The title, ‘Irregular Correspondence’ was suggested by Julius’ opening comment to his mother in his letter on 18th November 1861. The letters are irregular in two ways. They were written at irregular intervals (and are now incomplete) and also because, by today’s standards, the language is in some places unacceptable. Although this obviously reflects the style and idiom of the day, some of the attitudes recorded are now regarded as arrogant and offensive. Despite their family’s roots (their father having been born in Scotland), they clearly thought of themselves as English, rather than Scottish or even British.
The over-riding impression given by the earlier letters is the extraordinary maturity (and excellent spelling) of the teenage writers. However punctuation was often reduced to a dash, representing anything from a comma to an exclamation mark. Almost no question marks were used. ‘And’ was usually expressed ‘&’. In this transcription, commas, full stops and paragraphs have been liberally inserted and otherwise tampered with in order to make the letters more easily read. Spelling (as in honor and scetch), has largely been left as written.
One of the most remarkable handwriting strategies was used (for example by Peter in the Crimea) for the economy of notepaper. He covered both sides of the sheet and then turned it through ninety degrees, before continuing. With practice, it is surprisingly legible (see Peter’s letter 1st Sep 1855). The frequent mentions of difficulties with the mail and its inevitable delays remind us that in the 1850s, the electric telegraph was in its infancy and telephones were unknown to the public.
Their notepapers were typically lightweight sheets (slightly smaller than A4 sized), coloured cream or azure. Julius in particular had a tendency to add afterthoughts to the inside of the envelope. Peter’s style was considerably more verbose and he is surprisingly blunt in his criticism of his parents’ efforts to provide newspapers, clothing and other supplies from home.
Many of the letters are compete with their envelopes, which are themselves of interest with the addresses, stamps and cancellations. Although most regrettably, none of John’s letters from the Crimea, or (apart from one from) India seems to have survived, a transcript of his diary from August 1861 to October the following year was found in the papers of his grandson, the late Wimburn Horlock. This covers a fascinating period of his life; initially when he was in England looking for a military posting, and then after his arrival in Canada.
The first serious transcription of what were referred to as ‘Julius’ letters from the Crimea’ – a bundle of jumbled old correspondence in a box – was started in the early 1980s. It quickly became apparent that many of the letters weren’t either from Julius, or the Crimea, but were also from Peter and John, and additionally from India and Hong Kong. Three copies, containing 45 letters, were made.
After Julius’ son, Waulter died in 1994, more letters were found in his desk. A second transcription was completed in 2009, this time including substantial contributions from cousins, bringing the total to 184, of which twelve copies were distributed. The following year came publication on Google.Sites which provided public access to what had become (and will, one hopes, remain) the definitive collection, as well as providing a complete index. It has also allowed easy amendments, especially the addition of John’s diary. The latest additions to the collection, in 2020, include John’s reminiscences about his first winter in the Crimea and 47 letters that came from the estate of Loraine Spencer-Garry (granddaughter of Kenrick Laurie).
William Dyson-Laurie
Winchester 2021
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