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| Archive Reference / Library Class No. | D8760/F/FEG/1/1/7 |
| Former Reference | D3287/31/8 |
| Title | Letter from Sir John Franklin to his daughter Eleanor Isabella Franklin, during his tour of duty in the Mediterranean, including references to his wife's dismissal of servant, his being presented to the King of Greece and his visit to ancient historic sites |
| Date | 19 Jul 1833 |
| Description | He has not received a letter from her; she is to think what it is like not to receive one from him. He joined the Admiral at Napoli and found Owen and the manservant of Lady Franklin, who had left the neighbourhood with her companions only two days before his arrival; Owen had been unwell, or thought herself unwell, and the man had stayed to take care of her; Owen has behaved badly of late, and Lady Franklin has decided to part with her and send her home; Franklin wishes that she not be allowed to see Eleanor if she tries to. Lady Franklin is to have a Maltese maid sent to Zante and will procure another manservant; once that is completed, she will travel on to Athens (where he hopes to meet her) and then Alexandria. He joined the Admiral at Tenedos and has been sent back to Napoli to wait for dispatches expected by the Admiral; he will not receive her letters until he rejoins the Admiral and he will not be able to send a reply by the first packet. He outlines for her chart the journey to Tenedos (via the islands of Spezzia, Zea, Andros, Skyros, Mytilene), seeing the Fields of Troy; he tells she can read about the places in geography and history books; he hopes for permission to visit Constantinople (or Istanbul). On 20 June he was presented to the King of Greece, aged 18, with a Regency of three persons appointed to act in his name; he went to the house of Madame D'Armensperg, wife of the Chief of the Regency; Lady Franklin did not meet either her or the King. She has arrived at Athens. Tenedos, 5 Aug, he has been to Constantinople and the scenery of the Bosphorous; he is to go to the Fields of Troy today and then sail for Greece. |
| Extent | 1 sheet |
| Level | Item |
| Repository | Derbyshire Record Office |
| Sender | John Franklin |
| Sender Location | H.M.S. Rainbow, Napoli [Greece] |
| Recipient | Eleanor Isabella Franklin |
| Recipient Location | c/o Mrs I. Cracroft, 4 Kelsey Cottages, Tunbridge Wells |
| Archive Creator | Eleanor Isabella Franklin, later Eleanor Gell (1824-1860) |
| Gell family of Hopton Hall, Wirksworth |
| Transcript or Index | Rainbow Napoli 19th July 1833
My dearest Eleanor,
I have again to write to you without having received any letter from you. What am I to write about? I might ask as I dare say you occasionally do, when the mail is about to leave England and you have not heard from me. Why only think of the pleasure it gives your little girl to hear from you and of the disappointment she feels if she does not by every packet, sit down with the desire of giving her pleasure, and you are certain of finding sufficient topics occur to you to fill the letter. This is my answer to the above question and the way I act towards you my dearest child and I recommend the same course to you. I told you in my last letter that I was going to touch at Napoli on my way to join the Admiral. I did so, and to my surprize found Owen and the man servant of Mama here and that Mama and her companions had only quitted this neighbourhood two days before my arrival. Owen had either been unwell or fancied herself ill and the man staid [sic] to take care of her and when she was able to travel to take her by water to Zante, where Mama was also to go after she had travelled through some other parts of Greece. They are all now I believe at Zante. Owen however has not behaved well of late and has caused Mama so much trouble that she has determined on parting with <her> and on sending her to England by the next packet. You must tell your Aunt therefore that in consequence of the negligence and misconduct of Owen she is sent home and that it is my wish she should not be allowed to see you if she should make any attempt or express any desire to do so, she having given Mama & me many reasons to be dissatisfied with her conduct. Mama hopes to have a Maltese maid sent to Zante by the next packet and she will remain at that Island until she does is provided with one. Mama will also procure another man servant, if she has not already got one. These changes being effected Mama will proceed to Athens and from thence by the first conveyance to Alexandria. I may perhaps have the happiness of meeting her at Athens, as the Admiral speaks of taking his fleet there in a short time.
I joined the Admiral when he was cruizing off Tenedos, and only remained a week when he sent me back to Napoli to wait for the dispatches he expects by the packet which I am to convey to him. I shall probably sail in five or six days on this service. Your letters will be forwarded from Malta and I cannot get them before I rejoin the Admiral nor those from any of my friends. I shall not be able in consequence to answer any of them by this packet, but I shall hope to have the opportunity of answering them by the following.
I will give you our track from hence to Tenedos that you may trace it on your chart. After from the Gulph of Napoli we sailed on the outside of the Islands of Spezzia and Hydra, and inside of St George, then hauled close to the Cape Colonna to obtain a good view of the ruins of a magnificent marble temple which stands on this promontory. We next sailed between the Islands of Macrinisi or Long Island, and Zea, then passed between the South Point of Negropont and the Island of Andros, which brought us into a more open part of the Archipelago. We afterwards passed between the Islands of Skyros and Ipsara and found the Admiral cruising off the Island of Myti[lene] we ran down close to Tenedos and were preparing to anchor in the Channel between that Island & the main shore. Just opposite the Fields of Troy when some dispatches arrived from Constantinople which caused the Admiral to alter his plan and keep the ships at sea. I left him the same evening. Except that I have seen these Islands and shores I know but little those of then than you can gather from the books of Geography or History which you should consult. I hope however to be able to land when I return and perhaps to get permission to visit Constantinople. If I do I will give you an account of my excursion. We saw the ruins of the Ancient City of Constantinople or rather of Istanbul, with our glasses from the ship and of the fields of Troy and were only about twenty miles from the entrance into the Dardanelles.
20th June. I was presented to the King of Greece last evening. He is a very young man 18 years of age, but tall and of a more manly appearance. He asked me several questions about Patras and the Gulph of Corinth and about our Fleet, which he put in a very agreeable manner. He is not at present of an age to govern the Country and therefore a Regency of three persons has been appointed to act in his name. I have been introduced to these persons also and I went last night to the house of Madame D’Armensperg the <wife of the> Chief of the Regency, who has a little girl about your age, and several other daughters, the eldest grown up. Mama has not therefore seen the King, he being absent on a cruize at sea in one of our Frigates when she was last at Napoli. Madame D’Armensperg was likewise absent on a sea excursion. The weather is so hot that everyone is at this <season> desirous of enjoying the pure sea breezes. They keep me thank God in perfect health and I shall be glad to enjoy them through the course of the summer, which I think it probable will be the case, and that I shall be kept generally at sea during this season.
You must give my very best love to your dear Aunt and Cousins. I do not write to the former by this packet having nothing particular to say. This letter therefore is wholly to you and I shall expect a long one from you in return. Believe me ever my dearest child your most affectionate Father John Franklin.
Augt 5th, many thanks to So[p]hy […] her letters which I received on arriving at Tenedos.
I have received a letter from Mama since this letter was begun and she is quite well & by this time has arrived at Athens on June day Augt 5th. I have been to Constantinople and seen all the interesting places there as well as the beautiful scenery of the Bosphorus, and am, today, going to see the Field of Troy and then to sail for Greece. I will write more in my next letter.
Addressed to: Mrs I Cracroft, 4 Kelsey Cottages, Tonbridge Wells |