Princes buildings
Clifton <1>
June 6
My dear Henry
It is a very long time since I have heard any thing of you or your’s [sic] & I must let you know I am at Clifton, in Isabella’s <2> house, hoping you may some day find time to come over & see me. it would give both of us great pleasure to see you & she would be very glad to make acquaintance with dear Constance <3> & your Girls; there are one or two little Souvenirs of my dear Mother <4> which I should like you to have & if you should not be at Lacock I hope you will send me word where I should send my little parcel, before I leave Clifton?<6> I have not settled the time I shall remain here yet as I “am to stay as long as I can”! – Mr Llewelyn <5> with Emma <7> & their tribe returned home today I saw them off by the Steamer to Chepstow this morning there cannot be a more charming day for the packets & the tide being in it will be very pretty all down the rivers – Yesterday there was a fine flower shew at the Zoological Gardens & I heard it was a splendid one but I had no fancy for encountering the crowd & the rest of the party went without me. My poor sick Niece <8> was glad of my company & I heard about the splendid Rhododendrons, Azaleas in Pyramids & lovely Roses from Emma’s youngest Girls who are great lovers of flowers & were quite enchanted with all they saw. they are full of pleasure at the thoughts of seeing their own Gardens however & return home with the greatest pleasure after having been here about 6 weeks I believe. –
How does your Garden prosper? your long absence must tell I should think unless you have a Gardener as fond of curious plants as yourself! – My kind love to my Cousins all
Ever your affate old Coz
Mary
Notes:
1. Clifton, Bristol, on the Avon Gorge.
2. Isabella Catherine Franklen, née Talbot (1804–1874).
3. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
4. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Strangways, first m. Talbot (1776–1855), WHFT’s aunt.
5. In the end, she wound up dispatching a parcel - 2ee Doc. No: 00170.
6. John Dillwyn Llewelyn (1810–1882), Welsh photographer, JP & High Sheriff.
7. Emma Thomasina Llewelyn, née Talbot (1806–1881), photographer; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
8. Susie Franklen (d. 1860), daughter of Isabella Franklen.