Title
Ann May to Priscilla May 24 Jan 1834
Ampthill 1st Mo 24th 34
My dearest P.
A number of things combine to render the present an unsuitable time for scribbling, and yet do not like to defer it until next week, so often as we are reminded of thy absence in the loss of thy services, but more especially as regards Nancy & the children, we being still favored to move on with comparative ease & comfort, altho' thy dear F. & aunt D. have both been indisposed, probably from taking cold, but the latter is now gone over to see Nancy, & thy F. on the ladder, is pruning his vines, interrupted often by a call from his drapers, but now here is another summons, one of some importance, it is to join our most influential neighbours at Charles's on subjects relating to the building of a school house &c., raising the wherewith is a fearful part of it, & at present, looks most inauspicious, in short we are not without sad forebodings since hearing, that L.Holland offers 50. only, in addition to 1/2 acre of land attached. But all this is wandering from the cause of our present anxiety, that of Nancy's very debilitated state of health, our pleasure did not last long in seeing the improvement when she came from town, the pain soon returned, which Dr Sims terms an affection of the membrane covering the bowels, which prevents the food being taken into the system, keeps her so very thin often in poor spirits too, as she scarcely if ever loses the pain, a correspondence has been kept up with the doctor, who now recommends their calling in T.C. which was done yesterday, & he very much agrees with Dr.S. in opinion, & does not appear to think it a severe case, a hip-bath used last evening afforded some relief, the preceding evening, six leeches had been applied with some good effect, Maria Morris's services were then in requisition, who now calling on me desires her love uniting in the general enquiry, when does P. come home? to which I say, in a few weeks probably, only she would not like to leave dear Emily, & it will not do for her to go to Kennington just yet, her brother Edward is mentioned by Caroline in a letter to me this morning, as recovering from a state of danger, at which all must rejoice, you, no doubt, as well as we, have sympathized with them in repeated alarms, from visitations of fever, tho' Louisa gave rather a favorable account of Edward about ten days ago, he must have been worse afterwards, Louisa & Caroline are probably now at Tottenham, from whence I have a most interesting letter, there is one cause of regret only, that Charlotte is likely to leave, from preferring a housemaid's place.
7th day. I began this yesterday hoping it would by this time have been on the road, but my company staid tea, I should say they were Benjamin Cooke & his brothers, Isaac & Nicholas, joined by thy brother Charles & Margaret, who liked taking thy seat by me, yet said she wished thee in it again, the said young men came on 4th day, & are to go this morning, they have scarcely seen Nancy - Probably thou hast heard of poor Lydia's rather increased indisposition, hoarseness, pain in the side, head &c. about two weeks since she went home to be under the care of Dr Sims, it seems she is better, & no doubt hoping to return soon, but I should, if consulted, soon decide against it, M.A.Moody is at present substitute, & seems likely to take the place of little inanimate Betsy, to whom Nancy, with no small difficulty, persuaded herself to give warning lately, in hopes of getting a more efficient helper, the poor girl would gladly stay, but I think the change worth making - the dear children seem pretty well, but unable to go out much of late -
Charles learns from Stafford [Allen] that they are full of work, I think he must miss J.Phillips's services, he having been some time at Tottenham sharing the family affliction in the loss of his mother, whose death took place (I think) last 3rd day, it seemed relieving to hear of it for her own sake. Last week I had a nice long letter from Jane, giving a good account of things in general, F. goes nearly every other day to Peckham, their mother had been poorly, but was better. We have received the long-promised visit from E.Wheeler, & enjoyed it beyond any expectation, she very fully expressed her pleasure in it, at parting last 5th day, when Joseph came to fetch her, & dined with us, she brought a good account of most of them, Ann Lucas is better, Mary Thompson & her second daughter doing well, Jane Beck has a son, both going on well, of course thou hast heard of James Curtis taking a temporary residence at Wandsworth, for himself & Kate, in the 4th mo. E.Wheeler & I made a call upon Charles Morris, saw his very healthy little girl, & admired her gay anemonies &c.in the garden. Nancy told me last evening that gooseberries from theirs had been brought to her.
J. & E. Bennell dined here last 4th day, there seems no probability of their continuing at Marston. Mary must have been of great use to Eliza during their moving house, we hear they have too much room now.
The remains of old John Morris were interr'd yesterday,, he died after a short illness. Maria Morris kindly undertakes to collect in thy district as well as her own, & the poor express great satisfaction in the altered plan - poor Julia Walker has a painful return of her complaint, for she was to submit to another operation. I have quite a cheerful letter {from} dear Lewis, the school, it seems, is full to overflowing, so that Mary Foster's little nephew Greenwood is with her, to attend as a day pupil.
Thy F. came by coach last week to H. with John Barclay, bringing his son, one of Grover Kemp's, of Geo. Stacey's too, & Richard Wallis' are added.
Rebecca having has already bespoken her nurse, if she should have both Jacob & Esau, they will have their hands full throughout -
First day. Being prevented posting this on 6th day, it will come to thee as a sort of diary, sorry I am to be obliged to acquaint thee with our present anxiety, it is on account of thy dear F.'s sudden illness which he felt something of on rising this morning, he came to me at C's just before meeting saying he had had a spasmodic affection of the chest with palpitation would not have anyone detained from meeting - but came home & sent for T.C. who ordered him to bed &c. on my return he took some blood from the arm & assures me it is not an alarming case but he will be likely to be better soon I am just going again to meeting - leaving Edwd to attend on him. -
Near post time. All the symptoms are so much relieved that by the time this reaches thee I am encouraged to hope they will be subdued. Nancy is better too this evening - -
And now my dear, were it not on Emily's account, I should not hesitate in requesting thee to take an early opportunity of coming, to Nancy's relief more particularly, but although she longs to see thee, she is backward in saying a word to hasten thee, & thereby abridge thy enjoyment, possibly H.Tuckett may be coming in a week or two, or someone the family know, tho' as Charles says thou art no chicken to need a care taker now I will leave it to thee to advise with thy dear aunt to whom if thou can'st render any service just over the critical juncture with thy dear cousin Marianna I will defer my claim so exercise thy own judgment entirely taking all the bearings of the case - this remark is between ourselves - to others it would appear like making thee of great importance to say so much about it -
The subject of clothing &c. adverted to in thy last requires the notice which now I cannot give it - With respect to cash as we shall soon have a money transaction with Francis Tuckett thou might ask him for 5 or whatever is needful, & do the same as Emily toward servants -
I have just concluded to decline the M.M. tomorrow - Charles intends taking Maria Morris - her father had a fainting fit this morning. Thy aunt D. had leeches on her temples last evening, is better.
My letter from Caroline mentioned thy uncle Sam & his daughter Maria spending a few days with them.
Accept & present our united dear love, be not very anxious about us as I am still encouraged to look on the brightest side in our present case & place my trust in an all wise & merciful Providence -
I am dearest P. thy ever affectionate - Mother.
If thou dost not hear take for granted thy F. is better.
Elizth Tuckett Postmark : G [Seal : PAIX A MON AMI & dove of peace]
Frenchay PAID
P.May near Bristol 27JA27
1834