Letter from Eleanor Franklin to her father Sir John Franklin, written to go on the North Star

21, Bedford Place, London Sunday 6th May 1849 My very dear Father We hear the “North Star” is about to sail, so I think I cannot do better than begin a letter to you today - you know I am not an advocate for Sunday letter writing, but the painful suspense in which we are concerning you & your companions seems so to hallow everything connected with you, that it seems like a sacred duty to write to you - 7th I was interrupted yesterday, you must picture me to yourself seated in my very own little room off the drawing room, with Phillips large portrait of you hanging over the mantelpiece, & a smaller bronze one of you below - often, often are my eyes & thoughts directed to them with the prayer that you may be brought back to us in safety, or if not, that we may have strength given us to say “Father thy will be done”. It is indeed an inexpressible comfort to me to feel that you have committed yourself, & we have committed you, into our Heavenly Father’s hands, & that you have sought his guidance in every perplexity, his succour in every danger – we know he is watching over you, keeping you as the apple of his eye, from all that can really hurt you, because even death itself is no injury, but only gain to the Christian – & I feel sure that tho’ God’s dealings with you & us, seem mysterious now, we shall hereafter know why He has thus dealt with us; and feel that all has been done in love, with a view of bringing us into closer union with himself. Since we wrote to you at this time last year, I do not think anything very important has occurred in our family, except that which concerns me more deeply than anyone else – the return of Mr Gell to England – I am sure it will give you joy to think that he is with us, cheering & helping & counselling us. I have had much anxiety respecting his leaving V.D. Land, owing to the Bishop’s urgent entreaties for his staying – so that I seemed sometimes as if I should be overwhelmed with the two anxieties together – but God in mercy removed the trial of his absence just at the time when the suspense about you became more painful. However when you read this there will speedily be an end to this suspense; may God bless the efforts which have been & will be made, to search for you & succour you. Mama has been very active in stirring up people to consider the necessity of searching every where at once - it was mainly thro’ her exertions & Sir Tho. Acland’s that a Reward was offered about the end of March of £20,000 to any ship, or land party who should find you – unfortunately this Reward was offered too late for the English Whalers – but we hope the Americans will do something by Bherings Straits – we have been very anxious that the “North Star” should be allowed to remain out to search thoroughly Wellington Channel – & many have been the means tried to get the Admiralty to consent to this; I went myself to Sir Francis Baring the 1st Lord a few days ago – but tho’ he listened very kindly & patiently I fear the Board will not consent - they say it is not the money that they grudge – but the risk of life. You may be sure that universal sympathy is felt for you & for us – not long ago public prayers were offered for you in many Churches throughout England – This gave me great hope, & I am sure it was the best thing we could do for you. The day chosen was March 18th but in some Churches it is done once a month – at Alverstoke every Sunday – & in some places the prayer used at sea was with proper alterations used. I think all our family are much as when we wrote by Sir James Ross. Aunt Cracroft continues comfortably settled at Winchester – Catherine (Kitty) is now in much better health, I am thankful to say. Sophy is with us in Town just now. Louisa Turner has within the last few weeks been sent for by her husband, & is now living with him in his parish – Anne Weld within the last few months has become a mother. Willingham was married last August – to a Miss Murdoch whose mother was a niece of Lord Gambier’s & is living now at Lutterworth – the Simpkinsons & Grandpapa are much as usual. Aunt Betsy has been ill this winter, but is better now again. We have not been out of England since we last wrote – but in the summer we took a tour first in Somersetshire, & then in Kent, & then remained until December, quiet at Tunbridge Wells – a place which reminded me much of you. In December we came to Town, & have remained here ever since, with the exceptions of a few days now & then – Our future plans are yet hardly thought about – when every measure connected with search for you has been taken we shall then have more leisure to think upon what course we ought to pursue in your absence – it will be most painful to me to marry in your absence, & yet I feel that if you could send us word you would say that you wished us no longer to delay – if proper arrangements can be made – our homeless, unsettled life, makes such a step perhaps more desirable, & the want of all other relative ties has made me feel that in you & John all my strongest affections are concentred, & now that you have been so long removed from us, I feel as if almost every earthly tie were concentred in him. In all our thoughts of home – the hope that our home will be yours is mixed up – and if I ever form dreamy plans for the future - the one I cling to most is that after all your wanderings, you will settle down quietly to be well cared for, in the peaceful home of your loving son & daughter. It has always been a very great source of joy, dear Papa, to know how much you love my dear John, & how much he loves & respects you – I wished much you could have been with us yesty. to hear him read prayers & preach & help in the Communion. I know how much you care for the prayers being well read & I think his way of performing this service would be just what you like - simple & varied & yet with true earnestness & devotion – the sermon was the one we heard him preach at Port Phillip from Col iii 12 & 13th v, but his manner of delivery is much improved since then, & people think it very striking – I was very much pleased yesty. to see the effect a speech he made at a Propagation Society meeting made upon his Vicar’s mind, by the very pointed attention he drew to it in his sermon – not at all by way of compliment, but merely in the natural expression of his feelings about it. I have not yet heard him speak at a public meeting – but I have often heard of his speeches – & I hear the Propagation Socy want him to become one of their travelling secretaries in order that he may go about to meetings about once a week. Indeed he seems I think a very great favourite so far as he is known. As to myself, I feel more & more how very thankful I ought to feel for being so loved by him & having so happy & peaceful a home in store for me – not that I expect freedom from sorrow at any time – but every sorrow will be lightened by being shared by him, whilst every duty will be made pleasant by being done with him. I am learning something of the duties of a clergyman’s wife by visiting amongst the poor as a District Visitor in this parish – a work which interests me much- I am not very strong & cannot therefore do all I could wish – but I am certainly in much better health than when you left, & much thinner. By the way you will find Mr Gell looking older & stouter – but this gives him a more commanding appearance. Mama is much the same as when you left - in the summer, she was lame, from a weakness in one knee, but she seems to have got over it now. A week or two ago a report was circulated that you had arrived or been heard of – fortunately it did not reach our ears until it was proved to be false. At the risk of your being shocked about Mesmerism I think I must just tell you that a few weeks ago a clairvoyante said she could see you – that you were very well, but very sorry – Capt. Crozier was not seen but Sir James Ross & Sir John Richardson were. This report has cheered us up but she is afraid of trusting too much to it- no one has been informed of it but ourselves. Now, may God bless you & keep you, my dearest Father, & comfort & direct you is the heartfelt prayer of your ever affectionate daughter, Eleanor Isabella Franklin Every kind expression of regard to Capt. Crozier. I have told you no public news, expecting Mama would do that.