BCARS
Add MSS 412, Box 6 File 4-10
S.S. Clide
Lisbon
17.April
Dear Miss O’Reilly
I received yours of the 22 March a few days before leaving, & put off answering till I had a quiet time for writing. You can imagine all the things one had to get ready and see to , it did’nt leave one much peace. I’m afraid I cant remember whether I got your letter of 15th February. I hope it was’nt lost – perhaps you can tell by this time by my having acknowledged it because I’m always good and answer your letters, am I not? If it has been lost you must make up for it, and write me another, a nice long one, telling me that perhaps when I get home next year you may also have plans for a visit to England. I’m sure my mother would like to see “the O’Reilly girl” again, and so should I. I dont think there is any enjoyment to be got out of the station I am going to. How jolly it would be if I could finish time I want to put in, on board the “Warspite”. She will just arrive out for the summer in B.C. Would you let me come and help you to “cultiver votre jardin”? I am so sorry to hear what you tell me about your mother, but I hope, with rest and quiet, she will get alright and strong again. I spent some of the last days in England with my married brother in Herefordshire. my mother was there too, and some other relatives had rooms in a farm close to, so we were a merry party. The new niece made herself heard now and then, My mother would’nt have anything to do with naming it as she had arranged names for the boy. Eventually it was called Enid Doreen, & I think Grace was also tacked on, being a family name on the mother’s side, but they might have left it out. I have a God daughter called Dorothy Stanhope, dont you think they make rather pretty christian names? but I think a prettier one still is Kathleen. Its yours, is’nt it! There are some people who have such a lot of nicknames, its quite difficult to remember what their real name is! This steamer rolls about shocking – I don’t think there’s enough cargo on board to steady her. We are to get in to Lisbon tomorrow morning, and stay for the best part of the day. I have’nt been there since I was a midshipman (“such a pretty boy”, my mother says it seems to run in both our families, because she says “such a pretty girl” about you.) it will be interesting to see the place again. After that we touch at St. Vincent, Bakia, Pernambuco. Rio, and I expect to pick up the “Beagle” thing at Monte Video. I’m sure I shall hate life and everything else till she’s paid off. You will write and cheer me up now and then, wont you? but what a horrid long post it is from B.C. I must finish off dinner, please remember me to all of yours and I hope your father’s cough & cold have disappeared by now. I wonder when you will learn to call me Captain Stanhope like other people. What a girl it is to take so long with her lessons. I suppose you think I’m not worth the title till I’m a real Port Captain. Best wished from
Yours ever sincerely
Harry Stanhope
My address is
H.M.S. “Beagle”
S.E. Coast of America
I dont know how letters go from B.C., I’m sure they would be more certain via England for Men-of-War.
Back to 1899 Correspondence
This collection of letters has been digitized from an earlier transcription project and is for informational purposes only. This transcription has not been verified against the originals. Researchers interested in these letters should consult the original documents housed at the BC Archives.