Josephine Butler to Stanley Butler

Photocopy of letter. Written from Wimbledon[her son George's house]. Mentions the illness of 'poor Theodosia Marshall' [this was one of the family of Mr Henry Marshall at Derwent Island, Derwentwater Lake, a large family who owned a number of properties in the Lake District] 'she used to be very hospitable to us at the Island'. Mentions a letter she wrote to the 'Daily News' on the subject of the punishment for Mrs Montagu [? A procuress] because she felt that the 'violent punishment' advocated by so many women would be useless. She regrets 'old Gladstone's pamphlet in answer to Samuel Smith, on woman's suffrage.' She learnt from a member of the Woman's Suffrage League that one of their worst women opponents is Mrs James Stuart.

'Aunt Emmy' - This was Emily, JB's youngest sister who married as her 3rd husband FW Thomas, and lived near Gloucester.

'Have you heard how ill poor Theodosia Marshall is?' - She must have been a member of that hospitable family the Marshalls mentioned in 'Reminiscences of George Butler' by Josephine Butler, p.152 where she speaks of 'our hospitable friends, the family of Mr Henry Marshall, at Derwent Island on Derwent-water house.' 'A few weeks also of this summer [1862] were spent at Coniston in the house of Mr James Marshall which he lent to us. His sister, Mrs Myers had been our kind and constant friend at Cheltenham.' - In 1870 we hear of Miss Theodosia Marshall as living at Westwood, just outside Leeds. JB and her sons are staying there while Rev George is staying with his mother (letter of 8 Apr 1875).

Biog: Mrs Thomas (Aunt Emmy) ; Theodosia Marshall; Jack Thomas (a son of Mr Thomas); Captain Vane; Mrs Montagu; Samuel Smith; Mrs James Stuart; WE Gladstone