From Thomas Waters Sr. to his wife Elizabeth Waters (July 28, 1836)

[Thomas Waters, R.M., to his wife. Elizabeth]
Addressed to Mrs Waters, King Street, Woolwich, Kent

£40 King Street Woolwich 28 July 1836

Sir, Two months after date please to pay to Mr. Young or Bearer Forty pounds for value received–

Tho^s. Waters Capt. R¹. Marines

Mess^rs. Cox & Son

Hatton Garden London

My Dearest Love

I am afraid I wrote yesterday in to much confusion to be quite intelligible, the truth is I was told at half past 10 there were no letters for me at the post, and it being market day I was strolling about to see what was to be seen, as the market before, I kept in house and Hindle told me it was worth seeing, therefore when I returned to my room between 12 & 1 o Clock and found a letter on my table from my sweetest Love, with so little time to answer it, I was surprised, delighted, and vexed at not being in when it arrived, to have proper time to answer it; I first thought to answer it the next day, then I thought you wanted an answer immediately as you said you had friday and saturday only to fit out Joseph, therefore I turned to and wrote as I could with numberless blunders; I think my affection for you increases with my age as time unfolds to me your increasing admirable qualities; May the Almighty preserve you to the end of my life and long after for the benefit of our children, is the fervent prayer of your more and more, if possible, attached Husband. I first wrote the Draft
without putting in two months date and when I had written Mr. Cox’s note, I found I had dated the Draft at Newark, consequently, it would be of no use without a stamp therefore I wrote another, dated from Woolwich, which also I cannot say much for, and besides I doubt if it will save the stamp where it is made payable at a distant period only, instead of payable at sight, but however if
there is any difficulty, Mr Cox, I have no doubt on explanation, will set things right, probably you will have to draw the bill yourself, perhaps on a stamp, I believe 2/ but I do not know- I hope Col Nicholls is better, make my most grateful acknowledgements to him and to Mrs.Nicholls, and to your very excellent friend Miss Nicholls, my best thanks also to Mr Laird with most respectful compliments-

I am afraid you will find yourself straitened in pecuniary matters but I hope you will bare up and if they press hard you will not fail to acquaint me with your difficulties, I am confident with firmness of mind and an implicit reliance on the Almighty, we shall get over them. Your exertions I am sure, as well as mine, will not be wanting, where ever I can help you I will, and my dear children I hope they are well and good, and will not be given to untruth; do take care of yourself, it is a cold you have caught, you are too careless of yourself, your health is your husbands life – You must not be in too much haste for Mr Sillifants’ letter as it may be some days before he gets yours from Coombe it is not likely he hears every day from the place, and then he may not have the cash in the house conveniently to spare; I think you had better draw five pounds a week from the Saving Bank untill the difficulty is over, but that or any other plan judge for yourself –

I stoped at the Inn (Swan & Salmon) from Saturday to tuesday and then as soon as my things arrived I took I took lodgings, I was continually looking for a house or a part of a house unfurnished but could find none that would anything like suit and although my lodgings are good there is no garden nor even a yard to itself and the street is rather narrow my sitting room is large lofty and well furnished, over an Italian Carver & gilder’s shop —

Hindle goes on very well, he is my marked man, I am to find my owns coals but not for cooking, and candles, new milk is 2d pr quart coals from 9/ to 14/ pr Ton the best price coals are all in immense large blocks, without a bit of small, and the others are nearly all small and, they say, do not cake well- I have made out another Draft on my agent to see if that will do better, and if it will not do, you must ask Mr Cox to allow you to draw one, it will be of the same value I imagine to Capt. Young –

I will pay the postage for letters from you, and more letters the better, but do not expect too many from me as letter writing is one of my many deficiencies, and you will pay for those which I send – remember in your directions Newark Nottingham, as there is a town of the same name in Northampton I remain Dearest Love 

Yours affectionately

        Tho^s. Waters

John Sillifant Esq. Brookfield Teignmouth should you have to call on Mr.Cox his house is far on, on the right of Hatton Garden, it leads out of Holborn, if you go from Charing Cross, go to Fleet Street, turn up Fetter Lane and cross over to Hatton, a little way down Holborn there is a map at home Joseph will show you