Family

My dear Mrs. Oldfield

No apology was needed for your introducing yourself to my notice and most gladly will I try to put to paper my recollections of your Sainted Mother & my prayer is that a double portion of her spirit may fall upon her children...

Dearest Sister,

I have been quite unable to make this copy, much as I have desired it. I had undertaken to assist Lady E with her clothing accounts, before our troubles & thought she would have let me off - yet as she has still little use in her right arm, I was most happy to help her –

Dearest Sarah

Yours was the first letter I received of sympathy on a morning here. & so after writing to Mrs Campbell (whom we owe more of kind attention than we can ever repay) - I shall try to reply to your kind expressions of sorrow –

Dearest Sarah,
Raymond packed[?] at yesterday.  They are all off to Hastings today – where perhaps I may join them when the details arrive - next week.
 

My dearest Sarah
Thank you for your kind letter, & its enclosure, which I return with that to ourselves conveying the same melancholy tidings, which we shall like to have back. The post did not bring us the painful tidings until after Sibella had set off for the sale...

Extracts from Captain Campbell’s letter

“Your dear boy has been taken from you & is now in a better and happier world. His end was peace. This morng, Novr 24th off Balaklava, he breathed his last.

My dearest Sarah,

Thanks for the letters which have safely reached me - I am hoping for further news as you can easily imagine. God grant that they may continue good.  How I feel to love and kiss my darling boy more than I ever did.

My dearest Sister,
We are sorry to send on to you these deeply affecting particulars of the dear boys distressing illness, whilst you are feeling so far from strong, yourself, & when the painful confusion of all he must have gone through, will haunt you, as it does us.

My dearest Sarah

I did as you wished. Last evening we had much improved account of our darling up to the 10th of November - He was then off for a ten day cruise in the Black Sea.

Dearest Sarah,

My every thought is of my darling boy. Saturday brought me a less favourable account extending to the 3rd of November.  I telegraphed off my own thanks to Capt. Campbell on Saturday – but to this moment I have had no reply.