Devonport
Septr 4th
Sir
The enclosed circular relates to a bazaar - to be held to aid the funds of the Royal British Female Orphan Asylum, an Institution for the support of the Female orphans of Sailors and Soldiers, but which stands, at present, in great need of pecuniary assistance.<1>
The charity is under the immediate Patronage of the Queen, and among other noblemen, has received the constant and liberal support of the Earl of Mount Edgecumbe [sic].<2>
The object of my troubling you is this:
Mr Blake, a Photographic Artist of some eminence in this neighbourhood has kindly offered to attend and take gratuitous likenesses for the benefit of the charity, provided that your consent, as Patentee of the process, be first obtained.<3>
This permission I am requested by the Committee to solicit; they would pledge themselves that no use should be made of that permission beyond the objects contemplated by the circular.
Should you, at the same time, by able to assist us with a few of your beautiful productions we should, indeed, be obliged.
I feel that I owe you some apology for thus intruding upon you tho [missing text] necessities of what may, at first sight appear, a distant and local Charity, but it really is a National Institution, receiving the orphans of the Sailor and Soldier from every part of the kingdom, and indeed of the world: and as such it is acknowledged by the Naval and Military Authorities at the Horse Guards and Admiralty.
I have the honour to remain, Sir Your most Obedient Servant
L. P. Tripe<4>
[envelope:]
The Honble. H. F. Talbot
F R. S.
Lacock Abbey
Wiltshire
Greta Bank
Keswick
Cumberland
Notes:
1. The circular is dated 19 August 1853.
2. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797-1861). His wife was WHFT's half-sister, Lady Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding (1808-1881); Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, 1840–1854 & 1863–1865.
3. John Blake (b 1817) was a Devonport photographer until 1902. WHFT freely gave the permission requested - see Doc. No: 06939.
4. A decade later, in 1863, Tripe changed his name to Metham. He was the brother of the well-known photographer, Linneaus Tripe.