c1810 Manuscript Document on Surrogate Appointment Signed Sir John Thomas Duckworth, Commander-in-Chief and Governor of Newfoundland 

On offer is an original manuscript document signed by Sir John Thomas Duckworth, K.B., Vice Admiral of the Red (1748-1817), during his time as commander-in-chief and Governor of Newfoundland.

Duckworth was born in Surrey, England and attended Eton College before entering the Royal Navy in 1759. Late in his impressive military career, Duckworth was appointed commander-in-chief and Governor of Newfoundland on March 26, 1810. He served in this role until he resigned on December 8, 1812. In late 1813, Thomas became a member of parliament for New Romney. He became a baronet in November, 1813, and commander-in-chief of Plymouth naval base in 1815 He was made GCB on January 2, 1815.

This undated document can be traced to a day between late-March and late-July of 1810, during Duckworth’s first few months as commander-in-chief and Governor of Newfoundland. In the document, Duckworth is identified as “Vice Admiral of the Red”. Records show he was not made a full Admiral until July 31, 1810. 

The document, signed by Duckworth, blanks not filled in, relates to a surrogate appointment. From 1729 until around 1825, Newfoundland’s Governors appointed lower-ranking British Naval Officers as Surrogates (or Deputy Governors) to oversee Newfoundland districts and act as judges to settle disputes during autumn quarter sessions (Surrogate Court) with the help of civil justices of the peace. 

The letter is transcribed below: 

Sir John Thomas Duckworth K.B. Vice Admiral of the Red, Governor and Commander in Chief in and all over the Island of Newfoundland

Whereas by an Act of Parliament forged in the forty ninth year of His Majesty’s Reign, entitled “An Act for establishing Courts of Judicature in the Island of Newfoundland and the Islands adjacent and for re-annexing Part of the Coast of Labrador and the Island lying on the said Coast to Government of Newfoundland land “it is enacted” that it shall be lawful for the Governor of the Island of Newfoundland from time to time to institute Courts of Civil Jurisdiction to be called Surrogate Courts in different parts of the Island of Newfoundland and the Islands adjacent, as accession shall require with full power and authority to hear and determine, in a summary way, all Suits and Complaints of a civil nature arriving within the Island of Newfoundland and on the Island of St. Pierre and and Miquelon, and on the Island and Sea to which ships or vessels repair from the Island of Newfoundland for carrying on the fishery and on the Banks of Newfoundland and in Great Britain or Ireland which Courts - respectively shall be Courts of Record, and shall determine according to the law of England, as far as the same can be applied to Suits and complaints arising in the Islands and Places aforesaid, and the said Courts respectively shall be holden by a Surrogate to be appointed from time to time by the Governor of said islands and shall have full power and authority to have and determine all suits and complaints cognizable in the said Courts” - Be it known that by the authority vested in me as Governor of the island of Newfoundland and its dependencies. I do by these presents institute such Surrogate Court to be holden in the district of [BLANK] in the said island and appoint you Surrogate, to hold the said Surrogate Court in the manner directed by the Act of Parliament, above recited, and according thereto to hear and determine all Suits and complaints cognizable in the said Court.

Given under my hand and seal at Fort Townshend St. Johns Newfoundland this [BLANK] day of [BLANK].

To [BLANK] hereby appointed Surrogate in the district of [BLANK] in the Island of Newfoundland. 

By Command of His Excellency. 

This document is an impressive piece of Newfoundland, Canadian, British, and Naval history that would be interesting to a collector or researcher interested any of these areas. 

Three pages folio with horizontal and vertical folds. This item includes an original receipt and Certificate of Authenticity from a well known American dealer. VG. [This listing was re-researched and re-written in 2025].