Thank you for the music: September 2009

After dallying as long as I was able to justify as a student of Dr.Snow, and still holding down a position as housekeeper to Mr.Marlowe I obtained a very favourable reference from Mr.Marlowe before despatch bumped me forward to 1854 where I have been engaged on a temporary basis as governess to three very intelligent and very lively children. The youngest, Aquila, is too young to begin lessons as such and plays happily in the nursery, but her older brother Cornelius, and sister Tabitha are already able to read simple books and Cornelius is showing a good grasp of the first principles of arithmetic.

And it is in my capacity as governess that my employer, Mrs.Hesketh requests my assistance to record the minutes for the St.James Parish Vestry:

Parish of St.James

Vestry minutes

Thursday, September sixth, Eighteen hundred and fifty four

The meeting was called to order by the Reverend Henry Whitehead. The Reverend led the assembled company in the Lord's prayer.

Mrs.Hesketh presented the minutes of the previous Vestry. Mr.Richard Scammell moved that the minutes of the previous Vestry should be accepted. Mr.Timothy Raikes seconded the motion. The motion was carried.
Senior Warden, Mr.Geoffrey Ames reported that the perpetrator of several minor thefts in the vicinity of Hanover Square had now been apprehended and was in police custody awaiting trial.
Junior Warden, Mr.William Frere presented an appeal from Mrs.Belman for assistance in defraying the funeral expenses incurred by the death of her husband, a victim of the cholera.
The Rector, Reverend Henry Whitehead, presented a petition to the Vestry to hear the opinion of Dr.Snow concerning the recent outbreak of cholera in the region of Broad Street. The petition was accepted, and Dr.Snow was introduced to the Vestry to present his opinion that the source of the infection was the communal pump at the corner of Broad Street, and that the most efficacious and immediate remedy to contain the infection would be the removal of the pump handle, obliging the residents to obtain their water from Bridle Street or Marlborough Mews. Dr.Snow expressed the opinion that the communal pump was in close proximity to a septic pool from which the domestic water supply was being contaminated, although the opinions of the medical profession concerning the mechanism of contamination continue to be divided.
The Treasurer, Mr.Philip Spaulding presented the parish accounts for August for approval. The parish accounts for August were accepted.

Once the Vestry business was concluded I took a few minutes to seek out my former teacher, who seemed quite glad to see me once more, though we were soon joined by the Reverend Whitehead. I learned that the two gentlemen had cooperated closely in searching out the causes and extent of the most recent cholera outbreak and as the Reverend said, we truly owed much to our heavenly Father for the conclusion of a successful campaign. So, when a few days later I encountered the rather unusual combination of a lady operating a barrel organ playing a jaunty tune while her gentleman associate peddled musical scores, I seized the opportunity to obtain a copy of the following dance: