Letters,
References and Notes (1839-1842)
Relating to
Anne Marsh (Marsh Caldwell)
The following is a listing of letters, references and general notes, from 1839-1842, relating to Anne Marsh (Marsh-Caldwell) and her family, in particular her husband Arthur Marsh and their son Martin Marsh. For notes relating to other years please go to Letters, References and Notes (1780-1874).
13 February 1839. Extract of a letter from Fanny Wedgwood (nee Mackintosh, 1800-1889) to Mrs Marsh at Boulogne. This is taken from page 34, of Vol 2 of "Emma Darwin, A Century of Family Letters" published 1915. The letter is addressed from 4 Clifton Terrace, Notting Hill and is dated 13 February 1839. The extract reads as follows:
. . . Your New Year's wishes and hopes do indeed seem now like prophetic anticipations, my dear Anne. . . . I must tell you how surprised we have been at this proof of Ld. John's good sense and discrimination, and we hear from Lady Holland that he mentioned his intentions of offering it as soon as the vacancy was known to him, and since has written a very pretty letter to Hensleigh to that effect. It is only to be £500 a year, so we shall not be extremely rich, and my year's practice in economy will be very useful. . . .
You will hear from Mr Marsh that Emma is established in her new home; and most comfortable and snug they looked the only day we have as yet broke in on them. Yesterday they dined here for the first time. Emma is looking very pretty and unanxious, and I suppose there are not many two people happier than she and Charles [Darwin]. I want to know and hear what effect she makes in the London world, if the word can be applied to such simplicity and transparency, and [to one] who has so little notion of making an effect. They made their first appearance in the world at Dr Holland's, where they had a very pleasant day, Hibberts, Coltmans &c. We have been unusually dissipated also of late in the evening party line, and Mr Rogers has been taking us up, I can't think why, inviting us to breakfast and a party, and coming out here to present me with a lovely copy of his poems. We met a little collection of blue ladies, H Martineau, Mrs Austin, Mrs Marcet, &c., which is I believe quite a new line for him. Mrs Austin is much found fault with for being too aristocratic; since she has gone to Mayfair they say she only frequents parties of the highest distinction . . .
Extract of a letter from Fanny Allen to Mrs Marsh at Boulogne. This is taken from page 36, of Vol 2 of "Emma Darwin, A Century of Family Letters" published 1915. The letter is addressed from Tenby and dated 5 May 1839. The extract reads as follows:
My dear Anne
Your letter has been with me as a companion, for nearly six weeks,
watching for a quiet couple of hours that I might tell you what
pleasure your warm and affectionate measure of me gives me. I
feel myself of greater value from your opinion of me. I believe
praise, after the age of vanity, is of great use to character, by
raising your own standard, for it must be a natural feeling not to
betray the opinion those whom you value greatly have formed of
you. Continue to love me, dear Anne, and I will try not to lose
an affection so dear to me. Since I wrote last, indeed since
you wrote, how much the Wedgwoods have enjoyed and suffered!
Poor Caroline's sorrow is I am afraid yet green.
Elizth. has suffered from the loss of Emma more than she expected I
fancy - her joy at Emma's happy prospects, while I was there, kept
her from falling back on herself and thinking of her loss, but that
time must have come.
Emma is as happy as possible, as she has always been - there never
was a person born under a happier star than she, her feelings are the
most healthful possible; joy and sorrow are felt by her in their due
proportions, nothing robs her of the enjoyment that happy
circumstances would naturally give. Her account of her life
with Charles Darwin and in her new ménage is very pleasant.
I have been long convinced that it is for the happiness of children
that they should not have amusements or pleasures too readily or they
become none; a healthful poverty is the atmosphere of both a good
education and happiness for children. Two of the happiest
families I know are those whose amusements could not be purchased if
they would - there is a curse on all that is bought in that way.
My two examples derived more real pleasure than those whom I knew
had what they coveted immediately; they were always devouring the
amusements of the age in advance, and at 16 and 17 they were ennuied
and blasé. I have heard many people regret [the want of]
riches for their children's sake, when I felt the conviction that a
blessing attended the want. You are a very happy mother, and I
have no doubt that you are a very affectionate mother by being in
circumstances brought in closer contact with your children; and they
again must gain immensely by this, so whatever your loss is, they
have gained, I am convinced, by your fall in fortune [The fall of the
family banking firm of Marsh, Sibbald & Co].
I did not see Sydney Smith while I was in town, so I must have
expressed myself ill, but what pleased me as a token of his
remembrance, was receiving an affectionate little note from him,
hearing I was at the Aldersons. You have seen this little
pamphlet against the ballot, he says everything that can be said
against it, but I am not of his opinion, and he does not touch the
moral part of it. If you give a political right to poor people
you should secure that the use of it does not injure them, otherwise
do not give it them. Macaulay is our great man, I believe; the
article you mention of his is an excellent one. I am reading
Sismondi's French History and I am glad to find it very interesting
and pleasant reading; he is an honest writer, that loves the mass of
mankind, and you see his character in every page. I am so glad
to like what he writes, and to like himself, indeed, so much better
than I ever expected to do at the one time. This is probably
owing to both our characters being mitigated. He has as great a
dislike and fear of radicalism as you have - this is a change in
him. In this country, the radicals, they call them, maintain in
politics the moral questions, and while that is the case, I cannot
help being of their opinion. [Does your brother Stamford] mean
to settle at Linley? If he lives there he must marry and
re-people it again, or the shades of the past will make it a too
painful residence. How pretty the little wood was covered with
blue-bells in Spring! but then you and your sisters lighted the
place up with a glory that I shall not soon see again.
Adieu, my dear Anne, you never gave me cause to forgive you for any
neglect. From a busy person, such as you are, with children
that required your constant time, I could not and did not expect
answers to my letters. I found you always the same when I saw
you, and it was by that I took the measure of your affection.
Give my kind love to all your girls.
Ever yours most tenderley
F. Allen.
29 March 1840. Letter from Anne Marsh to her brother James Stamford Caldwell. Addressed James Stamford Caldwell, The University Club, Suffolk Street, Pall Mall, London. Postmarked Boulogne Sur Mer, 1 April 1840, a later postmark London, 4 April, and another April 9.
. . . [Capecure?] March 29 [1840]
My dear Stamford
Your last letter & mine crossed upon the road, so I delayed
writing again for a little while, & now I am setting down to a
nice comfortable letter close by the fire upon this wretched
cold day. And first my dear brother for your kindness
about the money towards the children's education. I hope I have
made you quite understand what I feel about it. It is a large
sum for you to devote in this manner, and a very generous
thought. It is a larger sum than I ought to accept unless you
happen to have it quite to spare, & I would not think of allowing
you to give it to my children unless you can assure me that you do it
without inconvenience to yourself, with a large house like Linley
Wood to keep in repair. I am sensible you never can
exactly calculate what calls you may have for your money, so I hope
you perfectly understand that I shall never calculate upon this
assistance, it will enable me when it comes to give the girls some
masters that we otherwise could not afford, which is all clear gain
to them, & when it ceases, no harm is done, it is only to stop
the additional masters, no expenses are increased that cannot
immediately be given up & all the money has been a positive
addition to their education, so I hope you will not think of
repeating your present this year, or at any time if it can be by
possibility an inconvenience for you. This is a delicate
subject dearest Stamford and I am sure I express myself very ill but
I cannot bear that your generous disposition should ever make you
feel as if you had worsened yourself by exciting expectations.
I thank you heartily for what you have already done for our advantage
& pleasure, & beg & entreat that you will never think it
can lead me to depend in any way upon a future which ever you cannot
command, for no one can tell what calls they may have, & so I
will say no more upon a subject you bade me say nothing about, &
I hope you will understand my feelings dear Stamford. You say
if we do not come home soon we never shall. I do not see that
consequence, as every month we stay here increases our power of
living in England. When we do come, but we are now seriously
looking for a house, we have after a severe . . . . .
. . . . [sluggish organist melioration?] in my part, given up
the thoughts of the immediate neighbourhood of London & mean to
purchase a small estate with a good house upon it within the circle
of about 50 miles. We are anxious to invest some of the settled
money in land & by going this distance we shall get in the house
for next to nothing by which arrangement we shall add to our income
100 a year at least in saving of house rent, then with a few acres of
this retained in our own hands we shall keep a cow & a couple of
horses at much less expense, & with our little household which I
have already engaged, a very nice . . . [movrind?] French man &
his wife as cook & man servant & our English maids we hope to
live respectably & acconomically seeing our friends in our family
circle, & enjoying the pleasure of cultivating & adoring our
property as soon as I know where we are to be placed you shall know,
but at present, we have not found anything that seems to be quite
what we want, but several that are very near it, for myself I wish to
finish the summer here both to do a little more in the education way
& to cultivate several valuable friendships that I have made &
which I hope to retain to the end of my life, indeed the society
here just at this moment is very pleasant indeed, & we have
little soirees and dances that you would own were very charming.
My last acquaintance is indeed a find. One of the most
interesting women it has ever been my fortune to meet with, we were
introduced to her through our friends the Atkinsons. The
Brownes of Mayo, you remember Dominic Browne at College, they are all
of a house, this is the son of Denis Browne styled in Ireland the
'Right Honorable' par excellence he was the brother to the M of
Sligo, & this present man was an intimate of Canning, Lord
Castlereagh, Wilberforce & all the great men of his day, & is
a very clever & agreeable companion, but she is charming, they
are close to us & we run into one another's houses. I . . .
[trust?] I shall never lose sight of her. I hope that though we
must give up dear little . . . . . . we shall
manage to get people down for a day or so, & that though you will
not cross the water to us, you will chance your carriage down, &
that what with my new & my old friends we shall have pleasant
days together yet. If we can but obtain a nice house in the
first place of all. Fanny
& Georgy are very happy at
Prestonfields [near Duddingston Loch in Scotland], very gay &
much . . . [carified?] by dear Lady Gifford, who is . . . . .
. [kindness itiely?] to them. I am shut up in the house
at present by a bad influenza . . . sort of cough, the weather here
is quite horrid, cold winds driving showers . . . everything that is
most ugly. I am sending Milman's Christianity [Rev
Henry Hart Milman 1791-1868]. I like the book altogether
very much, the style is a little too classical for my taste, but the
matter interesting. I should like it better if this classical
manner of writing did not throw an air of . . . [unseslaty?] upon the
subject. I am going to have Willy
Roscoe & Frankey to
spend the Easter holidays here, the girls all unite in liking William
very much. Louisa thinks
him very clever & promising in every way. I hope our
beloved Eliza [Hannah Eliza
Roscoe nee Caldwell] will find a recompense for all her exertions
in this fine boy. Louisa says he seems most devotedly attached
to his mother. My boy [Martin Marsh]
is going on very steadily & well at Eton. The Provost is
fast dead, an old woman who would not let any improvements be made in
the school, so that mathematics, which were only taught by a private
master are hence forward to form part of the routine of the school,
by which the only serious objection to it is removed. This
letter is full of self dearest Stamford but of what else can I
write. Pray imitate my example & let me have a letter from
you as full of yourself too. The girls dear love ever my
dearest Stamford your truly affectionate sister
AM
Letter from Arthur Marsh to his son Martin Marsh. It consists of two pieces of paper one of which is the outer envelope. The post mark is dated 1 April 1840. It is addressed as follows:
Mr M Marsh
Mrs Horford's
Eton College
Bucks
Martin boarded with Mrs J Horford. The letter reads as follows:
Wednesday 1 April
My dear Martin
Your mother writes me that she desires you to send me "a general
account of how your pocket money goes". You have mainly
sent me that of the disposal of the ioyou borrowed from your
Aunt. Now you have been at Eton 2 months, during which time you
have had for Pocket money as follows:
You took with you £2.0.0
I gave you when I visited £1.0.0
Aunt G and Grandpapa £1.0.0
Allowance at 1 shilling a week £ 8.0
£4.8.0
Being at the rate of £26.8 a year.
This in addition to the other large and necessary expenses for you
board, Clothing and Education, is more than you and I can
afford. I beg that you will send me, the copy of the account
you have by you, of the disposal of this money. I shall then be
able to judge, how you ought to apportion and allot the same I may be
able to allow you under the head of Pocket money. We will
arrange it together in the course of the holidays and I have that
confidence in your discretion and good sense, that I am sure when we
have fixed the extent to which you can go, that you will not exceed
it, but pray write out the account I ask for plainly and legibly; for
there are many words in your letter now before me, that for my life I
cannot decipher. What is that library to which you have paid 5
shillings? and what books do you get from it? Is it connected
with and under the control of the College, or is it a Commerce
Circulating Library? A purpose, do not omit to bring up with
you when you come, all . . . books that you have. I send
you enclosed a sovereign, out of which you will pay your Aunt Georgy
[Georgina Nelson Marsh]. The 10 shillings from Grandpapa
was I suppose a tip. Do you owe any money to anyone else?
If you do, pray give me a full and faithful account of such
debts. And now my dear Boy, don't suppose from the remarks I
have made that I am vexed or displeased; I regard myself (and I wish
you to regard me) as your Councillor and friend and when it seems to
me that from inexperience you want a little guidance, I shall on my
side, always give you my advise and I trust that on your side,
whenever you find yourself in any difficulties or doubt you will have
recourse to me, for such assistance and such counsel as I may be able
to give. Write immediately with answers to all my questions and
let me know that you have received the sovereign.
Ever most affectionately yours
ACM
Two letters, from Arthur Marsh to the family's Solicitors Messers Delman & Wynne. These letters are part of a series of letters held at the Staffordshire Record Office (4229/1/3/1). Most of the other letters in this series are between Arthur's father William Marsh and the Solicitors. The content is regarding the purchase of a London residence primarily for the use of Arthur's half sister Georgina Nelson Marsh. This residence was 11 York Gate, Regent's Park, and appears to have been used by all the Marsh family, when staying in London, up until 1861 when it was sold following the death of Georgina.
The letter is post marked 19 November Boulogne and is addressed as follows:
Messers Delman & Wynne
46 Lincoln's Innfield's
London
The first letter reads as follows:
Boulogne
Wednesday 18 November 1840
My dear Sir
Your letter of the 14th not having been put into the Post Office in
time that day, did not reach me until last night. I have seen
nothing of the Conveyance and although I have been enquiring after it
both at the office of the "General Steam Packet" office,
and that of the "Commercial Company" in this town, I can
gain no tidings of it. I will execute it and return it as soon
as possible after receiving it. Meantime I think it right to
let you know how matters stand.
Believe me yours very truly.
AC Marsh.
The second letter is addressed the same and is post marked Boulogne, 22 November 1840. It reads as follows:
Boulogne
Saturday Afternoon
21 November 1840
My dear Sir
The deed has just been delivered to me. I have executed it and
return it by the . . . . . . boat belonging to the General
Steam Packet Company, 69 Lombard Street, which will start to weigh
for London at 10 o'clock unless the gale now blowing should
increase. One of my Daughters (of age) is the Witness to my Signature.
Believe me yours very truly
AC Marsh
29 January, 1841. Letter from Frances Allen (Fanny) (1781-1875) to Anne Marsh ( Marsh-Caldwell nee Caldwell). Addressed from Cresselly, to Mrs Marsh, Chateau de Tres, Copecuse, Boulogne Sur Mer, France. Postmarked 1841. 57-32115 © WEDGWOOD MUSEUM TRUST 2004. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The letter reads as follows:
Cresselly January 29 [1841]
My dear Anne
John and Emma return you their warmest thanks for your kind
congratulations on Isabella's marriage and I thank you again and
again for all your affection, which I am sure of finding in spite of
the large demands on that inexhaustible store of love, which you have
the blessing of having whenever the slightest occasion calls it
forth. Not that I mean to say the present is a slight occasion
as you would naturally understand from the letters written. I
shall feel very desirous of hearing when you have settled where your
future home will be. The moment of quitting a place is always a
sad one, therefore I shall be sorry for you when you quit Boulogne
but you and your nice family will all be happy where ever you settle,
and certainly England is the place where an English family would find
most happiness. Have you ever thought of the Bath side of
London? I should like to find my friends on the same line of
road, not very widely scattered as there is no good abundance of
money or time left me now. Therefore the Staffordshire line,
London and Bath line, Southampton rail road line and the Oxford line,
all would be in my way. It would seem from this that you could
not easily choose out of my way, so I remain easy on that lead.
Harriet has fixed hers not quite conveniently and I am afraid not
prudently also, but I know nothing myself of the country about
Kyse. Our marriage is but a foolish one if I speak truly and I
cannot help speaking openly to you, and yet I do not know that
Isabella was likely to do better, if she considered an early marriage
indispensable. If she had had higher aims, and had the spirit
of occupation and improvement about her, I should have thought this
match utterly unworthy and below her. As it is it will do very
well. She says she likes Mr Phillips better than any other
person whom she knows and she would think it the worst fate in the
world to run on to 30 without marrying. Her present object is
amusement and dresses and company. These his fortune will
immediately procure her, and perhaps after having as much as it is in
her power to have of these things, her eyes may be opened, and she
may turn to better things, and begin her education in earnest.
Mr Phillips is a man of very small understanding, but he is kind
natured and affectionate to his family. He is devoted to
hunting and very often comes with his hounds, and his hunting dress
to pay his court. He has lost a leg, and rides so wildly that
it is thought to run a risk of breaking his neck even before his
marriage which is settled for the 15th of March. They go
immediately to Paris, stay there a couple of months and return to
take as much of the London season as they can get and after that take
up their residence at a place on the harbour about 6 miles off when
probably Isabella will begin to think and it is to be hoped that she
will not then think that she has done a foolish thing. I do not
know with her indolent habits that she is much above him in
understanding. If however she had made the best use of her time
she would have been very much so. I am glad to tell you that we
have had very improved accounts of Sismondi. I could not think
when he questioned us, that his disorder that left him a large
appetite and good sleep, could be alarming, but its lingering so long
with him, at last made me feel very anxious. I wrote to a
cousin of his Mad Bossi, to ask for information respecting Jessie and
Sismondi, as the appearance of the former, made me feel more uneasy,
than the disorder of the later, and I had a very satisfactory account
of both from her. Jessie had got to look much better soon after
her arrival at Geneva "and was fattening". A journey
to England is too full of excitement, and painful recollections, to
be favourable to the health of a person so easily excited as
Jessie. I feel sometimes surprised at myself, in going on
happily enough with such a crowd of things, and persons to forget,
who in past times filled my thoughts, but the present hour is so
filled with its pound of feathers as to leave small place for the
recollection of the lead that once pulsed heavily on the heart.
You have certainly two very ugly angels in your heaven, but I
would not reject them on that although Sismondi is like an Elephant
incased in a c . . . machine, the want of simplicity in Sismondi's
manner of showing his feelings made me for a long time . . . the
qualities he was exhibiting, but he really has them, though he has at
the same time the common affection of acting his character. I
feel very light today from an evil you are exempt from a good deal if
not entirely at Boulogne. The emptying of the house after some
days of visiting of the heaviest company possible. Our late
guests were acquainted as of the young people, and certainly not very
good specimens of their choice left to themselves . . . . .
. Are you not struck with Miss Wigley's now Mrs Anchors Clive's
"g poems by V"? Her "Grave" is one of the
most striking poems I ever read and appears very original. It
gave me the feeling of surprise as in older time when some of Byron's
poem's came out. It is the only one of the g ladies verses,
which Mr Lochart reviewed that I would give anything for. Mrs
Norton is very much pleased with V's verses. Also I hear from
Baugh, Mrs Clive's verses has the merit of views that Mrs Norton's
wants and that if she . . . more she would do well to leave, but I
cannot read her poetry, though Mr L places her at the head of the
g. Is it Stamford who has published the "The Results of
Reading"? If it is I will send for it. J S Caldwell
must be Stamford Caldwell. You know that Robert has given up
his attache'ship? for which I am very sorry. When he married I
thought all his sorrows as well as difficulties would be over but I
am afraid that this marriage may be but the beginning of
sorrows. "Molly" is very amicable and confiding and
affectionate, but there is something that does not suit I should
think, and her health and nerves are fearful, however I will hope
better things. I think they are both very much attached to each
other but she thinks that her health and nerves require management
that R knows not how to give, and that she tries his patience.
She writes me this, R reads her letter seals it up and directs it to
me. First of all, I thought that her complaints were partly in
sport, but from her later letters I do not think they are. I
was . . . put to answer her letter. I dealt only in
general. This is only for your own eye. There seems no
fault in either party, except the mutual one of a faulty marriage,
and yet I believe, that would not have mended the business, for they
are both sincerely attached to each other but somehow they are not
worn into each others habits, and R's ways do not suit Molly at all,
yet Molly doats on R. If her health were better, I should not
mind it a straw and if indeed it would be nothing. I have been
a little uneasy about Bessy lately. She is well again I hear
but I think I shall go into Staffordshire as soon as our marriage is
over. Elizabeth will be there with Emma and my visit will be
better timed then, than at any part of the year. I shall see
Charlotte and a bit of sweet, tranquil, peace-giving Elizabeth after
her return from her ministering office in Gower Street. What
work is it of Cousins which pleases you so much? I have been so
long in Sismondi's French history that I have not been able to
undertake any . . . . . . book besides, till lately when I have
finished him. I have a great fancy for G . . . [Guizot?] when I
can get at any of her works, which I cannot here. I am now in
the third volume of Milman's Christianity, which I like very much in
spite of his very disagreeable Gibbonea thoughts. His chapter
of the Trinitarian Controversy is written in a wise Christian and
bold spirit for a clergyman and if the Churchmen would receive it
with truth in their hearts it would heal much bigotry that is in the
church. Baugh has just driven from the door to . . . [Selshaw?]
his farm, miles off where he is as busy as a bee and as happy.
He charged me to remember him affectionately to you and your
girls. I think your boy [Martin Marsh] has done wonders at Eton
and his holiday reading is very great. You are wise to keep up
the habit of reading in the holidays. The idleness of this time
to boys in many families is their bane, as far as knowledge and
happiness is concerned, if so this rock that John has split on.
My best love to your girls and pray remember me very affectionately
to the Garretts. I am very glad you like Harriet
[Martineau?]. I was a little afraid of her arrogance you . . .
account of her voice, but you are the wise one who chose the good and
set forth the bad.
Your dearest Annie tenderly F Allen.
16 July 1841. Letter from Anne Marsh to her brother James Stamford Caldwell. The postmark from Boulogne is 16 JUIN 1841. There is then another postmark for which looks like July 17 and one for Lawton that looks like July.
July the 16th [1841]
My dear Stamford
I have been an enormous time without writing but I have been waiting
every day in the hope to tell you that Arthur
[her husband] had concluded his negotiation for Sayes Court and when
we intended to return to England. I am sorry to say that there
has arisen a rival purchaser so that it is still very uncertain
whether we will get the place & therefore I will not delay any
longer thanking you for your last letter & for all your kind
desire to see us again. I hope the time will now not be long
before we are settled and I shall be very thankful if Arthur succeeds
in obtaining Sayes Court, not that it is a place that I very much
like, for the house is placed at the foot instead of the top of a
hill, & to my eyes accustomed to a beautiful view it looks dull,
but Arthur likes it, & Martin
was in perfect raptures with it, & the girls are all most anxious
to possess it. The house is old fashioned but good &
commodious, & there are about 100 acres of land, making a prize
little farm & the little wood & gardens may be made very
pretty. It belongs now to Sir Charles . . . [Wethanh?] and is
about two miles from Chertsey, 9 from Windsor & 20 from
London. In many respects it will suit our plan of life very
well, but however all is in uncertainty, if we fail in obtaining it,
we shall have to begin our search all over again, and what we shall
decide upon I do not know. I expect Arthur to return to us on
Sunday next, bringing back Posy & Emily [Anne's
daughter Rosamond Marsh and Anne's
niece Emily Holland], who is coming to stay a little time with
us. Posy seems to have been very successful in England. I
hear her praises from all quarters. She is a pretty gay elegant
creature. I shall be happy dear Stamford when either at Linley
Wood or Sayes Court I have the happiness of introducing you to your
nieces in either house there will be neither laughter or music
wanting wherever they are. We have lost almost everybody here
that we loved. Sir James Lyons' family are gone for good as are
Captain Bridgeman's, two of our particular friends, especially the
first, which was a family of remarkably nice young people. Old
Mrs . . . [Eyres?] (she is Sir Hyde's sister) [Sir Hyde Parker'
sister] is almost the last or our loves left. We had a very
nice little party there last night. Some children of a
clergyman who is here, who have a singular talent for music, singing
without any accompaniment . . . [gleas?] which they have harmonised
themselves. There has been a great . . . [shir?] about this
horrid school at La Chapelle of which you have see an account in the
newspapers. The authorities have taken the matter up. The
children are all taken away & the . . . [bsetop?] himself has
absconded this and the charge of Ministers is all that is . . .
[Iothed?] of. I long held for the Whigs against all my . . .
[house?] but their conduct about the . . . [Hose Sufer?] seems to me
so thoroughly . . . [usphresplesh?] that I have lost all confidence
in them, & now heartily desire that Sir Robert [Peel leader of
the opposition] may come in & . . . [try] his hand upon
matters. We have been too much in expectation of moving to
England every week, that we have had no books from England & I am
quite behind the world on every respect. I don't know what you
are all reading or thinking about, in that I am as you may perceive
dear Stamford totally without ideas, & I am sure you will not
care to hear the news of this place, or the names of those who are
gone to the tournament at St Omer, which is to be a most splendid
thing & which I am heartily sorry we could not go to. And
so farewell my dear Stamford & excuse a horrid dull letter but I
am determined not to wait any longer without thanking you for your
kind one . . . [change?].
Your affectionate sister
Anne M
The weather is . . . [regrettably?] cold here, & I am persuaded
this place is at least two degrees colder than England. I will
write again directly if we obtain Sayes Court & if we lose it, as
soon as our next plan is decided upon.
Letter from Arthur Marsh to his son Martin Marsh. The letter reads as follows:
Sunday 20 February 1842
My dear Martin
I ought to have written to you before this about the lock up but I
was obliged to go to town last Wednesday and thence to Shorne, about
the commutation of the Tithes of that Parish. I only returned
late on Friday night, and I have been so full of that business all
the time that I confess your affair went quite out of my head; but I
trust that the delay of my answer has been of no consequence as I
think there cannot yet be any boats afloat, however I give my consent
most cheerfully. Take care of yourself and avoid tobacco and
strong drink.
Ever most affectionately yours
ACM.
(It is recorded, by the Borough
Archivist, Medway Council, that Arthur Marsh was the lessee of some
land in Shorne, near Rochester, Kent. He had connections with
this area as there are a number of memorials to the Marsh family in
the Gillingham Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene).
Letter from Arthur Marsh to his son Martin Marsh. The letter and envelope are all one piece, post marked Watford and Windsor, 10 March 1842. It is addressed as follows:
Mr M Marsh
Mrs Horfords
Eton College
Bucks
The letter reads as follows:
Eastbury
Wednesday 9 March 1842
My dear Martin
With such a cause as you assign for the shortness of your letter, I
am well content with it; in general the longer your letters are the
better. I always read them with interest, (when I can) and when
they are past my powers of deciphering, which sometimes happens, I
get your Mother or one of your Sisters to guess at the contents for
me. I have a choice to offer you, as to how you are to come
home. If you like to wait until later in the day, two of your
sisters would be delighted to go over to Drayton and meet you, but if
you prefer starting at 8 oclock from Slough, I will send James with
Shillings Spring Cart. So take your choice, and should it
incline to the first mode, let me know of what hour the girls should
be at West Drayton, it being understood that they cannot start from
hence earlier than nine o'clock. Your Mother is to go to Linley
Wood from Nantwich this day and I hope she will be here by
Monday the 14th. Fanny had a letter from Georgy this
morning. I hope they have settled their business at Nantwich,
but your Mother was too tired to write, so I am ignorant of
particulars and can only infer that she has been hard at work.
Ever most affectionately yours
AC Marsh.
Letter from Arthur Marsh to his son Martin Marsh. The letter reads as follows:
7 July 1842
My dear Martin
I received your letter from three days ago, but not having a £5
note in the house, I deferred writing to you until I could come to
London and purchase one. I hope that the £4 you got from
Mr Horford has kept you going. I now enclose the £5 the
receipt of which pray acknowledge to Eastbury. Your Mother and
Sisters return from Worcestershire on Saturday.
Mrs Swinton Holland could not receive them, so that I got them
back a day or two earlier than I expected to my great
satisfaction. Our building is still going on and I believe that
the roof will be finished tomorrow but I do not hope to have the room
habitable by the time you come home. On the 18th I am going
into Gloustershire for a few days but trust to be at home again in
time to receive you. I am highly gratified at S . . .
[Schornested's?] report of your progress. What you are
acquiring of German will be of great use to you . . . . .
. . . . to the prize of which herein I do not despair.
Ever yours most affectionately
ACM.
Letter from Arthur Marsh to his son Martin Marsh. The letter reads as follows:
Eastbury
11 September 1842
My dear Martin
I am sure it would be very unwise in me not to pay the greatest
possible respect to Mr Corkesley's opinion on the subject of your
stay at Eton. Pray therefore make my compliments to him and say
that I shall take no steps in the matter until I have had the
pleasure of seeing him. I will certainly go over to Eton for
that purpose in the course of this half year, but I cannot yet fix a
day. Your Mother and two of your Sisters have received an
invitation to Melford which they can't resist; so we start early on
Wednesday morning. I shall make the little mares take us half
way and post the rest. We are to return on Saturday and on
Monday the detachment for Linley Wood will move out. Louisa and
Fanny are on duty for Melford. I really believe that the
carpenters will have entirely finished in the two bay windows in the
course of this week. Mr White like a man of honour and of his
word finished his work on Friday and is now upon the out of door
jobs. Your Mother received your journal this morning which she
is going to read to me. No news of the Dog biscuits as
yet. I fear that the carriage from Eton will make it dear food rather.
God bless you my dear Boy.
Ever most affectionately yours
ACM.
William Gifford Corkesley (1802-1880). Educated at Eton and King's College Cambridge. Assistant master at Eton.
Letter from Arthur Marsh to his son Martin Marsh. The letter reads as follows:
Eastbury
2nd October 1842
My dear Boy
I was gratified by your note announcing the result of the contest for
Prince Albert's Prize. Your place, considering the
qualifications and talents of the two more successful competitors, is
creditable to your industry, and I am satisfied. How many of
you offered themselves for examination? I should like to know
how many you excelled as well as the number of those who excelled
you. I am as you know left here with only Mary and Adelaide;
your dear Mother I expect in a fortnight, and probably Fanny and
Rosamond some days earlier. I hope to go over to Eton and see
Mr Corkesley again before the end of the month. I believe my
new bailiff will enter on his office about the 10th and I must be at
home at that interesting moment and for some days after in order that
I may put him in the way I wish him to pursue; then I must go to
Melford and bring home Louisa so that there is little chance of my
being with you sooner than the 25th. Write me a line and say
what day in the week is best for my seeing Corkesley. Ever most
affectionately yours
AC Marsh
Did Bob thank you for the . . . for me? It is excellent and I
feast on it every morning. Now dear Boy do not spend your money
in making . . . to me, otherwise I shall not think you so prudent an
administrator of your finances as I do at present.
Letter from Arthur Marsh to his son Martin Marsh. The letter reads as follows:
Eastbury
19 October 1842
My dear Martin
Your note was forwarded to me to Melford whence I returned with
Lousia last night; I have been talking over the question of these
French lessons with your dear Mother and the result is that our
desire to afford you any advantage in your education overcomes our
mere prudential considerations and we desire that you should take
lessons for a year, but we should like to know what the ½ yearly
charge is to be. We have not yet got the new Bailiff but I hope
he will come next Monday the 24th and I have fixed as the probable
day for going over to you and Mr Corkesley, Tuesday the 1st
November. By that time we shall be able to see more clearly
what the probability of your being able to come home on the 5th.
In the meantime God bless you my dear Boy.
Ever most affectionately yours
AC Marsh.
William Gifford Corkesley (1802-1880). Educated at Eton and King's College Cambridge. Assistant master at Eton.
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