BIB_ID
421085
Accession number
MA 1352.233
Creator
Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870.
Display Date
London, England, 1851 June 4.
Credit line
Purchased with the assistance of the Fellows, 1951.
Description
1 item (3 pages) ; 18.3 x 11.3 cm + envelope
Notes
The letter is part of a collection, MA 1352, which consists of letters from Charles Dickens to the Baroness, to her companion Hannah (Meredith) Brown, or the latter's husband, William Brown; with 70 letters written by others to Miss Coutts or to Dickens in his capacity as her unofficial almoner; and a few others. See the collection-level record for more information.
Written on mourning stationery from the "Household Words Office / Fourth June 1851. Wednesday."
Envelope with seal and Dickens' signature to "Miss Burdett Coutts / Stratton Street."
Written on mourning stationery from the "Household Words Office / Fourth June 1851. Wednesday."
Envelope with seal and Dickens' signature to "Miss Burdett Coutts / Stratton Street."
Provenance
The letters formed part of the Burdett-Coutts sale (Sotheby, 17 May 1922); they were purchased for Oliver W. Barrett in whose collection they remained until it was sold by his son (Parke-Bernet, 31 October 1951).
Summary
Expressing his concern that Mrs. Brown's basket was not returned to her after it was used as a prop in a play; reporting that he presided over the Committee meeting and "Our charges were one and all the most innocent and deferential of girls. The first one (Rupkin) spoke very low, with her arms hooked behind her, and her eyes on the ground - and all the others, one after another, did exactly the same;" adding that he paid the bills; describing how lovely Broadstairs is; saying he visited Charley at Eton "...who was very well indeed, and very anxious to be reported to you. He was much commended, by this tutor, but had previously been reported rather lazy for the time being. I had therefore stopped his boat, and threatened other horrible penalties."
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