A rare surviving copy of the United States Declaration of Independence has been discovered at The National Archives in Kew, becoming the only known example of its kind located outside the US. The document was found in February by volunteer Michael Scurr while cataloguing the papers of Royal Navy captains from the American Revolutionary War.
It is one of just 11 surviving copies printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, in July 1776 to spread news of American independence across the colonies before it was later seized by British forces. Scurr said he immediately realised the significance of the document and alerted archive officials after uncovering it.Following conservation work, the rare copy will be displayed in The National Archives’ exhibition on the road to American independence, which opened last month.
The institution’s chief executive, Saul Nassé, described the discovery as extraordinary, noting that it is an exceptionally rare surviving copy of the Declaration of Independence found in the United Kingdom rather than the United States. Historical records show the document was captured on Christmas Eve in 1776 when the Royal Navy warship HMS Raisonable intercepted the American vessel Dalton off the coast of Portugal after a seven-hour pursuit.
According to Dr. Graham Moore of The National Archives, the document is among the rarest known versions of the Declaration because it was produced for rapid distribution rather than long-term preservation. He explained that after the original Declaration was printed on July 4, 1776, copies were reproduced in different colonies as news of American independence spread. The newly discovered document is one of only 11 surviving copies from the first New Hampshire printing.
After the Dalton was seized, the ship’s documents—including the Declaration, the privateer’s commission and instructions from the Continental Congress—were transported to Britain. Moore said the Declaration was found folded among the correspondence of Captain Thomas Fitzherbert. It was taken to Plymouth in January 1777 before being transferred to Whitehall in London, where it remained hidden in government archives for centuries after being catalogued simply as “another paper.”
He added that it is the only known copy of the Declaration of Independence captured through military action.The document has since undergone conservation work to stabilise the paper and repair minor damage, ensuring it can be safely handled, studied and exhibited. It will be featured in the exhibition “Revolution 250: America’s Independence Story, 1763–1783” at The National Archives. The National Archives already houses three original official copies of the Declaration printed by John Dunlap in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. Historians believe about 200 copies were printed that night, with only 26 known to have survived.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/
