Stonehouse
Plymouth
May 17th 1856
My dear Henry
Your letter found me in Belgrave Sqrs 33, where Ernestine & I have been paying Jane <1> a very pleasant visit of 2 weeks & ½. It was necessary to take her to Mr Rogers, as she had not seen him for nearly a year & ½ – & I was uneasy about her teeth – & as Jane had most kindly offered me a pied à terre, <2> I took advantage of her hospitality. She had Tina & Theresa <3> with her – The other two <4> are still at Torquay with Spenny; & the other Sons <5> dispersed about. I am sorry I could not answer your letter sooner, being so very busy the last day or two – & then unpacking here &c.
Our project still holds good for Sydenham, where our apartments have been secured a long time. I believe Ld Mt E. <6> will go, part of the way at least, in the Cloud – & he is about purchasing a Steamer to take him in tow, in case of adverse winds. We shall not start quite so soon as the 20th Which is indeed now very near at hand; but if he continues pretty well, it will not be long before we go, I shd imagine. I am delighted to hear such a capital account of Charles. <7> He is very high up indeed for his age – & getting on so well, he must like Harrow no doubt. Our Charlie <8> has left his private Tutor in Essex, sans <9> regret – & is going on Monday to a Captain Desborough at Sunning Hill W. Windsor – who receives boys into his house, & prepares them for a military examination. He is then to have a Commission in the Grenadier Guards.
I believe, tho’ it is very difficult for us to judge, that he has got on well with Latin & Algebra. He knows French too very fairly – a great advantage in a military profession. Val <10> is amusing himself in London.
I had heard nothing of the mutiny in the German legion till my return here – It does not seem to have been very alarming however. I found the trees & shrubs much come on while I was away. A good many of the large Hollys we moved here from Cotehele <11> are dead; but by no means all – & all the transplanted Silver firs & bays are flourishing. The Weizelin is in flower at Mt E. <12> the lilacs beginning & peonies & lilies of the Valley. I saw Uncle Wm <13> in Town – looking quite as usual. Mr Gaisford <14> has been very far from well – & I was glad he accepted Uncle Harry’s <15> offer of going down with him last Monday to Melbury & Abbotsbury <16> for a week. I suppose you know Ld Digby <17> is dead. I much fear that Ewd Digby <18> has not got Sherborne Castle <19> – wh Would have been such a charming possession for them – close to Melbury, I hope all yr belongings are well. Let me know what you are going to do?
Yrs affte
Caroline
Notes:
[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Greta Bank
Keswick
Cumberland
1. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
2. Lodging.
3. Christiana Judy Nicholl, of Merthyr Mawr and Theresa Nicholl.
4. Kate Nicholl and Lucy Mary Nicholl (1824-1876), of Merthyr Mawr.
5. John Cole Nicholl (b. 1832), Stephen Nicholl and Edward Nicholl.
6. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.
7. Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son.
8. Charles Earnest Edgcumbe (1838–1915), JP, WHFT’s nephew.
9. Without, with no.
10. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.
11. Cotehele, Cornwall: ancient house, seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe, now a National Trust Property.
12. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.
13. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester (1795–1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.
14. Capt Thomas Gaisford (1816–1898), JP, WHFT’s brother-in-law.
15. Henry Stephen Fox Strangways, 3rd Earl of Ilchester (1787–1858).
16. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there and Abbotsbury, Dorset: home of William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways.
17. 2nd Earl Digby (d. 1856). He died without issue.
18. Edward St Vincent Digby (1809–1889). He inherited titles and Irish estates.
19. Sherborne Castle, Devon. Built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594. In 1856 it was inherited by George Digby Wingfield.