Your answer is anxiously expected –
Yr. affte
Constance
Sunday
October 12
1851 <in another hand>
My dear Henry
I received the enclosed from Mr. Coppoch yesterday – It was directed C. Talbot Esqr – and you will observe that he has made a puzzle about our 2 letters & answered them both in one – I rejoice however in this circumstance, as it puts me in possession of his sentiments – and I see that he does not politely desire us to stay as many days longer as we like, gratis – but he “does not care how long we stay on the last arranged <th..s?>” – Now as there are reasons, connected with health as well as convenience, why we would much prefer moving one week later than our time, and I no longer hesitate to ask you to let us remain on till Wednesday the 22d. I was aware there would be a difficulty about going on the 15th. but thinking you had paid the rent, I did not like to give you more trouble about it, and intended to cheat the Executors them out of 4 or 5 days; but a whole week will suit us still better – and also give a chance of the weather being finer for the travelling scheme which I am now prepared to lay before you – anxiously hoping that it will receive your full sanction.
Mr. Brown engages to provide (for the sum of £22) a carriage & pair of horses, for the whole journey, which he reckons may be done in 9 days. This charge includes every expense of his driver & horses, toll gates, driver’s pay &c to Lacock Abbey & back – Is it not this very moderate? –
The expense of our own horses for the nine days journey estimated at 9/ per day – amounts to £4.1.0
2 maids & 2 manservants B’ Wages at 5/. amounts to £9.0 0.
What is more difficult to estimate are the charges at Hotels. Our eating alone could scarcely be more than 5/. each per day, amounting to £20.5.0. Beds & other charges might amount for 5 <elors?> & 4 servants to £5. On these suppositions the account stands thus.
Mr Brown’s charge per carriage 22.0 0
our own horses 4.1-
Servants B’ Wages 9.0.0
Bills at Inns 25.5.0
60.6.0
By this arrangement
4 Servants remain for the railway – Jones says
the fares at £2.3.6 each making – 8.14.0
Bill one day & half. – 1.10.0
Journey to the Station, beds at Birmingham – under 1.0.0
Luggage by Luggage train 5.0.0
16.4.0
£ s
making a total of 76. 10.
But from this you must deduct about £10 – for the week’s housekeeping that would be saved during that time.
Compare this with a memorandum I have kept of our journey from Lacock to < Mand> Bowness last year amounting to
£50..13.0 with 2 servants less who
6. would amount to 6£ more
_______ at the very lowest calculation.
56.13.0
10 - Housekeeping
_______
66.13.0
10 - Extra expense in proposed journey
I hope you will make out my meaning – I wish to show that the journey home will not cost above £10- more this way than by railway – which I think you will be willing to afford in consideration of our wish to have it so – The only real regret I have is in keeping Jones from you; as he tells me you will want him again in London. But in his capacity of House Steward, he ought to be in attendance on our return home, whether he travel with us, or with the Servants & luggage – and he has been absent from his post a great deal this Summer. The proposed days are these, to be modified according as we judge well from information collected on the road –
Milnthorpe 24 miles
Preston 34½ 4 first days
Warrington 29
Crewe 24¼
______
Market Drayton
Wellington These left for
Wolverhampton choice – but we will
Stourbridge avoid the large dear
Droitwich Towns as much as
Worcester possible.
Malvern
Tewkesbury, Stowhouse, Stowe, Malmesbury
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