I’ve found a letter dated 1912

[Fettuccinecarbonara]

I have recently bought an old property to renovate in my spare time.

It’s a little terraced house, dating back to 1800ish

Upon purchase I was given a box of deeds, some crumbly, some burnt, and others in fairly good condition.

At the bottom of the box was this letter.

I can’t really read it very well, and I’m not even sure it relates to the property!

Would anyone care to help me translate?

Pg 2
And hope next week to be able to return to my little ones & home
It was quite correct when my little girl answered to your letter
I sent letter by post to
Mr .... authorizing forward rent when due
At ...to your..,
And I heard nothing from them since
I beg to apologize

Someone faster than me
Well done!

You’re all amazing! Thank you!!

The winnicotts did own the house until 1961 when it was sold to their daughter, who owned it until I have purchased it (as she is now in her 90’s and in a home)

It’s lively to have this piece of history! Thank you for translating for me :)

Thurlestone, Nr Kingsbridge is not too far from me!

Page 1
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//Looks like an address
6 .... Lodge
March 22/12

Lois,
I was called away x weeks ... to see the last of my mother... I was taken ill myself with rheumatic fever but thankfully today I am mending...

Page 2
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I hope... .... to be able toreturn to my little ones and home and ... guilt could ... to yout letter. I sent letter by post ...... authorising them to forward rent when due as ... to you and I ... nothing from then since. I beg to ...

Page 3
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for troubling you with this but I thought is my duty.

Yours ...
M Kenning

################

This is the best I can do, the image size is quite small! Exciting to see letters of old.

It’s a letter apologising to his landlord for not paying rent as he was ill and not at home. He tried to authorise rent to be paid via someone else but that person never responded.

Seems like the writer is replying to a letter from his Landlord about the rent and is explaining that he was called away to see his mother, became ill whilst there is now on the mend and hopes to be back soon. He sent a letter to a Mr F or H (?) authorising him to send the rent when it fell due to the Landlord and has heard nothing since from Mr F or H and feels it is his duty to bring this to the Landlord's attention. Also seems like the daughter responded to a letter from the Landlord in a similar vein as the writer seems to be confirming what she said about Mr F or H

Sounds like Mr F or H didn't pay the rent and/or pocketed it and the Landlord is chasing the writer for the outstanding rent. Could Mr F or H be an agent for the Landlord?

I hope he wasn't evicted for non payment of rent as it seems he did all he could.

Not quite sure about the names or some of the words, but I read it as this.....

Glannacombe Lodge
Thurlestone
Messrs Theingsbridge March 22/12
J F Winnicott Esq

Sir
I was called away 3 weeks gone to see the last of my mother. I was taken ill myself with rheumatic fever but thankfull to say I am mending now. I hope next week to be able to return to my little ones and home. It was quite correct what my little girl answered to your letter. I sent letter by post to messrs Husnam authorizing them to forward rent when due at (?) May to you and I heard nothing from them since. I beg to apologise for troubling you with this but I thought it my duty. Yours obligingly M Wenning

It makes me feel a bit sad! I wonder what happened.

Omg I LOVE that handwriting!

I can read zilch of it but it just looks beautiful.

Lovely glimpse into the past

You might be able to find a little more about them if you use something like Ancestry records perhaps.

I love things like this. It would be so lovely to find out more about this person and his life.

@will0wtree thank you! Because of your translation, I’ve found the building the gentleman was in when he wrote the letter!

britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101306325-clanacombe-thurlestone

Wow! I would absolutely fall down the rabbit hole of finding out what happened to him.

New hobby OP!

I think he's addressing it to Sirs, not Lois/Luis.

I agree horsemad. These are my absolute favourite threads. You can keep your parking. Hope you discover more about the writer OP.