George Whitaker, Salisbury, to Philip Whitaker, Bratton, Wednesday, 12 January 1820.

Wednesday Janry 12th 1820

My dear Papa

   I do not remember ever having addressed a letter to you before but hope that this will not be unacceptable.  Mamma was quite in time for the coaches and had on the whole a very pleasant journey and though much fatigued had a very good night and is as well as usual this morning – As Mrs Atwater Ellen and a man were returning from Salisbury yesterday aftn a gentleman carriage drove by and the coachman wilfully ran against the wheel of the gig which was crushed to pieces, all in < > fell out but none were materially hurt we have heard of Mrs Atwater today she is very weak but there is nothing else the matter. Please to tell John that I am much obliged to him for my letter and very much amused by the account he gave me of the cattle  will you tell Edwin also that I thank him for his and hope that he will have learnt to sing God save the King perfectly by the time I come home and I should be happy to answer Anne’s letter if any opportunity offers. Uncle Saffery left home early this morning he intends going to Lymington and several other places to collect for the Baptist Mission and preach. Miss Salter is not yet returned from Bodenham but I suppose she will this week I was glad to hear that you and all Relatives at Bratton are well.  I shall be happy to see my home again when Mamma is ready to return.  Pray give my duty and love to Grandmamma and suitable regards to all and believe me dear Papa

                                 Your dutiful and affec:te Son

                                             George Whitaker

Sophia sends kind love to all leaving the proportioning of it to your judgments. 

Mrs Attwater’s preservation was really wonderful – one of her servants was driving her & Ellen and the gentleman’s servant who drove against them was in a state of complete intoxication – Mrs A– gave Warden instructions to proceed against him before she left Salisbury – she is as you may suppose considerably bruised, shaken, though not alarmingly so.

My dear Philip

   I add a few lines to my Son’s letter to inform you more particularly of the result of an unexpected interview with D.r Fowler  He called on M.rs Saffery in great haste about 2 oclock on some business on whh they had previously communicated – when M.rs S. took the opportunity to mention my indisposition and sent for me – I told him that I thought it too soon after my journey for him to form much opinion of my case but he seemed intent on proceeding – I assured him that I was on the best possible terms with Dr S– but that he had no great opinion on medicine in my case. He immediately replied in his decisive manner – that I stood in great need of medicine and that he was persuaded I should not get well without it – indeed he had begun to write while this passed – by what I can see it is a very powerful toxic or rather combination of them – but he insists on a much more difficult means of recovery than taking medicine whh is that of being daily rubbed with very strong salt water beginning with a part of the body first and extending it by degrees to the whole surface but to have only one part washed at a time and when that is quite warm & dry to proceed to another – but the back he considers the most important part.

   Where I could find a person endued with sufficient patience & good will to assist me in such an operation I know not – I am going to try the medicine and he calls again in two or three days time. – I shall hope to hear a good account of you & all the dear [children] so that I am faithfully & affectionately

                                             yours

                                                         A Whitaker

Text: Reeves Collection, Box 20.2.(i.), Bodleian Library, Oxford. Address:  Mr Philip Whitaker | Bratton Farm |Westbury | Wilts. No postmark.  For an annotated version of this letter, see Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 379-80. 

George Whitaker (1811-82) was nine at the time of this letter. He would later attend the Frome Grammar School, after which he matriculated at Cambridge University. He was briefly a lecturer at Cambridge before taking orders in the Anglican church, becoming vicar at Oakington, Cambridgeshire, where he served from 1840 until 1851.  In 1844 he married Charlotte Burton, daughter of BMS missionary to Sumatra, Richard Burton. In 1851 he accepted the position as first Provost of Trinity College (now a part of the University of Toronto), remaining in that position until 1879, when he resigned and returned to England. The Mrs. Attwater mentioned above is Anna Attwater (1776-1825), the wife of William Attwater (1772-1818), a son of Gay Thomas Attwater (1736-92), brother of Jane Attwater Blatch, Caroline Attwater Whiter, and Marianna Attwater Head.