BCARS
A1E Or3 Or32.2
Whitestone Head
North Devon.
30th Oct. 1896
My dear Jack,
Thank you so much for your nice bright letter. I was so delighted to hear from home this morning. We have had a very nice day feel rather sleepy after so much fresh air. Our host mr. Mucklow is an old gentleman, over seventy and his nephew grandson about twenty is staying here. They are both very jolly, the young one was at Charterhouse, this morning they had five beaters two keepers & a retriever. I has been a been a beautifully bright cold day. We did not start till about 12. & we walked across the fields & saw a good many pheasants shot then rather to the dismay of the shooters we heard the fox hounds coming & saw them all beautifully – it was great fun for Josphine & me – they lost the scent & the whole Pack got scattered up & down the valley, through the woods & fields, they were scouring about for an hour all the field in dismay. The hunts man said they were Mr[?] Bassetts & young hounds from several packs. The men had some beautiful horses & the only two ladies who were out sat so crocked that I said we could sit straighter than that, in B.C. & I was told that she was the best lady rider in Cornwall & knows what she is about. We saw the hunt several times before lunch, it was such a pretty sight.
The men from here had very fair sport. Mr. Mucklow’s grandson seems to be a very good shot. Their best bag for two guns was twenty two pheasants, & rabbits partridges & snipe making up thirty one. I wish you were here I am sure you would enjoy it dear old Jack. Uncle Joe said I had better bring my habit down but I don’t think there is much chance of riding the old gentleman breeds these enormous cart horses – there are nearly a hundred of them at one of his farms, we went to the other day. This house is four miles from the Atlantic. We drove down on Thursday & took lunch at a cottage on the cliff it took ages to drive the hills are so steep. They say this house is the highest in Cornwall (for we are in Cornwall – the post office in Devon). I have a lovely view of land & sea from the bedroom window. It is a new house & warmed with hot pipes – there are nice gardens & glass houses – lots of wall fruit. When we first came Col. Brooke a son-in-law was staing here & when he left a nephew arrived called Homan he plays the violin splendidly like a professional, & is mad about music but they fear he is dying of consumption – he looks very delicate. Yesterday we had lunch at a farm house. Is all very pleasant & amusing. I cannot understand what the country people say but they always speak of Mr. Mucklow as “_wire[?]”. I suppose that is the way I should spell it.
Poor Miss Newton what a dreadful accident she had – it is to be hoped she will not be permanently lame. This is the first time I have written to you since I reached England. We had a very good journey & everyone was very kind & pleasant. I think people were rather puzzled about such a large party of ladies travelling. One man on board said he was not surprised that Sir R. Went to the other end of the world to get big game but it was quite new for five ladies to go so far for shooting – they must have thought we all looked very sporting!
Bailey’s Hotel is very nice and comfortable – they people there amuse me, there is such a subdued air of propriety about them, & they come into large dining room for meals, as if they were mice coming in for crumbs. Tell Mr. Smith I promised to remember a Mr. Lewellyn to him when I wrote to you – who was Governor of some place on the coast of Africa – Gambia – I think. He was staying at Bailey’s with his wife & they were very nice & friendly. Uncle Joe thought of leaving Josephine & me at the Hotel in their care when he came down here as he has known themn for some time & looking foward to taking us to the theater. He said he knew Mr. Smith rather well & was anxious to know all I could tell him of moor Mr. Heyman’s accident. Do’nt you miss the “Smithsonian” very much, give me kind rememberances to the owner. I am so glad you had a little dinner at Pt Ellice, & it would be a good thing to have them often. I think. Do you see much of Mr. Garforth remember me very kindly to him. I am writing on Sunday afternoon now. Yesterday we went out again with the gun & saw some more shooting. It was a lovely day. Uncle Joe does enjoy it so much. Mr. Charlie Mucklow shot thirteen pheasants & seven rabbits. It seems rather like slaughter to me to have them driven out of the cover & then shoot them. Your old friend at the stores, Mr. Bourke was very anxious to hear all the news of you & also old Scotter. I have not seen any one else except the Piercy Lodge party & I have told Father about them in the letter I am writing to him. How is the green house? Mrs. Mucklow took me all round the garden & was surprised to find I knew the names of all the plants! The chrysanthemums are beginning to be very pretty under glass here & we have grapes every day & of course lots of game. I must stop. Much love from
Your loving sister
Kathleen O’Reilly
Back to 1896 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.