Letters relating to Charles Treacher (1835-1871)
Sarah Sedgewick and Charles Treacher met in Brighton in 1861 when Sarah was staying with friends. On their first evening together they danced a quadrille, and Sarah wrote an excited letter back to her sister. They married in 1863 and their first child was born in 1864. They had 5 children.
A delightful evening
“We had such a delightful evening! There was Mr Folkard and dear Mr Alfred, a Miss Hannah who is staying here and two Mr Treachers, one married and one not, and both such exceedingly nice fellows. They sing so beautifully…after his performance was over last evening, the unmarried one took me down to supper and then we had one quadrille – was it not delightful!
How came you to think of my tumbling in love with Mr Alfred? It would not be at all worthwhile, for I am not half old enough, nor yet clever and sensible enough for him. But he really is the dearest old fellow I ever knew…”
This letter is one of two letters contributed to Letter in the Attic by Angela Craft. The second letter from Sarah’s mother refers to the news of the proposed marriage. There are also photographs of Sarah and Charles.
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I came across this catalogue entry while trying to ‘add colour’ to my family history and times. I had traced my great grandmother, Marion Ellen West, born Brighton 1857, to the Treacher household in Buckingham Place, Brighton where she was employed as a servant in 1871 age 14 (Census entry). Marion has been a bit of an ‘enigmatic’ character in my family history as it appears that she was brought up by an aunt – hence her early life is not well documented. In order to attempt to add some substance I’m researching any of her early employers. The Treacher family is the first ‘hit’ with some real substance! I wonder if there is any mention of ‘young’ Marion in any unpublished Treacher family records? As I’m stuck with Census records my next stop is in 1881 when Marion is employed as Governess in a Major General’s household near Dorchester. Her age has ‘miraculously’ increased by 14 years since 1871! Doubtlessly a mere 24 year old couldn’t be a Governess – so she declared 28 years! (I do have her ‘official’ birth certificate.) Anyway while in the employ of the Major General she met his coachman – my great grandfather – and soon they were married! Thanks for your great site.
I do not have many letters and unfortunately they do not mention a Marion. I’m sorry.
I was thrilled to read about Charles and Elizabeth. Charles was the younger brother of my great-great grandmother Ellen. I’ve an old photo of Ellen with her son Thomas and his family with an Ethel and an Edith (c.1900), possible daughters of Harry and Charles respectively. I’ve also recently re-discovered an old sketch book belonging to William Terrell Treacher, which, on his death, went into the possession of Charles who used it to practise his handwriting, he’s signed and dated it 1849. It’s a fascinating family heirloom, the contents of which I’m happy to share with the authors.
Hi, My great aunts were Thel and Ede. They died before I was born but my father remembered them. Their sister Elisabeth was my great grandmother. All three, and a brother, Charles, were Charles and Sarah’s children. My grandmother mentioned Moreton’s but I didn’t know how they fitted into the picture. Do you know where the Treacher’s lived before they moved to Brighton? Thank you.
N.B The Treachers came from Buckinghamshire – one can trace the line directly back to the 16th century with a couple of references to them in Wendover in the fourteenth century.
Thanks, that answers another question.
Sarah was visiting Brighton from Buckinghamshire, I think. My grandmother had a child’s chair she said was made by, I think, the Sedgwick’s company.
I have since discovered that there are quite a few Treacher chair makers from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire but no mention of any Sedgewicks, although one could have worked for a large company.
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