'not made a good showing for the five months'; Sands' suggestion of altering the agreement with Sutton; Joseph Chamberlain in South Africa. 23 February 1903. Enclosed with Sands' letter is a letter from F. B. Matthews to Sands dated 7 January 1903 asking Sands to thank his 'unknown benefactor' [Chamberlain] for a gift of £65, which Matthews used to reduce his account with Sands; and Sutton's statement.
/22: Letter from Harcourt Malcolm to Sands saying that Sands' power of attorney granted by the Andros Fibre Company Ltd and Chamberlain does not allow Sands to enter into an agreement with Sutton regarding the sisal on Chamberlain's land. 17 March 1903.
/23: The proposed new agreement with Sutton; Sands' power of attorney not giving him the required authority. 17 March 1903.
/24: Draft memorandum of agreement between Chamberlain and Sutton. 12 August 1903.
/25: Sutton's statement; new agreement with Sutton; William Brown claiming to have been given permission to work 20 acres of Chamberlain's land; squatters on Chamberlain's land; Sands going on an election tour to Cat Island. 21 May 1903.
/26-31: Agreement with Sutton; Sands' cigar business; Sands' trip to Cat Island and his success in the elections. Various statements of sisal cleaned by Sutton are enclosed. 21 July 1903.
/32: Squatters at Mastic Point; Sutton's statement; a hurricane and the wharf at Mastic Point having 'gone down'; death of Sands' brother Frank; marriage of the Governor of the Bahamas. 28 September 1903.
/33: Sutton's business at Mastic Point; Sands wishing to send his son Stafford to school in England; business in the Bahamas. 11 January 1904.
/34: Education for Sands' son Stafford; the present low price of sisal abroad meaning that Sutton is unable to make any money. 18 April 1904.
/35: Sutton's sisal business and concession made due to low price of sisal; school for Stafford. 9 August 1904.
/36-37: A problem over land reported by Sutton; Sands' intention to visit England. 4 October 1904. A letter is enclosed from Sutton to Sands dated 7 September 1904 regarding a difficulty over land.
/38: Sutton's sisal business; Chamberlain's contribution to Knowles' children; unveiling of statue of Queen Victoria. 9 May 1905.
/39: Reverend Matthews moving to Nassau; Knowles' children; education of Stafford [Sands' son]; statue of Queen Victoria in Nassau; loss of ship 'Melrose'. 21 June 1905.
/40: Sutton's request for weeding and making roads at Mastic Point; a claim that Chamberlain planted sisal on Elijah Tinke's land and that Sutton had cut the sisal from it. 27 September 1905.
/41: Sutton's sisal business and his request for investment in weeding. 6 December 1905.
/42-44: Titus Ferguson's request for titles to portion of Chamberlain's land at Mastic Point; Sutton wishing to plant cassava and rubber at Mastic Point; Joseph Chamberlain's birthday celebrations; cultivation of sisal by people on outlying islands. 11 September 1906. A letter from Sutton to Sands dated 3 July 1906 is enclosed regarding Ferguson's request and Sutton's desire to plant cassava. A statement is also enclosed.
/45-46: Bahamas Timber Co. Ltd wishing to buy pine trees at Mastic Point; Sutton's business doing poorly and him being 'about at the end of the sisal'. A statement is enclosed. 23 October 1907.
/47-48: Expiry of Sutton's lease and Sutton's wish to renew it and his wish to cultivate rubber, cotton and fruit, and make lumber and shingles; business in the Bahamas. 21 April 1908. A letter from Sutton to Sands dated 23 March 1908 is enclosed regarding his proposals for use of the land at Mastic Point.
/48A: Sutton remaining at Mastic Point 'where he is doing practically nothing' and his wish to remain there; loss of Suttons' boats in hurricane; Sands' business. 14 January 1909.
/49: Copy of reply from Chamberlain to Sands regarding: Sutton's proposals for the land at Mastic Point; the economy; Reverend Matthews returning to England and his son (Cyril) now working at Chamberlain's factory. 29 January 1909.
/50: Letter from Sutton to Sands regarding Sutton's proposals for a new agreement with Chamberlain regarding Chamberlain's land at Mastic Point. 25 June 1908.
/51: Sands' sons; cancellation of Sutton's agreement with Chamberlain for the land at Mastic Point; sale of Sutton's house at Mastic Point to Alfred Colebrook; Sands having been unable to collect more than six pounds from Sutton who 'has nothing'. 3 August 1920.
/52-53: Arthur and Neville Sands [James Sands' sons] purchasing Chamberlain's land at Mastic Point for £200; titles and plans for the land; Sands having received a knighthood in 1916; Sands' family. 26 May 1921.
/54: Copy of reply from Chamberlain to Sands regarding purchase of the Mastic Point land and about the deeds and land granted to the Church of England; Sands' knighthood. 18 June 1921.
/55: Copy of letter from Chamberlain regarding deeds for the Mastic Point land. 25 June 1921.
/56: Regarding deeds for the Mastic Point land. 17 August 1921.
/57: Copy of letter from Chamberlain regarding deeds for Mastic Point land. 17 September 1921.
/58: Note regarding renunciation of dower.
/59: Deeds; renunciation of dower. 12 November 1921.
/60: Forwarding cheque for land; destruction by fire of Hotel Colonial. 8 May 1922. |
| Custodial History | /48A was formerly unnumbered. |