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| Archive Reference / Library Class No. | D8760/F/FEG/1/1/10 |
| Former Reference | D3287/31/8 |
| Title | Letter from Sir John Franklin to his daughter Eleanor Isabella Franklin, during his travels in Tasmania, with postcript at end from Lady Franklin |
| Date | 13 Feb 1837 |
| Description | They were disappointed not to get a letter first post from Hobart from Eleanor, but found that Miss Williamson had not sent the letter on; more pleased at the letter received since, showing more care; exhortation for Eleanor to add expression of duty as well as of affection at end of letters to them, as not putting it in showed haste and inconsiderateness in the same way as bad writing and blotting. Sophy was going to write details of voyage, so Eleanor will know more from her than he has time to write; glad to reach the River Tamar, as the voyage was so rough; the scenery by the river was beautiful; Lady Franklin and the ladies went to see the cataract over which the the South Esk flows, a painting of which in London by Captain Glover she might remember; he and Captaim Maconochie had to return to duties at Launceston; they went to see the churches there, a Wesleyan School, the barracks of the male and female prisoners, as well as a Sunday school.
Lady Franklin states she is still unwell and unable to write a whole letter; she has taken various teas which have made her ill; she will be pleased to get back to her again, being tired of all the changes and movements in the last fortnight; no room for Eleanor at the house at Launceston. Sorry to hear of death of a kangaroo, which she had saved from being hunted by dogs and sent off to Hobart, which was wounded and probably mishandled on the way back; hopes Eleanor will nurse Miss Williamson well. |
| Extent | 1 sheet |
| Level | Item |
| Repository | Derbyshire Record Office |
| Sender | John Franklin |
| Sender Location | Government Cottage, Launceston [Tasmania] |
| Recipient | Eleanor Isabella Franklin |
| Recipient Location | No address |
| Archive Creator | Eleanor Isabella Franklin, later Eleanor Gell (1824-1860) |
| Gell family of Hopton Hall, Wirksworth |
| Transcript or Index | My dear Eleanor.
Your Mamma and I were much disappointed that the first post from Hobart Town did not convey a single line or remembrance from you, and could not account for this neglect till we received the letter from Miss Williamson giving a reason for not sending your letter that it was so badly written and blotted. Now Eleanor you know that we have both reproved you frequently for a similar indifference to neatness and care in writing, and we did therefore hope this fault would have been amended and you would have paid that degree of attention to your writing which would have ensured your doing your best. The letter we have since received from you did shew more care and we are willing to hope that this improvement arose from your own desire to amend and not entirely from the circumstance of your having written it under the immediate instruction of Miss Williamson.
The letter was also tolerably well arranged and expressed and therefore gave pleasure to your Mamma & me. There was one circumstance however which I must notice with a view to directing your attention to it. I mean that your <letter> concludes by the one of the terms your affectionately. This is a mode of expression that is used by persons at a much more distant relationship than Parents and a child, and of older age than you, and in your case it ought to have been accompanied by an expression of duty, such as your affectionate and dutiful child <or daughter>. I do not suppose you are wanting in a sense of duty, but the not putting it forth in your letters is a part of the same system of haste and inconsiderateness which is manifested in your bad writing and much blotting. I write these remarks my dear child not in anger but with the hope of your thinking over them and using your best endeavours to amend such faults in future.
I think Sophy spoke of writing to you, if she does you will learn more of our proceedings than I have time to write, and I dare say she will not fail to give you an account of some of the discomforts she and the other ladies felt during our attempt to reach Flinders Island. The wind was strong, the sea rough and the little vessel knocked about so much that the whole party were glad to reach the smooth sailing of the River again. The scenery on the Tamar is picturesque and beautiful and rendered the more interesting to my view by the numerous cleared spots on each bank where settlers have established themselves. We landed to breakfast at one of their houses on our way up and enjoyed a walk afterwards through the woods to another house about one mile distant. Your Mama and the Ladies <visited> the Cataract over which the waters of the South Esk river flow and the Tamar and were much gratified by the magnificence of the fall and the general character of the neighbouring rocks. You may perhaps remember the painting of this Cataract among those views of V. D. Land which were exhibited in London – as drawn by Mr. Glover. Capt. Maconochie and I were obliged to return direct to Launceston to our work. We yesterday went to the English Church in the forenoon and to the Scotch Church in the afternoon and then visited the Wesleyan school, which is attended by dear looking nice girls and boys who sang a hymn and joined in prayer while we staid [?meaning stayed]. On the preceding Sunday we went to the Prisoners Barracks male & female where the prisoners are assembled in classes to read the scriptures or to hear them expounded by some competent Catechist or Minister. We also visited one of the Sunday Schools in the Town, but that was not so well attended as the Wesleyans.
Believe me
Your very affectionate Father
John Franklin.
My dear Eleanor,
Your Papa leaves me his letter to finish.
I was too unwell to & am so still to write you a whole letter. I believe the chief causes of my being so far from well at present are want of sleep, & want of tea, or rather the being obliged to drink something which they call <black> tea but which must be made of other herbs, it has the property of making me very sick when can I take it, & the green tea does the same, besides preventing sleep. You are better off than I am in being able to drink milk & water. I shall be very glad to get back to you again, & am somewhat tired of the rapid changes & movements which have taken palce within the last fortnight. If this house should ever be enlarged, I shall bring you with me to see this end of the island, but at present there is not a room, nor even a closet where you could be placed. Sophy has had a long letter from Guernsey; I am sorry to hear of poor Kangaroo. I was in hopes when I begged it off from being hunted by the dogs, & gave the man some money to carry it safely to Hobart Town that I was rescuing it from death, but I suppose it was already wounded & perhaps was cruelly & carelessly handled in the journey. I hope you do your best to nurse Miss Williamson when she is ill – no one has so good an opportunity, since you are in the same room with her. Give my love to her & Miss Graham & all the girls & boys & believe me your very affect. Mama Jane Franklin. |