Lacock Vicarage
Aug 30 1855
My dear Sir,
Would you have any very great objection to allowing the School Rooms to be rendered more useful for the present times in Lacock by their being made to open into each other by folding doors. The reason of my making this request of you, is, that we often want a good room in Lacock for public Meetings, such as, three times a Year, Meeting on behalf of the “Society propy of the Gospel” . & (as we want to have) occasional Meetings e.g Lecture &c. on behalf of our Reading Room.
For these purposes we have no Room now. of any sufficient size. The only room is one at “the Lion”. which for the s.p.g. is, of course, useless & for the Reading Room, very objectionable as bringing persons to the public House, whereas, my chief object in Establishing the Reading Room has been to draw persons aways from the public house. But not only for these purposes but for the School itself, it would be a great benefit to be able to throw the two Rooms occasionally into one.
The plan I enclose will show what I mean. – Leave the present partition as it is now, but simply insert doors, as in plan – There is already a small door but not sufficiently large, to make the two rooms as one. It would therefore be, merely the insertion of larger doors into the present partition.
Gale has examined the partition which is simply Calkc & plaiste[r] & he says, it may be done without in the least degree affecting the stability & safety of the building. The tie beam is across, where the pencil mark is drawn in the plan – & therefore the doors would in no way touch that. – & A tie beam could be inserted above the doors, in addition if you like.
It would be a great boon in every way, if you would consent to the adoption of the plan –
I should not have troubled you now on the subject, but for the above reasons, & that, this being the Children’s holiday time, a good opportunity occurs for such an alteration being made, should it, as I trust it may, meet with your approval.
Mrs Blomfield begs me to add our warmest thanks to yourself & Mrs Talbot for some very fine Apricots & Melons which you were good enough to tell Mr Wilkyns [sic] to bring us. They were most acceptable, & most excellent –
With kind regards. Believe me, dear Sir Yrs very sincerely
Arthur Blomfield
H F Talbot Esq
I was coming to Your Abbey on the Subject of the School the very day that you left Lacock.
[enclosed: schematic drawing of the proposed wall with doors inserted, describing the doors as 9 ft high and 11 feet 4 inches wide, made of 2 inch Deal]
[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esq
Post Office
Glasgow
To be forwarded