Letter from James Wyatt to Matthew Robinson Boulton, 1811, page 2

Description:This is the second page of a letter from the architect James Wyatt to Matthew Robinson Boulton, the son of Matthew Boulton the industrialist. In it Wyatt says

'Understanding that you are in town I take the liberty of enclosing to you, an acc[oun]t, due to me from your late Father; this would have been forwarded, & settled long ago, but for his serious & continued indisposition, & from his having told me the last time I had the pleasure of seeing him (w[hi]ch is now some years ago) that instead of asking me for any Acc[oun]t he should send me a Silver Cup similar to one that was then making at the Soho.'

Wyatt did not recall who the cup was being made for but Boulton consulted him upon it although ill in bed. This was not the first time Boulton had worked with James Wyatt on the design of silver items - see the silver coffee pot also on this website. Wyatt goes on to say that given the esteem and regard he had for Boulton he would have preferred such a memorial to the amount of his bill.

The endorsement on the wrapper states that a bill for £78/15/- was enclosed and that the letter was answered on the 13th of February 1812 and the account directed to be paid. The reply was sent to CB Wyatt, Charles Burton Wyatt who was one of James' sons. Wyatt's financial affairs were notoriously muddled, due to clients being slow to pay and Wyatt being reluctant to press for payment. The fact that the reply was sent to Wyatt's son suggests that he had contacted M.R. Boulton again. It is known that Wyatt's sons did resort to contacting clients themselves to attempt to ensure financial security for their mother.

The bill in question is also available on this site but it is worth noting that it was for drawing work done for alterations to Soho House in 1796, finally paid in 1812!

James Wyatt died on September 4th 1813 as a result of injuries sustained in a carriage accident.

Further reading: John Martin Robinson, 'The Wyatts: An Architectural Dynasty', 1979