Sackville Street <1>
August 18th 1831
My dear Henry
We had a very pleasant expedition yesterday on board the Galatea. <2> Our party consisted of Lady Sandwich & Lady Caroline Montague, Ly. Charlotte Butler, <3> Mr et Meme de Montjoyeux, Ld Grimstone, Ld Mahon, M. de Neumann, Brooke Greville, Captn Hamilton & Captn Mansel. <4>We sailed down as far as Woolwich, & in that short trajet <5> contrived to run aground, to be caught in a tremendous storm of rain, thunder & forked lightning, & very narrowly escaped running on board two peaceable colliers lying at anchor, which little incidents made a pleasing variety, & contributed to enliven our party all the more. The only drawback was that poor Horatia <6> had a sore throat & thought it more prudent to stay at home – they all came & drank tea afterwards chez nous, <7> & did not break up till midnight, so that Horatia was not in total solitude all day. I am afraid she caught cold at Rose-bank, the coldest place, moralement et physiquement <8> that I have been at this year. What a merry party you must have at Cowes! I should like of all things to go there when we leave London, but I do not see any chance of that as yet. Addio, caro fratello, <9> let us hear from you soon, & believe me
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
Henry Fox Talbot Esqr
Post Office
Cowes
Isle of Wight
Notes:
1. 31 Sackville Street, London residence of the Feildings, often used as a London base by WHFT.
2. Kit Talbot’s yacht.
3. Lady Louisa Montagu, née Lowry-Corry (1781–1862), Countess of Sandwich; Lady Caroline Montague (1808-1834), later Countess Walewski (having marrried teh illegitimate son of Napoleon I); Lady Charlotte Butler who married Kit Talbot in 1835.
4. Edward Harbottle Grimston (1812–1881), Conservative MP; Lord Mahon (1805–1875), MP; Philipp Freiherr von Neumann (Philipp Baron de Neumann) (b. 1781); William Richard Hamilton (1777–1859), British minister at the court of Naples (1822–1825); Rawleigh Addenbrooke Mansel, ‘Rory’, photographer & High Sherriff of Carmanthenshire; half-brother to Calvert Jones .
5. Journey.
6. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
7. At our home.
8. Cold - emotionally and physically.
9. Good bye, dear brother.
10. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874) and her new born.