Josephine Butler to Stanley Butler

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 106 3JBL/34/53
  • Former Reference
      GB 106 5309
  • Dates of Creation
      10 Oct 1895
  • Physical Description
      1 item

Scope and Content

Photocopy letter. Written from Limner's Lease near Guildford (Watts' house)

Explains to him the terms of Aunt Fanny's Will (see letter of 4 Oct 1895).

'She [Aunt Emmy] and Anne Shield have had everything to do'

This was after Aunt Fanny's (Mrs Smyttan) death (Sep 1895)

She thinks that Charles [Josephine Butler's brother] might have explained things more and not been so strict with poor Aunt Emmie.

She finds it difficult sitting three hours at a stretch for her picture. Gives a detailed portrait of Watts. 'It is wonderful to see that small worn old hand doing so much bold drawing'. In a conversation with him he said that he had never awakened to try to do good things until he was 70. When finished she goes from there to Tooting Bec Road to see removal of her furniture.

Administrative / Biographical History

'Charles Grey'

Elder brother of Josephine Butler and son of John Grey of Dilston. Had post of Manager of Lord Derby's Irish estates until 1862 when Jasper Bolton (his brother-in-law) took over the post.

In 1863 Charles succeeded to the management of the Greenwich estates at the retirement of his father, John Grey.

Anne Shield had married first John Grey, son of George Grey, brother of Josephine Butler, and after his death in 1879 had married James Shield

Biog: GF Watts