Letter to Mr. James Spikings

Tydd Parish Feby 20^th, 1845

My Dear Sir,

When you bear in mind the ??? of my friendship with your brother William, as well as the ??? my argue/anguish ??? with your family, you will not be ?surprised? that I take up my pen to ?address? you upon the present occasion. Would that the tidings were of a more welcome nature and that my task were of a less stressful time. Had the distance between us been less and the time of preparations longer. I should have occasionally informed you of those particulars. I am compelled now to enter upon & close in the constraints/contents of a single letter. However painful my task (and painful I assure you it is) for I have taken the duty upon myself still must I enter upon it. I will give you the general particulars as they have fallen within my own knowledge. About three weeks ago your father caught a slight cold so slight indeed that he did not deem it necessary to call in his regular medical attendant. It commenced with a rigour or cellness - a kind of intermittent for which he took now & then an afurient & the ordinary care of curing a cold.

Several days passed on in this way without your father being much better or much worse. At length the family sent for Mr. Fawsett. It appeared clear that your father's case was a bilious attack & Mr. F. treated it accordingly. Your father's symptoms however, still ???vated & intertwined, as it were still ebbing & flowing ???ing over to dine with W^m on the 9th instant I walked up as far to see your father & Mr. F. & I held a consultation upon his case. At that time I apprehended no danger & left your parent under the apearance / assurance of his doing well & likely so to do. On the 13^th your brother W^m left begyed / house & me to go down with him to meet Mr. F. upon your Father's case. I did so, and saw your Father the day after, returned to Wisbech and saw him again on the 11^th. From the time up to the 17th, I remained with your Father: when I left him, as I had every reason to think quite out of danger — the whole system having been relieved. Indeed so satisfied was I of his safely that I went 20 miles another journey on the 18th. Mr. Fawsett saw him on this day and pronounced him better. On the 19th Mr. F. remained in the same opinion. On the 20th your brother Henry came for me saying that your father was much worse. And so it hes moved for when I got to him I found his pulse gone at all the

extremities! Mr. Fawsett had got down a short time before one. that a great change, for the worse, had taken place was ?ex??ant to both of us – nor was there a moments hesitation as to the instant means to be adopted. That every such means were put into immediate operation, you will at some future day have the satisfaction of learning from your own family of a h??ed around your father's bed. It would be tedious, my dear Sir to enter into detail of all these means of restoration, but at all counts you will gather some little (however so little) consolation when you shall understand that neither Mr. Fawsett or myself left your late Father till ____ __ __ ____ _____ closed the calm yet awful scene ____ _____ of the mutual anguish your dear & loving Mother, you must picture to yourself of the heartfelt distress of all the family. No words of my expressing can convey. Di?appointed expectation is the result of both Mr. Fawsett and myself! And now, my dear Sir, allow me to take your that (hyatting such the natural alarm of you family) your late father was considered by one & all in no danger for 24 hours before his demise. Of course you will expect of me as one of his Medical Attendants that ???auld figs the cause of -- in other words explain the cause of you Father's death! Now the explanation would be difficult for you and understand unless I were to enter more longely upon all the facts & points that the limits of a letter of his nature will allow.

You must, therefore, believe me, when I tell you, that, "congestion" of the Liver was the primary, and its consequences. The ultimate cause of death. Thus have I dwelt upon the painful details of a disappointed case You will excuse me more. — I am glad to say that the preparation given has allowed your poor – otherwise disconsolate – Mother to meet the blow with something like Christian resignation & fortitude.

Of poor grandmothers (self-felt) as / or a Mother - of - John's, of W^m, of Henry's, feelings you will well conjecture? They all saw the last of the living well beloved Son, Husband, & parent! The tear of sympathy for them – for you – for Tom – for James – trickles down my (this is cut off from the copy) your servant of regard.

Your brothers W^m & Henry will write to you in the course of a few days & doubtfully inform you of all those family arrangements it is their duty to transmit to you & your brothers James & Thomas — Your Father's remains will be interred at Walton & I think probably on 23 instant? — It is with pleasure (if, indeed, I can so express myself, while under this roof of sorrow?) that I inform you that your late Father has left a Will (the particulars of which I know not.) whereby he ehas left bequeathed & disposed of his worldly gains in a way which I trust you for one will have no reason to but to think in every way just.

Your Brother W^m has just informed me — for I have shown him the above — that he is well acquainted with the disposition of your poor late father's effects, the fact is that as Sewell made the will it has been transit from Jackson that it was all right, your father having shown it to Mr. Jackson and thus it is. Every thing is left to your Mother as long as she lives. At her demise all is to be sold and divided equally between Richard, James, and Henry, your brothers John, Tom, and W^m having had their share already. John and W^m are both satisfied. I hope you will be so as also

your brother James – Henry is satisfied — The remains of your Father will be interned at Walton on Monday at 1 oc. I have got so many letters to write that I can not say more. I will write you in the course of another week. God prosper all your laudable endeavors is the heartfelt wish of yours truly,

Thomas Whomelelt, M. D.

Mr. Richard Spikings N.B. I direct this letter to James