Death of Charlotte Gamon

1835/11/17

Letter from Anna Eliza Brydges at Stowe to Percy Grace. HEH STG Correspondence Box 4 (28). 

Stowe

Tuesday Nov 17^th 1835

As I know you truly valued our dear Charlotte Gamon I cannot allow you to read the first account of our having lost her in the Newspapers! She suddenly felt a difficulty in breathing and wished to go to the Sea. A House was secured at Weymouth & they were all to have left Green Street yesterday but her malady rapidly increasingly I begged Varne might be called in & I was preparing to start for Town tomorrow but Alas this Evening’s Coach brought the sad account that she expired yesterday Evening without even a Sigh! Lady George[1] at the moment carving a Partridge for her! How awful all these Warnings and how diligently ought we to prepare ourselves. Dear Charlotte’s pure & innocent life with active benevolence may we humbly hope thro’ our Blessed Intercessor obtain her pardon! It is impossible to express what I have felt during the last Week painfully anxious to be with her, & dreading to leave the Duke who objected to my going from his still feeling very weak, but I know that all human aid could do has been done & she never expressed a wish for my going up. I had a cheerful note from her last Saturday looking forward with pleasure to her trip to Weymouth! How often I shall look back to the days when she shared & cheered my solitude & nursed me in sickness & sorrow, but I know it is good & right that these ties should be broken & I pray that I may not repine. Had I gone up to Town yesterday which I had first proposed I should have been present at the awful moment & I really think this would have killed me as I am greatly worn out by all I have endured since I left Avington. Dear Charlotte had told Diprose she wished to be buried by the side of her Father and had actually visited his Grave some time ago. The cause of her death has been Water which so rapidly collected that Vance said nothing could save her but he punctured her poor Legs to relieve if possible the vital parts! And now Adieu. I feel sure of your sympathy as one of the few who knew Charlotte’s Excellence & am most Sincerely Yours

AEC B& C

Nov^r 18^th 1835

This morning received the account of the safe arrival of the fine [?] Plants you have kindly sent me. I have given half to the Duke for this place. The others are to go to dear Avington where they will be most welcome. Indeed I am greatly obliged to you.

1835/12/03

HEH STG Correspondence Box 4 (28). Extract of letter from Anna Eliza Brydges at Stowe to Percy Grace at 1 Gardiner Row, Dublin. Written on black edged mourning paper. 3 December 1835. 

I enclose a note from Lady George Murray feeling sure it will be interesting to you in relating to dear Charlotte. I have got the Miniature of my poor Uncle which tho’ very small I am afraid of sending in a Letter. It is a copy of one left to me by M^rs Gamon & which I gave to Charlotte & which Lady George has kindly returned to me. It is now very valuable for many reasons. Charlotte’s little Book of Extracts is more valuable than any thing that could be given to me & when I look in it I feel as if we were again together & I humbly hope I may benefit from reading it. The selections she has made prove the purity & correctness of her feelings & I trust that she was indeed prepared.

I do feel her loss deeply & some times for a moment forget that she is gone!

But I will not dwell upon this painful subject & turn to a more cheerful one which is that the Duke has (thank God) during the last few Days made rapid progress towards recovery and has been out to Day in the Carriage. Chandos has been shooting […]

The Poachers have been active with Air Guns every where in this [?] which ruins the sport this Year & of course puts Chandos in despair. He & Lady Chandos & Anna are most prosperous & came here on Friday at the Duke’s earnest request. Anna is a dear little cheerful companion for him.