Introduction – Who was Frederick English? How did he come to write the letters? What has happened to them since?
Slavery – English arrived in the West Indies in 1834 as the slaves were about to be freed. What do the letters tell of the events that ensued?
Tropical diseases – Diseases that were not understood and for which no cures were known ravaged the British forces. English himself was a victim.
Hurricanes – Several hurricanes tore through the islands in English’s time, including a particularly violent one in July 1837.
The Royal Military Academy, Woolwich – Where Frederick English learned military engineering and where his son Augustus tried but failed to follow.
Postal Service – English was writing just before Rowland Hill’s postal reforms of 1840 when the penny post and prepayment using stamps became the standard in Britain. How were his letters carried and what did it cost?