| Transcript or Index | (1852 in pencil)
Winchester
July 27th
My dearest Eleanor
I have received Dean Lacy's answer respecting Mr Messenger and by the same post send you his report. Mrs Curry the Wife of the Clergyman in whose Parish are the Alpha Cottages, reports him unknown to her Husband excepting by sight, as he does not attend his Church, he appears a quiet, and is certainly rather a gentlemanly looking man. Mr Curry supposes him to be a Dissenter though this supposition is entirely his own opinion.
I hope you will find your new Nurse a good servant, it is indeed the most difficult of all domestic appointments to have well filled as we term it. I am glad dear Baby thrives not with standing the trial to any Child of frequent change of their attendants. I certainly much pity all mothers who have this to endure, though happily my dear Children were not subject to this inconvenience for I was always fortunate in my servants, but alas times are sadly altered, for both servants, and master, the former I fear are usually(?) obtaining the ascendency, where the fault lies is is not for me to divine.
I hope dearest Eleanor you are still tolerably well; and have lost your cough which must be trying to you now,
I hope the poultry and eggs reached you in safety, the Basket in which they were packed belongs to Sir F Simpkin. who kindly sent me game in it, so you must if you please return it to B. Place.
I had a very nice letter from Catherine who seems to be enjoying her visit to her Aunt, she and her Aunt, are spending this week at Duffield with your Father in Law; the end of next week Catherine will be returning home, but her Aunt wishes her to stay with her until the end of this month rather to remain a month with her so I suppose she will not leave before the end of next week.
Believe me dear Eleanor your affectionate Aunt
I.Cracroft
Poor Lady La(?) death has been a great shock to us, she was one of my earliest friends in the Cracroft family and is the younger Sister of the Wilson’s(?) you know in Bryanstone Square. |