<draft>

Williamson

May 19 / 58

J. H._?? Williamson, Ascole _?? A Serle_? St London

or, National Savings Bank

50 K. W^m S^t City

I h^ve rec^d y^r l^r of yest^s date.

Y^r friend & colleague M^r Cottrell proposes to take a lease of 15 acres on his own account.

I have opened some new pits lately, in order to discover _find where the best ore lies – I shall be happy to show them to you & M^r C. will thus be enabled to form a more accurate judgm^t on the subject. –

I hope the exp^t novel undertak^g of erecting smelt^g f^nces at Seend & Westbury will be successful,

I feel much interest ed in the success of the exp^t – w^ch is of great importance to all Wiltshire, as well as to the proprietors of the works thems^ves –

I direct to K. W^m S^t altho You h^ve erased that address as I do not read with certainty the name of the street w^ch y h^ve subst^d for it. ∴ perhaps y will let me know that y receive this

<expanded version>

Williamson

May 19, 1858

J. H._?? Williamson, Ascole _?? A Serle_? St London ^<1>
or, National Savings Bank
50 King William Street City

I have received your letter of yesterday’s date. Your friend and colleague M^r Cottrell ^<2> proposes to take a lease of fifteen acres on his own account.

I have opened some new pits lately, in order to discover find where the best ore lies – I shall be happy to show them to you and M^r Cottrell will thus be enabled to form a more accurate judgement on the subject. –

I hope the experimental novel undertaking of erecting smelting furnaces at Seend and Westbury will be successful. I feel much interested in the success of the experiment – which is of great importance to all Wiltshire, as well as to the proprietors of the works themselves –

I direct to King William Street although you have erased that address as I do not read with certainty the name of the street which you have substituted for it. Therefore perhaps you will let me know that you receive this.

---

Notes:

1. It is understandble that WHFT had difficulty reading John William Williamson’s hand [See Doc. No: 07635] he was writing from 8 Serle Street, London.

2. George Edward Cottrell (b. 1812), barrister.