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Bromley 28th October 1822
My Dear Sir,
It is with feelings of the strongest
regret in which all our friends here participate, that
I have received the melancholy details of your poor
Brothers Death; for altho' from a letter I got from
himself a few Days it was very evident both his strength
& memory were fast failing him, yet we had not anticipated
so speedy a term being put to his Wife - We all firmly
hope and have every Reason to believe that his Life has been
changed for one in a far happier state than this for
certainly if willingness to oblige, thankfulness for any
little kindness shown him and a general and (sheet torn - one word missing)
Term of a Christian's life can entitle us to
look forward hereafter, the whole Tenor of his has been
such that we may firmly believe he is rewarded - never
could there have neen anyone whom his friends had more
pleasure in endeavouring to serve, he never forgot
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his obligations and always did his very utmost to prove
himself worthy - in fact in him we have lost a friend
one whom every one in the family and out of it in our
Bromley Circle was always glad to see, and could friendship
have saved him we should not now be lamenting him.
To you my good Sir and Mrs. Hodgson the - of
his Death must have been truly distressing, with the dreadful
illness of your Daughter at the same time before you and
the dread of its Encrease amongst your other little ones; but
I sincerely hope that - this you are out of all Danger of
further Infection and that these present Sufferings may
he made up to you in an encreased satisfaction in
beholding the welfare and happiness of your family.
You are perhaps aware that when your Brother
left London it seemed so desirous that he
should do it immediately, as he anticipated great
Benefits to his health by the Changes that he did
not put all his Affairs here in regular order and
in fact from his continual illness and being obliged
frequently to leave his Business for some days, and to
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this Reason alone can it be attributed for he was frequently
more assiduous than his Health, would permit, he however
was not ennabled to get on so well as we all wished and
on looking over his books I find he had more Debts than
his Assets will cover, I propose, with your consent
to take upon myself the setting of all his concerns here and
hope to be enabled to do it so as to do justice to his creditors
and to his Memory: will you then my good Sir give me
your Authority for so acting as I conceive he has left no
Will and if he had it would only lead to expence to (sheet torn - word(s) missing)
administer to it.
Pray excuse the very imperfect (sheet torn - word(s) missing)
which I have endeavoured to express my thoughts to you;
my mind is full and must be my excuse. To Mrs. Hodgson
pray make my kindest regards and with sincere Prayers
that your next may bring me better Accounts of your
family I remain very sincerely Yours
W.T. Rawes
My Mother Brothers & Sisters desire their kindest Compliments
Addressed to: Revd J Hodgson, Upper Heworth, near Gateshead, Newcastle
Notes:-
This letter refers to the death of Robert Hodgson, the younger brother of the Rev. John Hodgson and the son of Isaac Hodgson and his wife Betty, the sister of Richard Rawes, William Thompson's father. Robert Hodgson was born circa 1797 and obviously died shortly before this letter was written, possibly of TB.
Copied by Julian Rawes of Cheltenham.
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