| RefNo | MM/25/6 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter from Henry Tattam, Bedford, to Dr John Lee, 5 College, Doctors Common, London |
| Date | 8 April 1840 |
| Description | Has forwarded a letter to Lee from [Reverend Johan Rudolf Theophilus] Leider of Cairo regarding a lost box of manuscripts. When Tattam has recovered from illness he will meet with Mr Grimshawe. Explains that the 'Bedfordians' have not contributed to the Coptic mission as they have been directing funds for a new church in St Paul's parish. Tattam's church is also close to collapsing and he must superintend the project of building a new one and find the funds. Eliza [Tate, his stepdaughter] is unwell. Intends to send pages copied from her journal [of their travels in Egypt and the Holy Land 1838 to 1839] to Lee for his opinion. Tattam's nephew in Madeira is now returning to England due to illness and has no chance of recovery. Enquires on behalf of another nephew, John Lines whether Lee has any farms available as he wishes to leave his current tenancy at Water Stratford, shared with his older brother, in order to marry. Lines' father is a farmer at Hillsden [sic Hillesden], Buckinghamshire where he is a tenant of the Duke of Buckingham, formerly a tenant of Mr Coke of Norfolk. Lines has also been superintending the farm of his sister, a widow, in Poundon with his brothers. His younger brother will take over the parents' farm at Hillsden . They are all dissenters and of good character.
Also includes a transcript of Lee's reply to Tattam addressed from Hartwell, dated 13 April 1840. Lee's letter conveys that he has paid the balance he owed to Messrs Madely for the Coptic mission and informed them the rest is to be paid when Grimshawe arrives in England. Asks after Grimshawe's secretary, a Mr Coster. Is sceptical of Tattam's excuse for the Bedfordians lack of contribution to the Coptic mission. Has no unoccupied farms for Mr Lanes [sic], if he did he would not object to him as a tenant on the grounds of his being a dissenter, he does not ask his tenants to disclose their religious or political views and believes a landlord should not interfere with tenants as long as they maintain the land and property. |
| Extent | 4p |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | On paper with wax seal |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| RelatedMaterial | Purchased from J L M Gulley October 2010 for £300 with MM/23/12 autograph letter from Benjamin Heath, 1775, and three other letters from Henry Tattam to to Dr John Lee; MM/25/5, MM/25/7, MM/25/8. Other correspondence of Tattam with Lee 1839 to 1865 can be found in the British Library, Add MSS 47490, 47491A passim. See also British Linbrary Coptic and Syriac manuscripts Add. Mss 31 289 and correspondence with Sir A H Layard Add. Ms 39/01; Bedfordshire & Luton Record Office archdeacon's letters ABA 6/37-95 and orders ABC v.132/1; Woburn Abbey, letters to the Duke of Bedford |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA5859 | Tattam; Henry (? 1788 - 1868) | ? 1788 - 1868 |
| NA7536 | Lee; John (1783 - 1866) | 1783 - 1866 |