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They were left sealed for more than 250 years, never read by their intended recipients.
Now, French letters confiscated by the British Royal Navy in the mid-18th century have finally been opened.
Written between 1757 and 1758, these artefacts were dedicated to French sailors who served aboard the Gallatee under Louis XV during the Seven Years’ War.
The letters finally reveal the lives and affections of the sailors’ loved ones, including pining girlfriends and wives.
“I can’t wait to own you,” a French woman wrote to her husband, a non-commissioned officer at Galatea, before signing off with the words “Your obedient wife.”
In all, 104 letters were confiscated by the British Royal Navy during the Seven Years’ War and transferred to the Admiralty, the former government department in London, but they remain unopened until now. Pictured are the letters before they were opened and read by Rino Morio at the National Archives, Kew
A love letter from Anne Le Cerf to her husband Jean Topsent, a petty officer aboard the ship Galatié, saying “I can’t wait to have you” and signing “Your obedient wife”
In this context, “have” (or “have” in the native language) is thought to be a rather saturated way of saying “I make love to you.”
Another letter to First Lieutenant Galatea said: “I can spend the night writing to you… I am your faithful wife forever.”
In all, the British Royal Navy confiscated 104 letters during the Seven Years’ War – 75 of which were specifically addressed to the crew of the ship Galatea – before transferring them to the Admiralty, the former government department in London.
But it remained unopened until the Cambridge University historian, Professor Rino Morio, finally obtained permission to do so.
The collection is held at the National Archives in Kew, having also been held at the Public Records Office in Chancery Lane and up to the Tower of London for the past 250 years.
“There were three piles of letters held together with tape,” Professor Morio said.
“The letters were very small and sealed, so I asked the archivist if it would be possible to open them and he did.
“I realized that I was the first person to read these personal letters since I wrote them.
The Seven Years’ War was a far-reaching conflict between European powers that lasted from 1756 to 1763. France, Austria, Saxony, Sweden, and Russia were allied on one side, and fought Prussia, Hanover, and Great Britain on the other. . Pictured, HMS “Brune” captures the French ship “L’oiseau” in 1762 during the Seven Years’ War
A note from Anne Diguet to her husband Nicolas Diguet, the quartermaster, enclosed in another letter from Father Delacroix to his son Pierre François. Sometimes relatives would ask crew members’ families to include messages to their loved ones in their letters
“The intended recipients did not get this opportunity.” It was very emotional.
Not all messages are romantic in nature; In fact, most of them offer insight into family tensions and quarrels.
According to Professor Moreau, some of the best letters were sent to a young French sailor named Nicolas Quesnel, of Normandy.
On 27 January 1758, his 61-year-old mother, Margaret, sent a letter complaining that she was not receiving enough correspondence from him – an experience perhaps familiar to soldiers stationed far from their families even today.
Margaret also told her son of her serious illness, adding dramatically that it was “for the grave.”
Her letter stated: “On the first day of the year, I wrote to your fiancée (…).” I think about you more than I think about you.
“Anyway, I wish you a happy new year filled with God’s blessings. I think I’m heading to the grave, I’ve been sick for three weeks.
“Give my regards to Varen (Shipmate), only his wife will inform me of your news.”
A few weeks later, Nicolas’ fiancée, Marianne, wrote to ask him to be a good son and to write to his mother, perhaps because the 61-year-old blamed Marianne for Nicolas’s silence.
“The dark cloud has lifted,” Marianne wrote to her fiancée, “and the letter your mother received from you is soothing.”
Marguerite’s letter to her son Nicolas Quesnel (27 January 1758), in which she says “I am for the grave”
Nicolas Quesnel escaped imprisonment in England and joined the crew of a transatlantic slave trading ship in the 1760s shortly after the end of the Seven Years’ War.
The War (1756 to 1763) was one of the first truly global conflicts that saw Britain and France fight over each other’s colonial possessions.
The battle between France and Britain during the war was not only in Europe and the colonies with land armies, but also on the high seas.
France controlled some of the finest ships in the world but lacked experienced sailors and the British took advantage of this by imprisoning as many French sailors as possible for the duration of the war.
A good example of this is that the ship Galatié was sailing from Bordeaux to Quebec when it was captured by the British ship HMS Essex in 1758 and sent to Portsmouth.
The crew was imprisoned and eventually died of disease and malnutrition or was released, while the ship itself was sold.
The French Postal Administration attempted to deliver the letters to the ship’s crew, and sent them to multiple ports in France.
This letter, written by a writer, describes to a father a little boy he talks about every day and the birth of his niece
When they heard that the ship had been captured, they sent letters to England, where they were delivered to the Admiralty in London.
Professor Moreau said: “These letters revolve around universal human experiences, and they are not limited to France or the eighteenth century.”
“When we are separated from our loved ones due to events beyond our control such as a pandemic or wars, we have to figure out how to stay connected, how to reassure and care for people and keep the emotion alive.
“Today we have Zoom and WhatsApp. In the 18th century, people only had letters, but what they wrote about seemed very familiar.
The results were published today in the journal I’m not. History, social sciences.
(tags for translation) Daily Mail