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Thomas Hooper to Edward Harris Strange 28 June 1837 Hay My Dear friend Mrs Hanscomb has called this morning & kindly offers to convey a few lines to you, & being thus challenged I am disposed to forego my natural reluctance in beginning a letter - I may in the outset tell you we have had very eventful times here since I last had the pleasure of seeing you - - In addition to several persons from whom we expected no better we have had several failures in the Town among persons who have hitherto stood tolerably high in public estimation - & just to show you how bad it has been I must just mention that we have had 5 failures in the corn & flour Trade to the account of 26,000 - not one of whom (I expect) will pay 1/- in the - this in a county purely agricultural is as you may imagine dreadful, & the effect on us all is felt very very much more than the Panic of 1826 - However if I except the trouble & almost impossibility we have in getting in Bills I think I have not much reason to complain, at least when I see how others are I feel I ought to be thankful. I am still badly suited on the grocery side and have had much annoyance in regard to Young Men since Xmas - one a complete Drunkard & the other a Thief - the latter robbed me in about 8 weeks of more than 20 - half a crown or so at a time as he received it - - If you know of any Young Man who wishes a Grocery & Drapery business which has netted a profit of 150 to 200 per annum - I can tell you of one in a neighbouring County of yours - coming in about 1000 - I can give you satisfactory reasons for the present occupier giving up the same.- In fact he has something else in view - I dare say the good will could be expected if the money can be had - but not sure of that - I am truly glad to hear you are all well & wish I could say the same of my family. My Mother has been very poorly - she has occasional attacks of pain caused by passing calculi from the kidneys which are quite distressing & it is only partially relieved by Warm Butter &c - she has kept her bed nearly 3 weeks - & one of my little Girls is poorly with a bad Eye originating from the System being out of order - We have also much illness about us & people seem scarcely recovered from Influenza - I cannot hope that your pocket & bodily concerns are in a more healthy state in your neighbourhood altho' I believe every Town & County in great Britain partakes of the general prevailing malaise at this period.- I shall always be glad to hear how you are & shall never regret the price of postage for any communication you may favor me with - - I know you will excuse this hasty scrawl when I tell you it was nearly 11 o'clock or quite when Mrs H. called up to me - with my kind regards to your Dear Partner in which my better half joins believe me Your sincere friend Thomas Hooper. 11.9.1836 Mr. Edward Strange Kindly favoured by Mrs Hanscomb - Mercer &c. Ampthill Beds

28 June 1837

From: 1837 To: 1837

No. of pieces: 1

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item

Hooper, Thomas,
Strange, Edward Harris,
Hanscomb

health, disease, medical conditions, general trade & industry, corn, flour seller, business, drunkenness, theft, influenza, epidemics, grocers, drapers, mercer