A rare surviving copy of the US Declaration of Independence has been discovered at The National Archives in Kew. Experts say it is the only known copy of its kind outside the United States.
A volunteer uncovered the historic document in February while cataloguing the papers of Royal Navy captains from the American Revolutionary War.
The document is one of just 11 surviving copies printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, in July 1776. Printers created these copies to spread news of American independence across the colonies before British forces seized one during the war.
Volunteer Makes Historic Discovery
Volunteer Michael Scurr discovered the document while reviewing historical records.
Realising the Importance of the Find
Scurr said he immediately recognised that he had found something unusual.
“I called over to my boss and said, ‘I think you need to come and have a look at this,'” he told BBC News.
After conservation work, The National Archives plans to display the document in its exhibition on the road to American independence.
National Archives Calls the Discovery Extraordinary
Saul Nassé, Chief Executive of The National Archives, described the discovery as remarkable.
Only Known Copy Outside the United States
He said the document is an exceptionally rare surviving copy of the Declaration of Independence and noted that researchers found it in the UK rather than America. read more
Royal Navy Captured the Document During the War
The Royal Navy seized the Declaration on Christmas Eve in 1776 after HMS Raisonable captured the American ship Dalton off the coast of Portugal following a seven-hour chase.
Captured Papers Included Historic Documents
British forces also recovered the ship’s privateer’s commission, printed instructions from the Continental Congress, and the Declaration of Independence.
Experts Explain Why the Copy Is So Rare
Dr Graham Moore from The National Archives said the document is one of the rarest versions of the Declaration ever discovered.
Printed to Spread the News Quickly
After the Declaration was first printed on 4 July 1776, printers across the American colonies quickly produced additional copies to spread the news of independence.
Moore explained that the newly discovered document is one of only 11 surviving copies printed in New Hampshire.
Hidden in the Archives for Centuries
Captain Thomas Fitzherbert stored the folded Declaration among his letters after British forces seized it.
Misidentified as “Another Paper”
Officials transported the captured documents to Plymouth in January 1777 before moving them to Whitehall in London.
At the time, officials simply listed the Declaration as “another paper,” allowing it to remain unnoticed in government archives for centuries.
Moore said it is the only known copy of the Declaration captured during military action. know more
Conservation Work Prepares the Document for Display
Experts carefully restored the document by stabilising the paper and repairing a small tear.
Public Exhibition Planned
The restored Declaration will go on display in Revolution 250: America’s Independence Story, 1763–1783 at The National Archives.
Few Original Copies Still Exist
The National Archives already holds three original official copies of the Declaration of Independence printed by John Dunlap in Philadelphia on 4 July 1776.
Only a Small Number Have Survived
Historians believe printers produced around 200 copies on the first night of publication.
Today, only 26 of those original Dunlap copies are known to survive, making every newly identified historic copy an important discovery.
