Lanelay <1>
March 11
My dear Henry
Henrietta Shakespear <2> is unmarried therefore she is Miss, she has been staying with poor Mary Anne <3> since she lost her husband <4> & has been a great comfort to her. Mary Anne has met with some kind friends & I hope she will not find her boys much expense to her now. –
I hope you will come over the water with Aunt Lily <5> the visit to Glamorganshire will do her good and you too I daresay, tho’ at this time of the year it cannot be so pleasant as it would in Summer at Margam <6> or else where We should be grievously disappointed if the visit ends in smoke! –
I have not heard any thing about any fiery stream here, we have a river which has been foaming along & flooding the fields below and about a week ago a poor Farmer who tried to ride home one evening across the fields was drowned this is all the news I have heard since my return but I shall make enquiries about the Coal pits perhaps there has been more fire damp than usual and that may have been magnified into a stream of fire!! Mr Franklen’s <7> hand is still in a dreadful state he has no ease except when he is asleep his two fingers are getting better they say but bone is working out from the joints, he had been lecturing one of his people just before on the folly of trying to get little bits of Straw out of the Threshing Machine with a knife saying “the handle was too short” – & then he went to pull it out with his own fingers! it is a mercy he has any hand left, indeed, it is his left hand too which is better than being the right one. –
I am sorry Ela <8> is poorly still. – My love to all.
I am your affte
Coz Mary
what is the baby’s <9> name to be? –
Notes:
1. Llanely, or Lanely, Glamorganshire: home of Lady Mary Cole and Mary Thereza Talbot.
2. Henrietta Shakespear.
3. Mary Anne Thackeray, née Shakespear (1793–1850).
4. Francis Thackeray (1793–1842), author.
5. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
6. Margam Park, Glamorgan: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.
7. Probably Richard Franklen.
8. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter.
9. Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son.