Harriet Hewitt was born 21st March 1824, daughter of James and Elizabeth Hewitt. In 1847/8 Harriet was in service with a Mr S Roggers of Oakley, Bedfordshire. Service was usually for one year at a time, from October to October, being Michaelmas. Her father wrote to her whilst she was there and gave her the family news, and some fatherly advice.
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Two letters from James to daughter Harriett when she was in service at Oakley with Mr Roggers, a farmer and miller.
Spelling was not yet standardised so spelt "as heard" by the scribe and punctuation was rarely used.
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Rushden Nov 28th 1847
Dear Daughter we received your letter that you rote to your sister and there all in good health except Mrs. Smith. She is very porley and we are all in good health at Rushden. Thank God for it your Brother Levi is come to Higham Ferrers to live he lives at Elizers at present he came back from London on Saturday week he was in London a week he is nearly settled at they Townhall shop now Cusson Corbys are much as usual Elizabeth Lovel likes her Place very well Sammy is being to see her Mrs Whiting Was quite put out about Sammy comming up to see you She said he could not go to Wollerston for her he should Be knockd up But if he Was She would not nurse him But that was soon over with her the are as great as yousal and she And Mr Whiting send there Respects to you hoping you will Stop Chitty Baker is no better
John Smith and mee went over to Northampton to fetch Levis things With his Donkey and cart and we had they Pleasure of seeing his sweetheart she lives in service about 4 miles from Northampton With a Church Minister but she come over before he left
Mr Frost is Ouncle to her She is a well looking young woman and very Pleasant in Discourse
I dont think Mr Frost very well likes his leaving him As he talked rather Different as thought he told me abought Martha Rye of Leicester that Child is Dead and she is married To a widdow man with a family
Elizabeth Corby sends her sincere Respects to you Both. Wright to us as soon as you can make it convenient And we shall be happy to answer you at any time with All the good news as we have
If you write to your brother Levi you must not Disclose Any secret as you here and if I should here anything further will let you know I cannot think of any more News So must Conclude With Wishing Ever to Remain Your Sincere Loving Father and Mother
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J and E Hewitt
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Part of the 1847 letter - from the writing it appears James wrote the letter and signed the
'J and' before Elizabeth added her signature.
Below: address on outer showing Harriet was in service with Mr Roggers of Oakley, Bedfordshire.
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below: the whole of the 1848 letter, and outer
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Rushden July 13th 1848
Dear Daughter this Comes with our kind love to you.
Hoping to find you all in good health as it leaves us at this Time thank God for it only your Brother William as had a bad misforten and droped a large stone on his great toe
Which is very bad it is gathering and his nail will come of I think soon I have not had a hopertunity of sending it by W lenton as he says he very seldom comes up to Bedford now
Levi is quite well and Maryann Frost sends her Respects to you and says she should like to see you I think she will go Home on Saturday Elizer and Sharlot and J Smith send there cind Respects and Sofiah Denton snr is very sadly Elizer and her little boy quite comfortuable and her son Is name Thomas William Smith she has being over to Rushden With it and Charlot and Maryann with her
I shall be shore to send Maryanns Watch by Thompson the Carrier on Saturday next to they folly as I will not Disopint her I Helped to carry poor Mary Baker to the Grave on Wednesday last My Respects to you all and advoice two Corbys friends are much as yousal C York and W York and Jos York are gon down in the fen to Work.
Please not to give your minds too much after the young Men uncomfortable hours follow that some times
So I hope all three of you will very dutiful serve Mr and Mrs and Mrs Roggers untill October Next
No More from your very affectionate Father and Mother and friends at this time
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Harriett had returned to live at Rushden by 1851 and was in service with Morris Whiting of the Waggon and Horses Inn, as the house servant.
James Rice and Harriett were both born in 1824 in Rushden, and married in London in 1854, but had no children.
They returned to Rushden in the 1870s and kept a grocery store on High Street South causeway.
In retirement, they lived in Newton Road. James died in 1897, Harriett in 1913. Both were buried in Rushden Cemetery Graves B895/6.
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James Rice, Harriett and Leonard c1900
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Leonard Hewitt, born in 1891, the son of William Hewitt Jr.
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B 895/6
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In loving memory of James RICE the devoted husband of Harriet RICE who departed this life January 22nd 1897 aged 72 years. His end was peace. Also of Harriet RICE who departed this life October 3rd 1913 aged 89 years.
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Note from Mike Smith, 2021:
This is what my grandmother, Constance Hewitt (1898-1993), wrote in 1978 about Harriet (her great aunt):
"See letters written to her by her father while she was in service at Oakley, near Bedford. 1847 - 1848. Before the time of postage stamps. Later she married James Rice and lived in one of the houses on Newton Road opposite the school attended by Eric, W. Gordon and me. Lovely garden - every variety of berry bushes, fruit trees, vegetables, white doves in cages. Very much like her sister in looks and manner and a joy to visit, which I did frequently after school."
Further Note: In 1901 (sch 64f) Harriet was at 76 Newton Road, but after re-numbering at some earlier time this became number 90, and then in 1947 it became number 104. BUT in 1940 when a bomb fell in Roberts Street, the original house was demolished along with others in Newton Road. A Blue Plaque was added in 2015 by RDHS.
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