.MjA1.MjY1
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11 Welfield Place 22 Oct./61 Dear Ann I recd your letter to 5 Oct. at Sedgwick, & that to 8th yesterdays.
I have not written to you since my visit with John Myers at Crosby. I went there on Saturday afternoon the 12th & returned on Monday noon. – I was very kindly received by John & his wife; and he & I had much talk as to old times, & the present condition of affairs in Am- erica; and his wife expressed her regret at not having seen you last year.
John’s tory notions have greatly mod -erated, as he himself confesses; & he now looks upon the Parliamentary Re- -form of 1832 as having been a great benefit. – He urged me to sell our cotton; for he said that if he were now a holder, it would not allow to sleep at night. –
We spoke a little about my namesake, but I did not tell him that Rutson is married.
John & his Wife were each complaining a little; & it seemed to me more the
too
result of ^ good living & having little to do, than anything else. Neither of
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accompanied me to the new church at Crosby: but on the Sunday night he had all his household into the drawing room, where, as “a man having authority,” he read to them a chapter in the Bible. (St. Pauls’ essay on Charity) & followed it up with family prayers. – He had stay- -ing with him one of his step-sons, & his
brot[crossed out] sister[crossed out] step-daughter
only daughter[crossed out]^, now married to a captain in the Army & the mother of two children, the elder of whom, a fine bay, is a great pet & companion of John. – Young Mr. Birkett & I took a long walk on the Sunday afternoon; & at my suggestion we steered for Lepton Church, beside which is the village-inn called “the Punch-bowl,” where that rural bake was held, which Tom Gilpin Robt Clough & I attended so many years ago on our return from the Races at Aintree.
After loitering a while in the church yard, waiting for the termination of the afternoon service, that I might see the old monuments & tombstones within the church, we went in & sat for 45 minutes whilst the Curate was deliver ing a very earnest extemporaneous dis-
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-course. The old rector Mr. Rothwell was there also. – The interior of the church is very interesting & beautiful but I was disappointed in the old tombstones, thou’ the oldest dates back to 1400.
As in Kendal Church, there are parts of the interior where Roman Catholics, such as the Blundell’s of [Juer?], have stop the use for burial. – We returned from our long walk barely in time for diner at 6 p.m. –
Mary Bold & I had a very dark, dis- -mal wet day for our journey to Sedg- -wick, in the 15th. The train did not stop at Milnthorpe; so we got out at Oxenholme & were not a little non- -plussed when we found that no car- -riage from Sedgwick had been sent (as was promised) to meet us. We therefore proceeded in the Windermere train as far as Kendal, but only to meet the same disappointment.
Finally we got the Kings Arms Omni- =bus driver to send a carriage from that hotel, & instead of reaching Sedgwick at 5, it was all but 6 when we drove up to the door. – We then learned that Mary Wakefield had received Mary Bold’s
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letter saying by what train we were coming, & had dispatched a carriage for us, but she had mistaken the hour, & supposed we ^ were to arrive an hour later than we did by a train discontinued after September.
But she was kept in ignorance of our disappointment until her brother named it to her the following day.
He had gone to Coniston & did not get back until T time. – The next morn -ing (Wednesday) he went after break- -fast down to the Sands, on some busi -ness, & he gave me the option of riding with him; but I declined & said I would prefer amusing myself with visiting the old familiar spots around Sedg- -wick. Before he left, his son William called to accompany him; & William told me that his wife was at home tho’ to leave that afternoon with him- -self & their 4 children for Southport, but in the meanwhile she would be very glad to see me. – As we had ridden together the previous evening Mary Bold had pointed out to me his house, “set upon the top of a hill;” & William directed me to walk on the canal bank until I came to the 3rd bridge, & then take the road to the
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left, which would conduct me to his gate. I had a very pleasant & cordial reception from Augusta, whom I had never seen since 1845. She is much changed, having grown so round & “rolly polly.” She had all her children in to show to me; & they all wore the unmistakable Wakefield features. I did not stay long because she was busy packing up for the journey. On leaving, I sauntered around the home & drank in the charming view, for the day was beautiful. I returned by the old patct[crossed out] path on the river side, first going under the bridge (I think it is called Haw’s –bridge) where William Wakefield, when I was a boy, would often meet “Jack Caradise” the poacher, & have conferences with him as to “the gentle art,” as old Isaak Walton called it. Augusta told me the Caradises were still flourishing, & still gloring on not maintaining themselves by honest industry. As I strolled along I thought how Walker would enjoy him -self, if he were with me armed with rod & line; but most of my reflections
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carried me back to early days when poor William Wakefield was my com- -panion, & when we waded up to our middles in the water whilst plying the rod & line; & how we used to be chased by the keepers whilst fishing the preserved stream at[crossed out] in Levens Park. – When I got to “16 acre” I was surprised at the mill-dam having disappeared, & the foot bridge inserted in its place: & that spot reminded me of the wonderful performance in launching the new boat, whereat you & Matthew assisted.
The course of my thoughts, the beautiful scenery during this walk to & fro, & the lovely weather all chimed in together so harmoniously, that I may best describe my sensa- tions by saying that I nearly felt as tho’ I was in the land of Beulah!
Indeed I caught myself saying or thinking – “ Can Heaven itself be more beautiful? “ –
It was break[crossed out] luncheon time soon after my return; & when I found Mary Bold had not been outside of the house I felt sorry that she had not accom-
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=panied me. – John Wakefield joined us at lunch, & as he had to go to Oxenholme to meet an expected [?]- -[?] Mr. Barclay (a friend of the Gurneys) - at 2 1/2 p.m. he proposed take me with him in his dray part of the way, which I gladly agreed to. I intended going to Oxenholme too for a train due at 4 p.m. by which Mr. & Mrs Weston were expected; & to fill the interval, I walked as far as the old church in Kendal, & got a young man there to find the keys & let me inside the venerable [?]. – I think I have never been inside of it before, since the days of the old clerk with the rich North country accent & the spectacles on the tip of his nose.
After I came out I was seized with the Old Mortality notion, & went about in search of our great grandfather’s
but
tomb stone, of which I had ^ a vague recollection as to its locality; but I succeeded in finding it. The old stone, broken in twain, but secured by two worn clamps, has not[underlined] ben displaced by a new one. – I sat
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down, & with some difficulty deci- -phered & copied off the inscription.
Whilst thus employed my previous guide, whom I suppose to be the sexton or his son, joined me, & remarked that within a year a gentleman had been there, & got him to read-off for him the inscription, whilst the gentleman wrote it down, as I had been doing. – I described to this young man William Rutson’s appearance; & I have a notion that he[underlined] was the “Old Mortality” in that case. –
My task ended, I walked to Oxenholme & sure enough in a few minutes Mr & Mrs Weston arrived & got out.
It had previously been arranged that as that train does not stop at Shap, they should proceed to Ellergreen, & rest a couple of hours there. – It is so long since I have seen Caroline Janus, that I felt very doubtful whether I should know her. But oddly enough, I made her out at once from her likeness to William Rutson, a likeness which she certainly did not have when I last saw her. She did not
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know me at all, when I accosted her, until I told her my name. She is much thinner, both in face & figure, but looked exceedingly well & happy. She has lost that redness about her nose, & her complexion is very clear.
We had a pleasant talk for a few moments, during which I told her you had named to me, in your last letter, the rect. of hers, written the night before her marriage. She desired her love to you. I had a few words also with Mr. Weston; & then I retraced my steps to Sedgwick. – They have been as far as Milan, I am told. – Two days afterwards, vizt. on the Friday morng. before we left, Mary Wakefield recd. a letter from Caroline, written from her new home, & in a very happy mood.
It was a bright moonlight night when they reached Crosby Ravensworth on the Wednesday, & the church bells were rung to greet them. She en- -closed 2 capital photographs of herself & Mr. Weston, taken in Paris.
John Wakefield told me her fortune amounts to £13,000 – a larger sum than I had supposed.
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10 I forgot to say that in the early after -noon on Wednesday, Margaret Wake -field was driven out in her carriage to Sedgwick, accompanied by her faith -ful female attendant & a Miss [Sevaile?] from Yorkshire, who was spending a few days with her. – I saw Margaret for a few moments in the drawing room before she was carried back to her carriage. Her features are so thorough -ly changed from what they were when I last saw her in ’46 at Buxton, that I could not trace the least resem- -blance to her former self, before she was paralysed. –
On the Thursday[crossed out] Wednesday Mr. & Mrs. Keightley dined at Sedgwick. She is materially changed in appearance also, having become staid & matronly.
On the Thursday Mr. Barclay took his departure in a visit to the Fords at Yealand. But previously, he & I were
by John Wakefield
driven out that day ^ to his new gunpowder works at Gate-beck, alias “Preston Fell” – a spot I had never seen before, tho’ by name so long familiar to me. The ride thither was very beautiful & the
[Marginalia]
day was again very fine.
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(23 Oct) but I did not feel entranced as I was the day before, the localities being strange, & my attention directed into other channels. – We saw all the process of making the gunpowder, beginning with the crude & unrefined salt-petre & ending with the polished powder, & the machinery for sawing up & shaping the staves & heading for the bbls – which last reminded me of Frank’s saw mills etc.: at St. Louis, tho’ his contrivances as to the bbls are different – We then witnessed the testing of the powder by the use of 2 ounces of it in the discharge of a 68 lb ball from a mortar; from which there were 5 discharges, 3 of them with a weaker powder or such as was formerly most in use, consisting of 70 percent of Saltpetre 15 " brimstone 15 " charcoal. With this the
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ball was carried about 100 yds: & with a stronger kind consisting of 75% saltpetre, 15 brimstone &10 charcoal, for the two final shots, the ball was carried almost half as far again, say about 150 yds. The mortar was inclined upward at an angle of about 35o., I think, & the ball being visible throughout its flight, it seemed like a game of quoits. –
John Wakefield told me that
m
there is now so much co^petition in the manufacture, that it yields very little profit, hardly enough indeed to be worth following. I asked him the price of his powder now. He said “4d. to 6d. per lb.: or just what we can “get, for we accept almost any “offer.”
When these performances were over we all 3 remounted the dray, foundby Mr. Keightley, & according
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to previous appointment, drove to Mr. K__’s residence at a nice old spot called “The Old Hall” which from its lowness of ceilings, the beams, & the great thickness of the walls, reminded me of the Hotel of that name at Buxton; but the interior has been modernised & all looked like comfort, ease & luxury of truly home-like character – just such as Miss Bremer in the Howitts would delight in. The view was very circumscribed owing to old trees, enclosing a pretty grass plot & flower beds. The place seemed fitted rather for winter than summer.
I have given this description because Mrs. Keightley told me she was sorry that you could not see her in this snug homestead when you were last at Sedgwick.
She shewed me her 2 very fine children. The meal that
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answered for our lunch was the customary early dinner for the family. It consisted of pea-soup, a roast leg of mutton, pudding & pie. – Soon after the repast was ended, we left Mr. Barclay to be conveyed in a gig to Yealand, & John Wakefield drove me back to Sedgwick. At about 4 1/2 p.m. he proposed to me to go up with him & see his sister Mary in her room, which I gladly accepted, & sat with her about 15 or 20 minutes, when I voluntarily withdrew, for fear of fatiguing her. – She is not nearly as much changed, as I had expected from the last photograph you had. Tho’ thin & wasted & now so [gran?] in her manner, there was still much that reminded me of Mary Wakefield of old; both in her face & conversation. – She smiled occasion =ally during our talk. I sat close beside her, & heard all she said without requiring her to repeat it. – She spoke of you
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& Matthew affectionately; especially of yourself, and she enquired about the Gilpins & Nan; & poor little Maggie Ludlow. We talked of Mr. & Mrs. Weston, & of Willie Wakefield & Augus -ta. She has not yet forgiven cousin Lewis for marrying Nan. And it remains[crossed out] reminded me of her old fancies & prejudices, when she said that from what she saw of Lewis, she considered him “a disagreeable man,” whereupon I remarked that he was at that time out of health & spirits; but that he was really of a very kind & amiable temper,
She shook hands with me both in meeting & parting, holding my hand longer in the latter case & in a way that seemed to shew that she thought we should never meet again. – But you will be glad to learn that Mary Bold has this morng. a letter from her saying that she has improved much since we were there, & has been down stairs 3 times.
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Young John Cropper this morning has also given me a similar report of her, as received in a letter today to some of the family at the Dingle.
After my interview with her I felt rather sad, & as it wanted an hour of dinner time I spent it in a walk thro’ Levins Park, & to Levins Bridge.
Whilst we were at Preston Fell, Mr. John Cropper Senr. who was staying at Ellergreen, drove out to Sedgwick accompanied by Mrs. Jas. Cropper. And Mary Bold expressing a wish to see Margaret Wakefield in her own house, they carried her back with them, where she had a far more satisfactory interview with Margaret – more so to both[underlined] of them — than the day before. – I had told
Bold
Mary ^ that I supposed that Margaret Wakefield had not known me at all. But she assured me it was quite other -wise, for that during the talk in her own house she had named me & said
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how very well I was looking.
When this visit was ended Mary Bold walked out all the way from Margaret’s house, taking the Canal bank as her path, & joined John & me just after we had sat down to dinner. – She came in with a most brilliant complexion & said she had enjoyed her walk very much. I was very glad that she had that little out for it seemed such a pity that she should be so cooped up in the house, when all was so brilliant & enticing out of doors.
I had a notion of staying at Sedgwick until the afternoon of Friday, but I was glad I made no such intimation to any one but Mary Bold; for she shewed me clearly that by remain- -ing beyond 10 A.M. we should be outstaying our welcome. – I slept in that little room at the head of the staircase on the right hand, & Mary Bold in the large state chamber facing the head of the staircase, her view being from the front & mine from
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the rear of the house. Everything both inside & outside of the house was in the most neat & perfect order, just as tho’ Mary Wakefield were able to go about & give her personal superintendence. –
We left at a few minutes before 10 in the covered car & found the train at Milnthorpe. I made no proposal to go up & wish Mary Wakefield good bye, as is seemed to me better not.
The only drawback to my pleasure on this delightful visit was that of the sad & feeble condition of the two Miss Wakefields. – John Wake -field stoops more that when he was in N. York, but is still very hale & hearty, & full of vitality. He was very kind in his manners to me; & we two had a vast deal of talk as to American affairs. – He, like John Myers, but still more strenu- -ously , urged me to sell our Cotton, – repeating this advice more than once – & as you will learn from Matthew I have since[crossed out] this week sold 450 bales, & at
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prices that I trust will be deemed sat -isfactory both by him & by you – the nett profit averaging, as I suppose, some £5 per bale, or more.
I am holding on to the rest; except 196 Middling Orleans with Heath & Co. which they bot. for us at 7 5/8d & now by my directions are offering at 12d!
By going to Sedgwick I went out of the reach of temptation: for I should other -wise have been apt to make some sales last week when the market was lower than it now is
As you might expect I paid Mary Bold’s expenses from the time she left her own door until she returned to it; for I insisted on her taking 1/2 a crown to ride from Lime St. to Welfield Place. Elizabeth gave her the meeting in Lime St. on the Friday at 2 1/2 p.m. – whilst I stopped at Lancaster.
Before leaving Lpool I wrote a short note to Miss Dilworth to say I ex- -pected to pay her a visit on the Friday or Saturday. – When I got to Sedgwick I found there a letter from
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Miss Dilworth directed to John Wake-
Esq
-field ^ Sedgwick, Kendal, with R Maury Esq. underneath at the corner. – It had been opened by John Wakefield in mistake; & was retained by his sister Mary until we came. It was dated 4th Oct. (Septr having been first written) & postmarked 6th Oct. & was in answer to my long letter of 30th Sept. It was 3 1/2 pages of note paper & saving in our part, where she alludes to American affairs, it shews no want of mind: – and in this respect I was agreeably disappointed in most of her remarks during the multitude of talk we had together during the 20 hours I was her guest. She gave me a hearty welcome: & I fared very well in every respect. – There was no allusion made by either of us to her neighbouring protégés. She spoke all her American relatives in turn & with interest as to their welfare. She had been apprehensive of personal danger to them from the War, & in her note to me she says: - “I have written urgently to my sister & Sarah Gilpin,
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“to come over to me until affairs in
“your country become more settled; “& I wish they would, indeed that “the whole household, Matthew & “Elizabeth & their children, would just “ship themselves off to Liverpool, & “come on here, & stay until all is set- “-tled; and then, if they were tired, “they could all go back again. But “I am not so sanguine as your sister, “& think it will be longer than next “spring before you get all as it should “be. And Matthew would find some “=thing to do at Liverpool. Here we “have no business of any sort”, &c &c.
I told Miss D__, during our long talks, that there was no reason for any of them crossing the Atlantic upon the score of personal danger from the War. I said the only risk from the War was that it might cur -tail her sister’s income especially the $1500 payable by Mrs. H.D. Gilpin; & I gave her the substance of that lady’s remarks on this point. – I found that she is no favorite of Miss Dilworth, who has a distinct recol-
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-lection of her when here & had then acquired just the same ideas about her that we all agree on. Miss D__ said that she had never written to Mrs. H. D. G__ since her husband’s death; for that she really did not know what to write about to her; f[crossed out] as if she were to say what she felt towards her, it would be offensive & that would only do mischief perhaps. – She asked me pointedly whether her sisters income, other than the said $1,500 was curtailed, or in danger of curtail -ment, by the War. I told her that I did not know enough about it to answer this question, yea or nay, except that part derived from England, which would, of course, remain intact.
She spoke of sending some money in the shape of a Bank of England note in lieu of her customary presents She did not say how[underlined] much[underlined], nor did I ask. She wished to know whether such a remittance would be readily convertible into
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N. York money; & remembering your hint I said “Very readily just like changing it for sovereigns in England.” – I said if she wish -ed to make me the medium of such remittance, I would attend to it; but she said she would prefer sending it in a letter, directed, as usual to Matthews care. –
I did not tell her anything about Maury Bros interest in Cotton; nor on the other hand, did I make the least appeal to her generosity on behalf of her American relations.
I read her many extracts from your letters such as I thought wd. be of interest to her. – She wished me to let her know when I had made up my mind as to the time for my return to N. York,. – I promis -ed to do so, telling her I could not even guess any time at present.
In the morning whilst we were at an 8 o’clock breakfast, the little handmaid came to ask if my luggage was
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then ready to go to the station, & I went to the door & gave my two new
1 1
(^ moderate & ^ small sized) carpet bags into the charge of the husband of (I think you called her) Mary Ann. He was in his common working clothes, civil & respectful, & I thank -ed him for them (without volunteer -ing any gratuity) when I rejoined him at the station.
On the whole I think that my visit to Miss Dilworth was rather agreeable to her than otherwise; & certainly it was not otherwise to myself, tho’ I was actuated chiefly by the wish to please & see her sister & nieces. Whether it will answer that end is more that I can say. She herself seemed in a happy mood all the while.
On Saturday afternoon when I reach -ed Welfield Place, I was told by Mary Bold that Dr. Vose was expected between 4 & 5 p.m. & that Laura was aware of the object of his visit, whereat she at first had felt some
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-what indignant, but was then content to receive him. – His report was that her pulse was too low, & that she needed some stimulants. He wrote out 2 prescriptions for her, one of Quinine, & the other of Iron – as the main ingredients – the latter to be substituted after the former preparation was exhaust -ed. – I got both mixed for her at Apothecary’s Hall ( charge 2/9, which comes out of my pocket.)
or beer
He also ordered bitter ale ^ for her & I ordered 2 doz. pints from Mackie Gladstone of their best India Pale Ale, which is also a present from me, costing, bottles included 10/ – .
Finding that Maggie Addison & 2 of the brides maids, Misses Gibbs, still quests at N. Brighton, were to come over to lunch yesterday at Welfield Place, I went out, before my final departure for town & purchased 4 very fine Pears, of the [mayucfico?] order, cost 3d. each, & a pot of [Dunlon ?] [Marmilade?], cost 8d. as
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my contribution towards the entertain -ment, & when I presented them to Mary Bold, her reply was “very kind & very thoughtful.”
When I reached Lpool on Saturday I found in my table at the office a bundle from W & C [Browns?], Mer -cers, Chester containing a Silk hat
a pair of black kid gloves
band & scarf, ^ & a card, in memory “of the late William Healing Esq “of Plympton Manor who was in
“-terred at Eastham on the 18th
Oct 1861.” – No having been at the funeral, it was my wish to wear them at Church on Sunday.
The Bolds told me it would he altogether outré at Dr. McNeill’s church as such things were now never worn unless by the clergyman, after the funeral was over. – I then said that if I could get up early enough in the morng. I would start by Rail -way for Eastham church, & wear these silk appendages there. – I made the effort accordingly but was just 5 minutes too late! The RR boat leaving at 8 1/2 A.M. – After consider
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-ing what I should do. I finally crossed on the 8 3/4 boat, & sur -prised Tom Bold by taking my seat at his breakfast table just after he himself – (before all the rest) had done so. – Jessie & his two sons joined us by & bye.
I went to church with her & Thos. Henry & stayed for dinner at 1 1/2 p.m. –
Tom & I had much talk by ourselves after dinner. He told me among other things, that all his Cotton was sold save those 730 bales for which I gave the £500 guarantee, & that the profits realized & what were attainable on the 730 bales would entirely clear off his old score with T. H. Littledale & Co. except an out- -side matter of £520, with which he was not fairly chargeable.
He said that such being the case Littledales would not give me back my £500 guarantee
[Marginalia – Left side]
if it is possible. I hope Rutson may be made the [?] of some aid.
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We ought to send money to the relief of those 3 lads at N.O.
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but that in order to clear off the £520 also, he wished them to buy 200 to 300 bales more for him, which Mr. Torr was willing to do if I would substi- -tute a fresh £500 guarantee in lieu of the former one. – I told Tom I would do so & see Mr. Torr on the subject on Monday. – I saw Torr accordingly, when he said he would send me back the old letter, which was in charge of their Cash-Keeper then out. But it has not come yet.
I saw Tom afterwards on Monday, & told him that Mr. Torr had been wanting to see him all day. I have not seen either since, & so I do not know whether any fresh purchases have been made, or whether any of said 730 bales have yet been resold. – When I last saw Tom I told I was beginning to sell out my old Cotton; & that I [mistrusted?] the expediency of his now buying any more Cotton, but
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left it entirely to himself. (NB. these 730 bales, if yet in hand, are now worth perhaps £1000 more than when he & I talked together on Sunday.)
I was glad to learn from him that when in London he recd. on the 12th inst payment in full for the last bill of £1000 or so for stores furnish ed by Janus & Co. to the G. Eastern on her last & most unfortunate voyage.
Whilst I was crossing the room at 8 3/4 a.m. on Sunday I was struck with the most magnificent screw -steamer, larger as I thought than any such craft I had ever seen since the G.E. & our old ship the G.B. – And two[crossed out] lo & behold it proved to be the latter crowded with passengers for Australia.
She was slowly steaming down the river. She now has 3 enormous tall masts, just like a sailing ship & proportioned to her hull she looked superb.
Tom Bold still has hopes of the success of the G.E. finally. She is intended to start again in February.
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(30 !!!)
Tom told me that Mr. Healing’s last words (& he added under delirium of course) were, “ Has the American “steamer arrived? What’s the news?”
I may add that such was the anxiety to learn the Persia’s news on Sunday last, that the Exchge Room; as I was told was quite thronged at 1 p.m. al- -most like a week-day. – Today we have via Cap. Race & per Edinburgh at Queenstown N. York news to 15th inst! It is viewed as favorable to Cotton. The higher prices go here, the more difficult is it to find holders willing to sell. –
On Sunday afternoon I walked from Birkenhead across the new dock- bridges to Seacombe, & thence by the well remem- -bered road behind the [Toutins?] & the Codling-gap (still so called) until I entered “the green lane (now Rice lane beside the [Locusts?], & so onwards to the Addisons, where I spent an hour.
My old Master, the Revd. Mr. Chapman, formerly of the Charter-house, died a few day ago aged 78! He was a kind man whom all the boys liked.
I am to dine tomorrow at Mr. Adam Hodg- -sons, en famille at 6 p.m. I am glad to hear such late news of Rutson & the
[Marginalia – Right Side]
3 other boys. I find Jas. is in debt here both to Cropper H & G & Heath & Co.
[Marginalia – Left side]
Yours affectionately R. Maury
