"My darling our letters will soon be closed"

Season 5, episode 7. 2nd - 6th October 1882. The last full week of letters before Janie and Fred's wedding! Janie is rushing around organising everything for the wedding attendents, Fred is get the finishing touches made to what will be their new home, and, we have a little look at the tradition of  bride-to-be's bottom drawer.

Transcript

[Intro]
Welcome back to My Love Letter Time Machine, Hi, I’m Ingrid Birchell Hughes, and I’m serialising the love letters of my great great Grandparents, Fred Shepherd and Janie Warburton. Travel 140 years back in time with me now where we take a look at Victorian history through their eyes and today, we are in the final week before Fred’s return to Sheffield for his and Janie’s wedding.

["My darling our letters will soon be closed"]
In the letters in the run up to their wedding we’ve been getting more and more details about preparations for Janie and Fred’s new home. The sheer quantity of items that Janie is contributing to their married life has quite surprised me. It seems to be far more than one might expect contained within the traditional bottom drawer.  The term ‘bottom drawer’ in the UK is similar in concept to what folk in North America would call a ‘hope chest’, as in the custom of a bride to-be painstakingly making and saving the linen she would need in her married life and I think is a rather underrated piece of women’s history and might actually be considered a now largely vanished rite-of-passage. 

We also have the word trousseau, borrowed from the French, to describe gradual manufacture and acquisition of lingerie and linen that a woman would be expected to have as a bride. Janie has indeed been making a fair amount of her own undergarments.
she’s mentioned using her sewing machine to make ‘combinations’ a few times now. These were an all in one camisole bodice and drawers combined in one garment. The drawers as was the custom were bifurcated for hygiene reasons and the whole ensemble was worn under the corset. Combinations eliminated the bulk and discomfort of two waistbands of the previously separate garments, they seem to have first appeared in the 1870s and had become very popular on both sides of the Atlantic by the 1880s. 

Mind you Janie hasn’t just been collecting linens, she’s also curated things as diverse as egg whisks, laundry baskets, bits of furniture, glasses, a dining service, a tea set, cutlery, and a host of items that she and Fred will need to practically manage a home. The monetary value is not insignificant and looks to occupy a space adjacent to some kind of dowry.  You might remember Fred even reported that Janie’s father James had made some reference to finances after he’d asked for Janie’s hand in marriage - and that Fred had said all he wanted was Janie. Dowry practices were still common in Victorian Britain among the richer classes so it’s interesting to see that Janie’s family feel like they are in this liminal space between working and middle class even in this situation. 

Janie’s personal status seems to be gradually shifting the minds of the family in her last week before the wedding, she’s been given time off her barmaid duties and more leisure time to catch up with friends as she mentions here in her next:

Handsworth
October 2nd 1882

My own darling husband
I received your welcome letter this morning for which I thank you.
They say they can manage without my help to night at the [club] supper love, mother says I can go if I like to [your mother’s] birthday party. I have set the table + done everything as far as I can so I am going when I have finished my letter to you love. I will give you a longer one tomorrow as I do not want to be late.

I will write your letters for you love when we are married. I know you have not much time to write home, when you send so many to me, not one to many though love. I think when I am your wife darling I will try to write one a fortnight at the least to your mother because she thinks such a lot about having one from  you.
I do remember the first time we went to Treeton feast + what a glorious walk home we had love.
I made the short curtains on Saturday and a pair of long ones for the back bedroom + mother has bought me two beautiful pairs of long ones for the front room + front bedroom.
I do not mind Venetian blinds being common love they are very nice but as they are not in the house I think the striped ones I have ordered will look very well.

I don’t think Ted is vexed love, you could not ask them all, but I enclose Miss Dalton’s letter to see if you think he is.
I wish you could be at your house love this afternoon it will be the first you have missed. I shall miss you darling. I always do when I go to Darnall more than anywhere because we used to have such nice walks home.
I have not got the cards yet.
I hope you have not taken cold my darling with playing in the rain + that the stiffness has gone off.
I remain my darling husband
Your loving true + faithful Wife
Janie

Albert Terrace
Linthorpe Road
Middlesbrough
October 3rd 1882

My own darling Wife
I received your welcome letter this morning, for which I thank you.
I was very pleased to hear that they could manage without you darling, for I am sure they would want you at our house – especially as I was not there, you would be the next best substitute, being nearest + dearest to me love. You must tell me how you went on, + how everybody were.
I am glad to hear that you will write my letters for me love, I am sure I will let you gladly: + then they will perhaps get them more regularly than they have done so far. I am afraid that I have neglected all my correspondence except to you love.
I think with you love that the striped blinds will look very nice. We may get Venetian after a time, tho there is this disadvantage – that when you leave the house + the next tenant will not take them – they might not fit the next house + so be useless.
I received Miss Dalton’s letter + think that she was not offended, but unable to come. I also received one from Ted this morning in which he says that he cannot come because “Sallie” cannot get [off], but a little further on he says that he shall be at the church to see us married.
I wonder why it is that people take a delight in gaping + staring at weddings. I am sure it is no business of the majority of the people + cannot therefore concern them. I am sure I shall not enjoy being gazed at.
I wish I could have been there to take you home last night love, but I shall very soon bring you home + stay there with you.
I got a proof of the cards from P + Bro’ yesterday which I enclose to you. I have told them to keep them quite as neat, but if possible to print the writing just a trifle larger so that they will not present the crushed in appearance they do at present. Do you like the style love?

I do not think I have taken cold with getting wet last Saturday love, the stiffness has nearly all gone. I think I shall play next Saturday with Attercliffe + then it will depend on you my darling how much I play afterwards.
I went down to our house today love, the gas meter is fixed + it is finished painting + papering. The front room is very nice, the others I am not so well satisfied with. The bedroom papers look so different from what they did in the small piece, but I hope you will forgive me if I have chosen wrongly, the next time we paper you shall choose them yourself.

I also went to Mrs Gordon’s + was disappointed to learn that she had let the two front rooms last Saturday. Of course I told her that she had done the best thing for herself, + that I should have been sorry if she had refused anybody for good, for the sake of taking us in for such a short time.
She thinks the we should be able to put up next door, + will enquire tomorrow. But we should not be able to have the front bedroom love, do you think you could put up with the back one for a week. What I want is to get somewhere near, so that you will not have far to go from one place to the other.
I have also been enquiring for somebody to clean it down but so far cannot hear of anyone.
I have written to John Meays for the size of his gloves, but have not had a reply from him yet.
I notice that the best train we can come back by will be the 5.15 from Sheffield which gets here at 9.51.

I am very much afraid love we shall be rather pinched for money as I don’t think after paying all the preliminary expenses we shall have above £33 unless I draw the two weeks money which will be due to me on the 14th + that will make it £39. I think I had better do that love, + then we shall not run short just then.
I am afraid there will be a lot of necessary things that we have not thought of + will not find out until we begin to get settled down love. But then that will leave us only £7 to carry us through the next month + there will be £2-16-0 rent due at the end of November. Odd pecuniary troubles are coming in already love. But of course I can draw every week if necessary, as I am entitled to it every week.
I am anticipating your promised letter love tomorrow + will then finish this to you. I thought I would not write to day then I would answer both letters together. 

Only 7 days darling + then I shall see you + kiss you.
It will be a glorious coming this time wifie, + no sorrowful parting to look forward to + dread for I shall bring my darling wife back with me. I feel just as though I could squeeze you to death almost, + never leave off kissing you. I love you so much my darling. I was thinking to day how desolate the house looked but it will not be when you are in it my darling.
There is just one thing I should mention before I forget it, + that is I think you had better get a few boxes of blacking the same sort they use at our house as I don’t think you will be able to get any good here.

Octbr 4th 1882
My darling,
I was rather disappointed at not receiving a letter from you. I am very busy tonight or I would have given you more.
I remain
Your loving true + faithful
husband
Fred

I was a bit confused as to whether the blacking Fred referred to here was for the black leading of cooking stoves or for shoe polish. I’m not certain Fred would be that all that interested about the state of the household cooking range, whereas he’s definitely going to be concerned about the appearance of his shoes. Searches of vintage tins show that ‘blacking’ was a common term used for shoe polish. However the context Fred uses it in is definitely with the assumption that Janie will find the quality of what is available in Middlesbrough wanting. Perhaps the more relevant information here is that the town is still undergoing such rapid development that it’s harder to get a wider range of branded goods. 

Handsworth
October 4th 1882

My own darling husband
I will now try to finish answering your letter. I was so sorry love to disappointing you yesterday, but I was so busy + Louisa Laverack was in Handsworth + wanted me to go with her to Darnall in the afternoon + I had to go to see Jinnie Reckless as well. I could not make time to write before I went. I thought it would be a long time probably before I saw Louisa again so you must forgive me once more. I shall soon be with you all together now, my darling, then we shall be able to do without letter writing.

I went to the birthday party on Monday, we had a very enjoyable night, we had the usual singing love. I did wish you were there, John brought me home, I got home about ten. Last night I came home with Polly Corbett.
I have your Louisa + our Fred’s Polly to tea this afternoon.
I shall have to give you more to morrow love as they are talking all round me + I cannot write very well.
It is our Harvest thanksgiving on Sunday week, I wish I could have gone with you to St Paul’s Church + to Mr Marston’s.
I don’t know love whether I told you that I had not received the cards yet.

Do you think love [after the wedding] it would be too late to go by the eight train it is rather early to go by the 5-15 train, do you think Mrs Gordon would mind sitting up until then, I think it would be more convenient to go straight to the Midland station, than to get on at Attercliffe, we shall be obliged to have a cab.
The furniture I have arranged to come on the Monday after we are married love, from here. John Merrill is going to get a dray to take them from our house, then call at your house + take the things from here + our John go with with them to the station + set them off.
I cannot sleep very well love now for thinking about being with you + bothering about the things I have to do, it will be glorious to be together always love.
The sofa will be right love left handed.
The firm [of lodgers] will be sorry to lose you, + I expect Mr Banks will be joining the army of martyrs some day, he will be coming across Mrs Right unexpectedly.
We will arrange about lighting the fire love next week you will soon get used to getting up rather earlier.
It is post time now love I have to keep giving you a little but often as I do not seem to have much time to write a long one.
I love you more than ever + remain always
My darling husband
Your loving true + faithful 
Wife
Janie
P.S. Louisa + Polly wish to be very kindly remembered to you.

Albert Terrace
Linthorpe Road
Middlesbrough
October 5th 1882

My own darling Wife
I received your very welcome letter this morning for which I thank you. I almost thought I was going to be disappointed again love, as it had not come when I left this morning + I was afraid the postman had gone past, but it was waiting for me at dinner time.
I quite excuse you love seeing that you had such an old friend there, + it may be as you say, a long time before you see her again, still I hope you don’t think you are going to bury yourself here darling. You speak almost as tho’ you were going to leave the country altogether – it is not quite as bad as that love. It is only a hundred miles away from home you know, besides your home will be here then, our home love.

My darling our letters will soon be closed, at least under present circumstances. I shall only have to write one more love + then I have done. I think we must both of us own that they have been a pleasure in writing + also a source of comfort in receiving. Is it not so wifie?

I am glad to hear that you enjoyed yourself love at the birthday party on Monday night. I had a letter from home this morning, I suppose Lena was there, was she at all pleased, how did you get on with her love?
I am just wondering how your Fred’s Polly + our Louisa will agree at your house, they are not quite the same nature love.
I wish it was your Harvest Thanksgiving next Sunday love instead of Sunday week, + then we should see the decorations. St Paul’s here were very ordinary. Marston thought it was grand, but he never saw any before.

With reference to the train to leave by – of course it would give us more time to come by the 8.0 but that would mean 12 o’clock when it got here + there are no cabs at that time, which would make it awkward if we had any luggage. Besides I don’t know how we shall fill the time up as it is love – For myself I should prefer to leave as soon as possible as I am afraid everybody will not be strictly temperate, + I should not like to witness any scenes. But I am entirely in your hands + will do whatever you like in the matter. I might be able to arrange for a cab to be there, but I could not guarantee it.
You will have seen by my last letter that Mrs Gordon will not be able to take us in, + the people next door cannot either.  I think we might take a couple of rooms in Grange Road but I don’t know whether they would care to take us for only a week, + I should not like to stay longer as I am quite sick of lodgings + want to get settled down as soon as possible love. Do you think we could get squared up in a week love? Mr Marston says if we cannot get apartments, they will be able to put us up, + if it was absolutely necessary we could come here for one night. I will go + see at Borough Road tomorrow + let you know on Sunday.

With respect to the furniture coming love – I think it had better be sent before we are married, because if it is sent off on the Monday following it would not get here probably until Wednesday or Thursday + then I should be working + could not give you much assistance. But I think I could perhaps arrange for someone to be there + unload it love. You see if it was sent on the Wednesday it would get there on the Saturday + then I could be there. 
Mr + Mrs Phillips are going to Tynemouth on the Saturday, + have very much pressed on me to take you as well. I am rather inclined to go as we shall not go anywhere probably, but we can talk it over when I come over. Redcar play Middlesbro on that Saturday –

I am sorry that you cant sleep love – dont let the things bother you or you will be knocked [up] + that would be awkward if the marriage had to be postponed.

I am pleased that the sofa will be right love. I have arranged for them to be sent in tomorrow week. I have also arranged for the chimneys to be swept love, I thought it would be better to have them done now than have the dirt afterwards. I have also arranged about the Window rollers + for the house to be cleaned down. Punch Bros have also proffered to give me 2 ½ % discount if I pay in a month, or nett Cash for 3 months, so that we shall not be pressed for money love.

I got a postcard from John Meays this morning love, his gloves are 8 ½ instead of 7 ½ . Will that inconvenience you in anyway.

Shall I have to present the bridesmaids with anything love? If so, what should you suggest? I shall get a brooch + a pair of earrings for you, will those be suitable love, if not will you please tell me what to get.
I shall expect your letter tomorrow love. Good night little wife. I love you more than ever.

Janie’s letter does indeed arrive the next morning:

Handsworth
October 5th 1882
My own darling husband
I received your nice long letter this morning for which I thank you love.
Mother has gone to Nottingham for the day with our Polly to see her sister, it is a lovely day, I hope it will be like this next Thursday. Our John is going to stop in + wait this afternoon for me, as I am going to see Mr ODonnell + Emma Gill + then after tea I have to go to Sheffield to get some new boots + lots of other little things. I have a lot of running about to do this week. I wish it was all over love + I was nicely settled at Middlesbrough with you. I expect there will be nothing left of me but my shadow by next Thursday love.

I am afraid you will have to stand a good deal of gazing at love, it does not concern the majority of the people but they think it does so it is all the same it will soon be over, then you will have me for better or worser. Oh darling the time will soon be here now then you will have you loving wife to look after you + see that you have some decent linen to put on.
I like the style of the cards love, they have rather a crushed up appearance as you say, but they will do very nicely.
I will forgive you if you have chosen the papers wrongly I think they will look nice love
I am sorry Mrs Gordon has let her front rooms love but it can’t be helped so we must make the best of other accommodation, I do not mind having to sleep in the back bedroom love. I want to be near our house it is so much more convenient than having to go from place to place.

The train at 5-15 will be the best to go by, the other will be too late, especially now we are not going to Mrs Gordons. We shall have to start from here soon after four.

I think it would be best not to draw the two weeks money due to you on the 14th we must try + make the other do, you could draw it on the Monday perhaps, could you not darling? If we did fall short but I think it would be best not, if not can possibly do without it.
I will get some of the blacking you spoke about love.

There will be no sorrowful parting to look forward to this time, you must be merciful love in your squeezing, squeeze nicely + come again. I don’t want squeezing to death yet. I do love you my darling, the house will not be desolate next week Mr + Mrs Fred Shepherd will be living in it, doesnt it sound nice love. I shall hardly know who they are speaking to when I am addressed as Mrs Shepherd.
You must please excuse me [again] I must be getting ready to go to Darnall or I shall be late again.
I remain always my darling
Your loving true + faithful
Wife
Janie

October 6th 1882
My darling
I received your welcome letter this morning for which I thank you. I expect you will be having a lot of running about, so have I love but I don’t seem to get anything done.
I am glad you like the style of the cards love.
I think I will not draw the two weeks money as you suggest especially as we shall not have to pay Punch Bros at the earliest on the 14th of November, so that we shall have most of the money to work on.
I will be merciful in the matter of squeezing love, as I shall want to come again as you say.
I expect you will scarcely know who they mean when you are addressed as Mrs Shepherd, but you will soon get used to it. I am glad you like the title darling.

I have received a wedding present to day from Mr + Mrs Marston – a bread plate + knife – the knife is a regular beauty with an ivory handle. What is the proper thing to do love after receiving these presents (of course I told him I was very much obliged to them) but is it necessary to write + thank the donors of presents love?

Mr Cooper asked me again today when the ceremony was to take place, + says that if necessary I can have a longer holiday if I want it. I told him I should like until the Wednesday following, but I think I shall take until the Saturday now love, but we shall see how we go one.

He also said I was to see him before I went he had something to say to me. I wonder whether he is going to make me a present. You will remember he promised he would when I came up here love, but I thought he had forgotten it, + of course I did not say anything to him about it. I hope it will be in money as that would be most acceptable to us at present love.

Our Shorthand Clerk’s wife was confined yesterday morning, I suppose it was an awful affair, she was in labour three days. He seems quite knocked up. I hope we shall not have any trouble of that kind love for your sake my darling wife.
You must please answer all this letter if you can on Saturday love, because you will see that I shall require to act on it on Monday.
Sunday will be my last “Single Sunday darling, + then I shall have some pleasurable ones.
I remain my darling Wife
Your loving true + faithful husband
Fred

Gosh it all sounds so frantic now! Things are really speeding up. Fred cracks me up with his reluctance to stick around for his own wedding celebrations, - I’m sure he’d have been persuaded to lighten up a bit once the ceremony was over - which we will get to next time.  Yes, our next episode is going to be rather bitter sweet, it’s the Wedding one! but it is also the one with the last of the letters. Don’t worry - it’s not going to be the end of the podcast yet, we’ll be carrying on with the story for a little while yet. 

Thank you so much for listening to My Love Letter Time Machine. Would you consider showing the podcast some love by clicking on the ratings, leaving a review or sharing it with someone who you think might enjoy it. You can also find excerpts of Fred and Janie’s letters on instagram at my love letter time machine all one word and you can write to me at my love letter time machine at gmail dot com.

Until next time, take care.
© Ingrid Birchell Hughes 2023