Millburn Tower. <1>
April 25th
My dear Papa,
Thank you very much for your letters and especially for the contents. What a beautiful portrait of the Prince Consort, <2> which must I think be put in the book as it will be such a valuable addition to our collection. I also particularly admire the small views but they require to be looked at through a magnifying glass – I have only hastily looked at the stereoscopic slides which arrived by the second post; as there are so many it will be quite an evenings occupation to examine their beauties, besides I think they gain by being seen by candle light so I reserve them till then. – How very magnificent of you to have sent me such a number! – all the subjects I think are new, as we had no Welsh views.
I am very glad your last Engravings do so well and that you have had no difficulty about filling up the space –
We heard from Charles <3> today of his safe arrival at Cambridge. The train from York to Peterborough was an hour behind time in reaching the latter place, perhaps on account of the number of excursionists on Easter Tuesday; still he had time to pay a visit to the Cathedral. –
Poor Mama <4> has had another cold & sore throat but today she is improving & I hope the mild weather will be in her favour.
today it rains, but the last few days were very enjoyable,
And now dear Papa I must wish you goodbye, I hope you will have fine weather for your visit to Melbury <5> –
your affect daughter
Ela
Notes:
1. Millburn Tower, Gogar, just west of Edinburgh; the Talbot family made it their northern home from June 1861 to November 1863. It is particularly important because WHFT conducted many of his photoglyphic engraving experiments there. The house had a rich history. Built for Sir Robert Liston (1742-1836), an 1805 design by Benjamin Latrobe for a round building was contemplated but in 1806 a small house was built to the design of William Atkinson (1773-1839), best known for Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford. The distinctive Gothic exterior was raised in 1815 and an additional extension built in 1821. Liston had been ambassador to the United States and maintained a warm Anglo-American relationship in the years 1796-1800. His wife, the botanist Henrietta Liston, née Marchant (1751-1828) designed a lavish American garden, sadly largely gone by the time the Talbots rented the house .
2. Albert Francis Charles Augustus Emmanuel of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1819–1861), consort to Queen Victoria. [See Doc. No: 07721]. Ela Talbot is referring to photoglyphic engravings, which by this point WHFT made from other people’s photographs. There are two copper plates in NMeM, Bradford,, undated, no known prints, 1937–0527 and 1937–5358.
3. Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son. [See Doc. No: 08746].
4. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
5. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.