Sir Henry Bayly in London writes to his son the adventurer Hugh Forbes currently in Siena 1845

 

Wikipedia entries for prominent figures of the past often rely on old sources which were coy about personal lives. The Wikipedia page for  “Henry Bayly (British Army Officer, born 1769)” summarises his military career and appointments (Aide de Camp to the Prince Regent 1811; Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey 1816) and notes that a cousin was First Marquess of Anglesey; but it does not mention his better-known son, Hugh Forbes, who has his own short Wikipedia page as “Hugh Forbes (soldier)” which is also coy but does footnote a 2022 full-length biography by Virgilio Ilari and Viviana Castelli, Vita e tempi del colonnello Forbes (1808–1892): un inglese italianissimo tra Risorgimento e guerra civile americana [Life and times of Colonel Forbes (1808–1892): A very Italian Englishman, between the Risorgimento and the American Civil War]. A second biography by the American historian David T. Dixon is due for publication in 2027 with the title Rebel, Criminal, Patriot, Scapegoat.

Hugh Forbes, born in 1808, is not mentioned on Sir Henry’s page because his father never married and Hugh was a natural son – in the language of the period, a bastard or illegitimate child. But this 1845 letter to Forbes from his father indicates their continuing relation. It has been dictated and only the signature is in Henry Bayly’s very shaky hand – he died eleven months later in April 1846, aged 77, and thus never knew of his son’s active military involvement in the Italian Risorgimento. Elsewhere on this site I have published a letter from Hugh Forbes to his own son Archibald written in 1862 which makes reference to several of his later activities:

https://www.otherpeoplesletters.com/2026/07/an-1862-letter-from-garibaldino.html

The letter shows that Henry Bayly is informed of  his son’s current business involvements in Italy. In February 1845 Forbes had acquired rights from Francesco Senesi to undertake escavazione dei minerali (mineral extraction) from land he owned at Montagnola Senese and known to be suitable for quarrying Siena’s yellow marble (Giallo di Siena). The reference to iron in the letter must relate to another project, of which I have no details. The reference to “Cox” leads to the bankers of the British Army, Cox and Co, who paid out army pensions and made loans to its military clients. Henry Bayly’s request for the ages of Forbes’s sons, Archibald and Hugh, is no doubt in relation to Bayly’s intention to provide for them in his will – which he did and also made provision for their father.  Forbes had other children born in Italy to a second partner and who do not figure in this part of the story.

Addressed to: Hugh Forbes Esq   Via della Volpe No 1309   Siena   Toscana   Italy

Datelined:23 Albermarle St [ London]    May 10th 1845

Despatch postmark of Chancery Lane [London], transit mark of Boulogne, transit mark of FIRENZE 19 MAG 1845 and arrival mark of SIENA 21 MAG 1845

 [No salutation]

After I had sent a answer yesterday to your letter of the 25^th Ult I received your’s of the 29^th by which I judge that you have perceived great difficulties in carrying through your plan respecting the Iron Mine, indeed, it appears to me that the further you go the more you will be puzzled to get through such a Work without materially involving yourself in pecuniary responsibility, and Italian confinement for debt would not be a very pleasant result.

Your undertaking however to try this Speculation has proceeded from industrious and honest motives and is therefore laudable and though I fear you will be disappointed in your expectations of forming a company to carry the work through without risk to yourself I shall be very sorry should you fail in your hopes. You shall know by the Post next Tuesday further about Mr Bolland [ possibly Bollard but either way not traced].

I believe that the value of Iron is increasing every where on account of the quantity required for Rail Roads.

As regards yellow marble the English market is overloaded and it sells at a very low price that is at least 75 per cent lower than the Carrarra Marble.

Wishing you every success I remain &c &c

H. Bayly

P.S. By Tuesday’s Post you will also hear from Craigs Court

What are the respective ages of your two children? 

Acknowledgments

Viviana Castelli and David Dixon filled in blanks to enable me to write-up this letter.

References

Wikipedia: Henry Bayly (British Army officer, born 1769)

Wikipedia: Hugh Forbes (soldier)