The Mary Hamilton Papers : Letter from Mary Kerr (née Tompson) to Mary Hamilton

Kerr (née Tompson), Mary

The Mary Hamilton Papers

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Letter from Mary Kerr to Mary Hamilton. She is sad to hear that her friend’s excursion has been sadly interrupted. She asks after the health of her husband and Louisa and explains that she has been meaning to write for a while but has simply not found the time to do it. She explains that her husband and their children in the West Indies are as well as they possibly can be, but that Mrs Kerr [another Mrs Kerr?] has lost her baby George at the beginning of May due to a problem with his bowels. Mary was particularly anxious for this child, knowing how much its mother missed the rest of her children. Her own children are well, however her daughter is almost deaf at the moment after recovering from a bout of scarlet fever. After looking for somewhere else to reside, moving Southward due to her ill health, Mrs Foster has become so ill that she has been forced to return home to Leicester Grange, where she more than likely remain. She appears weaker every time Mary visits. Mrs Fergison stays with her constantly, although her husband cannot be with her all the time.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>She goes on to mention a young half sister of her husband’s; the daughter of a woman his father married, also called Mary Ann. Miss Cockburn and this daughter live on Princes Street in Edinburgh and the young lady has just become engaged to Mr Ewart [Peter Ewart, Manchester Merchant; descendant of the Ewart Family, one of the oldest in Galloway]. She asks if John or Hamilton know him personally.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Kerr carries on to mention the neighbours – ‘the Wakes’, ‘Sir William’, Percival, Mr Spencer, Mr Bouverie, Mr Dickins, Mrs Thornton and her baby girl, who are both doing well and the Gunnings, who have purchased a borough somewhere. Liz Cunningham has paid her a visit, and although she was very pleasant Mary still doesn’t agree with her regarding money matters.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dated at Northampton.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Original reference No. 5.</p>