Markeaton <1> April 18th
My dear Talbot
Your will see by the date of this that we are still here, & I am sorry to say that I shall not be in Town on Tuesday next to be ready for Mr Awdry. <2> But probably he may be going up again for some purpose after our arrival of which I will give you notice. We have not yet got a house, but are in negotiation on the subject. It must have been rather amusing for you to have had the rival claimants in the Shrewsbury peerage case searching for information amongst your papers. <3> I confess I am glad that you think favourably of Lord Talbots chance. I suppose however there is no prospect of any decision for some time to come. We were very glad to get a flying visit from Charles on his way to Edinburgh, though he was unlucky in the weather whilst with us. I hope you may put your project of coming to London for a short time into execution.
Believe me Very truly yours
W. Mundy
Notes:
1. Markeaton Hall, Derbyshire, seat of the Mundy family. Only the orangery and stables survive; the house was demolished in the 1960s.
2. Probably West Awdry (1807-1892), solicitor, Chippenham.
3. Henry John Chetwynd Talbot, 18th Earl Shrewsbury, 5th Baron Talbot (1803–1868), succeeded Bertram Arthur, the 17th Earl, after the latter’s death 10 August 1856. The succession was contested by James Robert Hope Scott and Lord Edmund Bernard Fitzalan Howard (by his guardian Hon. Albert Henry Petre) in the Court of Chancery in January and February of 1858, and Lord Talbot’s Petition of Appeal was brought before the Committee of Privileges in the House of Lords 12 March 1858, and resolved in the summer of that year. [See Journals of the House of Lords, v. 90].