Arundel Street
London
13th Octr 1837
Dear Sir,
I am favor’d with your Letter <1> of yesterday’s date, in reply to which I beg to observe that the will of our lamented Friend Admiral Feilding <2> directs the residue of his Estate, which of course includes the French Stock, to be invested in the Names of the Trustees, Lords Ilchester and Auckland, <3> consequently it will be the duty of the Executors to transfer it into the names of those Gentlemen, and not into her Ladyship’s, <4> who is entitled to the future dividends only.
The French Authorities will require in addition to a burial Certificate, a translation of the Will duly attested & legalized, before the Stock can be taken out of the name of the late Admiral. At this moment no difficulty presents itself to my mind further than that of the French Bank not allowing Stock to stand in more names than one; at least this was a practice a Year or two ago, but, I shall inform myself on that head immediately. At present I will beg you to send me the Certificate above alluded to, and the result of your conference with Lady Elisabeth, in regard to the transfer of the Stock, altho’ there is no doubt in my mind but that the French Bank will be guided by the directions of the will.
Monsr Valentine will see by the Copy of the Will also who are the proper Persons to receive the arrears of Interest, and will then no doubt remit the amount in the names of the Executors, as it is for them to realize and to carry into effect the directions contained in the Will. With my respectful Compliments to Lady Elisabeth,
I am, My dear Sir, Your faithful & obedient Servant
Thomas Stilwell
Henry Fox Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey,
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Letter not located.
2. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
3. Henry Stephen Fox Strangways, 3rd Earl of Ilchester (1787–1858), and George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland (1784–1849), Governor General of India.
4. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.