7 Upper Fountain Place
City Road
London 14th June 1847.
H. F. Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham.
Sir/
At your request I have written out three memorandums, such as I think most essential towards promoting the good management of your Establishment in Regent Street. If you will take the trouble to address us as per enclosed memorandums, things cannot but go straight; should you however neglect doing so, I am afraid there will be complaints laid before you every time you come to Town, which I do not think you would desire. By addressing us however, it will ensure the proper management of everything concerning the Establishment, which hitherto has been so confused In a Merchants office there is always a head Clerk, a Cash keeper, a Book-keeper, and under Clerks: the latter invariably attend to the (rules) orders of the three former functionaries, but these three functionaries do not order each other, as they know their duties which occupy them the whole of their time I have been in three offices I was junior Clerk in the first, and my own master in the second an [sic] third In the first office there were 12 Clerks in the second 4 Clerks and in the third 8 Clerks and everything went on as smoothly as possible the Books were always in order, and ready to be looked into by the principal at any time he thought proper My object in troubling you with this long epistle is not for the sake of dictation, but for ensuring the prosperity of your undertaking, in which you have laid out so much money without hitherto deriving much benefit from it, whereas had you had a proper person from the begining[sic] to study your interest (which it shall ever be my duty to do) you might have cleared a good deal by the business You know all this. I therefore think what I have suggested at[?] the present you will not discount[enance?]
I also enclose two advertisements, one of which I think of having put in the Times next week with any alteration you may think fit to make Should I succeed in getting another Secretaryship, I am willing to reduce the Salary you are now allowing me. I shall then also be enabled to pay for my Lodgings, which I cannot possibly do at present
I remain Sir Yours truly
Tobias S. Telfer.
Rules and Regulations to be observed at the Talbotype Establishment
[double line across page]Books to consist of Ledger
Cash Book.
Petty ditto.
Day Book.
Stock Book.
Letter Book.
Rule 1st That the person entrusted with the management of the Talbotype Establishment begin by entering the Stock on receipt of it, in the Stock Book.
That all orders executed be accompanied with an Invoice describing the prices, the amounts to be carried out and added up in one sum;
That no Invoice or Parcel be sent out of the Establishment without being first chequed [sic] and compared with the day Book and stock book
That all Invoices be entered in one Sum on the day issued, in the Ledger, and all payments received be entered at once in the Cash Book and from thence into the Ledger
That a Clerk be appointed to keep the petty Cash Book, in which must be entered all petty expences, carriage of parcels, Postages &c, the petty Cash book to be submitted to the manager of the establishment at the end of every Month, the manager to pay the amount specified in the Book, and the Clerk keeping such book, to receipt the same The manager will then enter this Sum in his Cash Book
That the manager be empowered to pay the Salaries to all employed in the Establishment at the end of each Month, & all further allowances, to which [Clerks?] may be entitled to [sic], to be paid quarterly
That the manager open an account for each person employed in the Establishment in the Ledger, all Salaries paid to be first entered in the Cash book, thence into the Ledger.
That all Letters written at the Talbotype Establishment be copied in the Letter Book, That all Sun Pictures sent out as Specimens be charged for, and that the parties be credited for the amount when the same are returned if in good condition
[envelope]
H. F. Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wiltshire