The letters were a chance discovery by Helen Wolvey in 2015, when her cousin was de-cluttering her flat in Southwold. They were found, stored in ‘Uncle Billy’s Box’, a First World War ammunition box. The letters were written by the Lincolne family who owned a large grocery and drapery store in the Halesworth between 1816 and 1850.
The letters are rare because they include complete chains of letters both from the writer and replies from the recipient. They also have wider historical relevance as they reflect the views, hopes and aspirations of the aspiring middle classes in the early Victorian era. The Lincolnes were well educated and the standard of the letters and their language is superb, some have beautiful copper plate writing, whilst others are “cross written” making them hard to transcribe They give us an fascinating insight into Halesworth life in the 1830s and 1840s. In the ammunition box there were some very rare early photographs of the family and other memorabilia from the family.
The Museum has a display showing some of the Lincolne family history with examples of the letters, photograph and other memorabilia. Helen Wolvey and David Wollweber have co-authored a book on the letters, opening a view into late Georgian and early Victorian life in Halesworth.
The Halesworth & District Museum want to make these letter widely available to the general public and to conserve and preserve them for future generations. The first phase is to place transcripts of these letters on-line linked to an index.
Letter Name | From | To | Letter Date | Description | Keywords | Notes | Catalogue Number | ||
Year | Month | Day | |||||||
1749 07 04 Doddridge | Doddridge, Philip Revd | Lincolne, Joshua | 1749 | 7 | 4 | From Revd Philip Doddridge to Joshua Lincolne of Norwich about his son William Lincolne on his graduation from the Northampton Dissenting Academy. Letter mentions other members of the Norwich Old Meeting House congregation. | Balderson Dawson, John Dissenting Academy Doddridge, Phillip 1702 -1751 Hensman, John Joyce Lincolne, Joshua 1688 - 1765 Lincolne, William 1728 - 1792 Northampton Norwich Old Meeting House Preaching Scott, Wood, Samuel | HADM 2017.84.1 | |
1791 01 08 Dikes Mary | Dike, Mary | Lincolne, Mary | 1791 | 1 | 8 | From Mary Dikes, wife of Revd Thomas Dike to Mary Lincolne congratulating her on the birth of her son two years previously and praising breast feeding. She lets her know about her impending confinement, She tells Mary of her imminent move from Barwick to Hull where her husband is building a church. | Barwick in Elmet Bocking Breast feeding Dikes, Mary Dikes, Thomas 1761–1847 Hull Lincolne, Mary 1764 - 1831 Lincolne, William 1789 -1847 Pregnancy | This should be Barwick not Berwick. Barwick in Elmet is 7 miles from Leeds, as referred to in the letter | HADM 2017.84.2 |
1793 06 21 Parry | Parry, William | Dixon, Robert | 1793 | 6 | 21 | Letter from Revd William Parry to Robert Dixon which uses the metaphor of the campaigns of the French Revolutionary wars to describe the progress of his courtship of Susannah Lincolne | Felstead French Revolutionary War Little Baddow Dixon, Robert Lincolne, Susannah 1757-1833 Parry, William 1754-1819 Courtship | HADM 2017.84.3 | |
1798 11 03 Lincolne | Lincolne, William | Lincolne, William jnr | 1798 | 11 | 3 | Letter from William Lincolne to his son. Conducting some business and telling of the imprisonment of Thomas Kesteven in Paris | Bailey, Mr Haffden, Mr Bonfire Night. French Revolution, Prison, Lincolne, William 1765 - 1799, Lincolne, William 1789 - 1847 | Mr Kesteven was imprisoned for 6 weeks | HADM 2017.84.4 |
1803 02 22 Harvey | Harvey, J.W. | Lincolne, William | 1803 | 2 | 22 | Letter from J W Harvey relating to an incident at school | Lincolne, William 1789 - 1847 Harvey, JW | HADM 2017.84.5 | |
1810 03 25 Napier William | Napier, William | Napier, Ann | 1810 | 3 | 25 | William Napier writes to his daughters Ann and Mary who are staying with their grandfather Thomas Pasfield. He is concerned about an inappropriate love affair of his other daughter Mary. He tells them about a new house puchase | Napier, Ann 1788 - 1876 Bocking Grand Junction Wharf Napier, Mary 1792 - 1848 Napier, William 1757 - 1836 Pasfield, Thomas 1738 - 1818 Whitefriars, London | HADM 2017.84.6 | |
1810 04 12 Napier William | Napier, William | Napier, Ann and Mary | 1810 | 4 | 12 | William Napier writes to his daughters Ann and Mary about the protests of the mob in London relating to parliamentary reform. He is concerned about his other daughter Sarah and an inappropriate love affair. His son Thomas had written a letter warning her suitor off. Thomas and Sarah were going to travel to Essex accompanied by their uncle Francis Walker | Bocking London Mob Napier, Ann 1788 - 1876 Napier, Mary 1792 - 1848 Napier, Thomas 1783 1860 Napier, William 1757 - 1836 Parliamentary reform Reeve, Sarah nee Napier 1786 – 1851 Walker, Francis | HADM 2017.84.7 | |
1810 11 13 Napier William | Napier, William | Lincolne, Mary | 1810 | 11 | 13 | William Napier sends his daughter Mary her quarterly allowance | Bocking London Napier, Mary 1792 - 1848 Napier, William 1757 - 1836 Reeve, Sarah nee Napier 1786 - 1851 Joseph Reeve 1780 - 1851 | HADM 2017.84.8 | |
1811 09 20 Napier William | Napier, William | Lincolne, Mary | 1811 | 9 | 20 | William Napier urges his daughter Mary to manage her money better. He thanks her for nursing her sister Sarah following the birth of her son William and suggests she could make a living doing it. He refers to her sister Ann Napier | Bocking London Napier, Ann 1788 - 1876 Napier, Mary 1792 - 1848 Napier, William 1757 - 1836 Reeve, Sarah nee Napier 1786 - 1851 Reeve, William 1811 1888 | At the bottom of this letter there is another letter, not listed in the spreadsheet referring to an umbrella | HADM 2017.84.9 |
1812 09 08 Napier William | Lincolne, William | Napier, Mary | 1812 | 9 | 8 | William Napier writes to his daughter, about the travel plans to take her to Ipswich to visit her sister and brother in law, following her current stay with Mr and Mrs Harvey. A present of fruits from Mrs Heard’s garden will accompany her | Napier, William 1757-1836 Lincolne, Mary 1792 - 1848 Napier, Mary 1792 – 1848 Harvey Heard Garden Reeve, Joseph Reeve, Sarah | HADM 2017.84.10 | |
1812 10 31 Napier William | Napier, William | Napier, Mary | 1812 | 10 | 31 | Mary’s father offers her some advice on marriage | Lincolne, Mary 1792 -1848 Napier, Mary 1792 – 1848 Napier, William 1757-1836 Marriage | HADM 2017.84.11 | |
1812 10 Lincolne William | Lincolne, William | N, Miss | 1812 | 10 | A letter from William to Mary | Lincolne, Mary 1792 -1848 Napier, Mary 1792 – 1848 Lincolne, William 1789 – 1847 Joscelyn | HADM 2017.84.12 | ||
1812 11 10 Lincolne William | Lincolne, William | Napier, Mary | 1812 | 11 | 10 | A letter from William to Mary | Lincolne, Mary 1792 -1848 Napier, Mary 1792 – 1848 Lincolne, William 1789 – 1847 | HADM 2017.84.13 | |
1812 11 16 Lincolne William | Lincolne, William | Napier, Mary | 1812 | 11 | 16 | A love letter from William to Mary | Lincolne, Mary 1792 -1848 Napier, Mary 1792 – 1848 Lincolne, William 1789 – 1847 | HADM 2017.84.14 | |
1812 11 24 Lincolne William | Lincolne, William | Napier, Mary | 1812 | 11 | 24 | A hopeful love letter from William Lincolne to Mary Napier. The first time her addresses her as Mary. | Lincolne, William 1789 – 1847 Lincolne, Mary 1792 - 1848 Napier, Mary 1792 – 1848 Love Lateness | HADM 2017.84.15 | |
1812 12 04 Lincolne William | Lincolne, William | Napier, Mary | 1812 | 12 | 4 | A meeting between Mary Napier and William Lincolne had gone badly because he turned up late, A meeting between Thomas Isaac and his grandson William Napier will determine their future, | Napier, William 1757 - 1836 Lincolne, William 1789 - 1847 Napier, Mary 1792 - 1848 Lincolne, Mary 1792 -1848 Newton Fuller Grand Junction Wharf Witham Baptism Thomas Isaac 1737 - 1816 | HADM 2017.84.16 | |
1812 12 28 Lincolne William | Lincolne, William | Napier, Mary | 1812 | 12 | 28 | William writes to Mary about his prospects | Lincolne, Mary 1792 -1848 Napier, Mary 1792 – 1848 Lincolne, William 1789 – 1847 | HADM 2017.84.17 | |
In Preperation | |||||||||
1813 01 07 Lincolne William to Napier Mary | Lincolne, William | Napier, Mary | 1813 | 1 | 7 | Describing some communication problems between William and Mary | Lincolne, William 1789 - 1847 Napier, Mary 1792 - 1848 Lincolne, Mary 1792 -1848 Grand Junction Wharf Witham | HADM 2017.84.18 | |
1813 01 12 Lincolne William to Napier Mary | Lincolne, William | Napier, Mary | 1813 | 1 | 12 | William sets the tone of their relationship with Mary | Lincolne, Mary 1792 -1848 Napier, Mary 1792 – 1848 Lincolne, William 1789 – 1847 | HADM 2017.84.19 | |
1813 01 25 Lincolne William to Napier Mary | Lincolne, William | Napier, Mary | 1813 | 1 | 25 | William writes to Mary mentioning the abilities of a preacher | Lincolne, Mary 1792 -1848 Napier, Mary 1792 – 1848 Lincolne, William 1789 – 1847 Newton Preaching | HADM 2017.84.20 | |
1813 29 Lincolne William to Napier Mary | Lincolne, William | Napier, Mary | 1813 | 1 | 29 | William wites a love letter to Mary | Lincolne, Mary 1792 -1848 Napier, Mary 1792 – 1848 Lincolne, William 1789 – 1847 | HADM 2017.84.21 | |
1813 02 11 Lincolne William to Napier Mary | Lincolne, William | Napier, Mary | 1813 | 2 | 11 | A letter from William to Mary telling her about a birth and a death | Lincolne, Mary 1792 -1848 Napier, Mary 1792 – 1848 Lincolne, William 1789 – 1847 Tozer, Eliza Fare, R Death Birth | HADM 2017.84.22 | |
1813 02 15 Lincolne William to Napier Mary | Lincolne, William | Napier, Mary | 1813 | 2 | 15 | A love letter from William to Mary | Lincolne, Mary 1792 -1848 Napier, Mary 1792 – 1848 Lincolne, William 1789 – 1847 | HADM 2017.84.23 |
The Lincolne Letters David Wollweber has extracted stories from the letters, giving a insite into early 19th century life of the Lincolne family, Halesworth and further afield. This book is available at the Museum and in the Halesworth Book Shop for £13.50. |
Appeal
As well as making the transcripts available on-line, the Museum has the responsibility of safely storing, conservation and recording the Lincolne collection. The collection includes pictures, books and other items as well as the letters. This will be an expensive and time consuming project. The Museum will be looking for volunteers to work on the project (some training will be available) together with professional conservationists. If you would be interested in the preservation and storage of this collection do please contact the Museum.
The Museum will need to raise fund to progress this project. Each Museum project has to be self-funded so as not to impact on the Museums reserve and day-to-day running.
If you would like to be part of the team contributing to this project you can donate to our Treasures Fund by either:
• Sending a cheque to the Museum
• Bank transfer to Barclays Bank:
Account name: The Halesworth & District Museum
Sort Code 20-16-12 Account Number 13489582
Let us know what the donation is for by using the reference Lincolne Project.
Thank you for your support