Michael D.Heath-Caldwell M.Arch.

1851 - 1852 - 1853

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7 January 1852
Montague Place

My dearest Leo,
Your letters of the 17th December arrived this morning. One previously written has perhaps not arrived, for your letter jumps into the middle of things, although the narrative intended for the Paper takes the story up from the beginning. Douglas thinks there is none wanting, but I differ.

 I am staying here - as I could not be happy away from our dear Father who is failing oh, so rapidly Leo!  From day to day there is a change in mind and body. The former is all but gone. Only glimmerings appear now of what once was so clear and bright. 

He lies on the sofa or sits in his chair with his eyes close. And for the most part dozing all day;he notices no one and can hardly be said to recognise us. He scarcely ever speaks, and he articulates with difficulty and his voice is so feeble that unless I am quite near I cannot distinguish what he says, Indeed most frequently when he speaks it is in (lardken?) unintelligible sentences with many words misplaced or missapplied - and his ideas are but a confused mixture of things past and present, with scarcely one word of sense in them. 

When he understood after some difficulty that there was a letter from you this morning, he said 'Leo! then I have what I prayed for." We do not know what he meant, but perhaps he may before his mind failed, have longed and, even as he says, prayed to see you again, or something of that sort - and this mention of letters from you brought you to his mind in a confused way. 

He called for his spectacle and began reading your letter - going backwards and forwards over and over again. He took a long time and had evidently gathered a glimmering idea of some battle, but he said he could not understand it and asked us to explain it to him - which we did - and he seemed to follow in a certain way - but his ideas were no clearer. 

My own Leo, I wonder whether I am right in giving you these and such like details. I am doing as I would be done by. I always feel that I like myself to be brought as much into the real home life, as is possible when at a distance - and it is the getting no particulars, nothing but general reports, that makes me even at Moorhurst restless and unhappy at not being with him.

On Saturday night last - (the 3rd January) he spoke to Emma of his death, as being very near, perpahs in a week, he said it was a great comfort to have lived to see his children settled, and his affairs arranged and &c &c - and ended with uttering the words of the Lord's Prayer "Thy will be done!" His sentences and words were rather broken - but this was said distinctly, and altogether dearest Leopold several things have of late helped to give me the comfort of thinking that a silent and unseen work may have been going on for some few months past, leading his mind heavenward.

He has given each of his little grandchildren who can remember him a keepsake. He had originally thought of something of Plate - but could not suit his fancy - and he has now fixed upon a case with Prayer Book and Lessons in it. One for each of them, ie., Georgy, Whatman, Annie, Matthew James - George Heath, and Dunny's child. 

James is at Moorhurst with M.J. and John has asked us to go to Enfield to be nearer London, as of course Emma can't house us all. I shall hear tomorrow what James decides, but I think that in point of time, Moorhurst is very little further off then Enfield.

Dear Dunbar came up this evening, January 12th. There has been a daily sinking in our dear Father's (mind?) I wrote the former part of this letter, a loss, that is, of general strength but his 
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head has been clearer for three days past, and his voice much stronger. So that until this morning (when he seems all lost again), he has known us all, and has spoken more clearly and sensibly, although occasionally falling off into wandering fancies of which yet one could trace the meaning in a measure. 

In short if is more a loss of power of mind - than wandering - he cannot recollect so, as to connect words and their meanings or, so as to finish rightly what he has begun saying. He said to Douglas this morning before yesterday "Its very dull not being able to read - or to talk - or - (and then after a pause) to think. 

I know you all think I am mad, but I don't think I am - I have a meaning in all I say - "and then he made Douglas read something to test whether he could understand it. He speaks slowly, and with breaks. 

He ever since your last letters about Lagos, has frequently spoken in a confused way of you and the Niger. He told me yesterday "We shall be sure to have news of the Niger tomorrow we shall hear from Nigo (meaning Leo). When Emma first told him the morning they came that there were letters from you - he could not take it in at first but then he said "Leo! There I have prayed what I prayed for!" - On looking back I see I have told you this before, but you will not mind. 

I came up here for good, on the morning of the 6th,Tuesday, in consequence of a letter from Douglas which alarmed me. James came up with M.J. on the Friday and we all three slept at Enfield that night, and I came up on Saturday morning.

Upon my arrival here (J. having gone to the Albion) I found that at about 3 o'clock in the morning Papa had suddenly thrown up upwards of a pint of pure clotted blood. And the effort was so great that he had nearly choked. Since then his head has been clearer - but Mr Travis says that this immense quantity is a figure that the "Lesion" he calls it I think is great - and the extraction will rapid. 

It is in the vessels going into the stomach, not in those higher up. At about 10 o'clock of the night of the 10th (Saturday) some blood passed through the Bowels - supposed to  - - - 
continues ??

 - - have passed into them from the stomach, from the same source as that which he vomited.  Mrs Woodhouse, who is his nurse, says that the swelling in his neck is decreased. Emma has not seen it - nor have I, so as to (prole?) of this - but it is quite certain that since this flowing of blood (whether in consequence of it I know not) his neck and head have been far more comfortable - he could not bear a touch before and required a large hollow left between two pillows to admit the tumour without its being touched or pressed at all. Now he lies flat on it - and to Emma has herself pressed it with her hand in arranging his pillows, in a way that he could not have borne before. 

John has returned down to Enfield every night - and Douglas has all but one night slept in Berners Street. Dunbar has got a friend to do his Duty -and sleeps on the Drawing Room sofa here - and (James?) and I occupy the Back Drawing Room. 

Marianne has kindly kept M.J. who makes himself quite at home at Enfield, though James talks of taking him back to Moorhurst tomorrow, we have left our maids there with nothing to do, which is bad for them. James would return on Wednesday morning. I myself expect that this inward discharge will go on till nature attempts to get rid of the putrid mass - and that in throwing it up he will probably choke - for he is growing more and more feeble and less able to endure such a jar and wrench as throwning up such a mass must be. 
Wednesday 14th. Dearest Papa just the same only weaker. There has been no further heamorrhage -  and the stuff accummulated has all passed off through the bowels. He is much the same in mind and quite aware that his end is near. 
My own dearest Leo I shall send no letter, for I've no more to say - and am not much up to writing today. We have decided to leave M.J. at Enfield and I stay here till the end with dearest James. Emma is quite wonderful in health and strength and even in spirits. 
Ever your most affectionate Sister, J.A.H. (Julia Heath?) 

No time, my own, for congratulating you on the honour and glory (Niger?) has and gotten in the Battle  - - must have been foremost in the fight, and his Captain too I suspect
 

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1 - 7 January 1852 - Julia to Leo - Nearing the end.

 10 January 1852
Dear Leo,
I have only left myself a few hours before this goes off and I suppose John's and Julia's letters will give you as much information as I can.

We are waiting the end from hour to hour,and there is no doubt it will be a relief whenever it does come. For the last ten days his state has been most painful to us, but, I trust, not accompanied with any serious amount of suffering to himself, though I gather from (Zzaver') hints that, the stomach and (visceria?) being now the more active seats of the disorder and ulceration having probably taken place there,the weaker state of his pain and whole frame are really the (protection?) against the worst state of things. 

For some hours past he seems to have been more collected and (natural) than usual,and has spoken to Emma of pain, not so strong now as it had been. He has known us all (Marywont?), and our impression is (as he himself explained to me once) that there has been a good deal more of consciousness and sense mixed with his dreams than would have appeared to a casual observer. 

We have your letters of Nov.4th and of Dec.17th. I conjecture you have none of ours later than the September ones, or if you have the October ones, I hardly remember. 

Not that I think they could be during our hopeful interval.

The Illustrated News don't think Lagos worth a second article. Perhaps they might have taken our extract, but I told them the political introduction would be the part for the sake of which the rest was sent. I did not say the communication was from one in command. I dearsay the Daily News, or Chronicle, or even The Times would have no objection to the Politics, to help an attack on the Government, but again do not (neglect, regret?) this. I will not risk your reputation for "discretion."

I see by today's Gazette there is a blockage of the coast, filed before you reached the Commodore. I fear this war may delay you on the Coast beyond your calculated on, though, to be sure, after write to Georgies(?) next (hay season?), you only talked of next winter to us, it must be over long before then, and you may come home (Posted?).

We have received all your remittances regularly, though, I have forgotten to acknowledge some of them.

Your shoes are still here, and I will as soon as I can at Judd's to get them stretched. Mr Chambers tells us there is a ship fitting out at Portsmouth for the Coast, and he does not know when there will be , so there is no hurry. 

I've not time to write on (Jurespection?) business now, so must trust to your satisfying whatever I may be (forced?) to do about Farm &c. Nash says Anstie is the best farm , all things considered, Moorhurst the worst. 
Your affectionate brother D.D.Heath

Dunbar is here but has a (bilere?) attack and cannot write. The last news from the Isle of Wight is that Emily leg is come again.
 

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Thursday 22 January 1852
Morning Herald (London)
Died
On the 21st Inst. at 34 Montague Place, aged 73, George Heath Esq., of Kitlands, Surrey, Sergeant-at-Law

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Saturday 31 January 1852
Exeter and Plymouth Gazette

Serjeant Heath died on Wednesday last week, at his residence, Montague Place, Russell Square, in his 74th year. The deceased commenced practice in the Court of Common Pleas, from whence he was appointed as the Deputy Judge underMr.Sergeant Dubois in the County Court of Middlesex, Kingsgate Street. On the abolition of that Court, Serjeant Heath's son was installed as the Judge of Bloomsbury County Court, in conjunction with Mr.Dubois.
 

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Dublin Evening Mail.

Monday 9 August 1852

Arrival of H.M. Steamer Niger -

On Wednesday, H.M. Screw steam-sloop Niger, 14 guns 400 horse power, Commander Leopold G. Heath, arrived in Cork harbour, from the coast of Africa, with mails.

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1853

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