London
Saturday April 3rd/69
My dear Father
I received a letter from you this morning, and one some days ago written from Cotehele. <1> You told me that you would soon be coming to London. If you adhere to that plan, I think it would be best if you would bring my letters &c with you, but if you think you shall stay long at Lacock then it would be better to send them to the Club. <2>
I was rather surprised at the success of Major Walker <3> in Dumfriesshire. Personally of course, and in so far as John & Tilly <4> are keen on the subject, I am glad he has got in. And if it be true that in the last election Sir Sidney Waterlow <5> bribed ad libitum, <6> then whatever his politics I should be glad that he was out, but I do not know if this accusation of bribery is made out.
What threatening letters do you refer to, for I have not heard about them?
I see that further on in your letter you say that you will stay at Lacock a week. If you only stay a week, then please bring my letters with you, and the other things viz the passbook, and the key of the drawer in Mamma’s <7> room.
I have taken a ticket for all the lect morning lectures at the Royal Institution, <8> the first of which is on Tuesday next.
Have you heard anything about the Lacock School lately? Has it been begun?
What did you think of that speech of Mr Bright’s <9> on the Irish church question, <10> which was so much admired?
Write a line to tell me when you start for Town –
Your affect son
Charles[envelope:]
[back flap dry embossed:] New University Club, St James St
H Fox Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Cotehele, Cornwall: ancient house, seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe, now a National Trust Property.
2. New University Club, St James’s Street, London SW.
3. Col George Gustavus Walker (1831–1897), Magistrate for the Stewartry of Kirkudbright; a moderate Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire, 1865–December 1868 and from March 1869–1874, when he retired.
4. John Gilchrist-Clark (1830–1881), Scottish JP; WHFT’s son-in-law and Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.
5. Sir Sydney Hedley Waterlow (1822–1906), Sheriff of London, 1866–1867, Lord Mayor of London, 1872–1873, Liberal MP for Dumfriesshire for only a few months in 1869, ‘when in consequence of holding a government contract he was unable to sit.’
6. At will.
7. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
8. Royal Institution, London.
9. Possibly John Bright (1811–1888), politician.
10. A highly contentious topic being part of ‘The Irish Question.’ Under William Gladstone’s government in July 1869, the Disestablishment Act was passed ensuring that the state-run Protestant “Church of Ireland”, established under King Henry VIII, was to be abolished by 1871, and therefore removing one Irish republican grievance.