18th October 2020

18th October 2020

I have now written a song about the letter collection of Hester Pengelly who was the youngest daughter of William Pengelly. Her father is probably best known for his excavation work at Kent's cavern in Torquay. Hester was married to a prominent metallurgist called Henry Forbes Julian. He was very unfortunate to lose his life on the Titanic in 1912. He was on his way to a business meeting in San Francisco and was originally booked to sail on the Olympic. This travel arrangement was transferred to the Titanic because of a coal strike. When the Titanic was sinking, after hitting an ice berg, he gave up his place on a lifeboat. Hester had been due to travel with her husand but stayed at home because she was ill with influenza.

Hester and her husband lived at a house called Redholme and there is some information about them on this website


http://www.theredholme.co.uk/redholme-history/


My song idea about Hester Pengelly came from reading an article about her in the Torbay Weekly


https://www.torbayweekly.co.uk/home/the-discovery-of-a-lost-autograph-collection-in-torquay-museum-1-6759157


She inherited a collection of letters which included ones from such famous people as Nelson, Wellington, Keats and Byron. She added to this collection with her correspondence to important members of Society who had visited her house in Torquay.


Hester's Letters


She invited members of society

To accompany her for afternoon tea

In Torquay a popular resort

The replies in their letters she eagerly sought


A letter from Keats to his fiancee

In Torquay museum it was hidden away

Byron's payment for his gambling debt

An autograph hunter would love to collect


She lost her husband when he went to sea

On the Titanic so tragically

Letters of condolence were received

Some from European royalty


A letter from Keats to his fiancee

In Torquay museum it was hidden away

Byron's payment for his gambling debt

An autograph hunter would love to collect


Hester's letter collection

Brought to the curator's attention


She invited members of society

To accompany her for afternoon tea

In Torquay a popular resort

The replies in their letters she eagerly sought

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