Maria Grace Saffery, Salisbury, to Anne Whitaker, Bratton, [Friday], 28 September 1810.

Salisbury  Friday night Septr 28th 1810

   I am longing for a better account of you than dear Lucy’s letter conveyed, of temporal enjoyments I reckon the knowledge of your welfare among the sweetest and I am thankful too, that something sublime and gracious mixes with the “earthly bliss” of calling you my friend.  O while I remember how often my suffering childhood has been soothed, and my maturer sorrow softened by our mutual tenderness I cannot but rejoice in the improved felicities of a friendship, which is inwoven with our faith, and partakes of our immortality – I could say much because I feel deeply on this subject, but to night I must refrain because I have only a few moments to say that we are all well, nay our health indeed and more especially my spirits suffered some interruptions after I left you but not more than might be readily accounted for.  You heard of my visit to Broughton.  I did not go to Southampton merely because it appeared I could only have gone to an Inn wh for two or three nights in my own view would have been ineligible.  My S–  saw dear Alfred and found him well since which he has written to Philip to this effect.

   I hope to hear of a journey to Aston on your account very shortly I think Mrs Scott’s Society &c would be a means of strengthening and consoling your mind.  I think too the journey itself would be useful to you and our dear Brother with whose steady restoration our hearts were made glad – Anne will tell you what company we have had why I did not send Joshua and so forth.  I shall be anxious for his return, but do not say that I wish it before Tuesday because it may disappoint the poor girl.

   I am spared to begin another paragraph lest I should lose the post.  Therefore adieu ma deuce Amie  The Lord still bless and make you a blessing

                                 Maria Grace Saffery

United & kindest love to our dear Bror & Lucy & those to whom you know we owe it or feel it of pure necessity

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed.,  Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, p. 297 (annotated version); Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, I.B.2.(2.), Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Address: Mrs Philip Whitaker | Bratton Farm | To be left at the | Red Lion | Warminster | Septr 28th.  Postmark: Salisbury, 28 September. The above letter should be read in context with the following two letters: Mary Steele to Anne Steele Tomkins, c. August 1810; and Jane Attwater Blatch to Mary Steele Dunscombe, 28 November 1810.

Maria Saffery provides few details in this letter about her Broughton visit (she would visit Broughton again in September 1811), but it seems unlikely this visit was for any other purpose than to meet with Mary Steele Dunscombe, who was entertaining another visitor at that time, her close friend from Leicester, Elizabeth Coltman. Saffery had known of Mary Steele since the mid-1790s and possibly Coltman as well, though they probably had never met, which may have been one of her reasons for visiting Broughton. She could easily have heard of Coltman from Jane Attwater Blatch and her sisters, Caroline Whitaker and Marianna Head, all of whom knew Coltman and owned her publications. The Tomkinses had been living at Bath but were moving once again, this time to Bevis Hill, near Southampton. They would live in three homes during their stay at Southampton, before eventually settling in Broughton House after the death of Mary Steele.  

In 1803 Thomas Scott and his family had relocated from London to Aston Sandford, Buckinghamshire, where he served as rector until his death in 1821. The reference in the above letter to the Scotts demonstrates the continued friendship they enjoyed and maintained with these two sisters from Isleworth, Maria Grace Andrews Saffery and Anne Andrews Whitaker.