Item 9a - Letter from Lucy Clifford to Georgina Pollock

Algiers.—They are delighted by the news (of the birth of Isabel Alice Pollock). Is eager to see the baby and hear more about her. Approves the choice of name.

(With an envelope.)

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Transcript

Algiers. 26th June 1876

My dear Georgie

We have just had Fred’s letter & we are very delighted. I went to the post office & when I saw a letter in Fred’s handwriting I longed to open it, & rushed back to Willi under a blazing sun & was rewarded by hearing the news read aloud. I am so very very glad for you both & hope the sweet little thing will bring you all the happiness you can desire. We were always thinking of you about the time you said but you see the young lady had arrived beforehand. I can’t help thinking how happy you must be, dear Georgie, & can quite fancy I see you. Is’nt† the top of its head nice to kiss, & don’t you long to cuddle it up & hug it in a manner that would be certain death to it? I like calling a baby “it” better than him or her, {1} it seems to describe a baby so well. I would give anything to see my little niece & to nurse it & shall come and call on her the moment we arrive almost in Town & do hope it will still be in long petticoats. I hope you got your Nurse in time, I know you were ready in other ways. Do make Fred when he has time or Emmie when she comes to see you write a proper account. If she is dark or fair, what colour eyes & how you look as a Mamma & if she had good lungs & if the clothes are all too big (as mine were) &c. &c. I wonder if anyone was disappointed at a boy not appearing. I know you were not for you told me once how you should like a little daughter. We must have a grand meeting of our babies when we come home, that baby of ours is quite aged now though. I should like to give you a good kiss & tell you how glad we are for you. I never was so pleased at anyone having a baby in all my life before. I am sure Mrs Deffel is delighted also. Isabel Alice is a charming name. My pretty little sister in the Convent is called Isabel. Only fancy when Isabel & Ethel are grown up & go to balls & their fathers are bald & their mothers old! I have written to tell Ethel about it, but think Smut ought to be told somehow, he wd be so pleased & now he cries about the house & misses us & his little sister sadly. It is rather wicked of you to have your first baby when we are so {2} far away, I should have enjoyed it so much. I know Fred nurses it to perfection, Willi has already planned its education. take† great care of yourself & kiss the little darling for me & now goodbye—I am so thankful it is all over—

Yours always affectionately
Lucy Clifford

[Added on the envelope by W. K. Clifford:] Don’t write to Gibraltar—we shall go from Oran to Malaga if we can.

[Direction on envelope, in the hand of W. K. Clifford:] F. Pollock Esqre | 12 Bryanston St | London W [In the top left-hand corner:] Angleterre

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The envelope was postmarked somewhere in Algeria, 1876 (only part of the mark is visible), stamped ‘Marseille a Lyon’ on 29 June 1876, and postmarked at London, W., on 23 June 1876.

{1} Comma supplied.

{2} Blotted, perhaps intentionally.

† Sic.