Eliza Gurney, Keenes Row, Walworth, to John Rippon, [11 Grange Road, Bermondsey], 30 May 1801.

Walworth Female Charity and Sunday Schools and Walworth Knitting School

Sir

            I am directed by the Managers of these Institutions to return you their thanks for your interesting and impressive Sermon to Young People on May Day, and to inform you that the collection made for the Schools (notwithstanding the pressure of the times) amounted to £25..14..10. 

       The Managers hope that the many important truths which were then so strikingly presented to the attention both of their young friends, and the Children under their care, will be remembered, and they pray that they may be followed by a divine blessing that from this time many of them may cry unto God “My Father thou art the Guide of my Youth” – That such may be the happy effect of the religious instruction which you are constantly communicating to the rising Generation is the fervent wish of 

                                    Your obliged Friend and Servant

                                                Eliza Gurney

Keenes Row

May 30. 1801

P.S. The above communication would have been made sooner but the Managers of the original Charity schools did not meet till Wednesday the 20th inst., and I have been since that time very fully occupied, which I trust you will accept as an apology for the delay.

            I shall be obliged by your presenting my respects to Mrs & Miss Rippon

Address: none

Text: Rippon Collection, Vol. 3, British Library, Add. MS. 25387, f. 147. Apparently, Rippon preached the May Day sermon two years in a row, but only kept one letter from each year. Wednesday was the 20th of May for the year 1801.