Sheffield Archives LD1567/2

Sheffield Archives LD1567/2

TRANSCRIPTION

London    July 7th, 1747

Dear Sister

I would not omit this opportunity of satisfying you of my regard for you, which gives me great uneasiness for you but to suspect it. My reason for inserting it in this is my mother told me you imagined our correspondence would drop through my deglect  which I hope, nay am sure, never will happen, for have too great a share of satisfaction that accrues from a correspondence of this nature, ever to be guilty of such a crime. Should be sorry my dear sister should ever harbour such a thought of me who esteems it one of the greatest pleasure she has, in having so good a sister for her friend and who is desirous of its continuance with her life as it would be the greatest uneasiness could be for anything of that kind to happen betwixt two who have ever been so dear to one another and hope though, for want of opportunity, our writing may not be so often as could wish it, hope that will never abate the love that is naturally betwixt us, which I can promise will never be on my side and hope never will on yours.

I am very sorry little Nancy is so weakly, but hope your meted of dipping will recover her strong again, which will give me great pleasure to hear.

Conclude with Mr. Cooper joining with love to brothers and self, with thanks for your kind present which was very good for had part of it Sunday last.

am, Dear Sister, your loving and affectionate sister,

R. Cooper

P.S..  I am sorry I can't send your casters for have been disappointed for has not brought according to previous, but shall send them next journey, express haste.

COMMENTARY

Letter[i] dated : July 7^th 1747

To : Catherine Elliot, Sheffield

From : Rebecca Cooper, London

This is the first letter that has survived from Rebecca Cooper née Wright[ii] to her sister Catherine “Kitty”[iii]. Rebecca wrote from London where she had lived since her marriage to David Cooper[iv] in 1743. Her first daughter Ann[v], born 5^th May 1746 had died and was buried in Sheffield on 18^th January 1746/47, about six months prior to the date of this letter. At the time of this letter Rebecca was pregnant with her second daughter, also named Rebecca[vi]. Helpfully the parish record gives us the date of birth for Rebecca as 15^th July 1747 and she was baptised fifteen days later, on 30^th July 1747 at St Michael Bassishaw in the City of London

The tone of the letter indicates that Rebecca feels the need to assure Catherine “Kitty” of her regard. Has there been a falling out, or did Catherine “Kitty” just feel neglected? We cannot know. We do know that their mother, Dorothy, had worried in an earlier letter about such a falling out and said she had reprimanded Rebecca. In another letter to Catherine “Kitty” Dorothy complained that Rebecca and one of her brothers did not communicate frequently enough. Here Rebecca acknowledges that their mother Dorothy was concerned that Catherine “Kitty” felt neglected by her. Considering that Rebecca was close to giving birth, it is hardly surprising that the thought of writing to her sister was not at the top of her list of priorities!

Little Nancy was Ann Elliot[vii], the daughter of Catherine “Kitty”, born a few weeks before Rebecca’s first daughter Ann. She was apparently not too well and her mother was trying the increasingly popular remedy of dipping, which usually meant sea bathing. Doctors recommended this as having beneficial effects for many health problems, and a dose of cold sea water quickly became the equivalent of a new wonder drug. Today when we talk of sea bathing, we imagine a warm day, a pretty beach, a calm sea, swimming and general enjoyment! It was not like that in the eighteenth century. If a doctor prescribed sea bathing it required the shock of cold water and of total immersion. It was usually done in the morning, preferably with rough seas. As most people could not swim, assistants usually helped the patient into the water, backwards and held down so that the patient was totally immersed, being held down for a few seconds. So, the patient experienced not just the shock of the cold but also the panic of near asphyxiation; not unlike the modern torture called waterboarding. These assistants were known as “Dippers”[viii]. This regime was often repeated a few times in accordance with the doctor’s instructions. The seawater craze soon extended beyond merely bathe bathing in it; drinking sea water was also recommended, often served with the addition of honey or milk[ix].

The fashion for sea bathing did much to promote the prosperity of seaside towns. The gentry came for the “cure” and trades and professions followed. Then with the coming of the railways in the nineteenth century, these towns became accessible to a far broader clientele. Thus was born the concept of a holiday by the seaside.

We do not know where little Ann was dipped. It could have been at Scarborough, as by the 1730s it was considered an excellent place to bathe[x]. It might have been an inland spa such as Bath. Or, indeed, they might have gone for the very cheap option, and used a local river or pond. As Rebecca refers to Catherine’s “method of diping”, she may not even have followed the standard usually prescribed by doctors at that time.

From the various letters it seems that there was a steady exchange of gifts and purchases between family members. In this letter Rebecca gives her thanks for something that must have been food. She also apologies for not sending casters. A cynic might think that Catherine “Kitty” was upset with Rebecca for not completing the errand she had been commissioned to do or for not sending her thanks for the present quickly enough rather than for a lack of news filled letters.