Laycock Abbey
4th January 1830
My dearest Henry
It sounded very melancholy not to have heard from any of us [illegible deletion] all the time you had been at Brighton; but since that, you must have received mine I sent you on New Year’s Day. What could possibly lead you to imagine I did not like Ballads? as I happen to be particularly fond of them.
Your Sir Edwin <1> had de grands succès <2> here, I wish you would always write down your poetical effusions for our benefit.–
If you have time I wish you would execute a commission for me. It is to buy half a doz. prs of strong shoes for poor people; the shop to get them from is 130 or 132 Jermyn St where they are very cheap.<3> Let them be a large size for women, & as cheap as possible.
I hope you will not stay longer than Tuesday – we long for you
Yr affectionate sister
Caroline –
Pray buy for me a pair of List Shoes <4> ten inches long. They must be all list as they are for walking on slippery ground & not have leather soles but list. Likewise 2 prs of the same an inch & half longer for yr sisters. I shd think Franklins could execute these.<5> Wednesday we go to Bowood <6> for one night, if you come down that evening in time for dinner you had better meet us there instead of coming on here.Mama <7> begs you will answer by return of post & let her know whether you will meet us at Bowood or not.–
Henry Fox Talbot Esqr–
31 Sackville Street
Piccadilly
London
Notes:
1. This was a ballad, 'Sir Edward: a True Story', sent by WHFT to his other half-sister, Horatia, the week before. See Doc. No: 01921.
2. Great success.
3. George Garrett, Army Boot Maker, was at 130 Jermyn St in London.
4. List shoes, or more commonly list slippers, were made from the 'list' - the selvage at the edge of a bolt of cloth - it was woven differently and was tough and resistant to unravelling. In addition to their use as house slippers, list shoes brought some degree of comfort to sufferers of gout and were also used by gunners in the Royal Navy to avoid setting off stray gunpowder that had fallen to the decks.
5. Samuel Franklin, Slipper Maker, was at 2 Heneage St, Whitechapel, London.
6. Bowood House, nr Calne, Wiltshire, 5 mi NE of Lacock: seat of the Marquess of Lansdowne.
5. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.