Hacker, Francis

on business affairs and with news from London, one letter with a postscript by Francis's wife Anne to her sister-in-law Mary Hacker, with two receipts for sums received from John Hacker to be paid to Francis Hacker, 13 pages, folio (but the receipts on slips of paper), one letter with integral blank, nine with integral autograph address panels, all but one addressed "To mr Alex: Twentyman in Newark ... for J[ohn] H[acker]", most also recording "post p[ai]d 3d", one addressed to Hacker directly, five letters with attractive complete or near complete red wax seal impressions, London, 12 May 1657 to 27 October 1660, seal tears, nicks, one letter water stained, some dust staining to address panels

A remarkably well-preserved series of family letters containing plentiful insights into daily life in London under the protectorate. Francis Hacker, who lived on Lothbury in London, mostly writes to his brother John (d.1678) at the family home in Flintham, Nottinghamshire (near Newark, which, unlike Flintham, was on the carrier's regular route), about the family's financial interests but also gives family news - pregnancies and deaths, accidents, thanks for small gifts, and an entertaining account of the theft of a new handkerchief. He informs his brother of political and international news, and includes a reference to their kinsman the regicide Colonel Francis Hacker whose refusal to obey orders from Richard Cromwell helped to bring about the collapse of the protectorate ("...Collo: Hacker is a greate man in theire late transactions about the parl[ia]ment & state affaires...", 30 April 1659).