Letters from Mary Boult hint at gossip about Harry
"Lue" referred to is also a sister. I was able to identify them because they live in Moulton St Mary near the Allards and appear on the same census. Mary Boult is Rebecca Bately (Boult's) granddaughter, which makes her Emma Jane's second cousin, although she signs herself as 'friend Mary.'
I had wondered why Emma Jane had kept the letters until I realised they mention Harry at a time when he had left their home at Tunstall and he was the subject of hot gossip. I think Emma Jane and her brother Harry were quite close. Clearly he is popular with the Boult sisters at Moulton St Mary.
By 1876, Jane Betsy and three of her three surviving daughters, Emma Jane, Laura and Rosa May have moved from the farmhouse at Tunstall to a house on Albion Terrace, Heigham, a suburb of Norwich. The Boults, like so many families in the area are related to Jane Betsy and her daughters.
My researches reveal Mary's father is a farmer who lived near Charlotte and Francis Allard, Emma Jane's aunt and uncle. The latter were penalised with a heavy levy of nearly fifty pounds to one of Charlotte's sisters according to the letter from Jane Bennett (a Crow cousin).
English farmers began to compete with cheap imports from America in the 1870s. From information gleaned from the census forms returned for Emma Jane's cousins, aunts and uncles, they were engaged in "cropping" as Mary Boult's father was. It was typical for the area. Moulton St Mary is away from the River Bure and the mention of stables together with the fetching and carrying mentioned in the letters, suggest it was a hub for cart and carriage transport.
In moving to the city, Jane Betsy and her daughters were doing the same as many families at this time, who were leaving the land because it was less profitable. They moved to the towns and cities to find alternative employment. Once widowed, Jane Betsy and her sisters, who outlived their husbands, had a modest income inherited from their father to maintain their independence. This would have been made up from rents from his land holdings. When my mother and I visited Tunstall in 1991, I had the impression, although nothing was said, the events of the 1870s were stories which had gone into the local folklore. Here are some extracts from Mary Boult's letters which indicate Emma Jane was living in Norwich by early 1876. Her brother Harry, as indicated by his letter was out and about in Sunderland and Norfolk. He marries, Emma in the spring of 1876 and his daughter is born in October of that year. These events are hinted at in Mary's letters.
Moulton, Feb 3rd 1876
"My dear Emma Jane,
Do you think I have quite forgotten you? I feel half ashamed of myself for not having written to you before. Several times I have said to Lue (Louisa her sister) "I must try and write a line to E Jane today, but somehow the time passed without my having done so. I know you will forgive me tho' I know I scarcely deserve it.
Thank you very much dear girl for your kind present at the Xmas, tho' I am very sorry you should have done it. Those verses are beautiful.
The little diary I am using to note down each day – today's text heads this letter.
I hear you have been over to Wickhampton. I should so much liked to have seen you, but I suppose you did not remain long enough to call, but you will not let an opportunity pass will you? I have not been able to get to Norwich yet and I suppose must not expect to do so for some time.– but I have now been downstairs a fortnight.
We do so miss your Mamma and you at Wickhampton. I expect you are quite settled in your new home. How is your Mamma? You did not mention her – please give my love to her and ask her, if you will, to enclose a line when you next write. I should be glad and should feel it a great privilege. Hope you will write soon and let me have a nice long letter. I do enjoy receiving the letters from my Christian friends. I had such a nice encouraging letter from Frank (probably Francis Allard). What a blessing his letters have been to me you can little imagine. I believe I showed you one.
Pray for me Emma. I do not forget you.
With fondest love to yourself, Mamma and dear little Rosa. How is she now?
Believe me ever
Your affectionate friend Mary Boult.
Morley House, Oct 26th/76
Dearest Emma,
It is too bad of me not to have let you have even a line all these weeks - and especially not to have answered your letter last week. Do not upon any account send the ferns back. I thought I told your Mamma if they did not sell, they were to be planted in your fernery at the bottom of the garden. I suppose I did not make myself understood, so please put them in garden at once I have ordered half a doz briar stands for you which I will send up on Sat, if possible, if not the first opportunity, they will take no harm for they are inlaid - I thought I would tell you that your Mamma may be be deciding and planning where to plant them and at the right time I will come and bud them for you – and show you how to do it - of course I arrange this provided all is well.
I cannot answer your letter for I have left it at home. You know (I suppose) that your aunt and uncle are in London they went last Friday and return this afternoon. I have not been there all the time during their absence for I went home on Sat... and returned yesterday. Miss Beck is now busy with the butter and wants me to look at her doing it – it was so cold I could not remain – but must now go and see her again and as the boy has to go to the train this afternoon I want him to take this when he goes home to dinner. When I came here, your aunt asked about Mr H for she had heard something. So I told her exactly how it was, you are not angry with me are you? You said I must judge for myself what I said about it – I cannot quite understand what you meant in your letter, I suppose I shall some time.
Give my love to Laura. I do hope she has not wanted her book. I will send it Saturday if I can – I quite expected to see her at chapel as I heard her promise James she would go there. With best love to your Mamma, Rosa and your dear self.
From your affectionate friend Mary
P. S. Excuse this hurry, for I must go and send it today as I do not want the ferns back.
Moulton Hall, Dec 5th/76
Dearest Emma,
I was sorry and disappointed when your uncle said on Saturday that you had returned to Norwich. Had I known you were not going to stay longer than that I should have asked to see you on Thursday, but finding you had been engaged with Mrs Crane, I thought well, I shall see her on Sunday – so you can imagine my disappointment. Why did you not come forward, I would only have kept you a minute. I was very glad to hear on Sunday that Mrs Harry S is improving and trust now, with God's blessing she will be quite well again. Libbie was in Norwich on Saturday and I asked her to call for and pay for the "Pathway of Power" – I am sorry to say she also brought home the December number, but if you would like them, I will now send you the numbers for the whole year, so you can read them before they are bound. – I have told Jarrold you will still call for my books the beginning of each month you will now find them to be "The Herald of Mercy" & Methodist Visitor – but please do not again send them by post – someone, either cousin Boult or Mr Allard I am sure would bring them if Harry is not there and they are – and if you cannot send them down to the stables, keep them another week – we are never in a hurry for them. I suppose you wonder why I have not written before. I only returned home yesterday really, since Aug. I do not scarcely seem to have been at home – a lady came here and on seeing me addressed me with this – "Well Miss Gad-About are you really at home now?"
I am very glad to be once more at home – although I have enjoyed my visits overmuch and am now very busy trying to finish the night dresses I had commenced before I came to yours. We are now anxiously looking for news of my brother's arrival. The vessel is due at Liverpool last Tuesday Nov 20th – at present we know nothing – Libby is going to write to the "Company" today to know if they have heard anything of the vessel – tis the "Jarmatian" belonging to the "Allen Steam Line"; – truth we shall soon hear something. Mamma is in a state of great anxiety – which you can sympathise with – I hope with the Lord's will he will soon arrive safely.
You must excuse this hurried note but I do not feel much inclined for writing as you may suppose. I hope Laura received her hymn book all right. I did it up before I left home. Give her my love and thanks. Also my love to your Mamma and Rosa – tell Rosa I hope she will read some of the tales in my books, they are so pretty some of them. I hope you will write me a long letter soon telling me all your doings.
Best love from your affectionate
Friend Mary.
My researches reveal Mary's father is a farmer who lived near Charlotte and Francis Allard, Emma Jane's aunt and uncle. The latter were penalised with a heavy levy of nearly fifty pounds to one of Charlotte's sisters according to the letter from Jane Bennett (a Crow cousin).
English farmers began to compete with cheap imports from America in the 1870s. From information gleaned from the census forms returned for Emma Jane's cousins, aunts and uncles, they were engaged in "cropping" as Mary Boult's father was. It was typical for the area. Moulton St Mary is away from the River Bure and the mention of stables together with the fetching and carrying mentioned in the letters, suggest it was a hub for cart and carriage transport.
In moving to the city, Jane Betsy and her daughters were doing the same as many families at this time, who were leaving the land because it was less profitable. They moved to the towns and cities to find alternative employment. Once widowed, Jane Betsy and her sisters, who outlived their husbands, had a modest income inherited from their father to maintain their independence. This would have been made up from rents from his land holdings. When my mother and I visited Tunstall in 1991, I had the impression, although nothing was said, the events of the 1870s were stories which had gone into the local folklore. Here are some extracts from Mary Boult's letters which indicate Emma Jane was living in Norwich by early 1876. Her brother Harry, as indicated by his letter was out and about in Sunderland and Norfolk. He marries, Emma in the spring of 1876 and his daughter is born in October of that year. These events are hinted at in Mary's letters.
Moulton, Feb 3rd 1876
"My dear Emma Jane,
Do you think I have quite forgotten you? I feel half ashamed of myself for not having written to you before. Several times I have said to Lue (Louisa her sister) "I must try and write a line to E Jane today, but somehow the time passed without my having done so. I know you will forgive me tho' I know I scarcely deserve it.
Thank you very much dear girl for your kind present at the Xmas, tho' I am very sorry you should have done it. Those verses are beautiful.
The little diary I am using to note down each day – today's text heads this letter.
I hear you have been over to Wickhampton. I should so much liked to have seen you, but I suppose you did not remain long enough to call, but you will not let an opportunity pass will you? I have not been able to get to Norwich yet and I suppose must not expect to do so for some time.– but I have now been downstairs a fortnight.
We do so miss your Mamma and you at Wickhampton. I expect you are quite settled in your new home. How is your Mamma? You did not mention her – please give my love to her and ask her, if you will, to enclose a line when you next write. I should be glad and should feel it a great privilege. Hope you will write soon and let me have a nice long letter. I do enjoy receiving the letters from my Christian friends. I had such a nice encouraging letter from Frank (probably Francis Allard). What a blessing his letters have been to me you can little imagine. I believe I showed you one.
Pray for me Emma. I do not forget you.
With fondest love to yourself, Mamma and dear little Rosa. How is she now?
Believe me ever
Your affectionate friend Mary Boult.
Morley House, Oct 26th/76
Dearest Emma,
It is too bad of me not to have let you have even a line all these weeks - and especially not to have answered your letter last week. Do not upon any account send the ferns back. I thought I told your Mamma if they did not sell, they were to be planted in your fernery at the bottom of the garden. I suppose I did not make myself understood, so please put them in garden at once I have ordered half a doz briar stands for you which I will send up on Sat, if possible, if not the first opportunity, they will take no harm for they are inlaid - I thought I would tell you that your Mamma may be be deciding and planning where to plant them and at the right time I will come and bud them for you – and show you how to do it - of course I arrange this provided all is well.
I cannot answer your letter for I have left it at home. You know (I suppose) that your aunt and uncle are in London they went last Friday and return this afternoon. I have not been there all the time during their absence for I went home on Sat... and returned yesterday. Miss Beck is now busy with the butter and wants me to look at her doing it – it was so cold I could not remain – but must now go and see her again and as the boy has to go to the train this afternoon I want him to take this when he goes home to dinner. When I came here, your aunt asked about Mr H for she had heard something. So I told her exactly how it was, you are not angry with me are you? You said I must judge for myself what I said about it – I cannot quite understand what you meant in your letter, I suppose I shall some time.
Give my love to Laura. I do hope she has not wanted her book. I will send it Saturday if I can – I quite expected to see her at chapel as I heard her promise James she would go there. With best love to your Mamma, Rosa and your dear self.
From your affectionate friend Mary
P. S. Excuse this hurry, for I must go and send it today as I do not want the ferns back.
Moulton Hall, Dec 5th/76
Dearest Emma,
I was sorry and disappointed when your uncle said on Saturday that you had returned to Norwich. Had I known you were not going to stay longer than that I should have asked to see you on Thursday, but finding you had been engaged with Mrs Crane, I thought well, I shall see her on Sunday – so you can imagine my disappointment. Why did you not come forward, I would only have kept you a minute. I was very glad to hear on Sunday that Mrs Harry S is improving and trust now, with God's blessing she will be quite well again. Libbie was in Norwich on Saturday and I asked her to call for and pay for the "Pathway of Power" – I am sorry to say she also brought home the December number, but if you would like them, I will now send you the numbers for the whole year, so you can read them before they are bound. – I have told Jarrold you will still call for my books the beginning of each month you will now find them to be "The Herald of Mercy" & Methodist Visitor – but please do not again send them by post – someone, either cousin Boult or Mr Allard I am sure would bring them if Harry is not there and they are – and if you cannot send them down to the stables, keep them another week – we are never in a hurry for them. I suppose you wonder why I have not written before. I only returned home yesterday really, since Aug. I do not scarcely seem to have been at home – a lady came here and on seeing me addressed me with this – "Well Miss Gad-About are you really at home now?"
I am very glad to be once more at home – although I have enjoyed my visits overmuch and am now very busy trying to finish the night dresses I had commenced before I came to yours. We are now anxiously looking for news of my brother's arrival. The vessel is due at Liverpool last Tuesday Nov 20th – at present we know nothing – Libby is going to write to the "Company" today to know if they have heard anything of the vessel – tis the "Jarmatian" belonging to the "Allen Steam Line"; – truth we shall soon hear something. Mamma is in a state of great anxiety – which you can sympathise with – I hope with the Lord's will he will soon arrive safely.
You must excuse this hurried note but I do not feel much inclined for writing as you may suppose. I hope Laura received her hymn book all right. I did it up before I left home. Give her my love and thanks. Also my love to your Mamma and Rosa – tell Rosa I hope she will read some of the tales in my books, they are so pretty some of them. I hope you will write me a long letter soon telling me all your doings.
Best love from your affectionate
Friend Mary.
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