Letters  from the Past

“Miss Macpherson
Care of Col. D Macpherson Plymouth, 1834 ”.

This is the 5th letter in the Macpherson set of 6. It was posted in London, as shown by the postmark an Evening duty circular date stamp H AU 28 1834. It bears the charge mark of 11, indicating that it would cost the addressee 11 pence to receive it. This was the cost of sending a single page letter over a distance of between 120 and 230 miles and Plymouth was 215 miles from London.

It is an easy to read letter,simply written and not crossed. No personal seal was used, only a wafer, which was broken when the letter was opened. These wafers were usually provided at hotels, or inns, together with quill pens and ink for the use of patrons who would not always have their personal seals with them when travelling.

It is addressed to Miss Macpherson Care of Colonel D MacPherson Late of the 78th , Portland Place, Plymouth.


The letter begins:-

London, University St, Aug 19
My dear Margaret,
As I leave this place tomorrow morning for Banff I write to inform you in case your Father might remit a draft for money here, otherwise it might be lost. He can now remit it to Banff at his convenience. Perhaps he means to go to Scotland, then I was to have the pleasure of seeing him. Your Brother said he thought he may want to come with him is this true?

Give my love to Mary Anne I hope she is quite recovered her roses, she was so very white when I saw here at Ardersier.

I am quite tired of this great city and long for the quiet of Colleonard. I have been to see everything, indeed I have done nothing but drive here and there ever since I came up here.

This heat of the weather is so excessive I can hardly move, I had long letters from home, all well. Your grandmother has been ill but has now recovered. James Macpherson is in Aberdeen preparing for college, he still speaks of going to sea but I would be very loath to allow him.

Love to your Father, Mother, Brothers & Sisters
I remain
Your affecte
M. Macpherson


I have been unable to find much about the persons mentioned in this letter,(not even the name of the writer, though she must be a relative, and is possibly Margaret), but think that anyone related to the Macphersons of Ardersier at this time would be likely to know more. I found it interesting that she found the heat in London to be oppressive, perhaps because she comes from much further north, where the summers are not quite so hot. It may also have been an unusually hot August that year.


For the first letter in this series, 1812 click here

For the second letter in this series, 1831 click here

For the third letter in this series, 1831 click here

For the fourth letter in this series, 1833 click here

For the sixth letter in this series, 1835 click here

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