Philip and Anne Whitaker, Bratton, to John Saffery, Salisbury, [Monday], 13 March 1809.

Bratton   March 13. 1809

Dear Brother

   The reason of my writing at present is as follows  a poor man in this village is very ill of a white swelling in his knee and must die if it is not amputated  he does not belong to our parish but the parish of Norton Bavant and the overseers have been delaying to send him to Salisbury because they can’t see Mr Bennett to recommend him, now as the man’s life is at stake I thought I would propose to them to send him to be there next Saturday morning and write to you to get admission for him therefore if I dont hear to the contrary from you he will be there at the time above mentioned his name is Thomas Churchill resident at Bratton but belongs to the Parish of Norton Bavant, should it be delay[ed] a little longer he will not be able to undergo the operation.

   We are glad to hear after your long silence that nothing afflictive caused it, but Anne complained that altho’ the Epistle on Saturday was very long and very good that several of her queries were not answered.  We have much cause to be thankful for the degree of Health enjoyed in our circle my dear Anne has frequent complaints of the nervous kind < > formerly, and evidently gets such < >

   The children are all well except Joshua has had for 2 or 3 days a slight sore throat and stiff neck, dear Anna Blatch is now a severe sufferer an abcess has formed under the arm which has given her the most excruciating pain for several days the Doctor talks of opening it today her Parents seems to hope the discharge may relieve her other complaints but the Dr has no such Idea her strength lessons daily –

   Our Church is in an uncomfortable state and I suppose it impossible for Mr C. to be comfortable here any more, many are much dissatisfied with his ministry, and things seem drawing to a crisis, and I expect a painful time of it for a while.  Hitherto I have stood aloof and believe I shall continue so to do:  say nothing at all about it at present but pray for us.

   I shall leave a part of this side for my Anne and conclude with subscribing myself Yours affectionately                

                                             Philip Whitaker

As Mr W– seems to have promised on my part that I should fill up the blank paper, I do not wish to appear deficient in good will and tho I have nothing important to communicate in addition to what is already written I take the pen to express the satisfaction I feel in the [news] of your welfare received the past week – Your good lady’s epistle has indeed some of finesse about it that I do not quite approve and her declarations respecting herself are couched in terms of such ingenious ambiguity that if I were not so much amused I think I should be downright angry – She would have me however believe that she is a great performer in the eating of which fact nothing perhaps but occular demonstration would serve to convince me.  I am pleased to find dear Ryland is able to ride and in an open carriage & that she appears to derive some benefit – do not forget to remember me kindly to her – William waits to take the letters so that I can only say that I am my

                     Dr Brother

                                 Affectionately yrs

                                             A Whitaker

Text: Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, I.A.7.(b.), Angus Library.  Address: Revd John Saffery | Castle Street | Salisbury. For an annotated version of this letter, see Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 282-83. Annajane Blatch would die of consumption on 28 July 1809 at the age of sixteen.