WCP7238

[1]¹

61 Clyde Rd West Didsbury M/C²

Feb 22nd 1904

My dear Pa

With reference to your enquiries about genealogical data I have just been looking up my notes & your letters & have come across such a startling coincidence that I must tell it you first, as I think it may lead to further clues which may help us in the matter.

I went to Hanworth before I went to Mcl[?] i.e. before I joined this company.

The manager of the Mcl[?] office during my time was a M^r Joseph P. Sleigh whom by the way I had known before, but this is not important.

The curious fact is that Sleigh & I had such a strong resemblance [2] that I was continually being mistaken for him — he of course being widely known in the district.

Our mutual friends admitted we were strikingly alike & Sleigh's wife even admitted it, I believe.

Only a month ago I was twice accosted in the works as 'M^r Sleigh'.

Of course, what helped the confusion was that we both wore yellow beards & our hair was of same colour.

Now up till this evening I have always considered this quite accidental & so it may be, but, imagine my surprise on again looking at the Vicar of Laleham's letter, which I had totally forgotten, to see the name Frances Sleigh, daughter of James Wallace.³ died Dec. 12 1820 aet[atis suae] 69 [3] Now Sleigh is not a common name & my natural thought is that we may be related.

I am therefore writing to Sleigh tonight to ask him if he has any information about his ancestors & will let you know the result.

I may say Sleigh & I have a good deal in common he was a theosophist (not that I am) but he was an enquirer into everything — scientific — socialistic & unorthodox.

I enclose all the letters I can find relating to the question & find my notes are very meagre as I only noted that [4] the "Mary Wallace" cut her throat through a love affair with the then rector & that no mention of Wallaces occur in [the] Register for 1773 or 1780 or 1734.

There is a note. "March 13 1802 S^r J. W.⁴ funeral £2. 10. 0", but this does not agree with the date in the letter which is "1803" but this may be my error.

It's past 10 P.M. so I must say good night & write to friend Sleigh.

Love to Ma⁵

Your affectionate Son | W.G. Wallace [signature]

P.S. What you say about Riley⁶ having spoilt "Leonaimie"⁷ in 4 places is rather an hibernian argument — surely he would be more likely to spoil it than Poe,⁸ especially as you have such a poor opinion of him. I cant[sic] see the use of writing on the subject — either he did or he did not; this must be proved not reasoned upon. If he can prove it you will make yourself ridiculous!

dont you think it is rather undignified to dispute a man's claim to the authorship of a poem when you cannot possibly prove anything? & when, in a way [it] is none of your business? People can believe what they like & the poems just as good. Poe's dead! Why trouble yourself and get drawn into what will probably become a personal dispute? You could criticise the [1 word illeg.] if you [doubted[?] it!