Scandal in the Guards: Lt. Colonel Dury confesses to his Wife regarding his Second Family

A Detail from George II at Dettingen

Dear Reader,

Today, I want to examine a document I recently examined in the United Kingdom. In it, we find a British officer in a rather awkward situation. Lt. Col. Alexander Dury of the Guards, fearing he might be killed in action, wrote a letter to his wife, Isabella, telling her about his other family. In this letter, we see a fascinating bundle of eighteenth-century ideas regarding marriage, sex, religion, death, and family obligations. Without further adieu, here is the letter:

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My Dear Bell,
 Before I left London, I took care to make a proper
disposition of my worldly concerns, and in such a manner as
I hope you are satisfied with, but one thing remains which I
cannot now avoid mentioning as I am going upon Service, and
for the concealment of which, I ask pardon of God and of yourself
and indeed my inducement for concealing it from you, was to
avoid giving you uneasiness of any kind, especially as
the case was without Remedy. Indeed at the time I was
solliciting you to marry I ought then to have acquainted you
with it, but my fears of losing you prevailed over reason
and I was also by a friend of both to conceal it,
which I listened to the sooner, as I did not entail any charge
on you having a little income from my Company (which
I never mentioned to you) over and above the 1000 a year
which I declared to you my income consisted of vis. 500
from H.R.H. the Duke, and 500 as a Lt. Colonel to the Regiment
so that the balance of the accounts of my company, amounting
to 70 or 80 pounds I applied for the maintenance of one Mrs.
Barbara Moncrieffe, and her two Children. The said Barbara
goes by the name of Thompson and lives at one Mrs. Walton
two doors beyond the white houses in Marsham Street
Westminister. She was formerly a servant in my Mothers'
Family, and I was so wicked, as by frequently importunity and
opportunity to seduce her, and she was with Child by me.
From that time I thought myself bound, from principle
to take care of her and of her Child, which I did; the Child
died, but continuing to go to her from time to time, she was
delivered of another son, the latter end of December 1746
who was christened Henry, two years after that she lay in of
a Daughter who was christened Barbara, and they both go by
the name of Thompson as well as the mother. I never
gave the least hope of expectation to the mother of her ever
becoming my wife, but as I have great reason to think
she has always been honest to me, and that she has taken
great and proper care of her Children, I cannot help
recommending her and them to your protection, and if
as they grow up, you would be so good as to put them out apprentices to some
business, to prevent their ruin by being idea and destitute,
it will be a great act of charity, and of Regard to me.
The boy, who is now between 11 and 12 years of age, writes a good
hand, has been educated at a school at Stanmore where
he is now, and my design was to procure an Ensigns
Commission for him in a marching Regiment, but I now fear
that cannot be done. I can solemnly assure you my Dear
Bell, since the time of our marriage and from some weeks
before I have not seen her, nor her Children; I have received
Letters from her, and have wrote to her, to direct her in the
management of her family, but never anything more.
I could wish my Dear you would allow her 30 or 40 pounds
a year, viz. 20 for the boy, ten for her self, and ten for the
Girl, till such time as they are able to procure a livelihood
for themselves, and may God reward you for such an Act of
Charity...
Mr. Davies, Surgeon to the
Regiment, knows where she lives, the last time she received
any money from me, she came to him for it. I had never
before paid it to her, and did it then at my Request, He
may (and will very readily, I am persuaded out of regard
for me) carry any message to her...

Once more forgive my deceit, in concealing this circumstance
of my Life from your knowledge, consider the
motive for it, and pardon it not only pardon, but pray
to the almighty for my forgiveness, from this, and many
other Crimes I have been guilty off, both of Omission
and commission and may the same Merciful Father of
us all ever watch over you and our Child, Guard and
protect you both,  Amen.

Alex Dury.

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Tragically, Lt. Colonel Dury was killed in action at St. Malo in September of 1758, only months after he had written this letter. No record of what happened to his second family survives. This letter is preserved in the British National Army Museum at Chelsea.

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Thanks for Reading, 

Alex Burns