Whitehaven
October 30^th 1811

My dearest Henry –

I am delighted to find by the turn of your letters that you are occupied & amused & still more so to hear of your having so soon distinguished yourself – I was quite sure you would (as soon as you became used to the way of the school) fulfill all my hopes & expectations. I trust also from your not mentioning the contrary that you are happy and comfortable & like the school better than you expected. I am afraid I shall not have the pleasure of hearing from you again as I shall be on the move till I get to Town. I cross over from Whitehaven to Annan Friday to pay a visit to the Marquis of Queensbury ^<1> & I had some idea of going to Edinburgh for a few days but fear it will be impossible for me to find time – I shall call at Netherby S^t James Grahams ^<2> at Walton M^r Johnson’s & probably at Newby L^d Granthams ^<3> in my way South & mean to be in Town on the 20^th of November or thereabouts You may perhaps find that you can do without Trousers till I see you, but if you want them before that time they had better be made at Harrow ^<4> – Whitehaven where I now am is a Town belonging to L^d Lonsdale ^<5> with immense coal works, which supply Dublin & many other Irish Places, besides the country round the Town & the Town itself – We have had a Ball, to which all the Towns People came & we danced till 3 ^oClock.

God bless you my dear Boy & Believe me Y^r most aff^te Friend
Charles Feilding

---

Notes:

1. Sir Charles Douglas, 5^th Marquis of Queensbury (1777–1837).

2. James Graham, 4^th Duke of Montrose (1799–1874).

3. Thomas Philip Robinson, 3^rd Baron Grantham (1781–1859).

4. Harrow School: WHFT attended from 1811–1815 and his son Charles from 1855-1859.

5. William Lowther, 2^nd Viscount Lowther, Earl of Lonsdale (1757–1844).