Letter from Frances Hodgkins to Isabel Field
Date
06 Oct 1895
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Object Detail
Date
06 Oct 1895
Transcript
Cranmore Lodge Sunday evening
My dearest Sissie
Just a few lines to tell you of Mother’s safe arrival. I was so glad to get her home again and thought her looking wonderfully well and cheerful. She had a splendid passage down and wasn’t at all ill, it has been beautiful weather and she has spent more of her time in the garden, it is a great comfort to find her so bright. I was rather dreading the home-coming thinking she would miss you so much but I think much as she liked being with you, she is glad to settle down again. She is very anxious to hear how you are and is afraid you must had been very tired when you got home. Mrs Martin came down on Friday and stayed for 3 long hours and harrowed poor old Mother by talking over everything, but Mrs Finker came in in the evening and I never liked her so much as I did that night and could have hugged her for her cheerfulness.
I rather neglected the garden when Mother was away, so there is lots to do to keep her occupied and she is never so happy as when she is in the garden. I asked her how Will’s garden was looking and she says he is much too fond of investigating the roots to make a successful gardener. Does he still stalk snails by candlelight?
Yesterday we went for the last of our walking parties, we crossed in a boat to Vauxhall and climbed the hill to Larnach’s Castle and had tea in the bush. The party consisted of the Grahams Rattrays McLarens and myself, and a man apiece. It has always been the same party so we ought to know each other. Willie and Issy Rattray are flirting mildly and I think like each other, but there are no other flirtations afoot.
It was most awfully good of you to send me that beautiful piece of tapestry, you don’t know how I prize it and I can’t thank you enough and also for the dress which will make up beautifully later on.
I ran up for a few minutes to see Alice McG. Tonight, her servant left her a few days ago without telling her she was going and she was left without for a few days. She is getting stronger again, but is looking very delicate and thin.
Flo Belcher is here just now (in a mantle) with the Bland Holt company but is not acting. The Cargills came in today to ask me to go with them one night but I don’t think I will tho’ Mother wants me to. Isn’t it strange we have never heard anything from the Days, I think Aunty Mary is a very selfish woman for there has been time to have heard several times over and I know from the Gilkisons that she is quite well.
Well dear old girl I must say goodnight, with best love to yourself and Will from Mother and myself, ever your loving sister Fanny
Dr Scott told Father he was quite of the same opinion as Dr Anson about Bab’s feet and that they would come all right without cutting. I feel as if I hadn’t half expressed my thanks for the tapestry, but you can’t think how grateful I am and how proud I am to possess it.
My dearest Sissie
Just a few lines to tell you of Mother’s safe arrival. I was so glad to get her home again and thought her looking wonderfully well and cheerful. She had a splendid passage down and wasn’t at all ill, it has been beautiful weather and she has spent more of her time in the garden, it is a great comfort to find her so bright. I was rather dreading the home-coming thinking she would miss you so much but I think much as she liked being with you, she is glad to settle down again. She is very anxious to hear how you are and is afraid you must had been very tired when you got home. Mrs Martin came down on Friday and stayed for 3 long hours and harrowed poor old Mother by talking over everything, but Mrs Finker came in in the evening and I never liked her so much as I did that night and could have hugged her for her cheerfulness.
I rather neglected the garden when Mother was away, so there is lots to do to keep her occupied and she is never so happy as when she is in the garden. I asked her how Will’s garden was looking and she says he is much too fond of investigating the roots to make a successful gardener. Does he still stalk snails by candlelight?
Yesterday we went for the last of our walking parties, we crossed in a boat to Vauxhall and climbed the hill to Larnach’s Castle and had tea in the bush. The party consisted of the Grahams Rattrays McLarens and myself, and a man apiece. It has always been the same party so we ought to know each other. Willie and Issy Rattray are flirting mildly and I think like each other, but there are no other flirtations afoot.
It was most awfully good of you to send me that beautiful piece of tapestry, you don’t know how I prize it and I can’t thank you enough and also for the dress which will make up beautifully later on.
I ran up for a few minutes to see Alice McG. Tonight, her servant left her a few days ago without telling her she was going and she was left without for a few days. She is getting stronger again, but is looking very delicate and thin.
Flo Belcher is here just now (in a mantle) with the Bland Holt company but is not acting. The Cargills came in today to ask me to go with them one night but I don’t think I will tho’ Mother wants me to. Isn’t it strange we have never heard anything from the Days, I think Aunty Mary is a very selfish woman for there has been time to have heard several times over and I know from the Gilkisons that she is quite well.
Well dear old girl I must say goodnight, with best love to yourself and Will from Mother and myself, ever your loving sister Fanny
Dr Scott told Father he was quite of the same opinion as Dr Anson about Bab’s feet and that they would come all right without cutting. I feel as if I hadn’t half expressed my thanks for the tapestry, but you can’t think how grateful I am and how proud I am to possess it.
Pages
5 pages
Sender's address
Cranmore Lodge
Institutional No.
MS-Papers-0085-04
Credit Line
Letters
from
Frances
Hodgkins.
Field,
Isabel
Jane,
1867-1950
:
Correspondence
of
Frances
Hodgkins
and
family
/
collected
by
Isabel
Field.
Ref:
MS-Papers-0085-04.
Alexander
Turnbull
Library,
Wellington,
New
Zealand.
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22310185
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22310185