The Letters of Sir Samuel Hellier (1736–1784)

To

Mr. John Roger’s at the

Woodhouses near

Wolverhampton

Staffordshire.

The Bottle of Japan

Ink mention’d in this Letter

is not sent for fear of

the Bottle being Broke.

But Mr. Smith in Wolverhampton

can furnish Mr. Jorden with

Ink for Duration & it is

Desired none but what

will Endure Black &

handsome maybe

need.

/

January ye 11th 1767.

John.

I have at last Got the Book finish’d

for Wombourn Charity School & enclos’d you

will receive it I hope quite safe, Let Mr. Jorden

have it Directly It is not of Parchent Leave’s

being too Expensive But made of Exceeding good &

strong Paper which will Do as well Be sure whatever is

inserted in this Book is very neatly wrote & Red

Lines I have also sent a Bottle of Japan Ink

as it Endures without ever Changeing Colour for —

many Year’s. Tell Mr. Jorden By all means’ to Invent

some short account of the rise & antiquity of the Parish ^┌ those Hills of Earth on Wombourn Common ^┐

as hinted by Dr. Wilkes[1] & other Leaned inquirer’s

Have also sent Down a Pattern for ye Charity Girls

gown's being the best Calculated that can be ^┌ much Like the Foundling Hospitall ^┐ I do not

Mean the Gown’s to be made of such stuff only

as to Colour Shape Trimings &c. & I Propose they

shall wear Red Ribbons & ^┌ Red ^┐ Stockings. Have also

sent a Pattern for ye Boy’s Caps being in form Exactly

as our Doctor of Civil Law are at Oxford This I —

Do not intend to be off such Stuff only Scarlet &

Course Cloth Tyed with a Black Ribbond. These Caps

will keep ye Children always’s warm & look well —

whereas what Charity Children Usually wear never Covers

half their heads & have a Mein Look. Pray take Care

of these Pattern’s & lay them Carefully Bye for me. —

/

I Propose the Boy's shall wear Red Caps, Red Stockings

Red Turn up Sleves to their Clothes & Little Red Collars

To Their Coats the rest of Their Dress, all Dark Brown

Mr. Jorden should leave a few Leaves Blank at

the Beginning of the Book as hereafter some —

Curious Matter’s may be wanted to be inserted.

There is so great a Demand for Musical Instruments at

Present 'tis Difficult to get any I have got one —

French Horn which was made in Germany[2] ^┌ it is a D Horn ^┐ I could get

no London ones they have no time to make them

as there’s an order from the King to use no Drums

in the Regiments of Dragoon's all Trumpets 

This Employ’s them all to work so one might wait

for Ever However this Horn will Do. I shall send

down the Horn & other Instruments as soon as I

can But thinking Mr. Jordan would be impatient for

the Book & indeed I want it to go on I Therefore

hurried it away. I have sent 2 Books of Instructions

one for the Horn & one the Hautboy & a gamut[3] —

there being no Instruction Book Publish'd for ye Bassoon

The Organ for Wombourn Cathedral will be very

clever & make an Elegant appearance ^┌ Fine Ivory Keys ^┐ the Stops which

It will Contain are on the Loud or full Organ

as follows (Vizt.) Stop't Diaposon, open Diapason, Principle,

Cornet, Sesquialtra Bass, Trumpet throughout.

Soft Organ Stop't Diapason & Principle. The Cornet

will be a Lively one as it is the Stop Constantly

used when a Psalm is given out, & then when

/

they begin to Sing The full organ all the Stops.

as you are to be our Organist I Recommend it

that you Practice a good Deal & you have a very

good organ at your Command so you Cannot

well Complain for want of an Instrument.

If you want a good afternoon Clergyman & will

say the utmost that can give Encouragement I have a

Gentleman in my Eye would gladly serve the Church &

one who Every body will Like. — or if that will not do

if you know of any Clergyman of Wolverhampton or

in the Neighbourhood wants a Curate Let me know.

I Received the Hare you sent and was Lucky for I did not

Pay the Carraige though Carraige Paid was not upon the direction &

hope you have adjusted ye Dragon by this Time & I hope

Mr Jorden Received his Barrel of Oysters. Pray do let

those few Little Jobbs be Done which I so often & frequently

have hinted to you (Vizt.) the Painting at ye End of the

organ the gilding of the ornaments that wanted in the —

Musick Room & Those Trifles for the Boat &

The Top of the Urn in the Wood. When you write

Pray be Particular Long Letter Like mine &

answer what I want to know.

I am your Friend &c

Recieved Compliments to Mr. Jorden

S. Hellier

I suppose Mr Hatrell 

has been at Woodhouse

Er’e now — Has —

Nanny got the Things from

Kent how are ye Ducks Dog’s 

Horses &c. — & the Water —

high in the middle Pool.

Let me hear from you as soon as Possible

the sooner the better. We have nothing but Snow

& bad Weather.