Emma Jane receives a letter with a love note concealed inside


With many underlinings and a really difficult letter to decipher. I have done my best with this one. The rest is below.
 I thought this was two letters at first, but, very faint in pencil is a sort of coded love note written across a couple of addresses. 43, Havering Street, Commercial Road, London and 30, Bower or Bouvier Street, which were also in pencil. I thought at first, the pencil notes were just random jottings, until I saw at the end of the list of words "read up and down". Starting from the left hand side, it reads "You love me not, But if I find that, I love you, that if you love and you will see.
   Jane Bennett could therefore send the letter so that the " Dear Emma Jane" was on one side and her signature was on the other, with the note of special love for her Mama. The blank page with the faint pencil notes would not be noticed, or if it was it would look like a few random scribblings, which I thought it was at first.  Here is my best interpretation of the letter:-

Red Lion Street, June 17th 1873 (Norwich)

Dear Emma Jane,

    Though silent for some time your old friend has not forgotten you, but really I have passed through so many and unexpected changes lately that my time has been usefully (amply) employed – just fancy, my dear Husband and child going abroad. It seemed such a (curse) crush to my feelings at first, but then like all things else, travel smoothly on (time smooths it) – must trust in the “Lord” and do the right – I often think of that promise “all things shall (lock) work together" (to say that) for good to them that “Love the Lord” the path may be lonely, but all shall be well at last – going forward (or if found treading?) in the footsteps of the “Redeemer” –  and how difficult that is sometimes.
    So glad to hear from my sister of your happy engagement – dear E J I have very very great pleasure in congratulating you both – he is a fine handsome young man – but he has, I hear a bird whispers, beauty of mind, which after all, is the grand thing. When you come to Norwich be sure and give me a peep. I don’t like to ask you to visit me now or stay because I could not make you comfortable, being engaged all day in business. I have set my heart upon it  you know I shall be always delighted to see your dear face – I am getting a quiet living for my two little boys and self and am thankful if I can only “jog” along with (don't) care.
   I have heard from Mr Bennett and Barnard. They had a comfortable voyage on the whole last week, but were both very very sea sick –( all they know of), Oh! the horror of such a sensation. Poor Barnard (tries. My) says Ma dear, it was awful. My Corry (her son) is with Uncle Walter. I was afraid I had lost him a few weeks since he’s took so little, but now looks quite himself.
   You will please give my love to Louisa – and your brother whom I hope are all quite well. Mrs Allard (Emma Jane’s aunt Charlotte, who is mentioned in Jane Betsy's letter and married to a farmer) I hear is getting nicely in her health. Poor things (they had a heavy fund in losing near fifty to levy from sister) or a heavy loss in losing their daughter Libby at the age of 17 –  I cannot realise it. Mrs Howlett has in the moving looking wonderfully well. Mr Howlett (a music salesman) has been out staying for a week at some distance seeming to have engaged at very good wages – hoping to receive that promised letter as soon as convenient.

    Love Believe me
    Yours sincerely
    Jane Bennett

Wednesday  P.S. You will please to give my special love to your Mama. Adieu.

 Mrs Howlett is Mary Ann Howlett.Jane Bennett is her sister, both are first cousins of Jane Betsy's and Emma Jane's through her mother/grandmother Harriet Crow(e) Bately. Mrs Charlotte Allard is Jane Betsy's sister. Other sisters of Jane Betsy's are married to farmers also,  Louisa to Sherwood William Page, Emma to Alfred Neave and Eliza Charlotte to John Skinner. 




Comments

Barbara Critchley said…
Since writing this, I have discovered Jane Bennett was married at Tunstall in 1860 and my 2nd great grandparents Jane Betsy and James Pollard Skinner were witnesses as her father, William Barnard Crow had died by that time. Jane Bennett, her husband and children emigrated to the United States. As her letter indicates, her husband and Barnard took a voyage across the Atlantic, perhaps to make arrangements for full emigration. I am guessing Barnard ran a Wherry or worked on steam ships, as Jane says it is a "sensation" to hear he was seasick. Jane's letter was the most difficult to decipher.
December 6, 2020 at 9:24 AM
Barbara Critchley said…
I thought I had updated this posting. My co-researcher and distant cousin S.H has pointed out that the Allard's daughter Libby had died, aged only 17 by this time and it is Libby rather than a "levy" who is being referred to in this letter. It was Libby who wrote to Jane Betsy to apologise for being light hearted with Harry at a time when the family were mourning the loss of his brother James Charles at the London Fever Hospital, where he had been working.
July 2, 2023 at 8:45 AM
Barbara Critchley said…
Further to my last comment, I have added cousin and co-researcher S H's interpretation of Jane Bennett's letter above, leaving my original text in brackets in places.
July 5, 2023 at 3:34 PM
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