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Caroline Hooper to Priscilla May 11 April 1822 Ampthill 4th Mo 11th 1822 My dear Priscilla, Thou wilt no doubt be rather surprised to receive a letter from me and finding by the date that I am a visitor to Ampthill. I have been here a fortnight and as thy dear Mother thinks thou wouldst like having a few lines from me giving some intelligence from home, I have willingly taken my pen for that purpose, though I fear my letter will be but a poor substitute for one from thy Mother who is not strong enough at present to undertake letter writing. She has not recovered so quickly as one could have wished since thy aunt Arch wrote to thee, but is now getting nicely on, and, I hope will before very long regain her usual health.. It has been necessary to wean little Lewis as his mother was weak and has not a suitable nursery maid in view, it was thought best to put him out to nurse to Susan Burge who is quite pleased to have him and can be fully depended on for taking care of her precious charge- some of us go to see him at Millbrook every day - he is very well and feeds heartily out of the baby's bottle - he is a sweet little fellow and I hope will be growing a great boy when thou comest home - it will be a nice walk for thee to take to see him - Susan and her husband have left the farm and live in a pretty cottage near it - We have been a large party here, as thy brothers Edward & Francis have both been of the family nearly a week of the time I have spent here -. Francis is still with us but I believe he and myself will leave tomorrow. Thou wilt wonder at our all coming, not having heard we were expected, but thy brother Edward wished to come & see his mother and as I was in Town he wished me to accompany him, and it being about the time that Francis was to have his holidays at home we all came down together last 5th day week - as usual I have enjoyed thy dear Parents society much - it is a privilege to have such a valuable characters for friends, and a still greater when children are blessed with such for parents and I trust that thou my dear P. with the rest of you art desirous of valuing it and profiting by the excellent example set by those so dear to you - I must now tell thee some more news and the first I shall mention will probably be very unexpected to thee as it was to all of us a few weeks ago - it is that Edward has left London and has taken a house at Tottenham; where he is however hardly settled enough for me to say he has quite left London as he is part of the day in Town at present - Many of the Tottenham friends wished to have him to settle among them being in want of a medical man, and there appears to be such a good opening for one at T. that thy Father and Mother and most of thy Brother's friends think it is quite a desirable situation for him - Thy Father has been spending several days in Town to help Edward in looking after a house etc and is going again tomorrow to assist in settling him in I can assure thee they are very busy about it. Tottenham will be a new place for thee to visit which I hope thou wilt at some future day. Thy brother Charles is expected home early in next month it will be pleasant to have him more within reach than at Stockport - we heard from him lately and from James and Samuel they are were all well - I believe thy {Mother} mentioned in one of her letters that [?] was in a poor state of health & spirits - we heard a short time ago that she was deceased having been taken with a sudden seizure - this event we can hardly consider as one to be regretted as poor E.E. was not in a state to enjoy much comfort of any kind here - perhaps thou hast heard her house was let to Abraham Crowley; thy (Cousin Elect) he and Charlotte Curtis are to be married next 4th day - I saw a letter of thine a short time ago in which thou enquired if my brother Benjamin and family had been heard of - we had accounts from them a few weeks ago - they are at Kingston in Upper Canada and likely at present to continue there - they have had a very severe winter but have borne it very well - all the inhabitants ride about in a kind of sledge which is driven at a great rate over the snow and frozen lakes - All our relations in London are in usual health thy aunt Arch went home above two weeks ago. Hast thou heard that poor Hawk Jack is gone? I missed him when I came & found he was lost and no tidings have been heard of him. I think my dear I must draw this long chatting letter to a close but must first give thee the united love of thy Father and Mother, thy Aunt Maddock (who is still here) Francis & myself - I remain thy affectionate friend Caroline Hooper Postmark: AMPTHILL 142 Elizth Armstrong George Gate Doncaster P.May

11 April 1822

From: 1822 To: 1822

No. of pieces: 1

paper

item

Hooper, Caroline,
May, Priscilla,
May, Ann,
Arch, Sarah,
May, Lewis,
Burge, Susan,
May, Edward Curtis,
May, Francis,
May, Charles,
May, James,
May, Samuel,
Crowley, Abraham,
Curtis, Charlotte,
Hooper, Benjamin,
Maddock

nursing, doctor, health, MARRIAGE, emigration, snow, MILLBROOK, Tottenham, Stockport, Canada