Chippenham ^<1>
5^th Jan^ry 1838

Dear Sir,

I have spoken to my Son (as the Agent for the West of England office) on the subject of your Policy & he thinks that it will be desirable, in the new Policy, to mention that a part of the Furniture & Books in the Abbey, are the property of Lady Eliz^th Feilding ^<2> – but he feels confident that if there had been any accident under the present one, that the Office would have paid for damage done to the Property of an Inmate & placed under your custody –

The new Stoves must, of course, be specifically inserted & in the mean time I have paid the 17^s/6^d & have got his Rec^t for the present Year – in order to prevent any risk upon the subject – & then, in the event of his answer from the office being unsatisfactory, respecting the increased charge for the Stoves – we shall have time to make enquiries about the charges at other offices & communicate with you thereon –

I have spoken to M^r Philipps, ^<3> respecting the course w^ch it will be safe for M^r Hansford ^<4> to pursue before Tadd[?] returns from Prison & w^ch I think you will approve when I give you the Particulars – & he has made me more satisfied with the sentence passed on him the other day & w^ch I hope also to explain more fully on Tuesday next –

I remⁿ Dear Sir
Y^r obliged Ser^t
W. H. Awdry

W.H.F. Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey

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Notes:

1. Chippenham, Wiltshire: largest town near Lacock, 3 miles N.

2. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.

3. Probably Joseph Phillips, Chippenham solicitor.

4. See Doc. No: 03456.