Mount Edgcumbe ^<1>
July 16^th 1865

My dear Henry

I see you have been having dreadful riots at Chippenham & that all 3 Candidates ^<2> fled as soon as convenient. Pray write & tell me all about it.

We arrived by late Express last night. The train was enormously long – & we were ¾ hours behind time – So did not get across till nearly two in the morning. Val ^<3> came down by an earlier train – & that one was an hour late. I am rather tired today – & have seen nothing yet – but the smell of fresh flowers & all sorts of summer odours coming in at the windows is delightful!

Write please soon.

Y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline

Love to all.
We looked out as we flew thro’ the Station at Chippenham – but all seemed in it’s usual peaceful state.

[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esq^re
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham

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Notes:

1. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.

2. The riots regarding the liberal defeat. Sir John Neeld (1805–1891), MP; Conservative, sat for Chippenham, 1865–1868. Sir Gabriel Goldney (1813–1900), MP; Conservative, sat for Chippenham, 1865–1885. William John Lysley (1791–1873), MP; Liberal, sat for Chippenham from 1859 until his defeat in 1865.

3. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.