Page 111
December 28th 1933
My dear Albert
Many thanks for your nice letter
and interesting enclosures which I return
now as you may wish to write to Mr
Bishop. I wrote to Altnagelvin[?] for the
Cleveland newspapers cutting to let you
see it and you can return it to me,
but I am planning to go to Derry tomorrow
morning and shall just keep my letter
open to see if it arrives, if not I’ll
send it again. Our letters are collected
so early it would be too late to
post when I get home.
Mr Bishop’s letter is most interesting
and clear. I am afraid he is more
than optimistic to think he could
upset the disposal of Uncle Roberts’
property, must a Will be proved? And
the document we have of Uncle Robert’s
isn’t exactly a Will but a settlement
by Deed and I greatly fear Yale
College would cause the whole estate
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to be spent on fighting them rather than
give up their claim. Also, although I
am not so high-souled as to say I
would not gladly take a share of the
larger estate on the grounds that our
Uncle made the money and Hugh
should have left us some, still a
man should be able to do what he
likes with his own, and I should
feel it was coming where he didn’t
wish it to come. However I’m very
much afraid our fortitude will not be
tried in this way. I am very glad
to hear that Aunt Virginia had only
one grand-niece!
Mr Bishop is again optimistic I fear
about the “imminence” of Hazlett’s death!!
I think it would be wise to ask him
what percentage he’d want if he gained
his suit, but I can hardly understand
his proposing to fight such a big thing
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without some fee. However you are a
better judge than any of us,and I
think we’d all fall in with whatever
you decide. In the event of the
Irish branches not falling in what
would happen I wonder ?
Nannie[?] Eaton was here on Tuesday
and she said you would like to see
Grand-mother’s Diary again(do you
remember I took it up with me on
my last visit to you- but I suppose
never gave you time to see it!) I can
easily send it to you any time you
like.
I told Lily to tell you Uncle Hugh’s birth
date was given, but not the date of
the death in that newspapers cutting.
Nannie also said you would like to
have Great Grandfather’s tomb inscription
but that is impossible to get. I took
up a trowel and tools to try to get
the inscription on the lower stone, but
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though I pulled away grass and leaves
the stone was all broken and crumbled,
it is like this [sketch] but the lower part
quite a wreck. We know the record was
there because the inscription before great
grandmother’s name is “In addition to
the names recorded below”.
Indeed I’d love to see the “Tree”, but I
feel so old and decrepit now I shrink
from leaving home! If I went any where
I’d like to go to you and Lily!! If the
American money would come we’d get
a car of our own, and go where we
liked, maybe this year I’d get up courage
to move!
Yes, 1809 is the date of Gt Grandfather’s Will.
I’m afraid I have not much belief or trust
in Charles Clarke !
Indeed we did listen to “The Mikado” on
Christmas night and delightful it was - and
fog has been spoiling our reception lately
but that night it was beautifully clear and
we didn’t lose a word.
Much love to both from both and best wishes
Side of page 111
for 1934.
Yours affectly
Charlotte M. MacCulloch
Transcribed by Brian McCrory
