London

28 Jan^y 1841

Dear Constance

We left Bowood ^<1> a little before 11, got to the station at Wootton Bassett in 2 hours, the roads very bad indeed, we had 4 horses & they knocked up; a pair could not have done it at all. We had a fine smooth passage on the railway of 3 hours exactly. We had no collision, tho’ we had hopes of one at one time as we met a train advancing on the same line; but it was all an understood thing between the trains, & could lead to no mischief, unless indeed one of the engines had run away. We got to Sackville S^{t <2>} a little before 5. – Today I have seen L^d M^t Edgcumbe & Caroline Valletort & Charley ^<3>

I have another letter to write & hardly time to save the post, so adieu

Your aff^te

Henry

I had a long conference with Mr Carpmael ^<4> this morning about my patents, it was satisfactory.

---

Notes:

1. Bowood House, nr Calne, Wiltshire, 5 mi NE of Lacock: seat of the Marquess of Lansdowne.

2. 31 Sackville Street, London residence of the Feildings, often used as a London base by WHFT.

3. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law; Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister; Charles Earnest Edgcumbe (1838–1915), JP, WHFT’s nephew.

4. William Carpmael (1804–1867), patent agent & engineer, London.