Edit: In addition to fitting nicely into some things I had already researched for school, The Bristol part is also a tribute to Surrey.
Biography of Miss Elizabeth Tattman
Born in Canterbury, my father took his young wife and
daughter to Bristol shortly thereafter. Engaged in the shipping business, we
were for a time quite successful. It was during this time I attended school
with Miss Waterman in Bristol. When I was nearly 16, my father suffered several
setbacks, and lost his business. I was forced to withdraw from school, and we
only maintained a basic gentility through the help of mother’s generous relations.
Eventually Father was able to attain a position working for another shipping firm,
and we settled in a comfortable, if less impressive, sort of life.
When I was nearly 20, I was able to attract the attentions of a man in his early 30’s, which at the time I confess to finding very romantic in my youth and foolishness. He proposed marriage soon after, but the event continued to be postponed and never came. Finally the engagement was broken off, with quite healthy settlement made upon a young woman of reduced circumstances who was no longer quite so young, and might have no other prospects.
With this affair- which had long since ceased to be a matter of love- finally settled, I resolved upon a most unusual next step in what was already a rather unusual sort of life. To visit my aunt and uncle- Mr. and Mrs. Downward - in America, and just as importantly, my dearest Emily, Miss Waterman. Through his business my father had come into familiar acquaintanceship with the captain of a ship sailing for New York and his wife, who might serve as my chaperons for the voyage, and so he consented to the trip- upon the condition that I also agree to having my third cousin, who had settled their a year earlier, serve as my escort upon my arrival.
When I was nearly 20, I was able to attract the attentions of a man in his early 30’s, which at the time I confess to finding very romantic in my youth and foolishness. He proposed marriage soon after, but the event continued to be postponed and never came. Finally the engagement was broken off, with quite healthy settlement made upon a young woman of reduced circumstances who was no longer quite so young, and might have no other prospects.
With this affair- which had long since ceased to be a matter of love- finally settled, I resolved upon a most unusual next step in what was already a rather unusual sort of life. To visit my aunt and uncle- Mr. and Mrs. Downward - in America, and just as importantly, my dearest Emily, Miss Waterman. Through his business my father had come into familiar acquaintanceship with the captain of a ship sailing for New York and his wife, who might serve as my chaperons for the voyage, and so he consented to the trip- upon the condition that I also agree to having my third cousin, who had settled their a year earlier, serve as my escort upon my arrival.
Miss Tattman peruses a letter from Miss Waterman
(Photo by Judy Potter)
No comments:
Post a Comment