I’ve been given an old letter, which had been on sale on eBay in 2020.

It’s a single sheet of paper that was folded, with the address on one part. It has a postmark of October 180?. Only part of the final digit of the year is visible, and so I initially thought it could be either a 3 or a 7. However, on transcribing the text of the letter, it referred to a disaster at Sadlers Wells in 1807, and so that fixed the year.

The letter is from Henry Hoare, while presumably visiting relatives in Devon. The postmark shows Weymouth. It was addressed to the Reverend B. Shuttleworth at Mitcham Grove. The Reverend also write a note on the sheet.

Below are four scans of the letter, after which is my interpretation of what is written. I have been assisted by Google Gemini 3 in deciphering some of the writing, and in providing context to the language used.

The letter from Henry Hoare to Rev B. Shuttleworh

My dear Sir
                                  Weymouth 22 Oct

                           Only as to the needful on the 
Subject of Time can I now write as we are off for Dawlish 
almost immediately _ I wish Chard & Taylor to go over the
whole of Batts land & see the 80 Trees that are marked:

You may arrange them thus putting the Number of Oaks & Elms
against each

            Slip       Oaks        Elms
Barn Meadow             Oaks       Elms
Orchard                 Oaks       Elms
Seven Acres             Oaks       Elms
Wood                    Oaks       Elms
Three Acres             Oaks       
Three Fields  |
rented by Mr  |>        Oaks       Elms
Savignac      |

Let Chard mention in what Part of Mr Savignac's Fields the
Trees marked are situated in. What a dreadful Preperation
for Eternity is Sadlers Wells. It really hurts me beyond Measure 
that Lydia should fall a Sacrifice in so dreadful a Calamity
how awful is it. 

You will read the enclosed & take it to Mrs Batts having previously 
sealed it, & hear what she has to say but She must communicate
to me her Sentiments in writing. Let me have Chard's Communication 
as soon as possible directed to Luscombe Teignmouth Devonshire. 
Our loves to Henry. I wish after you have seen 
Mrs Batts you would call on Mr Burley who I think has 
Chambers in Lincolns Inn & mention to him what Mrs Batts says.

            I am My dear Sir

                        most truly sincerely Yours
                                           H Hoare

The notes by Rev B. Shuttleworth

  The purport of Mr Hoare's Letter to Mrs Batts
which I read and delivered, was this viz
That He disapproved of her taking two persons 
over his Land, and marking Trees, without 
acquainting him with her intention, or 
taking his Carpenter or Bailiff with them 
who could have best described the Trees to Mr H.

  He also disapproved of so large a number as 
80 - and seem'd desirous to purchase them 
standing at a fair valuation, rather than 
have his grounds, and those of his undertenants 
injured, by having them cut down, and taken 
away, by any Timbermerchant she might 
employ —
        To the above Mrs Batts could not 
make any positive reply, till she had consulted 
with her friends, after which she would send 
Mr H an answer — She said she could not 
find the Carpenter or Bailiff, otherwise she 
would have gladly taken them with her over 
the Place. She appeared —"

### The Note in the Margin (Sideways text)

This section continues directly from "She appeared —"

 ...desirous of doing nothing but what was Just 
and fair, and said she should be glad to have 
it in her power to oblige Mr H. as much as 
she possibly could —

                           B Shuttleworth

Notes
1. The note from Rev Shuttleworth confirms that Mrs Batts (likely the owner of the land that Hoare was leasing or had rights over) went onto the property with her own men to mark 80 trees for felling.

Henry Hoare was unhappy because:

She didn’t tell him she was coming.
She didn’t take his Bailiff (estate manager) to identify the correct trees.
He felt 80 trees was too many.
He was worried the felling process would damage the land for his sub-tenants (like Mr. Savignac).

He offered to “purchase them standing at a fair valuation” — essentially paying her the value of the timber just to keep the trees in the ground and avoid the mess of cutting them down.

2. Luscombe Teignmouth was bought by a relative of Henry Hoare. See Historic England entry for Luscombe Castle.

3. Mrs Batts might be from Batts Farm, which the Merton Historical society say was owned by Henry Hoare in 1828. See Bulletin 174 (pdf).

4. The event at Sadlers Wells noted refers to a disaster at the Sadler’s Wells theatre on 15th October 1807, when 18 people were killed in a stampede when the audience thought they heard someone shout “Fire!”.

5. The Lydia referred to who perished in the stampede was Lydia Carr, according to this list from the Oracle and the Daily Advertiser – Saturday 17 October 1807.

1. John Labdon, No. 7, Bell-yard, Temple-bar.
2. Rebecca Ling, No. 5, Bridge-court, Cannon-row, Westminster, aged 20.
3. Benjamin Price, No. 31, Lime-street, Leadenhall-street aged 11.
4. John Greenwood, No. 7, King-street, Hoxton, aged 18.
5. Sarah Chaukley, Castle-street, Oxford-road.
6. Roda Wall, Hoxton.
7. Mary Evans, No. 3, Hoxton-market, 23 years of age.
8. Caroline —-, Plough-court, Whitechapel, an unfortunate girl of the town, and with child.
9. William Spincks, No. 2, Hoxton-place, a porter, aged 17.
10. James Philliston, Pentonville.
11. Edward Clements, No. 12, Paradice-row, Battle Bridge.
12. Joseph Groves, Hoxton-square, gilder, 23 years of age.
13. Edward Bland, No. 13, Bear-street, Leicester-field, aged 22.
14. Elizabeth Margaret Ward, No. 20, Plumtree-street, Bloomsbury, aged 21.
15. Lydia Carr, No. 23, Peerless Pool, 18 years old.
16. John Ward, No. 2, Glasshouse-yard, Goswell-street, an errand boy, aged 12 years.
17. Charles Judd, Artillery-court, Bishopsgate-street, aged 20.
18. Rebecca Saunders, Draper’s-buildings, Old-street.

It’s not known what relationship she had with Henry Hoare, but the following analysis from Google Gemini is plausible.

Based on the evidence in the letter and the casualty list, you are almost certainly correct that Henry Hoare is referring to Lydia Carr (Victim #15).

Here is an analysis of why this identification holds up and what it suggests about their relationship:

1. The “Only Lydia” Conclusion

As you noted, there is only one “Lydia” on the official casualty list of 18 people.

Henry Hoare’s Family: Henry Hoare (1750–1828) did have a wife named Lydia Henrietta and a daughter named Lydia Elizabeth. However, his wife died in 1816 and his daughter died in 1856. Since the letter explicitly states that “Lydia should fall a Sacrifice” (i.e., died in the 1807 accident), he cannot be referring to his own female relatives.
The Victim: This leaves Lydia Carr, aged 18, as the only possible candidate.

2. The Nature of the Connection: “My Servant Lydia?”

The way Henry Hoare refers to her simply as “Lydia”—without a surname, but with deep emotional investment (“hurts me beyond Measure”)—strongly suggests she was a member of his household staff, likely a maid or servant.

Naming Convention: In 1807, a gentleman like Henry Hoare would refer to friends or peers by their surname (e.g., “Mr. Smith”) or full title. Referring to a non-relative by their first name alone was typical for servants.

The Address: The list records her address as “No. 23 Peerless Pool”. This was likely her parents’ or family’s home (where her brother John, who identified her body, also likely lived). It was common for young women in service to visit their families or go out with friends (like the “errand boy” John Ward, victim #16) on their nights off.

3. “Dreadful Preparation for Eternity”

This phrase is significant and confirms Henry Hoare’s specific worldview.

Evangelical Anxiety: Henry Hoare was a devout Evangelical Christian (associated with the “Clapham Sect” circles). To a man of his religious conviction, the theatre was considered a place of sin and frivolity.
The “Hurt”: His distress (“hurts me beyond Measure”) is likely twofold:
1. Personal Grief: He lost a member of his household whom he knew and perhaps cared for paternally.
2. Spiritual Anguish: He believed she died in a state of sin (at a theatre), rather than in prayer or at home. The “dreadful preparation” refers to her soul being taken while she was watching a “rowdy” pantomime, which he would fear jeopardized her salvation.

Conclusion:
You have likely found a letter from a master mourning his young servant. Lydia Carr was an 18-year-old woman, likely employed in the Hoare household, who went to the theatre (perhaps on leave to see her family at Peerless Pool) and died in the crush. Hoare’s letter captures the collision of personal grief and the intense religious anxieties of the era.