Letter #5, Post #3

Thursday 26 January 2012
To Cassandra, from Rowling, "To-day the Goodnestone Party begins to disperse & spread itself abroad. Mr & Mrs Cage & George repair to Hythe. Lady Waltham, Miss Bridges & Miss Mary Finch to Dover, for the health of the two former.-I have never seen Marianne at all.-
     "On Thursday Mr & Mrs Bridges return to Danbury; Miss Harriot Hales accompanies them to London in her way to Dorsetshire." - Jane Austen, Monday 5 September 1796

Here is a link to a map of the ports of Hythe.
http://www.hythe-kent.com/Hythe%20Group/cinque1.htm

Lady Waltham was a very good friend of Lady Bridges. This is a link to a copy of an old account book in the handwriting of Lady Bridges in which she mentions Lady Waltham. This is such interesting information concerning their wardrobes, what was needed for a lady to marry.
http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/brablt20.html#letter111

Marianne Bridges was born in 1774 and died 12 April 1811. She was an invalid from an early age. She died unmarried.

Mr. and Mrs. Bridges would be Revd. Brook-Henry Bridges who was the rector of Danbury and Woodham Ferrers and Jane Hales Bridges. Miss Harriot Hales would have been Jane Hales Bridges' sister.

I hope you had a good day,
Terrie