Early Days

My Dearest Maria,

I received your kind note yesterday afternoon and am very sorry to hear that you have been ill. I suppose the church was cold as most country churches are. You say dear Maria you were uneasy at not hearing before. I should have written before but I wanted to see your brother before I wrote and likewise to see how….

You will be glad to hear the concert went off beautiful – in fact as well as we could wish. I was unfortunately taken very ill on Monday at dinner and was afraid almost to go but I faithfully promised to go and receive the checks and take the money at the door. I took some medicine to enable me to go – but I was in much pain all the time – was then and have been an invalid ever since.
I have acted as your advisor regarding George and Sanders. I don’t so much as notice the latter though of course I just speak to your brother – but it is only out of respect to you – I have not seen your father since… last, and I don’t go down so much as I used – I don’t suppose he meant what he said about coming to my house to have a …. He can do as he likes – I shall not put myself out of the way again for him – your brother Chas was to have come last night and spent the evening with me but I suppose he was better engaged…

We had about 150 at the concert and the room was quite full. It all passed off very comfortable. I walked home from the concert with your mother – Miss Field was with us so we only had a general conversation. We all regretted that you were not there. Your intimate Charles may come down. I have heard nothing about it but let me know when you come to town as I should like much dear Maria to meet you and your aunt. If you let me know when you come, I shall easily find out whether Charles has gone down to you…

You say it seems quite a long time…I will not be sorry to come home. I shall be glad when you come home dear Maria. I feel as though I am almost always out of … still, there seems something to make me happy – and I am never so happy as in the society of my Maria – I hope to hear from you dearest Maria when you come to town and wish kind regards to your aunt – 

Believe me, my dearest Maria, yours faithfully and affectionately – H.S. Bradley

This letter is actually dated October 1848, and wedding bells for Henry and Maria were ten months away still. The tone is more formal than some of Henry’s other letters, and his endearments slightly more guarded. Yet, the relationship had already gone on long enough for Henry to have fallen out with more than one member of the Robinson family it would seem, and in between falling ill, Henry makes his resentment perfectly plain.

1841 census for the Bradley family in Poplar