Maria Grace Saffery, Salisbury, to Anne Whitaker, Bratton, [Monday], 10 September 1810.

   We past our journeying Sab:th more I trust in the spirit of pilgrims than Sunday travellers usually do.  I believe I have often told you that occasional communion with these pious rustics exceedingly delights me – a line of Thompson’s (pray mention it to Lucy) occurs to me at this moment which exhibits the idea I entertain of their spiritual grace in the very language which served him to celebrate natural beauty:

   “It is when unadorned, adorned the most.”

Perhaps this may be a part of my romance, and yet I am inclined to cherish it as a measure of just feeling that is rather creditable to my foolish heart which is by no means remarkable for attainment of that description.

   We left the good Pauls at Shrewton before the eveng service and reached home, about eight oclock.  I was very weary, and very spiritless, but I was somehow or other drawn from my chamber to which I hastily retired to the circle below I could not regret this as Mr Angas left Salisbury at five oclock this morng for town, where his business is likely to detain him some months. He made kind inquiry for Lucy & begged love to her.  From a short interview in mine company you must conceive that I cd not collect materials for delineation specially as the character of his address, & conversation, is in my opinion extremely singular, in fact I do not imagine yt he is easily understood, or defined.  I am inclined to think highly of his religion & well of his understanding. He talks perseveringly I suppose, for he made me talk and his manners are one agreeable combination of the grave & gay.  Poor dear Salter has a violent admiration of him  & appears to day far, very far, more love lorn than his elegant friend –

   Shoveller is to preach this Eveng and I must close this hastily in order to accomplish my design of hearing him.  I entered on my School engagements this afternoon and found them very sufficient for my strength, but I walked this morng and will endeavour for the present to combine some relaxation with my attention to the labors of life.

   Dear Saffery’s cough was not so bad last night but he is certainly indisposed I conjecture he will be writing in a day or two about Withers and his wife.  It is a strange business!  respecting that woman!

   Tell Lucy I will forward her parcel on Friday  till then adieu ma douce Amie.  Blessings on you & yours, will constitute gracious answers to many a prayer that issues from the heart of your own friend & Sister,

                                 Maria Grace Saffery

All beg love to you.  Our united love to my dear Brother, the children, too.

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed.,  Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, p. 296 (annotated version);Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, I.B.2.(1.), Angus Library. Address: Mrs Philip Whitaker, | Bratton Farm |near Westbury | Wilts.  Postmark: Salisbury, 10 September. 

The Mr. Angas mentioned above is most likely George Fife Angas (1789-1878), a Baptist layman from a prominent family of Baptists attending the congregation in Tuthill Stairs, Newcastle, where Richard Pengilly (1782-1865) served as pastor, 1807-45. In 1807 Angas organized the church’s first Sunday school; he was also an ardent supporter of the BMS and other evangelical missionary societies, which is probably why he has paid a visit to the West Country, for John Ryland and John Saffery were, at this time, significant leaders in the BMS. Angas moved to London in 1832 and became instrumental in the founding of the Colony of South Australia, serving as the initial director for both the South Australian Company and the South Australian Bank before emigrating to South Australia in 1851. Given his origins in Newcastle, his dialect could easily have posed problems for more urbane Maria Saffery who grew up on the outskirts of London. See Walter D. Potts, “A Record of the Baptist Sunday School, Founded at Tuthill Stairs, Newcastle, April, 1807,” in Souvenir of the Sunday School Centenary Celebration 1807-1907 (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Newcastle and Gateshead Baptist Council, 1907) 7; Angus Watson, The Angus Clan (Years 1588 to 1950) (Gateshead: Angus Watson, 1955), pp. 93-106; John Bradburn, The History of Bewick Street Baptist Church (Newcastle-on-Tyne: n.p., 1883), p.  8; and J. D. Bollen, “English-Australian Baptist Relations 1830-1860,” Baptist Quarterly 25 (1973-1974), pp 303-304, n. 63.

John Shoveller (1760-1851) was married to Susanna Horsey (1759-1816) of Portsmouth, sister to Elizabeth Horsey Saffery (1762-98), the first wife of John Saffery, and daughter of Joseph Horsey, Baptist minister at Portsea. Through his connections with Saffery, the Shovellers became known to Maria and Anne Andrews soon after the two sisters settled in Salisbury in 1793. After eleven years working as a ropemaker, painter, glazier, and coal merchant in Portsmouth, Shoveller removed with his family to London in 1791, living in Upper Newman Street, where he commenced work as a copper-plate printer, creating the prints for most of the portraits that appeared in the early volumes of the Evangelical Magazine, becoming acquainted as well with most of the Baptist and evangelical Calvinist Anglican ministers in London, including John Newton. His painting connections may have been enhanced by the earlier marriage of his sister, Mary Shoveller, to the artist Robert Bowyer (1758-1834), also at one time a member of the Portsmouth congregation under Horsey, who after his marriage moved to London to commence work as a miniaturist in the 1780s.  During their time in London (1791-6), the Shovellers worshiped in the Baptist congregation in Eagle Street, under the ministry of the Rev. William Smith, though, as his ‘Memoir’ points out, due to travelling distances, Shoveller often worshipped at the Tottenham Court Chapel, founded by George Whitefield. He returned to Portsea in September 1796, reuniting with Rev. Horsey’s congregation, who was also being assisted at that time by Daniel Miall and a young Joseph Ivimey. After the death of Joseph Horsey in 1801, Shoveller published Memoirs of the Late Rev. Joseph Horsey, of Portsea, with Mr. Horsey’s Last Farewell Address to this Church, a Short Time Previous to his Decease (Portsea: Printed and sold by James Horsey. . . , 1803). Shoveller was instrumental in founding a new congregation in a neighbouring community, Mary-le-bone, where he, as well as a Mr Knight and James Saffery, brother of John Saffery, regularly preached at the turn of the nineteenth century. Between 1803 and 1814, Shoveller ministered to congregations at Romsey, Hampshire; at Pembroke Street, Plymouth Dock (replacing William Steadman, formerly at Broughton); and at Newport, Isle of Wight. In 1814 he accepted the call to pastor the Baptist congregation at Poole, where he preached until 1826, returning at that time to Portsea, where he continued to preach in retirement until his 85th year. For a memoir of John Shoveller, see Baptist Magazine 24 (1832), 421-5.