23.8.1776

Letter written in French from Monsieur Gaubert, 12 South Moulton Street, London, to W.H. Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland; 23 Aug. 1776 and is an extract from Catalogue of Papers of William Henry Cavendish Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland. The letter refers to difficulties receiving 'le frac de drap' de Silisie brodé'; says the [assureurs?] could not get through as ships arriving from the Indies had led customs officers to watch the mouth of the Thames and surrounding areas; says the outfit arrived on Friday and the tailor refused it; says he is sending a sample of 'drap de Silisie'.

It says the tailor turned the outfit down with regret, finding it [in] good [condition] and new; urges the duke, when he sees it, to forget the unintentional wrong and not to turn it down; asks him to look at it and if it is not as he has said or does not please him, undertakes to keep it himself; asks, if it is returned to him, that care be taken not to crease it and to maintain its freshness; asks for it be left at the hotel until his return from France on 15 Oct. Asks that he send his instructions to Paris and gives his address there. It also appears a sample of cloth sent by Monsieur Gaubert to [W.H. Cavendish-Bentinck]. It refers to a sample of cloth, 'drap de Silisie' of a spring or autumn habit.

The sample is not dated; the date provided is that of the letter (1776) in which it was enclosed.

RG - I'm sure that this man is Guillaume Gaubert of 18, Lower Belgrave Place, Pimlico whose Will has proven in 1800. I've included it out of interest but there is no suggestion that he is one of our ancestors