Notton
Aug 27. 1845
My dear Sir
Whether it be the pressure of Business, Accident (which I shd guess to be the Cause, as at our late Meeting at Trowbridge some Agreements were missing, having been mislaid in travelling) or even culpable Negligence, which has prevented the Parts of the W. S. & W’s Agreement with you from being duly interchanged, I can pledge my personal assurance that there is not and cannot be any sinister Object – The Responsibility of that, together with all other Agreements has been formally assumed by a Resolution.
As your absence from Home seemed to make an immediate reply less important, I waited to communicate to Mr Ward <1> the wishes expressed in the latter Part of your Letter to me: & have today received the enclosed Answer. I may add that we are very anxious for your Cooperation, as you must be much more capable than I am, of understanding all the difficulties arising from our being cramped between your limits & the Hill – &c.
I can take upon myself to offer you a Bridge for Wick Lane <2> on the Line now staked out, if by your Assent to that Line, and your pointing out the Positions of your Occupation Bridges, Mr Ward can be put in a Condition to mature his Plans.
With every desire to meet your Wishes as far as consists with our Duty to the Public & the Company, and our Powers under the Act,
I remain Yrs most truly
J W Awdry
Notes:
1. Richard James Ward, of Bath wrote to John Awdry at Notton on 26 August 1845 (letter in Fox Talbot Collection, the British Library). He then started corresponding directly with Talbot about the bridge on 11 December. [See Doc. No: 05796].
2. The lane leading to Wick Farm, Lacock, Wiltshire.