Saturday
Lacock
Dec^r 19^th

My Dear Constance

Caroline’s ^<1> tour is very late in the season, but this is partly owing to the 10 days detention at Genoa, which could not be helped – I am so glad to hear that Val ^<2> and children have got safe back to M^t E. ^<3> notwithstanding the stormy and cold weather. The passage of the Irish Channel must be unpleasant at this time of year.

The poor old white horse died last night aged 36 if I am not mistaken. He seemed to enjoy himself during the autumn so long as the fine weather lasted. It was a great age for a horse to attain, and we took all the care of him that we could. The Abbey is cold of course but not so much as to cause us inconvenience. Wilkins ^<4> is suffering from rheumatism but goes about all the same. You will find good deal in Today’s Times about Dean Stanley and Bishop Colenso. ^<5> I hope somebody will tell me how Jack and Willy ^<6> got home. I was sorry they had such cold weather although Jack I daresay does not mind that.

Love to all

Your aff^te
Henry

Thanks for your letter ^<7> received today. Travelling from London Thursday, every tree was white on its east side, showing how uniformly severe the freezing East wind was.

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Notes:

1. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.

2. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3^rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.

3. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.

4. George Wilkins (b. 1814), gardener at Lacock.

5. Arthur Penrhyn Stanley (1815–1881), Dean of Westminster, and John William Colenso (1814–1883), Bishop of Natal. [See Doc. No: 03991].

6. John Henry Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Jack’ (1861–1902), WHFT’s grandson, and William ‘Willie’ Gilchrist-Clark-Maxwell (1865–1935), WHFT’s grandson.

7. Doc. No: 03991.