Melbury <1>
Thursday 13 May
My dear Henry
I hope you have received a catalogue of Cape bulbs lately imported which, as well as a bit of music for Rosamond, <2> I sent to you at the Atheneum [sic] a few days ago.
Lindley <3> was much pleased with your Tacsonia manicata – you would have got a prize if you could have exhibited the plant – I did not see any specimen of it on Saturday at Chiswick
The show there was very good for Orchidaceæ Azaleas Roses Geraniums & a few other things in the tents, but I never saw the garden itself look to less advantage –
I go to Abbotsbury <4> next Wednesday for a week & then back to town –
I saw Kit <5> who did not give a good account of either Jane, <6> Lucy <7> or Susy Franklen <8> & has not been very well himself – I am sorry to say too that poor Edward Murray <9> is very seriously ill I saw him for a few minutes, he seemed in a great state of weakness.
Yrs Aff
W F Strangways
Notes:
1. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.
2. Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter.
3. Prof John Lindley (1799–1865), botanist.
4. Abbotsbury, Dorset: home of William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways.
5. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
6. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
7. Lucy Mary Nicholl (1824-1876), of Merthyr Mawr.
8. The invalid daughter of Isabella Franklen.
9. Rev Edward Murray (1798–1852), author & inventor. He died 1 July 1852.