"Dear Minnie..."

Emma Savage's Letters to Araminta Brown

Rarely, for Emma, this letter was not written on headed note paper. It is also addressed from "Hill House" rather than Brick Kiln

Hill House

Glemsford

Suffolk

June 17th 02.

My dear Minnie,

I suppose you are now in the seventh heaven of delight now peace is proclaimed and your sweetheart will be returning. I am very glad of it London is all alive for the Coronation the decorations are simply splendid better than London as ever seen before but the weather has been beastly rain day & night. We were in town all last week saw Rillo & Gersham they are alright.
I suppose you will have gay doings on your place.

I have had the house painted & the greenhouse and the staircase a pale green with white bannisters also steps & rises it does look nice. Mr. S has bought that field opposite us 4.1/2 acres. Mr Prentices creditors sold it for him. I suppose you heard he failed again. We only want the sunshine to make everything look lovely. Old Nell was pleased to see me last night.

I was going out for a ride but down came the rain, so I am writing letters instead. I was very pleased to hear your health was better may it continue so, always try & look on the bright side, wherever you are with luck
Believe me

love
Your sincere friend
E. Savage.

This letter coincides with a very interesting time in national history -
the end of the Boer War and the forthcoming Coronation.

• Glemsford School log book carries fascinating detail about the different ways in which the Relief of Mafeking, the new King and the end of the Boer War were celebrated in the village.
• Entries in the Foxearth newspaper pages also carry details of the Coronation celebrations in August 1902.
• Mr Prentice's bankruptcy was mentioned in the February and May 1902 letters.
• Only a passing reference to Rillo and Gersham in this letter ...
• ... but at least Minnie's health has improved, and the imminent return of her sweetheart would open the way for her marriage later in the year.
• even if the weather is still cause for negative comment!

Read about what we know about the
Brown Family History and what we know about
their "future" in the 20th Century