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Document number: 1852
Date: 31 Aug 1829
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: GAISFORD Henrietta Horatia Maria, née Feilding
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA29-85
Last updated: 2nd February 2012

Lowther Castle
Aug 31st

My dear Henry

We arrived here yesterday evening, & found the house full of people. Lady Ann Becket, Ly Caroline Powlett, Lady Fred. Bentinck, Ly Eleanor Lowther, Lord Lowther <1> & many others I never saw before. - We stayed only 3 days at Temple Newsham which is a very fine place, but it poured so all the time we could not get out once. There is a beautiful gallery 100 feet long & 30 wide. Friday we slept at Kirkby Lonsdale, having seen Skipton Castle in our way, & passed through some very pretty Swiss looking valleys. Saturday we went through Kendal to Bowness, to see Amandier, <2> who is staying there with Mrs Hopwood <3> on a visit to Mrs Starkie, <4> in a very pretty little house on the banks of Windermere, & a garden full of flowers down to the water's edge. We passed a happy day with her, & rowed on the lake & drove along the banks which are beautiful. Sunday morning we went with her to see Storrs, a very pretty place of Mr Bolton's, <5> with some remarkably fine pictures, & then came here. I think this house is beautiful particularly the stair case, except that it looks too much like a church. I was delighted with Ulswater [sic] where we drove yesterday - It quite does one's eyes good to see mountains again. - There is a Mr Brown here who was your tutor at Cambridge - he is a very nice agreable old man. I am teaching him & Lady Car. Powlett German: we are reading die deutsche Kleinstädter <6> together. I do not know at all where you are, & suppose I must direct this to Sackville St. <7> I hope you will come here soon - you will be delighted with this place.

Addio carissimo <8> -

your affte sister
Horatia

Both <9> Lord & Lady Lonsdale <10> have individually & collectively invited you here, so I hope you will come

Penrith third September 1829 Lonsdale
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
31 Sackville St
London
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham Wilts


Notes:

1. Lady Anne Beckett (d. 1871); Lady Caroline Powlett, later Duchess of Cleveland (d. 1883); Lady Mary Lowther Cavendish-Bentinck (1785-1862); Lady Lucy Eleanor Lowther (d. 1848) and Lord William Lowther (1787-1872). Lady Lucy was a daughter-in-law, but the others all were the children of William Lowther (1757-1844), 1st Earl of Lonsdale.

2. Amélina Petit De Billier, 'Mamie', 'Amandier' (1798-1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].

3. From June 1828 - September 1831, Amélina Petit De Billier was a companion to the family of Robert Gregge-Hopwood (1773-1854) and the Hon. Cecelia, née Byng, daughter of John Byng, 5th Viscount Torrington, at their home of Hopwood Hall, between Middleton and Rochdale, Lancaster.

4. Possibly Charlotte Starky, of Spye Park, Bronham.

5. Probably John Henry Bolton (1795-1873), solicitor, London.

6. The German Kleinstaedter, comedy by August Kotzebue (1761-1819).

7. 31 Sackville Street, London residence of the Feildings, often used as a London base by WHFT.

8. Goodbye dearest.

9. Postscript written by Lady Elisabeth Feilding.

10. Probably William Lowther, 2nd Viscount Lowther, and Earl of Lonsdale (1757-1844), and his wife Augusta Fane.

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