X953/2/8/5

Letter to Mary from her husband, Hugh Sanders.

n.d. [c. 1872]

From: 1871 To: 1873

Written at Harrold, ‘Tuesday’. My dearest Pollie, Many thanks for your loving epistle this morning. You don’t know how delighted I was to hear from you; also such a good account of you all. I am sorry you view Jane’s going away in the way you do. I don’t think you would if you knew how very bad she now is; they have had the Doctor and he says that unless she takes sufficient rest and proper treatment as she is suffering badly, she will not recover and that it will be a work of time before her knee is well. She has inflammation and swelling of the joint. I have had a letter from Mamma this morning and she says that she has asked Sam her father about her and that he said she never set her foot to the ground the day her brother was married but that she was so anxious to come back the following day which has caused her to be much worse. Mrs. Skevington too feels convinced that the girl was in a very dangerous state of health, and thought her much best at home. We get on very well so I hope you will not think any more about it but make up your mind whilst at Draughton Lodge to enjoy yourself. I shall perhaps come and see you ere long but you do not say anything about it. Say when next time you write. I shall get some one to come and stop with the old lady whilst I am away which must not be for long. We are having it all to ourselves today, as I have sent Hugh Fever to Birmingham-- the old gal will work so it is no use saying a word. You must remember one thing that is it makes a vast difference there only being three of us in the House instead of seven. Mary Burgess comes and helps her when required; they have been washing and ironing Baby’s dirty things which I told them was ridiculous if you did not tell them to do so, but Mary B. persisted in doing them. It is wrong of Elizabeth to try to set you against Jane as I am sure when she came back she tried to do her best after what I hear. I am sorry to tell you that the Fever is still raging very bad at Wollaston. Poor John Cook lost two of his children, one on Sunday and the other on Monday. They were all well when I was there a week ago. Is it not dreadful? Mr. MacKellar came over to tea and brought 6 pots of such splendid Jacinths [hyacinths] &c&c. My cold is a little better today and I feel in much better spirits. Mamma sends her love; she is a trifle better if anything, but still very weak. Mrs. Skevington sends her kind regards to you all and would like you to know she is getting on well. Mr. Glass has never answered Mr. Skinner’s letter, which he thinks very ungentlemanly. So do I; even if he couldn’t go he might have said so-- but there are plenty more quite as good if not better that will come. Well, goodbye, my darling. Write again soon. Give my precious chicks a good kissing and squeezing for me-- and with best love from your Ever affectionate and loving Hubby....

item

Burgess, Mary,
Cook, John,
Fever, Hugh,
Glass,
Mackellar,
Sanders,
Sanders, Hugh,
Sanders, Mary,
Skevington,
Skinner,
Wiggins

HARROLD, Draughton [Northamptonshire], Wollaston, family correspondence, domestic servant, fever