Summary
A rare copy of the US Declaration of Independence was found in the UK’s National Archives by a volunteer cataloguing old naval documents. This copy was captured from an American ship by the British Royal Navy in 1776 and is the only known copy of its kind outside the United States.Key Facts
- The copy was found by volunteer Michael Scurr in February while sorting papers related to the American Revolutionary War.
- It is one of 11 copies printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, in July 1776 to spread news of American independence.
- The document was seized by the HMS Raisonable after capturing the American ship Dalton off Portugal on Christmas Eve 1776.
- The copy was folded among papers belonging to Captain Thomas Fitzherbert and transported to Britain in January 1777.
- It was originally described simply as "another paper" and remained hidden in the UK archives for centuries.
- The document has been restored to repair damage and is now safe for handling and display.
- It will be shown at The National Archives’ exhibition called Revolution 250: America’s Independence Story, 1763-1783.
- The National Archives already holds three original official copies printed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.
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