I have just "found" the copy of a letter written to John Eaglesfield prior to all the others I have transcribed. This one is from 1854. As I said at the start of this, I was sent these by a descendant of this John Eaglesfield, Bob Downing, who lives in New York State. I have had them "on file" for a few years now but thought that I would share them. For those who read all the previous ones, they might remember that John Eaglesfield had left home and was living in County Durham and working for the North Eastern Railway. This was in the late 1850s and through the 1860s. However, I have him on the 1851 census working as a servant at The Vicarage in Little Dalby, Leicestershire. Having searched the 1851 census, I cannot establish who this Mr. Knagg is. In fact, given that the stamp has been torn off the envelope and taken some of the writing, it could be that his name is Knaggs. However I have traced Mr. Killock. There is a Bryan Killock who is the Rector at Edmonthorpe, Leicestershire in the censuses of 1851 and 1861, so I would guess that John Eaglesfield went to work for him after Little Dalby. The writer of this letter, Richard Stephens was the Vicar of Belgrave, so this all fits together. It would seem then that John was obviously fed up with working on the Railway and wanted to get back to Leicestershire. Whether or not he took up this job offer we will never know. He was certainly back in Durham by 1861 because his marriage is registered in the December quarter in Stockton. Addressed to: Mr. John Eaglesfield c/o George Knagg Hinchcliffe Cottage N.E. Railway Durham Belgrave 30 May 1854 John Eaglesfield, I have received a satisfactory character of you from Mr Killock; but he says he can give no opinion of your capabilities of driving a carriage in such a Town as Leicester, as he never employed you for such a purpose. I hope, however, you can do so and will, therefore, engage you at the wages you ask - viz: 14 Pounds a year - you finding your own clothing, and you may come next Saturday. The living is a month's notice or a month's warning. I am yours Richard Stephens _____ No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2112/4782 - Release Date: 02/02/12