Marle Hill House <1>
Friday Novr 9
My dear Papa
If Mama has not left you will you thank her for her letter received yesterday morning – she must I fear have been Sadly hurried by getting ready to start on Saturday, and it was most unlucky that the Mundys <2> could not receive here a few days later. –
We have staying here, Mrs Basil Jones <3> wife of the Chaplain of the Archbp of York <4> – She is full of the visit of the Prince & Princess of Wales <5> the church Congress &c – Did you know that Mrs Thomson is considered almost the most beautiful woman in England – and was greatly admired by the Princess of Wales – Mrs Jone’s husband has the living of Bishopthorp close to the Palace – she is trying to learn the Yorkshire dialect so as to understand the people but it appears to be very difficult –
Aunt Saunders <6> sends you her love (if you will allow her) and desires me to say that since her visit to Lacock she is found to be so much improved in chess that now nobody ventures to play with her any more!!! –
The weather has been generally very fine since I came – yesterday was stormy but today quite bright again.
Good bye dear Papa
Yr affecte daughter
Ela
Notes:
1. Marle-Hill House, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
2. Harriot Georgiana Mundy, née Frampton (1806-1886), WHFT’s cousin & sister-in-law; and her husband, William Mundy (1801-1877), politician.
3. Frances Charlotte Jones, wife of William Basil Jones (1822–1897), bishop of St David’s
4. William Thomson (1818–1890), Archbishop of York from 1862 to 1890.
5. Albert Edward (1841–1910), acceded as King Edward VII, 1901, and his wife Alexandra Carolina Marie Charlotte Louise Julia, later Queen Alexandra.(1844–1925).
6. Constance Talbot's aunt, Anna Marie Saunders, née Leaper-Newton (1783-1868).
7. Bertha Isabella Talbot (1841-1911), 2nd daughter of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot, and her husband John Fletcher (1827-1903), of Saltoun, JP.
8. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.