London
May 16. 1847
My Dear Constance
Please to direct to me at the Athenæum Club. <1>
Mr Awdry <2> has paid £450 to your account with the Melksham bank.
You will find some seeds on my library table, besides those I gave you – I wish you to sow them in pots which may stand in the old greenhouse till the new one is ready. One kind is from Mr Bridges <3> from Mt Etna.
I think of going to the Alps for a few weeks to get a little mountain air, if I find that Nicole <4> can do without me on his first starting –
Your affte
Henry
Round the brick wall of the greenhouse I wish for a trellis or lattice with sweet peas – This will require a bed of earth 6 inches wide and will narrow the gravel walk to that extent. I wish Charles <5> to sow a bed of lupins for me somewhere in my botanic garden and water them when they come up – If he is not inclined to be a gardener let Matilda <6> do it – There are 8 kinds of lupins in my packet – one which is written illegibly is Rose lupin.Notes:
1. Athenaeum Club, Pall Mall, London: WHFT’s club; a gentleman’s club composed primarily of artists and scientists.
2. West Awdry (1807–1892), solicitor, Chippenham.
3. Rev George Wilson Bridges (1788–1863), photographer & traveller. [See Doc. No: 05840].
4. Nicolaas Henneman (1813–1898), Dutch, active in England; WHFT’s valet, then assistant; photographer.
5. Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son.
6. Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.