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Archive Reference / Library Class No.D8760/F/FSJ/1/8/1
Former ReferenceD3287/31/8
TitleLetter from Mary Richardson to her uncle John Franklin, with much information on family news
Date2 Feb 1839
DescriptionShe writes that she should have included her letter in the one from her husband (John) last week but lack of time prevented her from writing with general 'chit-chat'. She writes that she has not heard anything of the news of Mary Franklin's marriage three months back and has been waiting to write to Mrs Price with it, when Mary gives the news herself. Mary Richardson writes that she has heard from Aunt Cracroft and her visit to Lincolnshire (Horncastle) with her (Mary Richardson's ) father. She writes of Emma as suffering from rheumatism during the winter and recommends her aunt bring Emma to live with them for a time to be looked after. Mary Richardson's parents are making arrangements for the sale of furnature and removal from Ingoldmells. Her father is to take his seat on the Bench and this has been reported in the papers. Mary writes of her sister Mary Anne's grief at the death of her aunt who had treated Mary Anne lovingly as a child and who for many years had been an invalid. She writes of Aunt Mary (the vixen) as flourishing; Tom's children, well; the Wrights as so-so - describing Richard as very delicate, and that Harriet is soon to visit them. She writes of her Aunt Betsy (Sellwood) in Latin terms which she translates as 'worse and worse', while. She writes about the death of Braithwaite - she describes as 'a drunkard'- a partner in the firm at Fredricton which was not doing well, and how this has brought the partnership into the management of the Kays, which she hopes will improve direction. She writes how the Kendalls are all with Eliza Kay ( in pencil, Jupp) at Greenock superintending the fitting of the 'India' and intention of Mary Anne to accompany her husband on his first voyage, saying that Mary Anne considers herself to be comparatively idle in (civilised) England when compared to that of America. Sir George Back (under Jephson's charge) is thin and ill 'knocked up' from a previous expedition. Mention by Mrs Richard Bingham of a Major Ryan, appointed under Sir John Franklin, and of her interest in the' excellent young persons' a nephew and niece of the Major's. Mary states that she and her husband like their new home, and of how they found the winter there agreeable - the days never long enough to perform all their duties, and going on to write about John Booth their child who wakes early ('cutting some more teeth') and of how she tries to persuade him not to make the day longer by adding to it a piece of the night, likening this to 'the Irishman's plan of making his blanket longer by cutting a piece off the bottom and sewing it on the top', adding that John Booth will have none of her logic. The letter closes with kind love to Lady Franklin.
Note of it being received 18 July 1839
Extent1 sheet
LevelItem
RepositoryDerbyshire Record Office
SenderMary Richardson
Sender LocationHaslar [near Portsmouth, Hampshire]
RecipientJohn Franklin
Recipient LocationNo address
Archive CreatorSir John Franklin (1786-1847)
Gell family of Hopton Hall, Wirksworth
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