HF89/4/4

Bundle of Letters from John Turton Hooper from the following addresses: Catch Gate, Lintz Green (1875-1887), Lanchester (1888-1889), The Cottage, Greencroft Park (1889-1892), The Lodge, Lanchester (1892-1893), The Cottage, Greencroft Park (1893), Greencroft House, Anfield Plain (1893-1902) and The Lodge, Lanchester (1902-1903), all in County Durham, to Thomas James Hooper, his brother.

1875-1903

From: 1875 To: 1903

Mainly relating to John Turton Hooper's illness (Brights Disease) and his need for an assistant. Other matters include: Pregnant servant girl - 10 August 1875. Need for repairs and extensions to his house at Catch Gate - 25 May 1882. Letter relating possibly to his Marriage Settlement, states that his wife Margaret (nee Turnbull) is now aged 54 and his daughters Elizabeth and Margaret, 22 and 19 respectively - 18 June 1884. Death of writer's son John (wife's sister died on 13 June also); difficulties with son William - marked 5780, probably 5 July 1884. Relating to John's Widow; testimonial of £150 for the child, grief at John's death so soon after Isabel's, 'my greatest grief is my second son' - 22 July 1884. Death that morning of writer's wife from pleuro-pneumonia. Assistant doing all the work for £30 - 19 June 1885. Lizzie can not last long - 2 May 1887. Settlement of his affairs: House and £100 to Fred (wants to marry, needs £10 for furniture 'will not study or try to pass'); William £200. Meggie £100, daughter Hettie with residue subject to £100 to John's daughter, also called Hettie - 3 July 1888. Fred going up to examination as a Mining Engineer, probable he will be marrying. He is lodging at The Cottage with Meggie (two boys), Hetty has one girl - 2 July 1889. Son to marry on 4 September - 3 August 1889. Reduction of William's £100 to £50 because 'he does nothing but drink.' The £50 saved is to go to Mrs Ritson for outlay on the daughter of his eldest son John (deceased) - undated. Lease granted by Frederick George Hooper (youngest son) to Dr Thomas Mitchell O' Brien of Catch Gate, Surgeon, seems to want William not to have it - undated. Mentions clothes he needs as well as an ounce of tobacco per day; Fred passed 1st Class; refers to Fred's wife Fanny - 10 November 1890. Affairs of Raine & Company (Scrap iron). Fred involved - 14 July 1891. Coal Strike - 7 March 1892. Describes the house at Catch Gate - 6 May 1893. Problems with William's drinking and not working; support from Fred and Hetty - 3 January 1894. Late son (presumably William) left debts of £35-40 - 28 April 1897. Wants Fred to have £100 and house at Catch Gate, residue to writer's granddaughter, Henrietta - 14 July 1900. Writer's Will; changes caused by William's death; mentions William Rutherford, Meggie's Father in Law, wants Hetty, the granddaughter to have £100 clear and the two daughters to have £50 each; the residue to be left to Fred - 18 July 1900. Sister Lizzie (Miss Elizabeth Sarah Hooper) gone into lodgings; writer wants to buy himself a lamp - 25 March 1901. Lizzie sent writer a portrait of himself when a child - undated. Lizzie sent some kind Christian letters and papers - undated. Difficulty with Mrs Hooper (Fred's wife being unhappy at Greencroft House); writer brough in an Ambulance to The Lodge, Lanchester - 2 November 1902. Letters about the kindness of Dr Buckram refusing to make out a bill - 1902-1903. Eldest granddaughter going to visit Dr Craig in Cheshire; have to reduce rent to let the house. 'houses have sprung up like mushrooms'; wife's sister's husband cut his throat (no address and no date).

sub-file

Hooper, John Turton,
Hooper, Margaret,
Turnbull, Margaret,
Hooper, Elizabeth,
Hooper, John,
Hooper, William,
Hooper, Frederick George,
Hooper, Henrietta,
Ritson,
O'Brien, Thomas Mitchell,
Hooper, Fanny,
Raine & Company,
Rutherford, William,
Hooper, Elizabeth Sarah,
Buckram,
Craig

CORRESPONDENCE, family correspondence, County Durham, Lanchester, bright's disease, disease, servant, marriage settlements, DEATH, pneumonia, mining, MARRIAGE, strike, wills, suicide