| Description | [Diary Transcription]
260
1835
November Sunday 29
7 40/..
11 20/..
No kiss fine morning ready in 50 minutes and breakfast at 8 1/2 — A- [Ann] off at 9 to the school
I sat downstairs reading yesterday’s H-x [Halifax] Guardian till 10 at which hour Fahrenheit 44°. — in the garden a little
while talking to Marian who hears from Jane her lady’s maid and the head house maid that Mary is very poorly and Marian
thinks she had better go home — afraid A- [Ann] will think she is not kind about Mary but there is nobody
to nurse her and she is not likely to be better — then a little while with my aunt — then at 11 sat
down to write to M- [Mariana] A- [Ann] returned about 11 1/2 — told her about Mary — she A- [Ann] had been thinking
of her — thought of putting her for the winter into the vacant cottage at Lightcliffe — I against this —
chiefly because A- [Ann] ought not to go and see Mary — A-’s [Ann] own lungs not strong enough to bear
exposure to phthisical contagion — better let poor Mary go home, and allow her 5/.
a week — by bit and bit had finished at one my letter to M- [Mariana] 3 ppages and ends and under the seal —
Kind letter ‘I shall not often plead ‘want of time’ as an excuse for not writing, so
‘long as you assure me your promise is kept — I mean your promise to be satisfied with a
‘few lines, hurried, or not, as may be’ — have not much leisure ‘nor do I expect anything
‘1/2 so valuable till my present numerous concerns are more nearly disposed of’ — give
her credit for managing so well about her niece Percy placed at Miss Hernaman’s school
at Torquay — surprised at the small of her expense (£50) for 800 miles journey to Torquay
and back from York and back in a fortnight (M- [Mariana] and her niece) per coach —
hope for continued good accounts — ‘I again look forward with heartfelt pleasure to Percy’s living to reward you
‘for all your anxiety and care — It is a great comfort to me to think your happiness is now
‘fairly on the advance — Trust me, Mary, all will be well; and you will tell me, by and by,
‘I have been the truer prophet of the two — only take care of your health, and you will
‘satisfy me; for all the rest s’arrangera avec le temps [will get better with time]’ hope her journey has
done her good — glad Mrs. Duffin ‘is quite assured that you and I are on the best possible
‘terms — she (as well as others) may wonder at your passing me by, apparently unheeded,
‘so often — but it may cease to be observed by and by, more especially as I do not think any one
‘here knows anything about it’ — ask what market town Polmaily is nearest to — (M- [Mariana]
mentions Mrs. Milne and Duncan being on a visit to the Camerons (cousins to Lochiel) of
Polmaily — glad M- [Mariana] admired Tor abbey near Torquay, the seat of the Careys —
mention Mrs. Cameron’s being aunt to the Countess de Blucher — as the Lawton’s stay at Lawton is uncertain after
‘their rent day (Tuesday next) ‘and Xmas [Christmas] is nearing fast, I will not wait but enclose, in this letter;
‘a fifty-pounds bank of England bill, no. [number] 1612, dated Manchester 2 May 1835, which bill I hope
‘you will receive safe — write, if but a line or 2, immediately on your receiving it — If it had to pass through the
‘Paris post-office, I durst not risk it nowadays — I told you ages ago, I was obliged to
‘look after my coal, for fear of having it stolen — my first pit, begun about fifteen months
[margin text:] vide next page
Remittance to M- [Mariana]
261
1835
November
+
L
‘since, was sunk to the bottom last week — is about a hundred and ten yards deep, and said to be one of the
‘handsomest pits in this country — Some time next spring, I hope to be ready for beginning a 2nd pit
‘to be about 60 yards deep — I am glad you think my ‘northgate Hotel’ likely to answer — Can
‘you find me a good tenant? I spare no expense in making it as convenient as I can — there will be on the
‘ground floor sitting rooms 5 besides the bar and Casino
‘1st. floor ditto ditto 2 connected with bedrooms
‘1st. floor Bedrooms 12 and Bathroom and 3 water closets
‘2nd ditto ditto ditto 30 and 3 water closets
‘there will also be 2 bedrooms over the coach office and tap-room, and there will besides be rooms over some of the
‘stabling, near the house, that will dine and lodge a hundred soldiers (should so many billets ever fall
‘upon the hotel, without the least crowding or inconvenience — there will be stabling for sixty
‘horses, and everything else, in the 2 stable-courts, in proportion — I shall not grow rich upon this
‘pile of building; but if I do not lose much by it, and if I get a good tenant, one who will
‘make everybody comfortable, I shall be satisfied tèr et ampliùs [thrice and more]’ — Inquire after her own
health, and Mr. Lawton’s, and that of her friend in Paris — ‘my aunt has rallied a little and sends her
‘love — Ever, my dearest Mary, very affectionately and especially yours AL’ — At the school in 16 minutes (fast
going compared with 25 minutes) at 2 10/.. — I waited in the carriage 1/2 hour reading the few 1st. ppages of Rennie’s alphabet
of medical botany — Mr. Wilkinson all the duty — could hardly see even by waxlight — at least
made many mistakes in the prayers and lesson — preached 1/4 hour from John vii. 17 — too rainy
this afternoon as well as last Sunday to call at Cliff hill — home at 4 1/2 — dressed — then till 5 35/.. wrote all
but the 1st 13 lines of today and wrote copy of note for her to write to West the schoolm
aster of Bulmer she did not take well this morning Marian’s sspeaking about Mary’s going home
Marian quite right and very kind about it but poor A [Ann] cannot bear the least thing she
does not herself join in originating she thought Marian or rather Jane wanted
to get rid of Mary and Jane or Marian might get easily rid of her A [Ann] too what would you
go without poney yes under some circumstance I care not now but if she
does go without me I will take care about her coming back again ~ I merely
observed to M- [Mariana] on the subject of her returning to Lawton on Friday ‘I conclude you would pass by here
‘on Friday — I hope you are by this time as comfortably resettled at Lawton as your uncertain prospect of remaining there will permit’ — this was midway
my 1st. page — it was near the end of the 2nd page I made the observation vide line 24 last page — sent
off my letter to ‘Mrs. Lawton Lawton hall Lawton Cheshire’ having enclosed the £50 bill
vide last page and having written Anne Lister at the back, close under the side of the y in fifty after the £.
signifying the sum of the bill — dinner at 6 1/4 — coffee 20 minutes with my father and Marian — read the paper —
and wrote out and paid George’s account (of the last week but one) till 9 1/2 — then went to my aunt 25 minutes till 10 then
tea — fine day till between 1 and 2 p.m. afterwards very rainy afternoon and evening — Fahrenheit 42° and wet night
at 11 p.m. —
[margin text:] Account of Northgate Hotel.
vide last page
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