Description:Sir Thomas Gower’s letters tell us a lot about his character and how he was perceived by members of his family. Many of the letters which he wrote to his son Sir William Leveson-Gower (1636-1691) suggest that Sir Thomas was highly esteemed by his relations and often relied upon for advice and guidance.
A letter from 1669 written to his son whom he addresses as ‘Dearest Will’, advises William on the role of a landlord. Sir Thomas advises William that as a landlord it was important to ‘take the severest coarse with those who doe not pay, as people not fitt to be Tenants’.
The letter demonstrates that William and his wife Jane communicated frequently with Sir Thomas, suggesting that the family had a close social relationship. Sir Thomas concludes one letter writing ‘my service to my Lady Jane, I doubt not she hath err this, receyved her Letter in blank verse, but she is to expect another from Sir R: Howard unlesse his muse be out of humor because my Lady Bathe wonn his mony at l'Hombre Last night’. As this letter demonstrates, the family correspondence also provides many details about the type of social activities which families participated in during this time.
The conclusion of Sir Thomas's letter again reflects his closeness to his son's family. Conscious of his own mortality he writes ‘Prayers are fittest for my Age (though necessary for all)’ adding that prayers ‘are not wantinge for you, your wife, my daughter Frank, the children, & all my frends and Relations…my Love to my brother Edward he shall heare from me Godwilling next post’.
To learn more about Sir Thomas Gower's family letters, click on the images on the left.