ABSTRACT
The extraordinary Shipton letters were written from England between 1784 and 1816, and are especially valuable for their rare insight on the experience and concerns of those who stayed in Britain but remained in contact with family members who had emigrated. They capture much of the tone of late-eighteenth century English culture. Most letters refer to places in Staffordshire, though return letters are directed to London. Thomas Ship-ton, son of William and Dorothy Shipton of London, emigrated to America during the Revolution, in 1779. Apparently, a reason for his emigration was to avoid military service in the British army, for he seems to have had a connection with the Quakers, and his mother also opposed the war for religious reasons. Thomas's mother refers to her inability to send financial help to her son, though he was heir to a small inheritance.
