Letter from Mary Anne Kendall to her cousin Eleanor Isabella Gell, on her appointmemt as Matron of the Royal Naval Coillege in Portsmouth and news on her son Franklin Kendall Has been appointed Matron of Royal Naval College in Portsmouth Docks; offered appointment by Captain Eden; appointed because she was the “widow of an old polar officer who had done good service and a niece of Sir J. Franklin” and having “peculiar claims upon the Govt. at this moment”; salary of £70 with 3 rooms, no coal allowance but coals will be supplied, and 30 candles per month; has been very occupied with Fn [Franklin Kendall] since his return; will speak to Eleanor in confidence when in town, in confidence for the sake of the boy; Sir E. and Mr Walpole have both urged caution; wants to see Mr Gell who has been “so kind to Franklin”; wants more than just the “child’s report”; does not want Mr Gell to go to the steward yet; making an affidavit for the Court of Chancery, so in a hurry; Mama was annoyed because Eleanor knew about the appointment before she did; had been unable to think of anything else other than Franklin; pleased that Eleanor’s husband likely to be appointed to St Mary’s Church, Bryanston Square. 31 Jul 1849