From Mary Whittingham at Potten vicarage to Mary Fletcher in Madeley. She had the great pleasure of hearing about Fletcher recently 'by Mrs Dornford with whom I enjoyed sweet Christian fellowship wile I was at Mr [Charles] Simeon's meeting of his friends, a truly delightful privilege it is to be amongst them ... I had just been at the funeral of a dear friend, a pious minister's wife ... her death was very glorious and her life devoted ... Mr Simeon's kind manner of showing his love for his friends was also a balm to my heart ...' When Whittingham returned home, she found two letters waiting for her with the news that her brother's condition was much worse and that he was not expected to recover. She had offered to visit and he responded that while he appreciated the kind offer, his eldest daughter Eliza (who is married to Mr Whatman) was in attendance and he could not therefore accept Whittingham's kind offer of coming to London. At that time, it was expected that he would recover and he had thought of travelling to his country residence as soon as he was fit enough, but as it happens, he never left his house again. A fortnight before his death, he had spoken very cheerfully to his family and bid them all good night, but he was speechless the next morning and remained so until almost the end. Whittingham was still anxious to visit him, but they were afraid that he would be too much affected, if he saw her and that Whittingham herself would be shocked, so they put her off from coming. They were very kind and wrote to her frequently and when he was dying, they wrote and asked her to come. Whittingham set off and travelled all night, but he was already dead when she received the letter, so she arrived in time only to see the body before the surgeons opened it. Her dear nephew received her very warmly and this was a great comfort.
She has lost one of the best of brothers - they loved each other dearly. 'My own consolation is that I hear he was in prayer ... several other things I heard which gives me some hope in his end ... I want to know if you have felt him laid on your heart in prayer?' Whittingham's sister was also there with two of her children. She has asked her to tell their aunt Fletcher that she regularly holds family worship in her home. On the Sunday morning at her brother's they met in family worship - her eldest nephew read the prayers, William read the lessons and Armitage read a sermon. Armitage is a very pleasing young man and the oldest boy Samuel is 'very amiable'. Whittingham's neices are likewise very agreeable - one, who is married, takes a Sunday School, and two of Whittingam's sister's daughters are married to clergymen. They are involved in Sunday Schools also.
Whittingham's brother left her £5000 in '3 per cents' and £500 each to Marianne and Samuel. Her brother also gave Whittingham an annual allowance of £200 during his lifetime