"My dear Mother's quiet time was nearly over, and my sister Isabel was but a few months old when my Father was off again on his travels, leaving a good Curate in the Rectory. This time there were 6 children to leave. Alicia and Charlie were disposed of among relations, and we four little ones, Willie and I, Arthur and Isabel, found a home at Bromley in Kent with a married Governess, a Mrs. Hewison, a very sweet person, whom we involuntarily called 'mama' for two or three years, knowing no other; and she did indeed act a mother's part to us. My Parents now went straight to Madeira - as the air was recommended for my father's throat. They made there some lifelong friends - chiefly a Mr. and Mrs. Austen and their only child, a girl of 5 years old; who grew up to be a great friend of ours - and at 20 married Dr. Cartmell, Master of Christs College Cambridge, a man 25 years older than herself.

This little girl was a great delight to my parents who had left six behind them - and my father often reminded her in after days how he taught her her letters on the hill sides of Madeira. Mrs. Austen, whom we have loved to call 'Granny' for many years - and who still lives - has told me of this time that my poor mother could not bear the sight of a pair of baby socks without tears - but she was a wonderfully brave and plucky woman, and made the best of everything instead of the worst. She rode a good deal at this time as every one did at Madeira, being often accompanied by Mr. Austen, as well as by my Father. This gentleman was her very devoted squire - always trying to serve her, and one day made the pretty speech that my Father was a happy man to be the 'cinosure of brightest eyes'. We have a few sketches of Madeira done by dear Mother at this time, and wish we had more. This year or 10 months passed only too quickly, and they left these dear friends behind, and returned again to the South of France - and thence to Paris - where in the autumn of that year my youngest sister Mary was born, and left with a French Doctor and his wife and wetnurse for two years." *Memoirs of Emily Elliott pp11-12.