Rottingdean <1>
4th September 1808
My Dear Mama
send me some more Stinsford <2> Beer. I am in [illegible]. send me a cake in a little while (about ten days) send the beer directly. on Friday I received a letter from my Cousin Jane <3> dated the 28th of August. Bowden is not come yet. We have been here one month and 2 days. Charrington goes home every week from Saturday till Monday. I learn the Catechism every Sunday and read the history of the Jews. on Friday we do no ten o’clock lessons. Wednesday we do ten o’clock and 4 o’clock lessons together because of Mr Scott’s coming. Saturday is a Half Holiday. but then Mr Marchant (the Writing master) comes. as he does thursday. and Monday & tuesday we do nothing but Latin Grammar. I will give you a specimen of the way Mr Marchant makes his report.
turn Over
| W Manning | VVG | G | VG |
| F Manning | VG | VVG | VG |
| J Smith | VG | VG | VVG |
| Slade | VVG | VG | G |
& so on G means Good VG very Good VVG very very good – means absent Idle/A means Idle Arithmetic B is bad VB very Bad VVB very very Bad I have had 5 G’s 7 VG’s 1 VVG
I remain Your Affectionate Son
W H F Talbot
Lady E Feilding
Coombe Farm
Kingston
Surrey
Notes:
1. Rottingdean, East Sussex, 4 mi SE of Brighton: WHFT attended school there from 1808–1811.
2. Stinsford, Dorsetshire, 2 mi E of Dorcester.
3. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).