Jane Betsy's boys

More than a century and a half ago, Jane Betsy's boys wrote letters, to each other and to their parents, which have been handed down from mother to daughter through five generations. They tell a story. Here are extracts from three. They were written at a time when Charles Dickens was still writing novels and the Archbishop of Canterbury was Archibald Campbell Tait. He is mentioned in one of James Charles's letters. (I've looked him up. One of his pupils at Rugby School was Lewis Carroll. That could well be the reason for James Charles's remark about him!)
    Young Thomas Skinner was eleven when he wrote to his parents from school at Travers House, Great Yarmouth. His letter is on the left of the picture above.
    "My dear parents I have great pleasure in writing to tell you we break up on the 13th and our holidays will continue until January 11th 1866. You will be pleased to hear something of our school work. We commence in the morning at nine o'clock and are first examined in a grammar, geography or history lesson prepared the previous evening. At a quarter to ten we have singing, reading the scriptures and prayer. After ten minutes run in the playground we come in to our arithmetic, the working of which is often shown on the blackboard. Then we read until 12, when we are dismissed.
   We again assemble at two and have another reading lesson in which our teacher is particular that we read distinctly and, with proper emphasis and at the close we are questioned on what we had read and on the meaning and spelling of the difficult words. We next have writing and then arithmetic and spelling.
   Trusting I have profited by these exercises, I am, my dear parents, your affectionate son, Thomas Skinner.
   In March 1867, Thomas received a letter from his brother James from his lodgings at 112 Milton Street, Dorset Square, North West London. He was studying medicine on a course run by the Apothecaries Hall, City of London.
   "Dear Brother Thomas, I received a letter from you about a week ago. You gave me a long account of your rabbits, but did not tell me anything about your studies. I could not make out from your note whether you were a boarder at Mr Tomkins or a lodger at Grandfather's. (This would be grandfather James Skinner, retired farmer who was living in St George's Road, Yarmouth) I am glad to hear you are at school where you will be able, if you work, to improve your manners, expand your intellect and grow in knowledge. If you don't succeed at first, try, try again and diligence shall be rewarded, perseverance shall be crowned with success. Learning is a thing which you cannot buy at a shop like a pound of sugar or an ounce of tea, but must be acquired by oneself by hard, slow work. If you learn thus you can enjoy your play better. 
   I am at present studying very hard for an exam in April. The weather is very cold now. I am quite well, hoping you are the same. With kind love to all friends and relations, your affectionate brother, J.C. Skinner."

P.S. Excuse the bad handwriting & mistakes, I cannot find time to rewrite the letter.

Remember me kindly to grandfather and Miss Minister.
    On November 29th 1869, James Charles wrote to his father from the same address.
    "Dear Father, I received your letter last  Thursday. Though I am concentrating all my energies on my studies, I can't say much about my abilities. If they had been as great as my perseverance, I should not now be an undergraduate, but a fully fledged bird. Like the tortoise in Aesop's fable which beat the hare that went to sleep in a race, slow and steady work may prove the most successful in the end, but, no doubt, improvement in method of work and acquirement of knowledge can be effected. It is difficult to judge for the right at times and requires the wisdom of seven men to come to the right conclusion. About the week night appointments at Wickhampton being fixed on the darkest nights is a valid and serious objection in a country village. I have mentioned it to one preacher but he cannot see his way out of it at present. I am glad the stove is being finished, I shall be glad to hear if it answers with a fire in it. About your epitome of losses, I have nothing to say except you have only given one side of the question. The happiness of our lives depends to some extent upon the light we look at things in general. Farming has its ups and downs as well as other trades and professions.  Facts are stubborn things and hints often prove suggestive.
   I suppose, having bought some bullocks, you have begun to pull your turnips. I hope you have a good crop this year and that having turned money into bullocks you will succeed in returning bullocks into money & profits. Then you may have been said to have made a very good bit.
   The hamper arrived safe on Saturday with the following things, five rabbits, 1 pint butter, 3 jars of preserve, linen including 2 night gowns, 3 flannel day shirts, 10 pairs of stockings, 14 pocket handkerchiefs, collars, points and 2 brown bags, the use of which to Harry or myself is a mystery. I looked in vain for the long expected lamp.
   It rained here on Saturday, all day, and is very wet today. In a letter from Thomas, he informed me that Rosa May had a fever, you have not hinted any such thing in your note.
   One of the medical journals says the Archbishop of Canterbury is suffering from an affliction of the brain of a serious nature. It is very doubtful if he will ever recover.

   I am pretty well trusting all at home are in good health.
    With kind love to all, your affectionate son J.C.Skinner.