Lacock Abbey
Thursday July 27th
My dear Henry
Thank you for both your letters. – I was glad to find from your first that Nichole <1> was come back & that you had begun to teach Mr Fellowes <2> – Of course this will keep you in Town some time – & prevent your wanting me at present (I mean next week) to set off house hunting with you – Could you not allow me to go with the children <3> for a few days to Marle Hill <4> – & have the great pleasure of meeting my dear Marian <5> whom I have not seen for the last eight months? On Thursday the 3d my Uncle & Aunt <6> could receive me – Marian goes the day before or that day. I dare say Miss King could remain at Bowood <7> till after my return, or if not convenient to Lady Lansdowne, <8> she can come here all the same on the 1st of August as I (which is the day I propose to fix with her) & pass a few days in solitude – no misfortune I should consider, at this time of the year, with plenty of books to divert her – I did go to Bowood last Tuesday & by invitation joined their dinner at 3 o’clock – Lady Kerry <9> was there & Mary <10> to meet her cousins – They were exceedingly happy running about with her for about two hours – attended by Mary’s Bonne – Ela found the inconvenience of not being able to speak french [sic] when Mademoiselle addressed her – Afterwards they drank tea – & when the gold fish had been duly admired, we drove home again – The weather was beautiful – fine but not oppressively warm. – I think the children are well pleased with the thoughts of a governess – though not over anxious for her arrival – I don’t think they are quite so eager for novelties as they used to be – which I am glad to see. – They were a good deal surprised to find that they had seen Miss King at Bowood & that she had not been pointed out to them as being their future governess – I also saw her & settled everything according to Lady Lansdowne’s advice – I have also laid my plans at home satisfactorily – & have fixed upon the Tower room as their school-room at first – But everything must be changed bye & bye to suit the general convenience – & that of Horatia <11> in particular who would not like her room to be traversed twenty times a day by the tenants of the said school room –
I shall hope for your answer (about my going to Cheltenham), on Saturday that I may write to my Aunt by that day’s post –
Your affectionate
Constance. –
H. F. Talbot Esqre
31 Sackville Street
London
Notes:
1. Nicolaas Henneman (1813–1898), Dutch, active in England; WHFT’s valet, then assistant; photographer.
2. Sir Charles Fellows (1799–1860), archaeologist. [See Doc. No: 04808].
3. Ela Theresa Talbot (25 Apr 1835 - 25 Apr 1893), WHFT's 1st daughter; Rosamond Constance Talbot (16 Mar 1837 - 7 May 1906), 'Rose'; 'Monie'; artist & WHFT's 2nd daughter; died & buried at San Remo, Italy, with a memorial at Lacock; Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, née Talbot (25 Feb 1839-1927), 'Tilly', WHFT's 3rd daughter; Charles Henry Talbot, (2 Feb 1842 - 26 Dec 1916), 'Charlie'; 'Tally'; antiquary & WHFT's only son.
4. Marle-Hill House, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
5. Her sister, Marian Gilder, née Mundy (1806 – 14 October 1860); m. 6 August 1844 William Troward Gilder (d. 1871), Army Surgeon (ret).
6. Eleanor Newton, née Stephenson (1788-1880), wife of Sarah Leaper Newton's brother, Robert Newton Leaper-Newton (1775-1846); they lived at Marle-Hill House, Cheltenham.
7. Bowood House, nr Calne, Wiltshire, 5 mi NE of Lacock: seat of the Marquess of Lansdowne
8. Louisa Emma Petty Fitzmaurice, née Fox Strangways, Marchioness of Lansdowne (1785-1851), wife of Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne; Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, 1837-1838; WHFT's aunt.
9. Lady Augusta Lavinia Priscilla Fitzmaurice, née Ponsonby, Lady Kerry (1814–1904).
10. Her daughter, Lady Mary Fitzmaurice (b. 1835).
11. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.