430 Hackney Rd.
9th April 63
My dear Alexander

I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your last letter containing two sovereigns. It is very, very kind of you to think of the "old folks at home", and I desire to thank you most kindly but do not tax your purse too much lest you should feel inconvenienced at some future time.

Your dear Father, although 73 years old, still struggles on and I am happy to say we are more at ease respecting pecuniary matters than ever; still, our means are limited and at times we are tempted to wish they were not quite so circumscribed but we are hastening on to that goal whence no traveller returns and where I trust no wants will be felt but perfect peace and happiness. We are, thank God, both of us in good health and I hope shall be enabled to jog on together to the end. My greatest regret is that I shall never see you more in this world for to that conclusion I am compelled to come as I watch circumstances.

By this time I hope you and your dear wife are become the happy parents of a son or daughter. I am very anxious for the announcement & pray write immediately the event has transpired. No doubt a letter is now on its way. I like exceedingly the arrangement you have entered with Mercedes as it is to my mind a proof of the unity existing between you and I think you could not have done better.

I have Fanny's eldest son with us. He is such a boy as you were once. I am frequently calling him Alexander. He has been with us ever since October. We send him to school and I expect he will continue with us for he is not much wanted at Ketton - in fact there is there no boys' school and he wants to be put forward in his education and he wants more control than poor Fanny can exercise towards him. John (her husband) is frequently from home but when there I expect he is too lazy to exert himself in his family as the master of a family should do.

This terrible war seems to have no end. I am greatly afraid it will break out in California and perhaps rob you of your savings and your home. Walter does indeed seem to have a large family. I hope yours will be confined to a small one but all this must be left to our all wise Creator.

We have occasional newspapers from the Manfreds but we have heard no further news from them. The Austons of Colchester seem likely to follow each other out to Australia. George, who was in a ship brokers house in the city, is thinking about going out this spring to his sister [Susannah] who is at Sydney.

I suppose you have read in the newspapers about the marriage of our young Prince of Wales [to Alexandra of Denmark, on 5 March 1863 - the Queen attended the service in deepest mourning]. I assure you we have had wonderful doings upon the occasion. The Prince is a great favourite. They are now at an estate [Sandringham] belonging to the Prince in Norfolk where he hunts very much. It seems quite a favourite amusement of his. Our good Queen seems to be somewhat emerging from her long solitude and will come out more. Princess Alice has become a mama. She was confined with a daughter a few days since [Victoria, who later married Prince Louis of Battenburg, First Lord of the Admiralty, and was the mother of Earl Mountbatten of Burma] and is doing well. The night she was taken ill the Queen sat up with her thus showing that she does ever more than her duties require of her. She is indeed an excellent woman.

I hope dear Andrea will write me a letter giving me a full description of her little pet and I do hope she has recovered her strength and is once more well. I used to feel as though I had a fresh lease on my life after each confinement. Kiss the dear babe for me and present to your dear wife my affectionate love. To dear Walter present my love. I am much obliged to him for his letter and will write to him and Mercedes next time. My love to her and the dear children.

The summer is approaching. Our trees in front of our house are just bursting into leaf. They quite revive my spirits and as I look at them I think of the resurrection of man. Poor dear Josephine she has been dead ten years on the 29 of next month. Oh how ardently do I hope she was safely landed. My heart is full - may God bless you and keep you and yours, and may we all meet in that "better land". Ever

Yours affectionately

S. Murray

Tell Walter not to cross his letters. We had such difficulty in reading his last. In fact I could not read it at all but was obliged to get your papa to read it to me and after almost burning his nose, he accomplished it. Adieu.

We have not changed our residence but the numbering has been changed and Philadelphia Place erased.

I have sent cuffs and a collar for Andrea which she will wear for my sake. My next will contain one for Mercedes.