Can't believe I am organising an international workshop! I am very thankful to all my colleagues and the co-organisers for making this happen and for all the support along the way. Now I am very excited to meet all the speakers and attendees in October!

The Prize Papers Project@prizepapers.bsky.social · 3w ago

An International Workshop on the UK Prize Papers and the American War of Independence: Wartime Lives, Capture, and Transnational Exchange - for more information and the sign up links follow www.hsozkult.de/searching/id...

An International Workshop on the UK Prize Papers and the American War of Independence: Wartime Lives, Capture, and Transnational Exchange - for more information and the sign up links follow www.hsozkult.de/searching/id...

The Polly, seized in July 1776, looked like an ordinary merchant ship hauling oil, candles and flour. In truth, she carried a secret mission: passenger William Hodge held orders to buy muskets, gunpowder and warships for Congress—papers he threw overboard moments before capture #skystorians #history

On 3-4 July 1776, as Philadelphia finalised the Declaration of Independence, four American merchant ships were seized off Cape Henlopen, Delaware by the British, and taken to New York Bay. Papers from the Adrian, Fidelity, and Peggy were likely lost. More soon on the Polly's secret mission

This just *keeps* happening to us. (This is a great, great story, about brilliant work in the now and fascinating print diffusion in the past. Come and see the exhibition which is STUFFED with this kind of story.)

John Sheridan@johnlsheridan.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Well, look at that. A rare copy of the US Declaration of Independence has just turned up, where I work. See: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article....

Rare find at the National Archives UK: earlier this year, the volunteer Michael Scurr at TNA discovered one of the earliest prints of the US Declaration of Independence in the Royal Navy Captains’ letters collection and can be linked to our collection as it travelled on the American privateer Dalton

Finding a new copy of the US Declaration of Independence

In May 2026, a volunteer working on a cataloguing project at The National Archives made an astonishing discovery.

nationalarchives.gov.uk

The Prize Papers team, led by Dr. Amanda Bevan at the UK National Archives, has been finding so many historical treasures and discoveries. Here, a rare Copy of the Declaration of Independence —captured by a British warship from an American privateer off the Coast of Spain in 1776–

Rare Copy of the Declaration of Independence Is Discovered in London

nytimes.com

we have some fun 4 July news over at The National Archives! a new copy of the US Declaration of Independence, with an amazing story behind it (privateers! printers! prisoners!) - but also, a find that shows the power and importance of our volunteering and cataloguing projects.

‘Vanishingly rare’ copy of US Declaration of Independence found by volunteer in UK archives

One of 11 surviving copies of ‘Exeter printing’ and only one known outside US was taken from American privateer ship

theguardian.com

Lovely story, and thankfully devoid of the clichés and errors that are often present when finds in archives are reported.

‘Vanishingly rare’ copy of US Declaration of Independence found by volunteer in UK archives

One of 11 surviving copies of ‘Exeter printing’ and only one known outside US was taken from American privateer ship

theguardian.com

This is a brilliant story. Hooray for archives, and for their staff and volunteers. 📝📄🗄️🗃️ www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

‘Vanishingly rare’ copy of US Declaration of Independence found by volunteer in UK archives

One of 11 surviving copies of ‘Exeter printing’ and only one known outside US was taken from American privateer ship

theguardian.com

Actually, it was a volunteer archivist at The National Archives, Kew called Michael Scurr who found it, not the "UK" that found it. (with a sharing link for 3 non-subscribers). giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

UK finds lost US Declaration of Independence copy after 250 years

Document revealed by National Archives ahead of its anniversary on Saturday

giftarticle.ft.com

Our colleague, Dr Oliver Finnegan, records specialist for the Prize Papers at @nationalarchivesuk, holds a workshop on 'Practical Archival Skills Training (PAST) Workshop on English High Court of Admiralty Records', more info below & tickets can be booked here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/practical-...

For us, a captured cargo ship is almost routine. What was found on board the Anne-Marie? That's another story entirely. Join the roundtable and hear it from the researchers themselves!

The Prize Papers Project@prizepapers.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Want to learn more about the spectacular find on the Danish cargo ship Anne-Marie? Sign up for an exciting roundtable with researchers from the Faroe Islands here: www.eventbrite.com/e/ships-seaf... #skystorians #19thcentury #earlymodern #maritimehistory

📢JOYCE YOUINGS MEMORIAL LECTURE📢 Prof. Jane Whittle: Work & gender, status & power: the surprising history of everyday chores in early modern England 🗓️ 28 January, 3pm 📍 Uni of Exeter & Zoom All welcome at this public 🗃️ lecture, register for your place: www.eventbrite.com/e/the-joyce-...

Excited to restart the series this year and cannot wait to learn how you can be mad at a colour? 🌊⛵

The Prize Papers Project@prizepapers.bsky.social · 9mo ago

For the first talk of the second half of our Ships & Seafaring 1500-1800 series - A Prize Papers Talks Special Edition, Milagrosa Romero Samper is taking us to Honduras to tell a tale about dye-ing feud! Sign up here: www.eventbrite.com/e/ships-seaf... #earlymodern #maritimehistory #skystorians

Next week @lhaasis.bsky.social and @neleppp.bsky.social are welcoming Jean Soulat for the Prize Papers Talks Special Edition with the German Maritime Museum in Bremerhaven! Sign up here to learn more about a pirates‘ lair: www.eventbrite.com/e/ships-seaf... #earlymodern #maritimehistory

Juan León Hidalgo and Sebastián Pastor were two Spanish passengers on the Fort de Nantes. They kept with them small personal archives with letters from relatives and friends. #earlymodern #maritimehistory #skystorians

Join @lhaasis.bsky.social and @neleppp.bsky.social next week on November 24th for the next session of this year's Prize Papers Talks, Ships & Seafaring 1500-1800, with Randolph Cock from the National Archives! Sign up here: www.eventbrite.com/e/ships-seaf...

Antonio Navarro was a passenger on the Fort de Nantes. He carried some family letters, including one from his daughter, as well as various recipes and remedies - see below for some selected documents #early modern #maritimehistory #skystorians

Excited to be part of this! Sign up here: www.eventbrite.com/e/ships-seaf... #earlymodern #maritimehistory #skystorians

The Prize Papers Project@prizepapers.bsky.social · 11mo ago

We are thrilled to announce this year's rendition of the Prize Papers Talks Special Edition - an online lecture series organised by the German Maritime Museum and the Prize Papers Project! The first talk will be on November 10th, with Jane Ohlmeyer, Tom Truxes, and John Shovlin on the Amity Papers!

Francisco Ortiz, originally from Santoña, was appointed as shipmaster of the Fort de Nantes by the Spanish charterer, Francisco Sánchez de Madrid. His personal archive, comprising more than 500 documents, reveals many details about his personal life and his social relationships.

I am honoured to represent the project at "Transcribir América" this week and I am excited for the different talks and perspectives on loss of information through errors and misunderstandings.

The Prize Papers Project@prizepapers.bsky.social · 12mo ago

This week, @neleppp.bsky.social will speak at the "Transcribir América" seminar in Rome, where she’ll be presenting the Prize Papers Project. This year’s theme «Errores, malentendidos y mala transcripción de América» could not be more fitting for the Prize Papers(1/3) #earlymodern #maritimehistory

I am happy to announce that our dear colleague and associated researcher in the Prize Papers project Alejandro Salamanca @desvelandooriente.com has just published a new book: A Microhistory of Early Modern Transatlantic Migration The Frigate Agata (1747). Congratulations! #earlymodern #history

This week we’re launching the ship papers of the Fort de Nantes! Check out the thread by Alejandro Salamanca @desvelandooriente.com #earlymodern #history #maritimehistory #skystorians

The Prize Papers Project@prizepapers.bsky.social · 12mo ago

Ship's Papers Used in Court (HCA/32/111C/2 and 3): Every time a ship was captured by the British, all documents that could be found on board were confiscated to be used as evidence in court (read more below) #earlymodern #history #maritimehistory #skystorians

From today, we will release the documents related to the Fort de Nantes, a French ship chartered by Francisco Sánchez de Madrid, a merchant from Cádiz, to travel to Veracruz and Havana. It was captured by two ships of the British Navy on January 5 1747, on its journey back and taken to Plymouth.