TALBOT9407

Mount Edgcumbe Devonport
August 23^rd 1868

My dear Henry

I was very glad to receive your letter last night, on my return from Saltram, where we had been spending 3 very pleasant days. I am so glad to think that you are come home safe, & that you get good accounts of Constance. ¹

I never heard of anything so shocking as that railway accident – & the only comfort one can have, is to think, & feel in fact certain, that the poor people who perished must have died instantaneously.

Lady Abercorn’s escape was perfectly miraculous. She had been travelling, with her children, in a carriage next the engine, till they reached Chester – when three other carriages were added, & inserted between hers’ [sic] & the engine. All 3 were burnt with the people in them.²

L^d Hamilton ³ telegraphed to Val ⁴ from the spot, to say that none of them were hurt – & this message reached them the evening before the news appeared in the papers. This morning they had letters – & L^y Georgiana Hamilton ⁵ said that the first thing that happened was a shock which threw her onto the opposite seat, & knocked her youngest brother against Ly. Ab. & then down to the floor of the carriage – but from all accounts the shock from the collision appears to have been, comparatively speaking, very slight. They immediately looked out, & saw the train on fire – the flames mounting high up in the air. The jumped out as quickly as possible, & Scrambled up a steep bank, where they sat for an hour. They saw some of the people cut & bruised, & some who were burnt also – for the whole catastrophe occurred in a few minutes; & I believe the carriage in which they had been was consumed afterwards. The party consisted of eleven persons – Ly. Ab. 2 daughters, 2 little boys, L^d Hamilton, & servants – & not one of them had a scratch – only Ly. Ab. was of course a good deal shaken, physically & morally. Having waited by the train an hour, they then went to a gentleman’s house near, & waited 5 hours till the road was cleared; after which they went on, & reached Dublin at one in the morning. L^d Hamilton was taken ill, in the midst of it all – for he had exerted himself very much, & ran back a considerable distance to stop another train, the Express, I believe, which was due in 5 minutes. His mother was very much frightened, for he was gasping for breath, & seemed as if going to faint – but fortunately he soon recovered from this passing indisposition.

We had such a nice visit from Matilda ⁶ at Cotehele ⁷ – She stayed with us a week, & seemed very happy with us, as well as M^r Clark, ⁸ who is so pleasant & facile à vivre. ⁹ We enjoyed their visit so much, & were so glad to shew off the old place in such lovely hot weather. They afterw^ds came here for 2 days – & I have heard of her safe arrival & M^rs Maxwell’s ¹⁰ place n^r Dumfries. Write again soon.

Y^r aff^te sister
Caroline

[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham