London
Tuesday May 4th/69
My dear Father,
I have just received a letter from Mr West Awdry <1> in which he says that when he was over at Lacock taking rents, he received a opened at Wilkins' <2> request a telegram which had been just received for you at the Abbey, and he asks me to communicate with you on the subject. It is to this effect
Telegram from John Mushet & Son <3>
2 Hope St Edinburgh
"Can we l let No 13 Great Stuart St for one year from the 15th May at £400 to Mr & Mrs Learmonth <4> with 6 children? please telegraph"
Mr Awdry wrote to Mushet to say what he had done - I have written to Mr Awdry to tell him that I should write to you to Florence. -
I also said I thought you intended to occupy the house in the winter and would probably not be disposed to let it for a year -
I have heard from Edward, <5> and expect to be at Lacock for a few days in Whitsunweek
Tyndall's <6> lectures on light are very good indeed. - I heard nothing about the conversatzione [sic] of the Royal Society.
There is a report that the eldest Miss Fuller of Nestornis to marry the Rev Benjamin Speke, <7> who made such a fuss by running away and hiding himself.
I think it is possible. They are cousins.
I have no time for more at present. I wrote to Ela <8> at Florence -
Shall I pay Mr Cruchen for the carriage of the boxes from Venice, which I mentioned in my letter to Ela?
Your affect son
Charles
[envelope:]
Italy
Monr H F Talbot
Hotel de lat Grande Bretagne
Florence
Notes:
1. West Awdry (1807-1892), solicitor, Chippenham.
2. George Wilkins (b. 1814), gardener at Lacock.
3. John Mushet & Son, property agent, Edinburgh.
4. J. Livingstone Learmonth and his wife. [See Doc. No: 09535 and Doc. No: 09536].
5. Possibly Rev Edward Powell Nicholl (1831-1902), Vicar of Lacock from 1864 until his resignation in 1870; photographer.
6. John Tyndall (1820-1893), natural philosopher.
7. Rev Benjamin Speke. [See Doc. No: 09320 and Doc. No: 09535].
8. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835-1893), WHFT's 1st daughter.