From Thomas Waters Sr. to his wife Elizabeth Waters (July 28, 1842)

[Thomas Waters, R.M., to his wife, Elizabeth]

Addressed to Mrs Capt.Waters R.M., King Street, Woolwich

[this is the first letter to bear a stamp- a penny red]

Bull Plain 28 July 1842

My Dear Wife

Your letter of the 20th gave me very great pleasure to find you in such good spirits and especially the possibility that I may have the felicity of seeing you at Hertford where I would certainly do my best to make you comfortable, and happy also if I could, I think it must be gratifying to you to think that I am within only a mornings walk of you, or a 5 or 6 shillings ride, instead of 20 or 30 Shillings or being away at Sea where we cannot see each other at all until it shall please Providence to pay the ship off.  I received your Woolwich paper of the 16th.  Benjimen should learn a little carpentering in order to mend his rabbet hutches, if the cat gets hold of any of the young rabbets it is probable she will never give over afterwards, if one dies it is best to bury it deep in the garden for fear the cat should get hold of it and take a liking to rabbets.  The Serjeant showed me my lodgings as soon as I came and I immediately engaged them, they are fine large rooms, but the outside and the situation are by no means showy, the people respectable, the house clean, the garden neat, water plentiful and I have but little way to go for pleasant walks, but I have no view from the house, indeed some very genteel looking houses are no better situated, the town itself is by no means showy, it is small, rather compact, not near so large as Rochdale, but pretty well furnished with gardens and pleasure grounds the country richly wooded and watered, some noble Parks open to the public; there is a delightful walk in one of the churchyards, a large one, not far from where I lodge, surrounded by a double row of lofty chestnut trees, the branches interwoven so that a person may walk there dry in the wettest weather with an Umbrella over his head, as long as he likes, or in the shade in the most sunny day, last thursday was a rainy day and the two nights preceding, with thunder and lightening, I shall be glad when you can get constant good nights with Nancy, poor little thing it will be a comfort to her as well as to you and Mary.  My landlord I do not know whether I have seen, I believe he drives a stage coach of his own to Broxbourne and back, with his wife I engaged my lodgings, they are young folks, they keep a maid servant, and are I believe nice people, Elms tells me they have no children of their own although there are two or three in the house at times, relations I suppose, well behaved and not at all obtrusive for I seldom see or hear them. A person may come here for 4/8, reckoning 8d from Woolwich to London bridge, but you should hire a cab from the bridge to take you and your trunk to the Northern and Eastern rail way which probably would be about 9d or a shilling at most. probably it is best to agree before hand but there is a stated fare which they have no right to exceed and any one acquainted well with London will tell you how much it ought to be, at the rail station there is a large Room to sit in to wait as long as necessary, the train in the morning starts at 8 oC. at 1/2 past 9.- 1/2 past 11, and in the Afternoon at 1/2 past 1 oC.- 1/2 past 3 – 1/2 past 4,- 1/2 past 5 and 8 oClock, fare in the first Class,(that is best class coaches,) and which you ought to take is 4/s which takes you to Broxbourne 16 miles thence to Hertford by stage coach inside passengers 1/6 – 5 miles and then I trust you will come comfortable from Woolwich to Hertford for 7/2 without walking further than from your house to Rolf’s Wharf.  I am glad you have begun to Preserve, best Potatoes here are 4d a gallon.

Elms paid nothing for his baggage, for he is allowed to carry 56 lb in 2nd class coach, he said he gave a man a pot of beer to carry the portmantua and show him to the rail station, but you know I gave him l/s which covered the expence, and he saved 2d by going to London bridge instead by Blackwall, to Shoreditch and had no further I believe to walk than he would have had the other way, he is not remarkably attentive, he has very little indeed to do, and where that is the case you know that little is generally to much, 1/2 past 7 appears to be too early for him to come here in the morning to boil my chocolate by 8 oC., and perhaps he thinks it soon enough if he can be here in time to boil my potatoes every day and cook a bit of mutton once in two or three days, by a 1/4 after 4 instead of by 4 oClock but I hope he will mend by and by, for the way is not intricate and difficult, his new dress which he brought with him pleases him vastly, I do not think he likes well to be out of it of a fine day, I shall be glad if he keeps out of bad company he is not given to words which is a good thing and I dare say he will get better when he has looked about a little.  Friday I walked to St.Albans 12 miles, got there about 1/4 past 6 in the morning, found the Serjeant, as usual, not up, in coming back passed through the Marquis of Salisbury’s Deer park at Hatfield, saw his noble mansion, was back again by a 1/4 to 2 oC.-  Monday I walked to Bishops Stortford 14 miles, got there just after 6 in the morning, neither of my party up, a respectable looking town, Malting is the staple of the place, I was back before 1oC.- Elms is attentive now, perhaps it was a new thing to him to have so little to do, with so much liberty and therefore had lost himself for a short time.  I walked to London on Wednesday purposely to get your Tablet fitted to the Pencil, but as they could not quite fit the tablet to the pencil, they fitted the pencil to the Tablet, altering both a little, but they said that pencils might be bought two sizes smaller, at least, which I have no doubt may, and would fit very well, which can be done when another pencil is wanted.  I got to London before 7 oC., the first 18 miles before 6 in the morning.  I got back to Hertford a 1/4 before 4 in the afternoon, I was wet through in going to London, for it began to rain at 1/2 past 3 & continued till 1/2 past 9. What a terrible night of thunder rain and lightening we have had wednesday all night.  I received your paper, I perceive by it the Rev.^d J.Connolly appointed to the William and Mary for the service of the Dock-yard-

With Love to you and sweet Children I remain my dear Wife
Yours Affectionately

          Tho^s. Waters