Alice Rose Dobell

Alice Rose Dobell (your great grandmother) She was born 17th June 1851 and brought up in Sherard House, Eltham.  She played the piano beautifully and when practising as a young girl had a piece of wood strapped to her back to keep her straight.  As a result she had a wonderful posture all her life.  She was an avid reader but her passion ways always for her music. The background music for this album is some of the music I remember her playing when I was a child, and she was an old lady, as I am now.

Alice Rose about 5 years

Alice Rose about 10 years

Alice Rose

This is one of four letters I have which were written by Alice Rose to her father, Henry William Dobell, when he was away from Eltham.  I don’t have the envelope so have no way of telling where he was but he was probably away on customs business.  Alice Rose was nearly nine years old when she wrote this.

This letter was written to Alice Rose Dobell by her mother, Mary Charlotte in 1863 when Alice was nearly 12 and away in Brighton with sisters Mary 17 and Sarah nearly 16.  For some reason the other sister, Emily 13, had stayed at home in Eltham. The paper the letter is written on measures only 17.2*11.2 cm, is written on both sides and then continued by writing over in the opposite direction.  Rather difficult to read but probably because the envelope is so tiny, only 10.2*6 cm. The letter reads:

Eltham May 15th 1863 My little Ducky, I had hope to write a long note yesterday but had one of my bad headaches so was obliged to be idle all day.  Dear Papa and I have been very pleased with your very long notes and think you have taken great pains to write them nicely.  Take care you don’t get blown away my chicken and be sure you resist the temptation to spend your money in the pretty shops on the pier. Dear Papa has determined that we shall not be dull while you are away so he has invited the missionary (Mr Demus) to stay here from Saturday till Monday and Mr Bryant too and tell Aunt Mary I found out a day or two ago that Harriet has set her heart on going home on Saturday so I have been obliged to send for our old friend in need  - Mrs Ellis - to come and help Annie. You must give Mary a big sweet kiss her nice note and one of the same kind to Sarah for the cowslips and one to Aunt Mary for taking care of you all and they must then each on them give you some for me.  I will let you into the secret about Emily’s party only don’t let her know you know it - she has invited 2 Rutters, Walter and Beatrice and little Emily Huff.  She is almost afraid she will be obliged to have Gertie as she is coming in to dinner with her Mama but we must do the best we can about it.  I only hope it is not too much for Mrs Ransom. Now my darling Alice I must say goodbye and commending you all to the tender care of Jesus with lots of love remain. Your very loving Mama Mary C Dobell Your pictures were very pretty. Emily was going to write but is so full of her party that she cannot finish it

Note: I think Mrs Ransom was the cook, Harriet the parlour maid and Annie the kitchen maid.  Aunt Mary might have been Mary Anne Wood.  The black (morning) borders are a mystery (on envelope and first letter)

The envelope unfortunately lost it’s stamp long before it came into my possession.  Enlarge it and see the postmark.  See how ‘Mifs” and ‘Sufsex’ are written.  Double ‘s’ was written as ‘fs’