L30/12/9/17

Letter from Thomas Bland [to Alexander Hume-Campbell, 1st Baron Hume of Berwick]. Sent from Berkhamsted. [Typed transcript available]. Returned from Kentish excursion last Sunday.

9 Sep 1779

From: 1779 To: 1779

Stayed a week at Margate, and took a few dips in the sea.. Went with friend Mr Brockman to his house at Beachborough near Hythe. Two large French privateers came insultingly several times within 3 miles of the shore. The alarm guns were fired at Folkestone, Sandgate Castle and Hythe, and many inhabitants at Hythe kept watch all night. At last some small government vessels came and chased the privateers under the fort at Boulogne. The firing was heard all night and the fort guns made even the windows rattle at Hythe, which the writer would have thought hardly possible, as the Channel there is probably at least 30 miles wide. The tour would have been pleasant had not the writer been affected by gout before he had been a fortnight at Beachborough, and reduced to using crutches. Mr Brockman has been a sufferer under the surgeons hands. His was at first a common whitlow in the thumb, but is has been cut open eight different times and places, and after 3 months is still unable to use his hand. Lady Marchmont informed that his Lordship’s wound had healed up. Writer intends to dine with the Marchmonts at [Hemel] Hempstead today, if he is able to ride that far; he is suffering with ‘cholic’. Tom Gore was married at Salisbury last Monday.

item

Bland, Thomas,
Hume-Campbell, Alexander (1st Baron Hume of Berwick),
Brockman,
Gore, Tom,
Hume-Campbell, Hugh (Earl of Marchmont)

Berkhamsted, CORRESPONDENCE, Margate, Boulogne, Hythe, gout