From: Biological Stn. Pearl Beach
Via Woy Woy
NSW

To: Miss M. C. Sadler
White Lodge
101 Northcourt Rd.
Abingdon, Berkshire
England

January 16, 1954

My dear Margaret,

Your letter yesterday - thank you! I have decided to take your advice. A strange thing happened when I was reading your letter. Quite suddenly I recalled something which had happened when I lived at Woy Woy more than 40 years ago and which I had forgotten until that moment when it flashed through my mind as clearly as if it had been that day. My sisters had brought us with them for the weekend a friend who was on a ship - a nice young Englishman whom we had known for some time - Alfred Phillips by name - and he brought a companion named Russell. I have forgotten the Christian name. He was a strong looking dark man with straight black hair - rather forbidding in his manner - very reserved. I remember Alfred saying something about this man having a very good family. There seemed to be some reason for his absence from home. We went for a picnic and rough weather got up and we had to wait for a launch to come across the water to take us home. Meanwhile the mosquitos nearly ate us alive. I have never seen them so bad. The young man became very moody and disturbed, and I did not like the expression on his face. It was then Alfred told me about the good family and I made some remark about how that expression may account for his living at sea? Strange that very trivial incident and the name should have recurred for me so suddenly after such a long period of time. It is quite a common name, of course. I am rather a strange person, I think! There is probably nothing to it, but it surprised me.

There must be some link with the Bedford family that they keep the name. It was not at the British Museum. I found my records but in the books of the Huguenot Society of London and the remark re Marc Antoine [Crommelin] I copied from some rough pencil notes made by Agnew, the great Huguenot historian, which were in a cupboard at the French Hospital (La Providence), Victoria Park Road, Hacking E. 9 London, and if you refer to that you will see that it was Marc's wife who was married three times - or so I took it to be. The notes were very rough and I copied them exactly as they appeared. I have wondered if the name of a place was mistaken for one of these names 'Dacry'. This was, of course, the Revocation period when all records were seized and destroyed when found. Agnew's History of the Huguenots may give you information. I have never had access to it. I am delighted to have the address of the Ardens. Have you any references to the names: Ainslie; Sarreto; Blyth? (I see a Dr. Ainslie and Sir George Garrett in Evelyn's note book) and Ainslie Garrett Crommelin, born Nov. 28 1826 (1828?) at 17 Lower Peymour St., Portman Square. Died June 10, 1900, Bedford (?). Sponsors Mrs. George Poyntz Ricketts, Dr. Ainslie, and Sir George Garrett. Christened by Dr. Spey Jan. 16, 1827 in Seymour St., buried at Bedford. Died June 22, 1908, married to Julia Hauteria at Mooltan on 2nd CE 1856, etc.

"Julia Balfour died 1860." "Ethel Margaret born London Nov. 25, 1860; died March 18, 1911; buried at Bedford", and Alice Julia who was buried at Sutton Beds. Several others died or were buried at Bedford. These were, of course, the Juliana Barker descendents. Is the Arden address Boidgnorth or Bridgenorth, Shropshire? These sheets are tantalizingly short!

Best love from Minard