Chippenham <1>
1 Augt 1861
Dear Sir,
I have remitted Messrs Coutts & Co <2> £200 to your Account – I remitted Mr Gilchrist Clarkes <3> half yearly paymt at Midsummer last. I was in the Gardens at the Abbey last Week and found every thing apparently going on as usual. The Church Restoration progresses but slowly – The Haymaking has been sadly delayed by the continued rain but George Wilkins <4> seems to have made yours pretty well – The Engineer for the Calne Railway is (I believe) Mr Weaver of Devizes – I shall probably see him shortly and will ascertain the fact for you and let you know – I see that Mrs Talbot <5> is a Subscriber to the Deaf & Dumb Asylum in London – If she has not engaged her Vote I should feel much obliged by her giving it, with her interests, in favor of a poor boy, the Son of a small Tradesman living near Chippenham – Edmund Son of Francis Alexander – He is one of a large family – badly off. His age is 10 next month
I remain Dear SirYours obliged
West Awdry
Notes:
1. Chippenham, Wiltshire: largest town near Lacock, 3 miles N.
2. Coutts & Company, bankers, London.
3. John Gilchrist-Clark (1830–1881), Scottish JP; WHFT’s son-in-law.
4. George Wilkins (b. 1814), gardener at Lacock.
5. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.