L30/11/323/21

Letter from Agneta Yorke to Amabel Hume-Campbell, Lady Polwarth, sent from Tittenhanger. [Typed transcript available].

11 Oct 1779

From: 1779 To: 1779

Preparing to attend Mr Yorke at Wimpole. Pleased to hear a better account of Lord Polwarth's health. Describes trip to Portsmouth with Lady Beauchamp to see Mr Yorke: Deliviered letters of recommendation to Commissioner Hood and Admiral Pye. Went in the Commissioners yacht to view the fleet. Lady Cock's brother, Mr Pole is captain of the Britannia. They had hoped to see him, but considered the weather too rough to venture into the barge. Also visited the dockyard and one of the camps. The writer had hoped to go on the Victory and the Royal George, and regrets that she did not. Saw the Prudente and the St. Dominique frigates in the harbour, the latter requiring repair before being fit for service. Mention of John Paul Jones. Has heard that the French fleet had so many sick on board that they were forced to disarm their 50 gun ships to make up defiencies; '16,000 men at least being set on shore unfit for service....The same epidenical fever ravaged Brittany to such a degree as almost to depopulate that country.' Mr Yorke is in London; has a return of his sore throat and awaits Dr. Warren. The writer considers his health may be better if he spent the winter in The Hague where the hours are regular and the way of life different from ours. Saw Mrs Barker at the [Berkhamsted] Ball. Dr. Plumptre died of a second paparetic stroke which seized him at dinner. He lived till 7 the next morning.

item

Yorke, Agneta,
Hume-Campbell, Amabel, 1st Countess de Grey, 5th Baroness Lucas,
Polwarth, Amabel Grey, Viscountess,
Hume-Campbell, Alexander (1st Baron Hume of Berwick),
Plumptre, Charles,
Yorke, Philip (3rd Earl of Hardwicke),
Beauchamp-Proctor, Laetitia,
Hood,
Pye,
Jones, John Paul,
Warren,
Barker (d)

family correspondence, Tittenhanger Park, balls, Berkhamsted, The Hague, Wimpole, Portsmouth, ships, Brittany