HISTORICAL WALKING TOURS | BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
  • Freedom Trail Tours
    • The Boston Massacre Tour
    • Boston Civil War Tours
    • The Kennedy Tour
    • The Boston Massacre Lesson Plan
    • The Boston Massacre per the Pennsylvania Gazette
    • Paul Revere Lesson Plan
  • Revere Bells Index
    • The Stickney Revere Bell Listings of 1976
    • Paul Revere Bell of Beverly
    • Revere Bells in Boston >
      • Paul Revere Bell Old South Meeting House
    • California's 2 Paul Revere Bells
    • Paul Revere & Son's Bell Westborough Massachusetts
    • Falmouth, Massachusetts
    • Revere Bell Fredericksburg VA
    • Revere Bell Hampton NH
    • First Parish Church of Kennebunk
    • Revere Bells in Maine
    • Revere Bell in Mansfield
    • Revere Bell of Michigan
    • Revere Salem Mass Bell
    • Roxbury First Unitariarn Universalist Church and their Revere Bell
    • Revere & Son Bell, Savannah Georgia
    • Singapore Revere Bell
    • Tuscaloosa Bell >
      • History of the St John and Leavens Patriarchs
      • Samuel St John Jr Estate Genealogy
      • Authenticating the Revere Tuscaloosa Bell
      • Joshua B Leavens Last Will and Testament
      • 20th Century Tuscaloosa bell
    • Revere Bells Lost in Time
    • Revere Bells Washington DC
    • Revere Bell in Wakefield, Mass
    • Revere Bells Woodstock VT
  • Bostonians
    • Edward F Alexander of The Harvard 20th Civil War Regiment
    • Polly Baker
    • John Wilkes Booth
    • The Mad Hatter, Thomas, Boston Corbett who Killed John Wilkes Booth
    • Richard-Henry-Dana-Jr
    • James Franklin
    • Benjamin Harris of Publick Occurrences
    • Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
    • William Lloyd Garrison
    • USS Thomas Hudner DDG116
    • Edward Hutchinson Robbins Revere
    • Amos Lincoln
    • King Philip
    • Mayor's of Boston
    • Mum Bett & Theodore Sedgwick
    • James Otis
    • Paul Joseph Revere
    • John Rowe >
      • John Rowe's Diary Entries
      • John Rowe and the Jail Fire
      • Hang John Rowe?????
      • John Rowe the Fisherman
      • Joh Rowe's Tea Ship
    • Be Proud to be Called a Lucy Stoner
    • Rachel Wall , Pirate
    • Paul Revere the Coroner of Boston
    • Deborah Sampson
    • Who was Mrs. Silence Dogood?
    • Dr. Joseph Warren's Dedication
  • History Blog
  • Lilja's of Natick
    • Lilja Brothers Military History
    • Lilja's Family Album
    • Memorials and Tributes to the Five Lilja Brothers
    • Lilja Family Tree
    • Lilja Historical Family Tree Documents
    • Lilja References
  • Collage of Boston
    • 4th of July Parade, Bristol RI
    • Boston Harbor
    • The Customs House
    • Forest Hills Cemetery
    • Georges Island
    • Nonviolent Monument to Peace - Sherborn
    • The Battle Road
    • Skate bike and scooter park
    • Cassin Young & USS Cassin Young
    • MIT
    • Historic Charles River
    • The Roxbury Standpipe on Fort Hill
    • John & Abigail Adams National Park
  • REvere Bell Paxton, Mass
  • GED Lilja

January 7, 1769, The Admiralty Court Case Against John Hancock Closed the Court Room from the Public. 422 Days before the Boston Massacre

1/7/2017

 
The Boston Evening Post equated todays Admiralty Court session to the Star Chambers English courts. The Post declared it as the “first of the kind in America”.  The name “Star Chamber” was defined by William Blackstone. He was an English judge, jurist and Tory politician in the 18th Century. Blackstone wrote four volumes on English Law known as the Blackstone Commentaries[i], designed to help the common man survive in the English common court system.  He believed that the origin of Star Chamber was derived from “steoran” meaning to govern.  Practically speaking the Star Chamber became a closed court governed for privileged politicians.  If you were not of the privileged class a proceeding against you in the Star Chambers would certainly ruin your day if not your life.

 The Post suggested that the Admiralty court, trying John Hancock for smuggling, was regressing 347 years to an intolerable standard previously cleansed from the common law system.  Witnesses were not announced in advance, a jury trial was not an option and the public was not permitted to view the court in session.

This severely handicapped Sam Adams.  He made a practice of voluntarily expressing his opinion from the gallery.  Sam would not have lasted long if he was required to make every statement under oath.  John Hancock and Sam Adams were good friends and political associates at this point in time. Since John had flaunted his smuggling activity, Sam’s presence may have been of little influence in this very public case.    
​
To the Colonies, the British Admiralty court in Boston suddenly resembled the Star Chambers of England. The Admiralty was also active in South Carolina, New York and Philadelphia and in other Colonial ports.  Unfortunately for John Hancock, his smuggling and political activity placed him on the wrong side of this star chamber. His ship, The Liberty , was confiscated months before trial and converted by the British Navy to a military schooner engaged in the battle against smugglers. 

The court adjourned for two weeks without a verdict.  We will keep you abreast of the continuing trial and the ruling by the Admiralty judges.



[i] More precisely called “Commentaries on the Laws of England”, that played an important role in enhancing England and Colonial common law.
​
Picture
William Blackstone. Nothing but huzzahs from the common man for this Tory. His four volumes, "Commentaries of the Laws of England", was the second most purchased book in the Colonies, just behind the bible. More copies purchased than in England

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10/22/2019, MITCH, ARLENE, NANCY AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR TODAY'S TOUR OF BOSTON.  WE LOVED SEEING BOSTON THROUGH YOUR EYES AND WERE AMAZED WITH ALL YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE CITY.  YOU ARE REALLY GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO.  BOBBIE.

7/15/2019, MITCH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVATE TOUR ALONG THE FREEDOM TRAIL.  WE LOVED THE WAY YOU LAYERED ALL THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE REVOLUTION GIVING US AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE POLITICS AND CONTRASTING VIEWSPOINTS OF THE "ENGLISH COUSINS". WE ESPECIALLY FOUND THE TALK AT FANEUIL HALL MOST TIMELY IN TODAYS STATE OF POLITICS.  THANKS MUCH, THE GIRLS FROM CHICAGO.
9/16/2018, comments on Paul Revere group tour.
ruth, It was a terrific tour. You clearly have done a lot of research. Thanks for the additional information.

EM, Mitch, thank you for the additional information. It was a wonderful few hours and I will assume you Get credit for the glorious weather.

Thank you so much, Mitch and Nancy!  The "rest of the story" info you sent is the icing on the cake.  Your tour was perfect-great information presented in an entertaining, casual way.  The wonderful weather helped, of course. Thanks again for offering your tour.  Hope to do it again.
Best,
Sue

8/13/2018
Great Work! So glad to see other walking guides whose research and use of primary sources is so thorough. DLa xxx (a.k.a. Mistress xxxxxxxxx de la xxx) #ocbground
​



Date: Fri, jun 22, 2018, 3:57 pm
subject: re: walk boston history Tour
to: n>

The tour of the freedom trail with the emphasis on Paul Revere was very informative.  We started at the state house and learned about its architecture.  We continued through Boston Commons and past the burial grounds.  We then continued to the north end and Paul Revere’s house.  At each stop Mitch had many interesting and little known facts to tell us.  We were surprised by the number of occupations Paul Revere had.  During our walk through the north end Mitch pointed out various restaurants to eat in.  The tour was about 2 miles of walking and lasted about 1 hour 45 minutes and was most enjoyable.  We would definitely take another tour with Mitch in the future.
Betsy, florida


6/5/2018 ​

Hi Sheila,


I just wanted to tell you and Mitch how very much I enjoyed today. Mitch is passion for history comes through loud and clear in his delivery.

I learned new facts about Paul Revere that I had never known before.

Mitch was so well-prepared including all of the pictures and it was obvious that heput a lot of time and effort into this tour and the presentation.

So thank you so much for the invitation
He did a great job!
leslie b, Natick



10/18/2017Hi Mitch, finally getting to say thank you for such an enjoyable day and tour of Paul Revere etc.. I truly learned so much and loved walking through so much of historic Boston! PHYLIS, nh

9/5/2017
Hi Beth,

Thanks for asking us to go on your tour, Mitch, of Boston’s historic sites. Your enthusiasm and love of history is contagious. You made history come alive. Sorry I had to leave early. I bet the tour of the North End was equally exciting! You put your all into it.
sarah r. Wellesley

6/15/2017 gxxxxen@snhu.edu Comment 6/1/2017, Your remarks about John Hancock really painted a historical image of the man.
​

​Irishman1987
I was there that day with members of Jerusalem lodge #104 Keene NH, I am so glad I had the chance to attend this event and pay my respects.

6/3/2017 GS, SNHU,edu,  Mitch your remarks about John Hancock really painted an historical image of the man.

10/15/2016 Thank you so much for the Boston Massacre Tour.  I never knew it was such a complicated affair.  I particularly liked the incidental historical stops about Colonial Boston.  I hadn't been downtown for years.  You opened up so much for me.  June, Natick Ma.

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An association of tour guidES for educators, amateur historians, and the general public looking to walk beyond the Freedom Trail, concentrating on the legal, philosophical, emotional and political events of Boston.

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  • Freedom Trail Tours
    • The Boston Massacre Tour
    • Boston Civil War Tours
    • The Kennedy Tour
    • The Boston Massacre Lesson Plan
    • The Boston Massacre per the Pennsylvania Gazette
    • Paul Revere Lesson Plan
  • Revere Bells Index
    • The Stickney Revere Bell Listings of 1976
    • Paul Revere Bell of Beverly
    • Revere Bells in Boston >
      • Paul Revere Bell Old South Meeting House
    • California's 2 Paul Revere Bells
    • Paul Revere & Son's Bell Westborough Massachusetts
    • Falmouth, Massachusetts
    • Revere Bell Fredericksburg VA
    • Revere Bell Hampton NH
    • First Parish Church of Kennebunk
    • Revere Bells in Maine
    • Revere Bell in Mansfield
    • Revere Bell of Michigan
    • Revere Salem Mass Bell
    • Roxbury First Unitariarn Universalist Church and their Revere Bell
    • Revere & Son Bell, Savannah Georgia
    • Singapore Revere Bell
    • Tuscaloosa Bell >
      • History of the St John and Leavens Patriarchs
      • Samuel St John Jr Estate Genealogy
      • Authenticating the Revere Tuscaloosa Bell
      • Joshua B Leavens Last Will and Testament
      • 20th Century Tuscaloosa bell
    • Revere Bells Lost in Time
    • Revere Bells Washington DC
    • Revere Bell in Wakefield, Mass
    • Revere Bells Woodstock VT
  • Bostonians
    • Edward F Alexander of The Harvard 20th Civil War Regiment
    • Polly Baker
    • John Wilkes Booth
    • The Mad Hatter, Thomas, Boston Corbett who Killed John Wilkes Booth
    • Richard-Henry-Dana-Jr
    • James Franklin
    • Benjamin Harris of Publick Occurrences
    • Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
    • William Lloyd Garrison
    • USS Thomas Hudner DDG116
    • Edward Hutchinson Robbins Revere
    • Amos Lincoln
    • King Philip
    • Mayor's of Boston
    • Mum Bett & Theodore Sedgwick
    • James Otis
    • Paul Joseph Revere
    • John Rowe >
      • John Rowe's Diary Entries
      • John Rowe and the Jail Fire
      • Hang John Rowe?????
      • John Rowe the Fisherman
      • Joh Rowe's Tea Ship
    • Be Proud to be Called a Lucy Stoner
    • Rachel Wall , Pirate
    • Paul Revere the Coroner of Boston
    • Deborah Sampson
    • Who was Mrs. Silence Dogood?
    • Dr. Joseph Warren's Dedication
  • History Blog
  • Lilja's of Natick
    • Lilja Brothers Military History
    • Lilja's Family Album
    • Memorials and Tributes to the Five Lilja Brothers
    • Lilja Family Tree
    • Lilja Historical Family Tree Documents
    • Lilja References
  • Collage of Boston
    • 4th of July Parade, Bristol RI
    • Boston Harbor
    • The Customs House
    • Forest Hills Cemetery
    • Georges Island
    • Nonviolent Monument to Peace - Sherborn
    • The Battle Road
    • Skate bike and scooter park
    • Cassin Young & USS Cassin Young
    • MIT
    • Historic Charles River
    • The Roxbury Standpipe on Fort Hill
    • John & Abigail Adams National Park
  • REvere Bell Paxton, Mass
  • GED Lilja