St Philips Plain
Bristol
8 Sept
Dear Sir
I received your kind Letter & Mama <1> I was very glad to hear from you nothing can give me more pleasure then to hear from you & that you whare all quite well Dear Sir I assure you I feel very anxious about Mama as I had not heard from her Ladyship or you in so long time I am sorry to hear Mama have had so much trouble I was happy to hear mama say I thank God my children are all well that is a great comfort to mama I know. I glad your cousin christopher Talbot <2> is quite well I think he Dear Mama will feel he absent for so long a time and anxity of mind about him I hope you will not lave your Mama for two years Sir I suppose you know that Miss Emily Shirley is to be Lord Suffields <3> second wife they are to be married on the 12 of this Month I happy to informe you I saw Mrs Shirley <4> & the children as they returned from Ireland She was very kind to me so was all the Der children if please God give me Live I shall go to Eatington park at Christmas Mrs Shirley told me she would be very glad to see me the children Holidays it will give me much pleasure to go Mrs Shirley kind inquires after your health & tell me she had been inform how Beautifully your Sisters whare I told hear they was so I hope shall see London next sumer I hope you will returned to England before then I shall bee most happy to see your mama & Mr fielding and the young Ladys <5> nothing can give more pleasure than to see you or to hear from you Dear Sir I wish you a pleasant journey and safe returned
I Remind your obligeng Servant
Elizabeth Vickery
H. Talbot
Sackville Street
No 31 London
Notes:
1. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
2. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
3. Emily Harriet Shirley and Edward Harbord, 3rd Lord Suffield (b. 1781) married on 12th September 1826, which dates this letter to 1826.
4. Eliza Shirley, née Stanhope (d. 1859). [See Doc. No: 00569].
5. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father, Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister, and Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.