Original Letters
Original letters etc from around 1810 relating to Barkley family
Below are transcriptions of three letters written to Jane Frances Barkley (later Mrs Perkins) when she was young. Those and three other documents from that period are linked here.
Also linked here is a scanned copy of a cross-hatched letter from Southend dated December 184(?) to a Mr Arthur Perkins, Gas Erleuchtungs Anstalt, Berlin signed as from his affectionate sister, name could be Amelia which would make it likely to have been from Amelia Perkins 1825-1906, spinster, to Arthur Perkins b. 1827, children of Charles and Jane nee Barkley Perkins. He would have been 22 and she, 24 in 1849. The link, which can be translated by Google very accurately, shows the Imperial Continental Gas Association (ICGA) of London as having the concerssion to build and operate a gas lighting system for the streets of Berlin.
No attempt has been made to decipher it - the scanned version is probably easier to decipher than the original.
1. From John Charles Barkley to his elder sister Jane Hornby Barkley
(JCB was born 19.1.1799, JHB, 18.1.1796. The year it was sent is not clear. Reference is made to siblings Patty (Martha) who was born 1802 and Charles born 1808. It seems that JCB was at a boarding school in Tottenham or at least confined there unlike his older sister and younger sister and brother. His uncle lived in Bath and his parents stayed there a lot due to their relative poverty. The poem by Henry Kirke White can be found here). A description of the headmaster/owner of what is likely to be the school he attended may be found in on page 135, Chapter IV of "The Life, Letters and Literary Remains of Edward Bulwer, Lord Lytton" by Edward Robert Bulwer Lytton
Tottenham June 9th 18?
My Dear Sister
I have written a letter to Mama and Uncle and in the latter I desired Uncle that he would ask Papa to answer it, as I knew he was unwell but I have no answer to either of my letters and this I attribute to their being busy about Uncle. I therefore write to you thinking you are least engaged. I hope to have very soon an answer. I expect Papa every evening when there is a knock at the door. Tell me how Uncle is. We are all here very unhappy on account of him. Tell me also when I may expect Papa here. Tell Uncle that I wish he may quite recover and give my love to Papa if he is not gone from you.
? Mama, Patty, & Charles, who I suppose is grown into a fine boy. It is very dreary here as you know, the verses that H K White wrote on being confined once when at school when he was thirteen, are very applicable to my situation. These are the same-
The morning sun’s enchanting rays
Now call forth every songster’s praise
Now the lark with upward flight,
Gladly ushers in the light;
While wildly warbling from each tree,
The birds sing songs of liberty.
But for me no songster sings
For me, no joyous lark up-springs
For I confined in gloomy school,
Must own the pendants iron rule,
And far from sylvan shades and bowers,
In durance vile must pass the hours.
There con the scholiasts dreary lines,
Where no bright ray of genius shines,
And close to rugged learning cling,
While laughs around the jocund spring.
How gladly would by soul forego
All that arithmaticians know,
Or stiff grammarians quaintly teach,
Or all that industry can reach
To taste each morn of all the joys,
That with the laughing sun arise,
And unconstrained to rove along
The bushy brakes & glens among;
And woo the muse’s gentle power,
In unfrequented rural bower!
But ah! Such heaven– approaching joys
Will never greet my longing eyes;
Still will they cheat in vision fine
Yet never but in fancy shine.
Your case is very enviable dear Jane even after these lines.
Believe me, your most affectionate Brother.
J.C Barkley
2. From John Barkley, 28 Gower Street to his niece Jane Hornby Barkley “Miss Barkley at Mrs Cameron's, Enfield, Middx”. 10 June 1804
(Jane was born 18.1.1796 so was 8. Her Uncle John lived in Bath and Gower St.
My Dear Little Jane
In receiving this letter I think that I see your governess looking very grave in discovering one of her young Lady’s thus early corresponding with a beau but when the secret is discovered I think she will not object , but forgive you.
I return you my thanks for your kind attention in writing to me, for in the first place you give me much gratification in the proof of your improvement and next for thinking as kindly on me. My dear little Jane, let my kindest wishes assist you in the endeavour to improve not only in your Education but so to regulate your behaviour a proper way of thinking first towards God, without which no Blessing can prosper, next assist your affectionate and dear parents and to your neighbours in all goodness without which all accomplishments which are too often deceptive only ill bestowed and unworthy but under ?? by ridiculous and despised. I am sure your kind governess and dear parents will often explain this unto you but as I am interested nearly, I take the liberty to say this much for after them ?be spared you will make me happy to discover that you are as good as my hopes would wish and I also flatter myself that I shall not be disappointed in so desirable an expectation, indeed my dear little Jane I beg to relate that I do not write with the smallest doubt I think I can answer you will exert your endeavours. Fear not, God, of his great mercy and your own exertion with a thorough trust in his goodness accomplishes more than one can observe at the moment. I think I perceive abilities and what a shame it is to those that possess them and do not improve them then their neglect is unpardonable indeed, but the grand object to affect this is an early and determined intention, then great difficulties and apparent troubles are conquered in the origin. There are idle hours enough too many. Custom and ?pleasure have made them so, but to think and act properly is the only thing that is valuable.
Leave all the residue of time for innocent ?and this latter if properly arranged is very beneficial unto us.
My dear, some other time we will have a little more conversation at D? My hope is that you will ever be good affectionate in your Duty and Enjoy God’s blessing, the wish of you most affectionate Uncle. John Barkley
28 Gower Street. 10th June 1804
My Dear your Uncle ?Senior sends his Love unto you
3. From John Barkley, Gower St to his niece, Jane Hornby Barkley, Brigadier Hill, Enfield 10 December 1806
(Jane was born 18.1.1796 so she received it shortly before her 11th birthday)
My dear Jane
I wish you to be perfectively sensible how much I am pleased by your kind attention by writing unto me. It gives me much gratification to observe your growing improvement but more particularly by the constant assurances I receive from your Papa every time I see him in so much that if I did not know that he always speaks truth, I should suppose he flattered you but I cannot doubt, because I feel and entertain the same favourable improvements myself every time I see you. You cannot think how sorry I was when I heard you were unwell and very much longed to see you but I am happy you have got well again and hope by the blessing of God, you will very long continue so. I think you long for Christmas coming. I almost think the same not that I wish time to pass too quick but because I shall have the gratification of enjoying with you and Patty a fine jolly day. Who so merry as we. I also remember there is a birthday soon after when we must continue a second jolly meeting.
My kindest love to your Papa, Mama, John and Patty who though not mentioned before has equally my kind love and wishes which you will have the kindness to communicate to her and I am my dear Jane with the most ardent hope for your improvements in mind, morals, truth and sincerity without which there can be no perfection nor anything desirable. Truth if I had a child that did not possess those qualities it would be my constant prayers unto God to remove her or him from this world and with as much ? as I would in the contrary character implore for their blessing and preservation. God bless you my dear and may all your family more particularly your father and mother have reason to bless your existence ? Jane dear believe me in all truth your very affectionate Uncle,
John Barkley.
Your uncle desires his love to all.
Gower St 10 December 1806