Thursday, March 19, 2026
Richard I. Burnham Resource Center | 82 Touro Street, Newport
Admission $15 – $20 per person | *Student Discounts now available $10 with valid student ID
6:30pm to 7:30pm; doors open at 5:30pm for a complimentary reception
The story of the loss of a large chest of Newport town records at the end of the British occupation of Newport in October 1779 and its recovery in December 1782 has been told many times, but verifiable details have been few and published versions conflict. Did the British steal the records? Were they taken by Newport Loyalists hoping to recover their property if the British won the war? What ship took the records to New York? When exactly did it sink? How long were the records underwater before being rescued?
Historian Cherry Fletcher Bamberg will discuss her comprehensive research on these sunken records, offering the most complete and accurate account to date of the loss and recovery of Newport’s colonial records—arguably the most significant in Rhode Island. The story of the lost cargo – which contained the vital records (births, marriages, and deaths), probate, deeds, residency examinations, tax materials, town council and town meeting records – spans America, England, and Canada and involves a wide range of figures, including British military leaders, Loyalist officials, Rhode Island politicians, and even General George Washington.
This Tavern Talk will clarify conflicting versions of the incident, identify the questions that remain unresolved, and illuminate why the events of the British occupation—the most turbulent period in Newport’s history—continue to complicate the use of the city’s pre-Revolutionary records today.
Book now!