From: Jemima C Bleek (06 September 1875)

From: Jemima C Bleek (06 September 1875)

Correspondence

A letter from Jemima Bleek to Sir George Grey, sent from Mowbray on 6 September 1875, just weeks after her "great and sudden loss" - Wilhelm Bleek's death. After affirming Wilhelm's affection and gratitude to Sir George, whose 1869 letter confirming the Civil List pension eased his financial anxiety and allowed him to focus on Bushman research, she recounts his long illness, especially the past two and a half years. She describes Wilhelm's wish to know how much time he had left; how he added a codicil to his will and planned for her and the children's future as well as the publication and continuation of his work by her and Lucy Lloyd. Jemima outlines the financial strain she now faces - with a household of 18, |xam still in her care and limited means beyond the interest from her small fortune. Wilhelm instructed her how to apply for a continuance of his annual Civil List pension, as well as his small annual Parliamentary grant. Jemima describes the circumstances of their move to Charlton House and the toll it took on Wilhelm's health, especially after the death of his beloved mother. She gives a moving account of Wilhelm's final illness and daily habits, including his library and research work, his last hours and the emotional aftermath for her and her sisters. Jemima outlines her plans for acquiring funds to maintain her family and the Bushman work. She confirms they will remain at Charlton House and shares she is expecting a fifth child in December. She closes with an indirect plea for Grey's help in transferring the Civil List pension to her, though she has entrusted the matter to Ernst Bunsen due to Grey's distance from Europe.

06 September 1875

A Comparative Grammar of South African Languages, actual expenses of Bushmen, addition of codicil, applications for pension and grant, August 1875, Auguste Bleek, anxiety, anxiety over pecuniary matters, assistance with Civil List pension, Bleek family, Bushman, Bushman Dictionary, Bushman expenses, Bushman instructors, Bushman prisoners at Charlton House, Bushman research, Charlton House move, children, children's constitutions, circumstances leading to death, Civil List pension, codicil, compensation for Bushman research expenses, concern for financial wellbeing of family after death, concern for funding Bushman expenses after death, continuation of Bushman research, continuation of Civil List pension, cost of keeping Bushmen, daily habits, death of Wilhelm Bleek, dictionary, doctor, Dr Stewart, emotional response to loss, Ernst Bunsen, failing health, family, final illness, finances, Frances/Fanny Lloyd, grant for Bushman expenses, grant insufficient, great and sudden loss, half-sister, his life was a very precarious one, household of 18, ill health, importance of Wilhelm Bleek's mother, instructed Jemima to apply for Parliamentary grant, instructed Jemima to apply for Civil List pension, interest from own small fortune, Jemima Bleek, joint Bushman Studies, last Will and Testament, letter from Jemima Bleek to Sir George Grey, letter from Lucy Lloyd to Sir George Grey, letter from Sir George Grey to Wilhelm Bleek, love for Sir George Grey, Lucy Lloyd, mail steamer, managing practical matters, money, mother, move to Charlton House, news of Civil List pension, news of mother's death, only don't lose your head and you will come all right, our empty home and life now he is gone, Parliamentary grant, pecuniary matters, people living at Charlton House, personal history, plans, posthumous publication, practical matters, publication of Bushman research, purchase of Charlton House, Report, remaining at Charlton House, response to Civil List pension, reward for Bushman work, September 1875, Sir George Grey, Sir George Grey's goodness to Wilhelm Bleek, Sir George Grey's letter informing Wilhelm Bleek of Civil List pension success, sisters, sorrow at mother's death, suffering, summer walks, time remaining, time and cause of death, toll of move, trips to Library, trust, trust in Jemima Bleek, two elder sisters, Wilhelm Bleek, will, wish for truth about time left, wishes concerning Bushman research, wishes concerning papers and publications, work on Bushman Dictionary, work on Comparative Grammar, work on Report, worked during final illness, writing letters, wrote to Sir George whenever an opportunity occurred, |xam instructors, |xam expenses, |xam at Mowbray

1. Wilhelm Bleek died at 2.15 am on 17 August 1875. 2. Ernst Bunsen was one of the trustees for Jemima Bleek's marriage settlement. 3. For a short summary of this letter, see Dr OH Spohr's typewritten notes on Wilhelm Bleek's letters to Sir George Grey (C10.19.1-26).