Wednesday Jany 29
My dear Father,
I received the R I <1> tickets for which I am duly obliged. Perhaps you would not mind mentioning to Goodwin <2> that my black portmanteau arrived quite safe. I hardly thought it worth while writing about it.
Today is remarkably fine and rather cold. Yesterday was dull and Monday very rainy. – I have seen Champneys who is busy designing a church. I beli It is to be built somewhere in London, and in I think he said Kentish Town. –
There are placards posted up offerring [sic] a reward of 500 £ for information relative to a gentleman whose initials are given, the surname being S, who disappeared mysteriously some little while ago. – It is well known that the missing person, is one of the Spekes <3> of that family who are our near neighbours, at Monks <4> in Wiltshire, a clergyman, and brother I believe of the late traveller Captain Speke. <5> – I knew that there were was something wrong, at the time I was at Neston, but that Mr Speke of Monks had gone up to London, (it was to make enquiries no doubt ), about his brother.) and that Mrs Speke being alone at Monks, Miss Fuller was staying there to keep her company, at the time, Mr F from what Mr Fuller said it seemed that the Spekes were [illegible deletion] averse to letting it be known, which it could not fail to be very soon. –
Now that he has not been found, it is much feared that he has been murdered but the whole thing is a mystery. His hat was found one morning in Birdcage walk. –
I hope we may hear a more satisfactory end to the story, but apparently the police have no clue. – Did you observe the impudence of a young Fenian book binder who the other day posted a placard in har broad day on the front of the Mansion House? They caught him. – I wrote to San Remo <6> the other day and have heard from Tilly. <7> –
I think I ought to give wedding presents to Rice <8> & Stephen Nicholl, and it would have been a good opportunity to have selected them now while in London, but I cannot for the life of me think what to give. I think letters posted on Saturday night m for me from Lacock may be directed to my lodgings or club, <9> after that to
Merstham
Red-Hill
Surrey
whither I go on Saturday.–
Your affect son
Charles. –
[envelope:]
H Fox Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
[dry embossed on flap:]
New University Club 1, Saville Row
Notes:
1. Royal Institution, London.
2. George Goodwin (d. 1875), footman at Lacock Abbey.
3. Rev Benjamin Speke. [See Doc. No: 09533].
4. Monk’s Park, seat, 1½ miles south of Corsham, Wiltshire.
5. John Hanning Speke (1824–1864), African explorer and discoverer of the source of the Nile.
6. Where Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife, Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter, Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter and Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family are on holiday.
7. Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.
8. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
9. New University Club, St James Street, London SW.