ES_letter_1840-03-18

Another dutiful letter by Elizabeth Slater sent from school to her family

This short letter gives insights into several aspects of social life at the time. Expresses concern for family, her diligence at school and how she is making a small han-made gift in wool for her mother.

Most impressive of all is her most elegant copperplate handwriting through out.

Transcription. es_letter_1840-03-18 to Father

Ashbourne. March18th 1840

My dear Father

I received your very kind letter on Saturday and hasten to answer it as you are, I know, anxious to hear from me. Thank you for the Atlas you have been so good as to send, I shall find it very useful in assisting me in my studies of geography.

It is a comfort to me to know that my dear Mother’s health is improving, will you tell her I am working a tea-pot stand in Wool, it is to have a very pretty bored to it, and I think she will like it much, for it will be very useful. Miss Pitcock thought

Page 2

I had better not begin a larger piece of work for with my French, drawing and other studies, I have not much time to devote to work. I hope my dear brothers and sisters are quite well, I often think of them and wonder how they are going on at school, this fine weather is very pleasant for them and I daresay they enjoy their walks to Brinsley and back again. The Miss Pitdcocks send their kind regards and wish me to mention that the sack of Flour arrived safely – give my best love to my dear Mother, brothers and sisters accept it yourself and believe me to be dear Father,

Your very affectionate daughter

Elizabeth Slater.

Front address panel:

Mr Slater

Eastwood,

Nottinghamshire

Prepaid

Post mark = (Ash)BOURN(e)

MA 18 1840

Also added in pencil:

5 Letter

March 18 1840

There are several deductions that we can draw from this letter. First that Elizabeth’s parents appeared very impressed and delighted to receive her letters. As evidence of this, we notice that they appear to be storing them in sequence ordered in their own handwriting on the outer cover. (This one appears to be number 5)

Obviously many parents save their children’s school work for a time as it appeals as both cute and as a mark of progress in their development. But here we have an example of what at first sight is a mundane letter being saved first by her parents (Caleb Slater) but then also by his son, Elizabeth’s brother (William Slater) whom we have identified as the collator of all the early letters that feature in the Thomas Jackson collection.

Ashbourne was 20 miles away from her home town of Eastwood and so Elizabeth was clearly staying at a girls boarding school for her secondary education. The principals of the school appeared to be two sisters “Miss Pidcocks” into whose hands Caleb had entrusted his daughter.

Thus is the second letter we have encountered which refers to Caleb having sent a gift of Flour to the Miss Pidcocks. We are unsure what the connection was to make that appropriate.

The syllabus of the school was quite broad and covered Geography (she had just received an Atlas from her father), French, and “other studies”. Judging by the immaculate handwriting, Caleb had good reason to be pleased with Elizabeth’s progress.