[Thomas Waters, R.M., to his wife, Elizabeth]
Addressed to Mrs Capt.Waters, R.M., King Street, Woolwich, Kent
Birmingham 15 June 1840
My dear Wife,
As I am sending up recruits I take the same opportunity of sending a Sovereign for Hindle’s wife for the beginning of next month should he wish one to be given to her, it seems that he and his Wife want to see each other, there is a suit of uniforms due and I suppose she wants him to get the money for them, and for that purpose he must go to Head Q.rs himself for it, her letters I believe lately have been sweeter than usual, her eldest son is become unmanageable, he gets all the money he can lay his hands on and spends it, she cannot lay a half penny down but he will have it if he can for his own use. I believe Hindle takes up the recruits. I send you some Cocoa which I brought from Woolwich, John’s suits me very well, my health is excellent, but I have an extraordinary keen appetite, the poor people are so nice in their appetite, although so dirty, that they peel their potatoes before they boil them, and I suppose they will not eat brown bread for I can get none really brown, there is what is called cheap bread, and there is eight penny also. I send half a dozen Souvenirs 6d, I also send Evenings at Home 1/6 and Buffon’s Natural History 1/6, one may amuse and the other entertain the young folks, at all events you may see I think of them. Drapery I think is dearer here than with you, of a good quality, I have not bought any, but darning cotton No.16 is 3/s per lb. I am told there has not been any needles made in London these many years, they are chiefly made at Redditch, an extensive Hamlet about 12 miles from Birmingham, I shall be going there I think in a few weeks and perhaps I may get some. you must tell me the sorts and what sort of darning Needles, pins I believe you prefer short whites- I have sent you 3 salt spoons 3d I thought them pretty, and 2 other spoons 1 l/2d, the fact is I went into a shop to look for bone or ivory sugar spoons and found there were none but the master was so very civil and attentive that I was induced to lay out 4 l/2d particularly as I had been in another shop a short time before where the people were imposing, they asked me a shilling for a com… looking bone spoon that was hardly fit to put to table excepting for the kitchen, they then said I might have it for eightpence and then were rude in their manner because I would not buy it, for I do not believe it was worth more than three or four pence The 2 that I have sent if they were a little larger I think would serve, they are quite as good looking as those that I was asked a shilling for at the other shop. I bought the two books last friday on purpose to send home, thursday friday and saturday were fair days, and I never saw such a fair in my life before, such crowds of folks, stalls, shows, cattle but the police do a deal of good here in keeping the rogues in awe.
Love to my dear Children I remain
Your affectionate Husband
Thos. Waters