MARKEATON HALL <1>
DERBY
Saturday Oct.r 24/ 68.
My dear Father.
Aunt Harriet <2> shewed me a letter which she received from Matilda <3> yesterday, and which gave a very good account of her progress. I wrote to her from London, and also to you, which I hope you have received. –
I find that Aunt Harriet likes quinces, and has none so I have promised to send her some if possible. I know we have a large crop, so if you are agreable will you give orders to Wilkins <4> to pack some quinces and send them here? –
I have received a letter from Canon Jackson <5> yesterday. Amongst other references, he gives me some to certain drawings of Grimm’s <6> of 1790 in the British Museum, of parts Lacock, to which when I have the opportunity I shall consult. Amongst them appears to be “Beads & Cross found in ye Foundress’ Tomb at L fastened to pilaster in Court Yard” What do you think of that? The pilaster is there now as we know, but where are now the beads and cross? That Canon is a valuable man. – I find found by Murrays Guide, when in London that at Salwarpe is some Norman architecture in the church; also 2 monuments of the Talbot family. – And I see from the Shrewsbury peerage case that the monument about which there was a good deal of discussion in that claim, is in the church at Bromsgrove, so that if I have fine weather when I go to Droitwich I can see all these. –
My Uncle and Aunt <7> seem well also Noel & Emily. <8> Mr Frampton <9> is very cheerful, cons and much more so than one would have expected considering his lamess lameness. One leg is considerably shorter than the other. He walks about with a stick Mrs Frampton I do not remember having seen before. –
I wrote to Rosamond <10> when in London. Yesterday we had a fine coldish day with one tremendous storm. Today it is steady rain. –
There is considerably political keenness with regard to the approaching election. –
Strutt <11> the eldest son of Lord Belper <12> stands for the West Derbyshire.
Your affect son
Charles. –
[envelope:]
H Fox Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Markeaton Hall, Derbyshire, NW of Derby: home of the Mundy family.
2. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
3. Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.
4. Possibly John Wilkins, son of George Wilkins, employed at Lacock ca.1867–1869.
5. John Edward Jackson (1805–1891), antiquary, hon. canon of Bristol, 1855; edited Aubrey’s Wiltshire collections (1862).
6. Samuel Hieronymus Grimm (1734–1794), water colour painter; chiefly noted for his skill and accuracy as a topographical draughtsman.
7. William Mundy (1801-1877), politician, WHFT’s brother-in-law; and his wife, Harriot Georgiana Mundy, née Frampton (1806-1886), WHFT’s cousin & sister-in-law.
8. Francis Noel Mundy (1833-1903), WHFT's nephew, and his wife Emily Maria Georgiana, née Cavendish (1845-1929).
9. Henry Frampton (1804-1879).
10. Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter.
11. Henry Strutt (1840–1914), Liberal MP; sat for East Derbyshire from December 1868–1874, when defeated. Returned for Berwick, 1880, but succeeded as 2nd Baron Belper the same year.
12. Edward Strutt (1801–1880), MP, a Reformer, was created 1st Baron Belper in 1856; sat for Derby from 1830–1848, Arundel from 1851–1852 and Nottingham from 1852–1856.