Birthdays

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Eva's aunt wishes her a happy birthday in her seventh year and mentions that an illustration was sent by another post to "hang up in your bedroom". Anchoretta also discusses a boat party in Coventry.

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Wishes Eva a happy ninth birthday and sends her a book as her present. Assures Eva that Aunt Harriet will give her a present soon.

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Wishes Eva a happy tenth birthday and sends a book for her to read to her sisters. Mentions travel plans to Scotland and asks Eva to help her make flowers into bundles.

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Letter from Aunt Grace, addressed to Westbourne Villa on Coswell Road and sent from Torrington. Discusses packing and leaving Torrington to go to stay with Mrs. Thorne in Dalverton. Mentions that it has not been warm enough to sketch outside, although she has done a few flower paintings. Is pleased that Eva's cough and is better and wishes her a happy birthday.

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Letter from Aunt Charlotte addressed from Avon House in Dover. Mentions that she is sorry to have missed sending Eva's mother something for her birthday and that she would like to knit bedroom slippers for her.

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Letter sent from Franny and signed "Florence C.H. Lyne." Thanks Eva for sending her a birthday present and says she will send a confirmation present. Speaks of a marionette performance at school and mentions how wonderful it is to have Eva's mother visiting.

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Addressed from Deaconess House, Mildmay Park. Wishes Eva a happy sixteenth birthday.

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Addressed from Mildmay House on Northumberland Road. Wishes Eva a happy seventeenth birthday.

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Letter from Harriet Bell Caddich addressed from Dorset House. Enclosed a photograph of herself for Eva's birthday and says that she will have more photographs taken of herself at her coming out party. Mentions that her father has gotten the family a Bechstein piano.

Scope and Contents: Letter from Eva's friend, Winifred. Addressed from St. John's Vicarage, Newport. Wishes Eva a happy birthday and "top of the morning to you and may you live in peace and plenty to the end of your life, and may all your enemies be ground to powder". Discusses a conference that is going on. Gives Eva advice to "always walk with your toes well turned and never drop your H's." Ends the letter by quoting Brutus in Shakespeare (Act V Scene I)and signing off as "your loving friend and...

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Letter from May McCormick addressed from St. Matthews Vicarage. Thanks Eva for sending her an illustrated book for her birthday. Tells her that the Protestant Congress will be held in Brighton on October 14th and that several of the speakers will stay at their home. Ends the letter because she is going to a Temperance lecture by Mr. (Richard?) Coad.

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Letter from Louisa addressed from St. Albans. Thanks Eva for sending a book for her birthday and asks her to thank her mother for "taking the Working Party".

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Addressed from Mildmay Park. Wishes Eva a happy birthday. Tells her that she had a tea party for 1200 poor people and "they behaved so well and greatly enjoyed themselves" and another tea for 400 railway men. The Duchess of Edinburgh's three children spent three hours with the party for the railway men and enjoyed themselves.

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Letter from "Aunt Emily" addressed from West Devon. Wishes Eva a happy birthday and updates her on various news.

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Addressed from Belford, Malvern. Birthday wishes and sends a "night dress case" as a present.

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Belated birthday note which was sent with a present saying "is it 'better late than never'?"

Abstract:

The collection comprises correspondence sent to Eva, Lizzie Hester, and Sylvie Whyte by family and friends in the 1880s and 1890s, and provides insight into the lives of adolescent girls growing up in Victorian England in the fashionable Midlands town of Malvern, and their travels abroad.