Bowden Head
Chapel en le Frith
Nov 21st 1860

My Dear Son

Your letter of the 5th of last month came duly to hand, and
although in all human probability I shall very soon have done with
this world and all its cares and troubles, I am still happy to hear
that God continues to prosper you and yours.  I should have wrote
before this but I have almost every day been expecting to be called
away to my long home to which the young and strong as well as the
weak and old are all fast hastening.  In consequence of my long
illness and confinement I have not been in a position to go amongst
Friends in the neighbourhood of Chelmorton and other places, therefore
you must excuse any information from them.  I am glad to hear that
Mark continues to experience so much success.  Had it not been that I
thought you would be too much shocked to hear of my departure I
certainly should have preferred not writing at all but have left it to
others to convey the intelligence you must however regard this

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as the last I shall ever be able to address to you and with it accept
my dying blessing.  Whenever the long looked event arrives Mr [?]
William Lingard will at once communicate with you and also state what
arrangements have been made and what the prospects of Harriet and John
are.  Of course Richard is now getting very infirm although blessed
with good health and as you are aware he cannot now work at his
trade.

I think I told you in my last letter that we are giving up the
additional land at Bowdenhead next spring.  John is now working at the
new Railway at present making between Manchester + Buxton but has just
returned from work in consequence of extreme wet [?].

Mrs [?] Lingard and the family join myself, Richard, Harriet + John in
love and kind regards to yourself, your wife, and Mark + his wife, and
your respective families.

and Remain your Affectionate Mother

Ann Nall

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Dear Sir

The annexed letter I have written for your mother although she is so
extremely low and feeble that she is not able to suggest a single
word, so that I have endeavoured to the best of my ability to convey
to you what she would have uttered if she had been able.  If you write
again before me, it would perhaps be better to address your letter to
me at once when it shall meet with prompt attention.  To give you
something like an idea of your mother's state I may tell you that my
Brother Charles carries her down stairs in a morning in his arms like
a child.  I may also tell you in a few words that her spiritual wants
are cared for the Rev [Mr???] Hall the clergyman of this Parish came
to see her on Monday last and the Scripture reader or Evangilist calls
regularly.

Yours truly,

William Lingard