| Description | Dear Father,
Early this morning you was deprived of one of the sincerest friends you perhaps ever possessed. A little after twelve o’clock Mr. Matthews was attacked with one of his spasmatick fits, and, in about an hour after, departed this life. Mrs. Matthews is much affected and seems desirous of seeing you or Mr. Watt as soon as possible. They are undetermined respecting the place of his burial, as he himself never expressed an wish concerning it. She seems not at all averse to his lying in Handsworth church yard and they mean to write to Mrs. Fothergill for her permission to interr him in their vault. She has expressed a desire for him to be kept in the house as long as possible, and consequently he will not be buried before Saturday, in which case you will probably attend yourself. Mr. Scale has undertaken to look after the necessary preparations for the funeral and to write to such persons as Mrs. Matthews wishes to come down.
If there is any thing which you think proper to be done in the present instance, it would afford me a real satisfaction to be able to accomplish it; and believe me to be your dutiful son,
Mattw. R. Boulton
[Edited transcript.] |