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Ann May to Priscilla May 3 Feb 1825 Ampthill 2nd Mo 3rd My dearest P. It is near supper time & thy F. has quite suddenly concluded to go to town tomorrow & return on 7th day , therefore I must follow thy good example of scribbling in haste - thine by thy dear A.Lucas was truly welcome, Eliza Beck was at the {M.Meeting}- told me with apparent pleasure of a nice long letter she had received from thee , but mentioned thy having a gum-bile, which has, I fear, caus'd thee sad suffering, yet from the agreeable account brought me by Charles there seems no need to take up a lamentation about any past malady - he thought you all looking as happy as possible - I should say that E.Beck penned a line to thee at my request, as I feel anxious for thee to cherish her friendship with that of others both there and here believing it may prove a source of both pleasure and improvement. Eliza Bennell is on a visit at J.Ransom's jun. she left the accompanying letter to be forwarded by first opportunity - in addressing thy young friends my dear allow me to give a hint which it is very likely is needless but pray be careful to tell no school secrets or say anything to the prejudice of any person whatever I know thou art not at all apt so to do & by this caution I should be sorry to cramp thy freedom. So much for letter writing - truly you have plenty of it - if S.Corder was not very good natured she would certainly complain of interruptions from callers as her pupils seem to attract so many it is however a high privilege to see your friends so often - As to what Jane H. told thee about the uncertainty of beginning the repairs here it is true yet I have scarcely a doubt of the plan being kept to & going to town in little more than a month is what I am looking forward to with a mixture of pleasure & anxiety Lewis begins to understand a great deal about it & talks often of seeing thee & F. & Uncle & Aunt Arch &c. I can easily take one of the vegonias [sic] the other plants are quite a care to Nancy am sorry to say they are rather in a poor way she has moved them from the back parlour to the little sitting room up stairs - as to the birds they are as merry & lively as can be desired - Thou most likely heard of Davidson's & Wills' sudden departure it is an excellent riddance as their conduct had been so base - C. makes shift at present without a boy but they have an agreeable young woman in D's place and like the change so much we talk of keeping house over there when the attack is made on this it will be so much less trouble for all to board there particularly to Sarah. We dined at Joseph Lucas's on 2nd day with H.Curtis & Jeffery who went to H. [Hitchin] on 1st day afternoon, Jeffery's bond was entered into just before dinner to mutual satisfaction hitherto. My visit to the school was so short that nothing was concluded about drawing indeed I was undecided as to the propriety of thy learning it have since considered it rather a waste if time & therefore better declined unless it is very desirable to thee for a short time only - Hast thou heard that Maria Maddock married Gordon soon after leaving us? I told Charles to bring all thy dirty caps perhaps I had better make them up for thee lest by working out of {? thou} shouldst be deprived of using exercise to {?} health - Thy F expects to go again to town next week & on to Rochester so pray send the caps to Tottenham next 7th day week no doubt thou hast heard of thy F. going eight miles to Rochester & turning back from illness - Last 2nd day Maria Morris was returning from Hertford with Joseph having left little Frederick & William & coming down hill 5 miles on their way the horse fell with such force as to throw M. completely over its head which hurt & bruised her sadly but she seems pretty well again J. was not injured but the mare was sadly cut on the shoulder. Thy aunt D. is pretty well as the rest of us are favoured to be she is soon to spend a few weeks at Luton. Ann leaves us next 2nd day for Edmund Foster's. A.Wheeler seems to settle at Sidcot as we are going to send his certificate Joshua has a good situation at Leicester - Elizabeth Kingston's father is dead. Betsy Cook gets better. Harriet Davis is likely to be married to Sir J.Chapman's son. I intend asking the Morris's to tea tomorrow S.Ashby is with them still - I must not forget such an important piece of news as that M.Holloman lies in with a son. Thy father is gone to bed to rise at two to go to the Hitchin Coach so adieu my dear with much love to thyself and cousins I remain Thy ever affectionate Mother Susanna Corder P.May Church St., Newington

3 Feb 1825

From: 1825 To: 1825

No. of pieces: 1

paper

item

May, Ann,
May, Priscilla,
Beck, Eliza,
Lucas, A,
May, Charles,
Bennell, Eliza,
Ransom, J,
Corder, Susannah,
Arch, Sarah,
Davidson,
Wills,
Lucas, Joseph,
Curtis, H,
Maddock, Maria,
Morris, Maria,
Morris, Frederick,
Morris, William,
Morris, Joseph,
May, Lewis,
Foster, Edmund,
Wheeler, A,
Kingston, Elizabeth,
Cook, Betsey,
Davis, Harriet,
Chapman, J,
Holloman, M,
Ashby, S

apprenticeship, women's education, disease, injury, health, out county schools, horses, post, horse drawn coaches, Hitchin, Rochester, Hertford, Tottenham, Leicester, Stoke Newington