** BRISTOL (STAPLETON) - PAIR OF LETTERS EX FRANCE TO P.O.W....

Estimate

£220 - £300

** BRISTOL (STAPLETON) - PAIR OF LETTERS EX FRANCE TO P.O.W. BUT HELD IN PARIS "CABINET NOIR"; Fine 7/14 Dec. 1806 E/EL pair (both sent unsealed; the first with just the internal heading remaining, the other with family news from the addressees' father - latter with partly faded address) from "Rochefort" or "Lingreville" to; "M Noel Jean Louis prisonnier de guerre,pris sur la fregatte La Didou... la Prison de Bristolle" or to "M Alexandre Poulin a Bristol en la Prison de Stapleton"; the latter unusually endorsed "Morlaix" on the front with "6" charge, but returned to sender (it should have been prepaid to Paris) with mainly very fine"DEB. 28/MORLAIX" on the flap (probably also held in transit via Paris in the Cabinet Noir). The first with v. fine "P.16.P/ROCHEFORT" (m/s "15" on flap) and the other with v. fine "48./COUTANCE" on the front. Both clearly were never delivered - sent after Napoleon's suspension of Mail exchange from 21 Nov. 1806 and thought to have remained in the Paris P.O.'s Secret Office ("Cabinet Noir") - there is a hole cut (?by the censor) in the centre of the contents of the second. [The first unrecorded in MFPWE, see p. 120 for the other.]Cross Reference: MILITARY - P.O.W. MAIL, BRISTOL, FRANCE, POSTAGE DUE STAMPS & COVERS