Letter from Anne Seymour Damer to Joseph Bramah
by Cassandra Reeves
Introduction
Anne Seymour Damer (1749 – 1828) was born on November 8th in Sundridge, Kent. Anne was an accomplished sculptor who exhibited her works at The Royal Academy of Arts for many years as well as a classical scholar, publishing her first and only novel Belmour in 1801. (Knowles, RegencyHistory.net)
Description and Analysis
In her letter, Anne is communicating a simple exchange of information – she cannot meet the recipient at Pimlico the following day due to some business that has transpired but is proposing next Wednesday instead. It is most certainly a response to a previous event, likely a discussion either in person or through writing of a plan to meet. Anne can no longer make those plans or is worried the recipient believes she can and intends to correct them.
She has addressed the recipient as “Dear Sir” and in the last line, mentions proposing her plans to “Mr. Bramah.” This may have been her referring to the individual reading the letter. This likely makes the recipient Joseph Bramah who was a prolific inventor, most notably of the hydraulic press. Mr. Bramah lived on Eaton Street in the Pimlico area of Central London (“Joseph Bramah”), named by Anne as the area in which she is planning to go. While there is no official record of Anne and Joseph knowing each other, they were born the same year and likely socialized in similar aristocratic circles.
The letter is dated by Upcott as 1825. At the top of the page, the letter is addressed from “upper Brook St Sunday.” This tells us where Anne was writing from. Anne moved to No. 18 Brook Street with her companion Mary Berry in 1799 and lived at this address for the remainder of her life. Her home was typical of the striking Edwardian design of the time, with “a spacious central hall and two ample staircases.” (“Upper Brook Street: North Side.”) An affluent area, Anne’s neighbors were other likewise wealthy individuals of the London aristocracy: politicians and members of parliament, lawyers, physicians, Earls and the like. Past residents include Baroque composer George Frideric Handel. Many decades later, Jimi Hendrix would live just a few doors down (“Brook Street, London.”)
As Anne was a member of the aristocracy, she could afford to have a personal messenger to deliver her mail. This is supported by the lack of an envelope, which suggests hand-delivery. The creases indicate the note was folded in half lengthwise, then into thirds for this purpose.
Not much of Anne’s personality is discernible from such a short letter but we can deduce she is polite and well-versed in epistolary literacy, starting with a formal address to the recipient and concluding with “your friend & much oblig'd Anne Seymour Damer.” Her punctuation is scant, stylized only with dashes and commas. Interestingly, she capitalizes the ‘B’ in “business” mid-sentence. Her penmanship is quite messy, starting tidier and turning into a scrawl. Visually, this might indicate Anne was writing hurriedly or initially intended to take her time but was required to speed up.
The relationship between writer and recipient seems a friendly one, with both parties likely being on par in terms of social status. Anne does not seem terribly concerned with flattery and is non-apologetic about her inability to meet the next day, simply communicating that she can a few days later. It is not written very formally, with a lack of white space save for a small amount between her location and addressing the recipient. These elements may suggest this is someone Anne considers a friend she is equal with socially and feels comfortable speaking to casually.
Portrait
Upcott has included a portrait of Anne published by William Darton of 58 Holborn Hill, London titled Honorable Mrs. Damer. It is a printing of an engraving, dated 1825. In the portrait, Anne looks fondly down at one of her sculptures. In a white gown with her hair done and accented by a headband with a single pearl, Anne’s appearance is sophisticated and almost Grecian, fitting of her occupation as sculptor and education in Greek studies.
Diplomatic Transcription
upper Brook St Sunday -
Dear Sir
I just mention in case
you had any Thoughts
of meeting me there, that
I cannot (in consequence
of some Business that has
occurred) go to Pimlico
tomorrow but have
proposed Wednesday
next to Mr Bramah
your friend & much oblig'd
Anne Seymour Damer