| RefNo | HSF/3/13/1 |
| Previous numbers | 33.2.13 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter from William James Herschel, Midnapore [Medinipur], to 'Dear Mi'a' [Maria Sophia Herschel] |
| Creator | Herschel; Sir William James; second baronet (1833-1917); British developer of fingerprinting and judge |
| Date | 4 January 1865 |
| Description | He writes in a gap between cutchery and croquet. There are two letters waiting for his arrival at home from Mr H [Hardcastle?] which must be satisfactory. He and Emma have fallen on their feet: he is in the prettiest and hardest worked station in Bengal. He is now able to compress what was many hours of work into a few short minutes. Emma is agreeably surprised at the people around her and William thinks they will be settled there for two or three years. She desires a cottage of her own. They are in the midst of the wreckage of a cyclone, and he sends one or two reminscences of it [not present]. The loss of life is appalling and he describes the flooding followed by cholera. He has much work to do in relieving distress. The only thing to do is to carry away the dead and wounded and begin over again. They have not heard from Jack [John Herschel?] and the Hobhouses have treated them kindly. |
| Extent | 4p. |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Ink on paper |
| AccessStatus | Open |