T176
April 26th 1887
Letter to Miss H Chalklen
19 Richmond Crescent Barnsbury
The exact date is more than can be given (tho it might probably be ascertained) when Mary Martha, the pastor FW Durand wife woke in the middle of the night and distinctly saw the curtains of her bed drawn aside by the hand and beheld her beloved son Lieut Henry Durand stand by her and the figure one word he said – “Mother” she was not frightened but pleased to see him although he really was far distant – for he was on his return from the Mediterranean on board HMS Beller john for his Rgt., the 60th rifles had been engaged in some duty at Majorca or one of the adjacent islands.
In the morning Ms Durand began to think she must have had a dream – but sometime after sad news came that their lively young son officer, who have often said “he would like to have a short life and a merry one” was dead – and what estrayed of all was that at the very day and hour his mother had seen him at her bedside he had breathed his last with the word mother on his lips.
Lt. Henry Durand was younger than his sister Hester ja Coba afterwards Mrs de Fer, but probably older than Dr W Durands who died towards the close of the last century.