[See Doc. No: 05966. This is a confusing set of two drafts, plus notes, gathered together on the same sheets of paper – the first was originally assigned two 'LA' numbers, LA47-61 & LA47-65, with subsequent sheets assigned to LA47-65 only. The first sections were written on Whatman's watermarked paper, cut down.]
letter sent
Reeves/
Lacock
Weddy 7 July 47
It is a matter of indiffce to me whether you bring an actn agst me in ye Wilts County Court, or not: since I can only lose a trifle Amt by the affair, turn out how it may – But being desirous to be on friendly terms with all persons, as far as possible, I will speak to Mr Henneman tomorrow to know if he can give you any employment for one month as an assistant in the London Establt – (which however could not be of any confident and I request wish you will to call on Mr Henneman him in Regt St<1> tomorrow to know if he can give you any employment for one month as an assistant on Friday about 5 oclock in the afternoon to know the result. Of course you cannot suppose that we will pay you any but money unless you earn it by doing a fair amount of work; – and I shall only add that I consider you have no claim whatever upon us for employment, but that if Mr Henneman consents to employ you for a month, I have no particular objection to [illegible deletion] I should think it in his doing so –
Athm Club<2>
Mr H. & I are both certain yt you asked us for employment by the week at 30/ per week – But if y. give satisfn during ye 1st week Mr H will no doubt be willing to engage y. during ye rest of ye month.
[expanded version:]
letter sent
Reeves
Lacock
Wednesday 7 July 1847
It is a matter of indifference to me whether you bring an action against me in the Wiltshire County Court, or not: since I can only lose a trifle Amt by the affair, turn out how it may – But being desirous to be on friendly terms with all persons, as far as possible, I will speak to Mr Henneman tomorrow to know if he can give you any employment for one month as an assistant in the in the London Establishment – (which however could not be of any confident and I request wish you will to call on Mr Henneman him in Regent Street on Friday about five o’clock in the afternoon to know the result. Of course you cannot suppose that we will pay you any but money unless you earn it by doing a fair amount of work; – and I shall only add that I consider you have no claim whatever upon us for employment, but that if Mr Henneman consents to employ you for a month, I have no particular objection to [illegible deletion] I should think it in his doing so –
Athenæum Club
Mr Henneman and I are both certain that you asked us for employment by the week at thirty shillings per week – But if you give satisfaction during the first week Mr Henneman will no doubt be willing to engage you during the rest of the month.
[additional draft:]
letter sent
Reeves/ 1.
Lacock
Weddy 7 July 47
It is a matter of indiffce to me whether you bring an actn agst me in ye Wiltshire County Court. If you do so, I shall instruct my attorney to defend it. +
As you have declined the very easy and employment wch I proposed to give you, in taking photc views of London, Mr Henneman informs
+ If you obtain a judgment of If ye Court for the service you claim awards you the sum you claim, it will of course be paid to you but of course we shall then call up on you to give one month’s
Regent St Establmt
to defend it
Altho’ under no obligtn to do so, I have offered you some work employment & you have refused it. Under these circces I don’t see what claim you can possibly have upon me. – To prevent mistake however I will make you the offer again, viz. If you will make 24 different negative views of London, at least as well executed as any ye specimens you showed me, I will purchase them at give you 5/ each for them.
If you have no longer got your instrument, we will lend you one for the occasion; on your depositing the value of it. Should your views turn out more valuable than expected, a liberal present would be added to the price of them and further employment of the same kind might be looked for. I trust this will be satisfactory to This is all I have got to say in reply to your last letter.
If you prefer going to law, you may do so – I do not think you will trouble to succeed in establishing any claim to employment from me in consequce merely from having had a converstn with me one morning in Mansfd Str. But if you do, I shall then of course call upon you to give in return for the money one month’s attendance at the Establishmt in Regt St where no doubt employment of some kind could be found for you, tho’ it wd not be of a confidential nature.
address
Athn Club
[expanded version:]
letter sent
Reeves/ 1.
Lacock
Wednesday 7 July 1847
It is a matter of indifference to me whether you bring an action against me in the Wiltshire County Court. If you do so, I shall instruct my attorney to defend it. If you obtain a judgment of If the Court for the service you claim awards you the sum you claim, it will of course be paid to you but of course we shall then call up on you to give one month’s
As you have declined the very easy and employment which I proposed to give you, in taking photographic views of London, Mr Henneman informs
Regent Street Establishment
to defend it. Although under no obligation to do so, I have offered you some work employment and you have refused it. Under these circumstances I don’t see what claim you can possibly have upon me. – To prevent mistake however I will make you the offer again, viz. If you will make twenty-four different negative views of London, at least as well executed as any the specimens you showed me, I will purchase them at give you shillings each for them.
If you have no longer got your instrument, we will lend you one for the occasion; on your depositing the value of it. Should your views turn out more valuable than expected, a liberal present would be added to the price of them and further employment of the same kind might be looked for. I trust this will be satisfactory to This is all I have got to say in reply to your last letter.
If you prefer going to law, you may do so – I do not think you will trouble to succeed in establishing any claim to employment from me in consequence merely from having had a conversation with me one morning in Mansfield Street. But if you do, I shall then of course call upon you to give in return for the money one month's attendance at the Establishment in Regent Street where no doubt employment of some kind could be found for you, though it would not be of a confidential nature.
address
Athenæum Club
[notes in WHFT’s hand. written on a light weight blue paper:]
Shd be in ye Wilts County Court.
only a claim for a week.
only a claim for employment.
infringer of my patent.
when did ye month begin & end?
he wd not hve paid me the money.
Notes:
1. Nicolaas Henneman (1813–1898), Dutch, active in England; WHFT’s valet, then assistant; photographer.
2. Athenaeum Club, Pall Mall, London: WHFT’s club; a gentleman’s club composed primarily of artists and scientists