| Description | 1. 6 Jun 1781 Letter from Drummonds to Martha Davenport informing her of: receipt of money from Thomas Mansel Talbot for her account; account credited with the balance of Dr Davenport's account; Mr Hoare paid as instructed.
2. 16 Jun 1781 Letter from Stokes to Martha Davenport: expresses condolences on the death of Dr Davenport; asks if he should terminate the suit concerning her brother's estate; payment to creditors and legatees.
3. 23 Jun 1781 Letter from Stokes to Thomas Mansel Talbot detailing how Dr Davenport's estates were devised in his will. The Worcester estate is to be sold.
4. 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: agrees Sir Harry Lough is more suitable than Lord Vernon and should be asked (not clear for what); agrees that Mr Shakespear would be suitable for his cousin [Mary] subject to suitable proposals on the marriage settlement to be made.
5. Aug 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport. Extends his respects to her, saying "you are the only person remaining of the Mansels of Margam". Encloses a letter from the attorney Jefferies which suggests that money can be borrowed from Drummonds. Discusses the minutiae of the estate, mentioning the sale of goods at Bredon, the need to sell old horses and a chaise before the summer. The path on the river side of the canal needs reworking urgently.
6. 20 Nov 1781 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: informs her he has had a letter from William who was proposing to visit him; wishes William Davenport had chosen some other profession than the military; talks of a boy who had visited her at Lacock without Talbot's permission, to help her coachman; her Charlton tenant wants to cultivate the Down, wasn't interested in the farm and would not take a lease longer than four years if he could farm the downland and if he couldn't he would leave immediately; intended revisiting Charlton within the week to ensure the tenant did nothing "improper".
7. Mar 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: he had received a promised letter from Mr Shakespear asking his views on the proposed marriage [with Martha's daughter Mary]; had instructed Stokes to consult with Mr Price about his proposals; discusses possible arrangements with Shakespear.
8. 12 Mar 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport to say he had received a letter from Mr Shakespear. He has asked him about the figures in his proposal and has also written to Stokes on the matter.
9. Mar 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: he had received Stokes's letter and agreed that Mr Shakespear's offer of collateral security was acceptable as was vesting of money with Talbot and his fellow trustees; Shakespear should receive interest on Mrs Davenport's money during his lifetime: suggests the marriage settlement should allow Mary the right to will or assign her portion of the money to whoever she likes if there are no children at the time of Mr Shakespear's death: notes that this would not be possible if Mr Shakespear and Mary should have the power to use all the money to buy land: urges Mrs Davenport to speak to her daughter about this.
10. Apr 1872 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport to say he will call on Mr Hicks at Shaw on his way through to discuss business matters.
11. Apr 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: he will try and meet with Mr Stokes as soon as possible; discusses the proposed wedding ceremony and when it will take place, and a clause in the settlement concerning a jointure of rent charge.
12. 20 Aug 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: his attorney had received an offer of £600 on a joint bond; advises her to tell her most pressing creditors that the interest due will be paid by Michaelmas; agrees to allow her to draw the money from his account and be reimbursed when the bond was signed; warns her that she should not support her son William's extravagance in any way, and says he feels that agreeing he could exchange his regimental position for command of the Militia would encourage "dissipation and idleness".
13. 1 Sep 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: encloses money to help her out; asks when Mr Shakespear will leave Mr Lloyd's; is sorry that Shakespear's offer to buy The Grove has been rejected, as Mary liked it and it was close to her mother; he doesn't like the idea of Martha leaving Lacock, offers to pay her extraordinary expenses if she keeps the estate up; points out that Lacock would be as cheap as any country house to go to for the summer from Bath.
14. 16 Sep 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: asks who Mr Skeats is and how much his bond is worth; suggests that Skeats should be told the interest due will be available from Michaelmas; discusses various other financial matters, and estate matters concerning money to be raised on Lacock which was currently mortgaged and the title deeds were with Mr Beach as surety for it; agrees that Martha should talk to his uncle and point out that it would be impracticable for her to borrow the money elsewhere unless he were to give up the title deeds; warns her not to annoy Mr Beach as he might then demand the full amount of interest which would affect her income; expresses surprise at Martha's accounts for the chancery award and how much the legacies and bills come to; suggests he might be prepared to lend her £20,000 if necessary but he doesn't think it is.
15. Sep 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: he is happy she had agreed to Shakespear's proposals; thanks her for sending him a copy of the letter she had written to his uncle Beach, repeating he does not think Beach will give up the deeds to Lacock; if Beach's reply is not favourable he will do his best to lend her some money; complains that his tenants haven't paid him and he has no money.
16. Sep 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: he hadn't recorded the names of the livings in Wales; he needed the list of names Mrs Montagu had given Martha at Lacock; fears his friend would already have had applications of the living from others.
17. 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: he has been with Lord Oxford and others from Oxford at a coursing meeting at Amesbury; apologises he hasn't been to Charlton lately and cannot tell her anything about her tenant there; thinks it unlikely that a farmer will take on a farm in another county and fears Martha will never see a return on the Charlton farm; he is sorry to hear William is in debt more than he told his mother and Talbot, and is in trouble over them; recommends Martha refuses to accept William's debts and throws them back on him.
18. 1782 Copy letter from William Davenport Talbot to Thomas Mansel Talbot: how upset he is by his mother's distress; acknowledges that he has overspent his allowance; promises to reform and do better. The letter was sent to Martha Davenport by Talbot who tells her not to let it distress her.
19. 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to William Davenport Talbot about Wick Farm and Mr Hayward who won't take on the farm unless the advance he has to pay is only £20.
20. 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport confirming the report that William Davenport Talbot had purchased a cornetcy was incorrect; apologises for misinforming her.
21. 7 Oct 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: her Charlton tenant had asked him the work on the meadows be completed, but the cost would be more than she had promised to pay; has asked Mr Coombs to meet him at Charlton the following Tuesday to sort it with Mr Goldney; he can then see the farm for the first time and check how much downland the tenant is entitled to put under the plough.
22. 28 Nov 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: he and Mr Shakespear had visited Charlton where Mr Giffard showed him how his land had been damaged by work done without order by Mr Heine: lowering of Charlton land had meant Mr Giffard could not flood his meadow; encloses a sketch of the area by Mr Goldney: Giffard would be satisfied if Heine be instructed to raise the ground to allow Giffard to water the lower half of his meadow: expresses surprise that the recent enclosures at Charlton had not had the expected results; selling the estate was possibly a good idea; worries about Martha getting into debt on the Lacock estate; doubts that William Davenport Talbot will be able to live within his means; doubts anyone will lend her money.
23. 30 Nov 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport concerning William Davenport Talbot's affairs: he received a letter from William apologizing for not thanking him for his tent; a Captain had written wanting to discuss a proposal made by Lord Porchester and other matters; William had said he liked the military life so much he wanted his mother to purchase a cornetcy in the Horse for him.
24. 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport about proposals made by Mr Shakespear to live, temporarily, at Lacock, at no cost to Martha Davenport.
25. 4 Dec 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: mentions a letter she had received from Lord Dudley; thinks it is a good idea to sell some timber; Shakespear has advised Talbot to speak to Mr Beach about selling the Charlton estate.
26. 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: money has been deposited at Drummonds for her to draw on; he will be going to Charlton to meet Mr Giffard to try and settle the dispute about the water meadow.
27. Feb 1783 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport; regretting his letter had not arrived in time to prevent William Davenport Talbot from purchasing a cornetcy in the Queen's Dragoons; concludes he will soon exchange his commission for another as in a few months, in a real military situation, it will convince him that it isn't for him.
28. 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport; mention of the £600 obtained for her from Mr Thomas in Glamorganshire and another bond for £400; agrees that Mr Hayward is the best tenant for Wick Farm but he should pay the money Mrs Eyles expects for giving up the lease but he doesn't think this should be more than £80.
29. Mar 1783 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport; he thought Taylor had offered a £50 advance for the Wick Farm lease and so had Hayward, hence his letter recommending Hayward, but still thinks Hayward is to be preferred ; thinks her offer of a 21 year lease is generous and unusual; Mr Goldney has recommended Taylor, and Talbot believes the friend who has offered to give Mrs Eyles the money to pay her debts to Martha is Taylor; suggests Hayward will be better in the long run; thinks the land needs drainage; refers to the bonds in the previous letter.
30. 1782 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport about the bond and whether it was signed; Martha had signed it long before she received the money he took to Wales.
31. 1783 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: it would have been useful if his position as a trustee had been mentioned in her letter to Stokes; assures her he is ready to be security for the bond of £4000; hoped to find enough of his own title deeds to have the money available as a mortgage on his estate; does not think he can support Martha to pay her daughters £2000.
32. 1783 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to unknown: thanks him for advising Martha Davenport so carefully; Dallamore should be paid off and other debts settled, and the other £2000 should be taken out of Dudley's control.
33. 27 Apr 1783 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport; Mr Shakespear had asked Talbot to be one of the sponsors at his son's baptism; he can't bring the trust money with him because he doesn't believe his uncle Beach has the money available; cautions her not to say anything to Beach; says he will not send the advertisement for the Charlton estate sale to the Salisbury paper until they meet; cautions her that the sale will not raise the amount of money people are telling her it will; mentions interest Mrs Davenport had received from Lord Dudley.
34. 16 Oct 1783 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: he is in Cardiff trying to apply for a living held by the late Dr Phillips on behalf of Mr Thomas; he has heard that a Mr Bruce is staying with his friend Mr Powell at Nanteos; Talbot had learnt Dr Phillips was uncle to Mr Powell and died at Nanteos so felt it was improper for him to make his application as he didn't know Powell that well; regrets he could not help Mr Thomas in the matter.
35. 19 Aug 1784 Letter from Thomas Mansel Talbot to Martha Davenport: congratulates the family on the birth of a grandson; talks of his health and what he is doing in France; hopes to hear for more news on his cousin Mary and her health. |