Tidy, Charles

Hannah More to Marianne Thornton, 3 July 1826

I have been so absorbed in business that I could not find time to write to you before and the intervals which business left, company filled up. I have been deeply concerned for two Parishes in which I have /had/ a School of nearly 300 for forty four years.^* They are all Miners and the times have been so bad, that they could not sell any of their Ore. Near 1200 human beings were in absolute want. Besides what I was able to do myself I wrote a pressing account to the Committee for distrest Manufacturers^* and at /2/ different times they sent me forty pounds. I have also had some help from a Society in Bristol Poor Charles with my Horses and Waggon was travelling all over the Country from four in the morning every other day in purchasing and carrying them food –I have sent them above two hundred and forty Sacks of Potatoes and twelve Flitches of Bacon. I do not in general give but sell: the bacon which costs me seven pence a pound I sell for three pence halfpenny, and this Morning I send for fresh supply back again. Or else I take in return for my food, a small portion of their Ore, so I am become a perfect Merchant or rather Huckster. I keep Shop thro my valuable School Master^* two days in a Week and if you want any thing at the cheap Shop nobody shall serve you better. I trust that the worst is over; but a few kind hearted rich Quakers and myself have subscribed £100 each to sell them at low prices the necessaries of life, we take their Ore in return, which we hope they may hereafter be able to sell, so we shall recover part of our money.

Hannah More to Thomas Dyke Acland, unknown date

I feel it a sort of shame to take charity Money from a County Member^*, whose unbounded liberality I well know is not shut up within the limits of that County. – My Man Charles is out from four in the morning to endeavour to buy 100 sacks of Potatoes. On hearing it the Farmers raised the price!! I am turned Merchant They ask me for bread and give me a Stone^*. I am purchasing their Ore^* at half price which I trust will sell hereafter. Be so good as speak to the , and desire him with my Compliments to use brass Harness, it would become the fashion and my Miners would become Gentlemen – all the Geology /I know/ is that Lapis Calaminaris makes brass, so you see I am not /one/ those Scientific people who do not turn their knowledge to account. Present me most affectionately to dear – In great haste