A unique copy of the American Declaration of Independence has been identified at The National Archives in Kew. This represents the only known instance of such a document residing outside the United States.
Volunteer Michael Scurr discovered the artifact in February while he was organizing records related to Royal Navy captains from the American Revolutionary War. The print is one of just 11 produced in Exeter, New Hampshire, during July 1776, intended for quick distribution across the colonies.
Scurr noted his immediate realization of the document’s significance upon examining it. The piece was originally seized on Christmas Eve 1776 by the HMS Raisonable, which captured an American vessel called the Dalton near the coast of Portugal. Dr. Graham Moore of The National Archives explained that the document had been tucked away within the files of Captain Thomas Fitzherbert for centuries, misidentified simply as another paper. It remains the only known copy of the Declaration taken during military conflict.
Following restoration to address paper stability, the document is now featured in the Revolution 250 exhibition at The National Archives. Saul Nassé, the chief executive of the archives, lauded the find as an exceptional addition to the historical record.