X953/2/2/3

Letter to Mary from her mother, Mary Wiggins (née Everett).

17 January 1868

From: 1868 To: 1868

Written at The Lodge, Draughton [Northamptonshire]. … I must first tell you I had been expecting your last for days before it came; was however glad to find you all right as you did not say to the contrary and if I may judge from your going out proceedings[?]. Poor Lissie has had a good deal of anxiety with her darling child but this morning I have received a very cheering account and as she wished me to tell you if I was writing I will enclose her letter. Jethro hopes to nearly finish collecting to day or to night; they are going early this afternoon. I am sorry to say Mr. Hafford refuses to give any thing; he told Jethro he considered he had been very badly used by several parties and neither John[?] Williams[?] or Sarah would give. The rest of the people have done about the same as usual. My Evenings have been very solitary this week, with one exception; that was last Evening. Annie Bates an Mary Bartten[?] came to tea; they enquired kindly after you. We spent a very pleasant Evening; they staid supper then Jethro walked home with them. They expected John to fetch them but he did not come. On Wednesday that beautiful day I went up to Orton Lodge to see Annie. She seemed very middling; she said she had got another cold and was not at all in a good humour, but I was not surprised at her taking cold when Mrs. Wiggins told me what she did on Monday. She had Eliza to wash all her things up and she herself was down in the kitchen and attended to the drying of them by the fire, then Eliza ironed them and she stood and aired them off till all were done. I think it’s like throwing money away to keep having a doctor and act like that. Her things never went out of doors at all so of course they would take a good deal of drying. I am sure I could not have half the patience with her Mrs. Wiggins has. I staid there about ½ an hour then Mrs. Wiggins went with me to call to see the Mrs. Watts. The old lady seemed better than I have seen her a long time, only lame, and Mrs. James seemed very well both in Mind and body, but Mrs. Watts Senior said she was occasionally rather strange. Mr. Watts is in a very low way, takes no interest in the business and keeps in bed till late in the day. He does not now take any notice of the child. Mrs. Watts brought it in for us to see and seemed pleased with it, fat healthy boy but very plain and not nicely dressed. Since I last wrote Jethro has ran a Hay fork in his great toe; it was very bad for a day or two but it’s now better. I have had a good deal of headache this week and bilious feeling. I think it’s partly the weather. I must now close with best love to you both in which Jethro unites also. Give our love to your Uncle and Aunt Goff, Mr. and Mrs. Sanders, Mrs. Wykes, etc., and believe me, Your ever affectionate Mamma…. Mrs. Watts said she should have very much liked to have seen you and Lissie.

item

Bates, Ann,
Hafford,
Sanders, Mary,
Watts,
Wiggins,
Wiggins, Ann,
Wiggins, Mary

Draughton [Northamptonshire], Orton [Northamptonshire], Congregational individuals, family correspondence