Queen’s Hotel
Upper Norwood
Surrey
Monday June 16th 1856
My dear Henry
I have only today received your Friday’s letter – returned from Stonehouse. <1> I wrote to Amandier <2> on Saturday, so you will have heard all about the 2 voyages of the “Cloud” & of our being here. We reckon upon being here till the 27th or 28th When we intend removing to Farrance’s in Belgrave Street <3> as Milord <4> is anxious to have a consultation of physicians, before going back to the Yacht.
It would be very nice to se you here before we go; & to visit the Crystal Palace <5> together. I must explain that I sleep tomorrow in Town, at Jane’s <6> for the Ball at the Palace – [illegible] return here next day – on which day, the 18th the great Fountain’s are to play for the 1st time – The Qn <7> is to be present, & they begin [illegible deletion] playing at five o’clock. I tell you this, in case you should think of coming up this week. On Thursday 19th – I again repair to Jane’s to sleep, in order to be ready the next morning for the Queen’s Drawingroom – & as Ld Lansdowne’s <8> Concert takes place the same evg – Friday, I propose remaining in town for it, & returning here on Saturday – After wh I have no further London engagements. Indeed I do not wish to leave Milord more than I can possibly help – but the Ball & D.room are a sort of duty.
Yrs affy
Caroline
We have one very nice Spare room which Val <9> occupies when here – But he will not want it till next Saturday – when he comes to spend Sunday with us. So that you cd have it – & probably the week after too – As he is diverting himself in London generally.
[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Near Plymouth.
2. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
3. See Doc. No: 06819.
4. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.
5. The giant structure was relocated to Sydenham Hill, South London, after the Great Exhibition of 1851.
6. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
7. Qeeen Victoria and Prince Albert attended the specatacle of the first full demonstration of Sir Joseph Paxton's waterworks - he took the royal party around on horseback. In addition to the re-installation of the crystal fountain that had been the centrepiece of the 1851 exhibition, Paxton had introduced two large waterfalls, numerous smaller fountains and waterjets, all fed from a large reservoir and a pair of 250 foot tall water towers. It was all brought into play for the first time at 5pm for the Queen. Paxton had conceived of the elaborate system not only to supply visual entertainment and the ordinary water needs of the exhibition hall, but also as a safeguard against fire. Sadly, that proved inadequate when the the Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire in 1936.
8. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780–1863), MP, WHFT’s uncle.
9. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.