Wednesday Sepr 11
Markeaton <1>
My dear Henry
I arrived with our Chicks <2> at our journey’s end at six o’clock and we were all glad to rest ourselves – for though everything was most prosperous & no delays occurred – we felt of course rather fatigued – I always think railway travelling is more fatiguing (while it lasts) than the common way – though the additional space makes it much less so to children – it is the noise I believe that I dislike – From Glocester I took our tickets through to Derby – & we were placed in one carriage expressly appropriated to Derby passengers – 1st & 2d class with the luggage on the roof – all let down together when we arrived at near the Birmingham station being first detached from the train – which is Where this detachment was effected, the railroad is raised on arches – and from this height the carriage was lowered by machinery (with all the passengers) to the level of the Derby line–<3> so we had only the trouble of 2 changes namely Bristol & Glocester – Our companions were very goodnatured & pleasant people – particularly a lady who helped me to make a pillow for Charles’s head when he went to sleep – & assisted the children in various little ways while I nursed Charles – I found a letter waiting for me from Marian. – Her answer was what I expected – that she was married – that the fact was not announced – for that Mr Gilder <4> did not wish it to be talked of at first on account of his being obliged to continue his daily visits to patients in London – that his own servants knew nothing of it – that she was sorry my Brother <5> had been troubled about the settlements for she fancied it could make no difference to him – Apparently she does not feel what a material difference his interference might have made in her favour – He wrote on Monday to say he should send up his lawyer & desired her to name a day – to which kind proposal we expect her answer tomorrow. – All is now in Mr G’s power – but my Brother’s lawyer will point out strongly what is expected of him – She has made a sad blunder in not having the business settled before her marriage – She repeats that her anxious wish now is to see me as soon as I can go up to her – but my Brother does not wish me to fix a day till the legal business is settled – I have had long conversations both with him & Harriot <6> – I find that my Brother is anxious to assist her as far as he can under the circumstances – but without going up to see her – and Harriot has entreated him to announce it immediately to her Uncles & Aunts – & to avoid all further mystery –
Charles’s cough was bad by fits yesterday – as we came along – & my fellow travellers thought it sounded like Hooping cough. – For Harriot’s satisfaction & my own (for we dreaded the hooping cough for Noel) <7> and also for dear little Charles’ sake I thought it best to ask the Physician’s opinion at once – Accordingly he called this morning – & prescribed Ipecacuanha &c in much stronger doses than I should have given without orders – & desired me, to keep him in his own rooms for a few days – but to let him eat as usual – And he gave his opinion that it was not like Hooping cough – but irritation in the throat – and that there was no risk of Noel catching it if we kept them apart – So this is all satisfactory – and I hope he will be quite well again in a few days – He is quite merry & has the range of 4 rooms –
your affectionate
Constance –
[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esqr
31 Sackville Street
London
Notes:
1. Markeaton Hall, Derbyshire, NW of Derby: home of the Mundy family.
2. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter, Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter, Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter and Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son.
3. From 1842 until 1851, the Lawley Street Station to Derby in Birmingham was 40 foot below the main junction line and a hoist was used to lower the carriages.
4. Her sister, Marian Gilder, née Mundy (1806 – 14 October 1860); m. 6 August 1844 William Troward Gilder (d. 1871), Army Surgeon (ret).
5. William Mundy (1801-1877), politician, WHFT’s brother-in-law.
6. Harriot Georgiana Mundy, née Frampton (1806-1886), WHFT’s cousin & sister-in-law.
7. Francis Noel Mundy (1833–1903), WHFT’s nephew.
8. James Frampton (1769–1855), High Sheriff.
9. WHFT, The Pencil of Nature (London: Longman, Brown, Green, & Longmans, June 1844–April 1846 [issued in six fascicles]). The title page quotation was from Virgil: 'Juvat ire jugis qua nulla priorum / Caastaliam molli devertitur orbita clivo.' For a detailed study of this, see Graham Smith, 'Talbot's Epigraph in The Pencil of Nature, History of Photography, v. 34 no. 1, 2010, pp. 90-95.