TALBOT8548

Millburn Tower¹
April – 25. –

My dear Henry

About the time of your going to Lacock I suppose Mr. Awdry will be receiving the Rents – and I shall find it very convenient to pay three bills by cheque on Melksham if he will have the kindness to put into the Bank for me £51 · 16 · 5 – this is for Oats &^c for the horses between Jany & June 1861 & for the Garden horse’s consumption after the carriage horses left Lacock: for Coals and (2 years Coke – for garden) and for Meat from Fry’s given in Charity & at Xmas –

I would also remind you of the Chippenham Coach maker’s bill, if it is not already paid – Perhaps you would like Mr. Awdry to do so. The amount is £24 · 12 · 0. Then I have Gale’s and Fortune’s for these last 2 years which I have just been looking over to take down & record the particulars as usual in my own copy note book – They sent them in to me some time in February, but I was lazy & put off looking into them till after you were gone from Millburn Tower – So shall I now send them to you at Lacock, or keep them for Mr. Awdry – whenever you like him to have them? – The sum total I can give you now in case you like to arrange with Mr. Awdry about paying them – and I fancy this would be as good a time if not better than any other for settling these kind of bills –

[2 main cols: Col. 1, item; Col. 2, £ s d aligned]

Gale for house 30 · 17 · 1½

Garden 11 · 8 · 9

[rule under figures]

total – 42 ·· 5 ·· 10½

1860

Fortune House acc^t – 31 · 7 · 4

Garden – 13 · 2 · 2

1861. House – 11 · 18 · 10

Garden . 11 · 14 · 10

[rule under figures]

£68 ·· 3 · 2

[rule]

The chief work done was as under. –

Altering the entrance of Cabinet from the brown Lobby to Stone gallery –

Painting the Pantry and Still Room

Painting the Coach house doors & Lodge gates,

Painting the large Conservatory and repairing the Lights with new glass –

and a good deal of patching up among the garden lights &c &c.

I observe also there was a good deal of Plumbers work in the house, new taps & repairing damage by frost – We had also some old furniture cleaned up & repaired from Blackham’s house – the particulars of which you can see by my extracts – In Fortune’s bill for last year I see £2 in September for a new lead gutter to the Chancel at the time of the renovation of the Church – (ordered by Mr. West Awdry) –

And, as I dare say you intend paying our School subscriptions for last year, I believe that is all – and you will be glad that I have brought my tiresome story to a close –

Please to settle with Wilkins about whether it will be best to feed the Stew ground this year, or to cut it for hay as usual – If we make so much hay we ought to sell what is to spare – I should fancy that up to this time the Rick made last year can scarcely have been touched. – I hope Mr. Fry has been paying rent for what used to be Caroline Copse! – I heard that he had the land free at first to indemnify himself for the expense of clearing – & I always felt doubtful whether he would be reminded to pay rent at the expiration of the time agreed upon – I take a particular interest in that piece. –

This letter will be enclosed to Wilkins to take charge of till you arrive at Lacock – to prevent its being forwarded by mistake –

There will be £1 ·· 7 · 4 to deduct from Gale’s account – the value of some ‘Shrubbery Timbers’ as he calls it, which he had from Wilkins in January 1861 – They were the thinnings of the young plantations round the Field & such places, when they grew so close as to injure one another.

Your affectionate
Constance.

April 30^th I kept back this letter when I found you w^d only reach L: A. next Friday – but instead posting it today – Thanks for your promise of remittance to Bank of Scotland. – If my request about £51 · 16 · 5 to Melksham Bank is too late, I can manage with P.O. Orders – but the other plan is better. –