Early Life
Alice Parish was the daughter of
Edward Clarke Parish, a West India Merchant, and
Elisabeth Paris. She was born, most likely in London, around 1738.
Death
Alice died on the 11
th of June 1776 at
Newton in the Isle of Man, dying in an accident when she was thrown from her carriage; from
www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/people/law/wbusk.htm:
Previously unpublished letters in the possession of the family give a full account of the accident. On Saturday 8th June 1776 Wadsworth and Alice Busk set out to visit Newtown which they had intended to move into from their cramped lodging at Snugborough on the following Tuesday. They were delayed in setting off as Wadsworth Busk had mislaid some bank notes and as they were leaving their landlady gave them two chickens which were given to the boy who was to accompany them. As Richmond Hill is very steep Mr Busk as usual, got out of the chaise and walked up the hill to save the horse - one of the chickens escaped, the boy alighted to capture it, and, possibly due to the noise of the chicken, the chaise horse bolted, Mrs Busk was thrown out and one of the wheels of the chaise went over her back, presumably breaking it as she lost the use of her legs. She was taken back to Douglas and died on Tuesday 11th June having been in great pain.
Wadsworth Busk was greatly affected by his loss - on August 4th he wrote to his brother in law Rev E Radcliffe (who also appeared to act as his personal agent in London) saying "so far I have not been able to write to any of them [his friends], nor can I foresee when I shall. My nerves are in so shattered a state that I can hardly hold my pen, and my Rheumatism is so bad that it is not now without difficulty that I walk across the room" - however he went on to ask Radcliffe to find him a tutor for his boys (£50 a year plus board) and concludes with some business matters. In a subsequent letter he writes "never did I know the true value of the treasure that is gone till I lost it". In a letter of the 17th Dec he asks Radcliffe's opinion on two possible wordings for the his wife's memorial (in Onchan churchyard) - however as both of them are considerably shorter and much simpler than that reported by Feltham it appears that he must have considerably altered his first thoughts.
The
memorial, recorded by Feltham, reads:
Alice Busk, wife of Wadsworth Busk, Esq., Attorney-General of the Isle, on the 11th June, 1776, in the 38th year of her age.
Her valuable life was suddenly lost
By a fatal and deplorable accident:
To the heart rending grief
Of one whose happiness, lies buried here:
Whose health, whose ease, whose comfort was her care,
Whose inclinations ere his lips had uttered them,
She caught even from his eye, and regarded as a Law;
Whom to the last she hundred with her love,
And having blest him while she lived,
Blest him also with her expiring breath.
On his distracted mind, the virtues she possest,
Have too deeply stamped the remembrance
Of her untimely death; tho' submitted to by herself
In the most calamitous circumstances
With a degree of fortitude and resignation,
Which Christianity only could inspire;
And which reflected a lustre
On her sex, her character, and her religion.
Abt 1738 - 1776 (~ 38 years)
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