INDIA - DE SAUSMAREZ, Mary Dobree (1800?-?)/ DE SAUSMAREZ, Catherine (1797-1851), sisters-in-law (and nieces!) of Thomas Fiott de Havilland. They were daughters of Thomas de Sausmarez and Catherine de Havilland (sister of Thomas, who had married a daughter - Elizabeth - from Thomas de Sausmarez' first wife). Catherine grew up to be handsome, stout and amiable. In 1812/1813 she was at school in London. In 1815 Lieutenant Mountgarret of the 87th Regiment courted her, but failed to win her hand. In 1820 another unsuccessful suitor appeared, Ensign White of the 79th, and finally in 1823 she married Sausmarez Brock (1785-1854), another military man (colonel of the 48th regiment). Letter written by both of them to their brother-in-law Thomas FIOTT DE HAVILLAND (1775-1864) in GUERNSEY, after their safe arrival at MADRAS. MADRAS (CHENNAI, TN), October 1st & 8th 1830. 4 pp. in-fol. Address. POSTMARKS: MADRAS SHIP LETTER + INDIA LETTER PORTSMOUTH - Note: "Single sheet" - VERY LONG + FINE TEXT!
The family of de Havilland is very famous: to it belong e.g. Sir Geoffrey de Havilland (1882-1962), famous british aviation pioneer - and the two actresses Olivia de Havilland (*1916) and her sister Joan Fontaine (*1917) !!!
MADRAS, Oct(ob)er 1st 1830.
My beloved Brother –
It is with the greatest pleasure I assure you that I now sit down to fulfil my promise of addressing you as I could not write from MADEIRA not having touched there but which I certainly would have done had it been in my power. We arrived here after a most beautiful passage of 112 days from start point and 119 from Gravesend. We had no bad weather at all during the voyage with the exception of a little rolling when we were doubling the CAPE and I do not think a voyage to INDIA so very much to be dreaded at least to those who are such good sailors as I am, in fact I assure you I was quite astonished at myself and only wished that our beloved ANNE may suffer as little as I did. We anchored in the MADRAS roads at six o’clock in the morning and SAUMAREZ immediately went on shore. On his landing he was presented with a very kind note from COLONEL CADELL stating that he would be most happy to see COLONEL BROCK and his family. SAUMAREZ immediately returned on board and we landed at 11. We proceeded to COLONEL CADELL’S in palankeens. Colonel Cadell was gone to church but Mrs Cadell received us most kindly. They are most amiable and charming people and nothing can exceed their kindness and attention and the manner they both show the way how to proceed to business is most friendly. We are still living with them and know not when we shall be able to get into quarters. We take a drive out almost every evening which is most delightful as the sea breeze is then blowing which gives a most delightful air. We have passed the Castelets very frequently and think them very pretty buildings. How often do we wish you were here inspecting some houses here and that I had you with me to take me over them. As we were proceeding to Colonel Cadell’s we met with an old servant of yours named Arnachellum. He brought a certificate signed with your name and Saumarez has taken him as a head servant. He enquired much after you, my sister MARTHA and AUNT MARY, he appears much attached to you and said “Colonel De Havilland a very good man, very kind to black people.” I think I shall like Madras very much. I find it very warm but not near so disagreeable so as I had anticipated. Mrs Cadell has a sister living with her, a Miss Molle, she is a very nice and amiable girl and I think it likely we may become very intimate. There is a Lady and Gentleman of our REGIMENT also remaining here a Mr and Mrs HORNER. She is most amiable and ladylike woman – She was dreadfully ill on passage, and I think was most fortunate as well as ourselves, to find such kind friends as then on going into a land of strangers. Colonel and Mrs C. have most kindly invited the young men of the regiment to dinner today and I think we shall be a very merry party. We expect the HEAD QUARTERS of the 55th out everyday and I hope it may not be long before they arrive as the MONSOON they say as likely to set in very shortly.
Madras gardens. Oct. 8th 1830.
Colonel Cadell having allowed us to detain this a few days in order to give you the latest intelligence, and having this morning told me I must give it him tomorrow morning I think it best to go on with it as fast as I can. Your are no doubt surprised to find us still here but we have had much difficulty in finding quarters, the 26th not having yet embarked for CALCUTTA, but we hope to go in them very shortly. We have a very nice house with a delightful view of the sea, which will I think make it a very r.. and comfortable for I begin to think the heat very great, but we find it I suppose still more so just before the Monzoon and I assure you I shall not be sorry when the weather gets a little .. We continue to be much teazed by the MUSQUITOES what disagreeable things they are, though I have as yet been the least suffered from them, I fully expect they will annoy me a little more than they have hitherto done. But poor KATE and SAUMAREZ have been much annoyed by them. I hear they are very large and numerous at the FORT but we shall soon get accustomed to them. We have seen pretty much of Dr PERSTON since I last wrote to dear ROSE and he made many anxious and friendly enquiries after his Guernsey friends and I need not say, she was particularly named by him, he is the same good natured man I think, he always was, but I have never known much of him but the speak of Guernsey and the happy time, he has spent there with much pleasure. He desired to be particularly remembered when I next wrote home. We have had Mrs Sym taking Tiffen with us today. I think she is a very nice woman, most friendly and affectionate in her disposition. Both her and MAJOR SYM made many kind affectionate enquiries after you but indeed so have all your friends who appear really and sincerely attached to you, and everything connected with you. I am sorry to say Major Sym is rather in bad health and looks rather ill but I trust the cold weather will bring him round again. I need not say how sincerely I hope it may not be long before we have the delight and happiness of seeing dear TOM out here [De Havilland’s son]. Oh how delightful to have him with us and to hear all the dear Guernsey news from him. It almost seems to me an age till that happy time comes. I suppose you are now quite comfortably settled in your PALACE [DE HAVILLAND HALL]. How often do I now regret that I had not accepted your kind offer of taking me over it, I assure you I often say I wish I had gone over my brother De Havilland’s house but I trust and look forward to my return as the time when I shall enjoy the happiness of talking over your present house and those you have built here – I hope my sister De Havilland enjoys better health and is stronger than she was when I left and that you are more prudent when your fils of .. comes on. I hope EMILIA intends favoring me now and there with a letter for if she does not assure her I shall soon I am afraid forget her. How does dear CHARLES and LIZ come on. I dare say Liz is grown a very fine girl and as amiable as .. and as to Charles whom nobody cares for he does nothing at all at co.. I hope he has given himself time to eat and sleep a little more than he tend to do and that he has got a little s.. My paper bids me bring this to a conclusion my beloved brother and so does my time for I find it is getting very near dinner time and I have still to dress for dinner. I hope all the dear .. of Saumarez are well and that our beloved Papa has enjoyed his .. much this summer – Pray remember us there .. and to all friends and believe me my beloved brother
your .. affectionate sister
M. D. de Sausmarez
Madras Gardens Octr. 1st 1830.
Mary has scarcely left me anything to say my beloved brother as far as relates to our adventures, particularly as we wrote only a few days ago Pr. Copernicus and gave our friends le long & le large of what had happened to us since we left dear old England – She has not however thanked you in Saum. & my name as I now wish to do for all your kindness and attention in sending us so many letters of introduction to your friends here, which I have no doubt, from the high estimation in which your name is held will prove of much use to us – The Cadells are really all kindness and we are most comfortable here, both Col. & Mrs Cadell’s good & judicious advice is of the greatest benefits to Griffins like us – He advised Saumarez to purchase a palankeen carriage at once and we have been fortunate in getting a very nice one – Your old butler Arnachellum met us on the beach with your certificate of his good conduct – COL CADELL having sent him & further recommending him. We were much pleased at the idea of having a servant to whom we could talk of you three, and immediately engaged – The melancholy news we received of the death of poor JAMES BROCK was a sad damper on our first landing and prevented SAUMAREZ from calling on anybody the two or three first days, he is however now gone with a list which Col. Cadell has kindly made out for him, to pay his visits – The ER IN CHIEF is at BANGALORE, but is expected shortly when he w<..> Mrs ROSS’ note on the GOVERNOR Saumarez called, when first he arrived yesterday we sent the letters for Mr Harris COL. CONWAY, & Mr Clarke’s for Mr Oliver – An hour after we had sent Mr Harris’ the good old gentlemen was with us & seemed really most happy to make our acquaintance, of course for the sake of his old friends – the two ladies he particularly asked for & said he found me like my Aunt MARY – he asked us to dine with him tomorrow & when I mentioned it was Saumarez’s intention to wait upon him today he said he begged COL. BROCK would not take the trouble unless he could call before 11 as tomorrow was council day & he would not be at home after that hour – Soon after he was gone a note came to me from him stating that he feared I might have misunderstood, & that it was Saturday he hoped for the pleasure of seeing us, he concludes by saying “ I feel almost as if I were writing to my dear friend Miss de Havilland, I shall hope for the happiness of seeing you often during the few years of my remaining stay in INDIA & of your being so good as to regard me as y(ou)r sincere friend C. H.” This is very kind & friendly is it not? MAJOR SIM was another person who called yesterday morning & whom Saumarez also missed seeing being gone to the Fort.
He is just recovering from a very bad cold, he spoke most affectionately of you all & asked particularly after MARTHA, he said when he heard Miss de Havilland had arrived he hoped it was the lady he knew – He asked me also what quarters we expected to get, & when I mentioned a particular house we are anxious for he said he certainly thought the command(in)g officer of our reg(imen)t ought to get it & that he would see about it with COL CADELL. When I told him that COL MILL was senior to Saumarez he said that as a bachelor he ought to give it up to us, & this I really think Mill would do, should he come out, & the house were to be at his disposal – As I have said before we are most comfortable here but it not be faire to remain too long as soon therefore as we can arrange our quarters & have a little furniture we will settle ourselves in the Fort for so large a party must be a great tax on our friends – Saumarez who is returned from making calls bids me give you his best remembrances and thanks for all the trouble you have taken about us, he says he has been remarkably well received everywhere & that all your friends have offered him their services, particularly COL. CONWAY who has received him in a most friendly manner – You are no doubt now settled in your new house my dear Brother enjoying the fruits of your labours – When shall we see dear TOM? How delighted shall we be to welcome him at Madras & now my dear Brother with our united love to Harriet Emilia tom & the chits believe me most affectionately yours
C Brock
Our most affec(tiona)te love to our beloved father & mother and all at Saumarez.