Mount Edgcumbe <1>
July 16th 1865
My dear Henry
I see you have been having dreadful riots at Chippenham & that all 3 Candidates <2> fled as soon as convenient. Pray write & tell me all about it.
We arrived by late Express last night. The train was enormously long – & we were ¾ hours behind time – So did not get across till nearly two in the morning. Val <3> came down by an earlier train – & that one was an hour late. I am rather tired today – & have seen nothing yet – but the smell of fresh flowers & all sorts of summer odours coming in at the windows is delightful!
Write please soon.
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
We looked out as we flew thro’ the Station at Chippenham – but all seemed in it’s usual peaceful state.
[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.
2. The riots regarding the liberal defeat. Sir John Neeld (1805–1891), MP; Conservative, sat for Chippenham, 1865–1868. Sir Gabriel Goldney (1813–1900), MP; Conservative, sat for Chippenham, 1865–1885. William John Lysley (1791–1873), MP; Liberal, sat for Chippenham from 1859 until his defeat in 1865.
3. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.