From Leonard Darwin to Emma Darwin 10 July [1865?]

Dear Mama

This to be as a sort of Journal of our tour and stay at Shrewsbury so please keep it

Saturday

Started from Down at 8 and came in time for our train it took us an hour to get to Charing Cross, we then saw Henrietta into a cab with all our luggage and she took it to Cumberland Place we the bought our Mackintoshes which were dearer than we expected they were a guinea each which cheaper than the pocket Siphonia (William's coat) and nearly as small and I then got my hat but not my knife. We then went to Cumberland place and had some lunch after which we went to Paddington there was a great squach and we could hardly get our luggage labeled. We had very quiet companions as far as Reading but from Birmingham as far as Shrewsbury there were a lot of fellows smoking one was a half American that Is to say that he lived there half his life, and of course he talked a great deal. When we came to Shrewsbury there was a great squash and we had to carry our own luggage to the fly I was so glad when we had our journey done we then after having said the how do you dos we went into the garden and eat fruit then we had dinner and went to bed early

Sunday

Went to Church in the Morning to S^t Mary's it is a fine old church  We came back and eat some fruit. In the afternoon we went to Charles Palker's farm and looked all over it; we took a small walk in the evening.

Monday

We have just been to Haughmond Hill. there is a beautiful veiw from the top. We first drove to to a ruined Abby at the bottom and got out there it is a great shame they have bared up all the windows so we could not get on the walls and at one side there was a potatoe ground so you could not see that side well, we then walked up the hill and sat down and I beleive put my foot into a wasp nest so we had to run like beans we were none of us stung

I am your affec^t son | Leonard Darwin