Letter #23 to son Alex in
Australia
Busby, Feb'y
4th. 1856
My Dear Son,
Since my last D. Alexander had a letter from you. Your exertions as gold
digger have not as yet been crowned with great success. I did not write on New
Years Day as I was wont to do, having written in December. Busby folks, or
young men rather, showed off in style. Two different parties had a dance. Jack
showed off with a young lady, William and I kept house. I was at Camlachie.
Sandy is in a grocer's shop, Annie learning bonnet making. Auntie keeps house,
they have a room and kitchen. John Twaddel gave up his eating house, it was an
unfortunate speck. He is still at Busby. Andrew Colquhoun's housekeeper, J.
Patterson, has given him a daughter. It was in the 'Herald', at Loupie Hill
Mrs. Colquhoun of a daughter. Mr. White has got married to Miss Milvill &
Margret Thompson was married to Arthur Watson's youngest brother. Old Jean
McAlpine died lately. Peter Robertson's time is out, he goes to Glasgow. John
Leckie favoured John Nimmo with a letter. John (L ?) is to end his days in
Australia. Neil Mclnnes goes out to Australia to his father in law at Mt. Alexander
diggings & Thomas Mclnnes goes out too if he can get a Government passage.
Mr. Wakefield has been living at Busby some months. This is to be his
residence. He makes an occasional visit to London. James Hall is manager of the
works. The machines have been fully employed this some time, but it is still a
poor go with block printers. A good number of patterns have been cut and the
cutters are still throng, but block printers are still slack. But there will no
doubt be a few months of brisk work. I am in the pattern shop at present.
You have William Stevens with you. I hope he will soon be a strong hale
& hearty digger. Jack & William have their compliments to him and they
expect to rub clothes with him 135 feet below the surface ere long. His old
friends are all well. Jannet Campbell has brought forth and Mr. Dow is stirring
about as usual. The engravers are quite throng. There was some talk of a new
engraving machine doing a good deal of the work, to the detriment of those in
the trade, but the talk has died away again. Jack is still with Todd &
McGregor and he seems pretty well pleased. William is still in the Gallowgate.
He is getting his trade to his satisfaction, but Australia is
the spot they have in view.
Mr. Napier built and fitted out last year the largest steam ship afloat,
she is name the 'Persia'. She sailed to Liverpool at the rate of 18 miles per
hour. Our roads are being improved. The road to Eagleshame has had some hollows filled up
& some braes cut down. The Busby road at Mr. Crum's is being improved. The
brae is in course of cutting and the road will be just a little farther from
Mr. Crum's house and straightened towards the Smiddie row & the hollow
there filled up 6 feet, and Mr. Crum intends building a large addition to his
house. We have five patterns cut for parasols this season. They are printing on
fine stout silk that is said to cost 4d
per square inch. They will necessarily be dear and you may yet see the diggers'
wives with them at Ballarat. I hope you will get a copy of the Glasgow Sentinel
along with this letter. It contains a copy of the Queen's speech and the
supplement is a portrait of Sir Colin Campbell. It is expected that Peace will
shortly be proclaimed. Negotiations will be opened at Paris. Lord Clarendon
goes over.
That you have kept in good health and good spirits is a matter of
rejoicing to us all. The hopeful spirit that animates your letters is cheering
to us and should you see proper to order us out we will cheerfully obey. Hope
springs eternal in the human breast. It is now likely your brothers will get
Government passages and that will save a triffle. Our papers teem with letters
from Australia and they generally do not represent your country as desirable.
So that your anxious I's & noes give no unfavourable opinion of your head & heart. William Wilson has got charge
of a farm at £10 per week. Tilda Moore is wearying to get home & so is Mr. Hunter's
daughter. But the male portion of our emigrants seem wonderfully contented and
we expect to be of that number. We were looking for a letter by the ‘Sovereign
of the Sea', but we had neither letter nor paper, for sufficient reasons no
doubt. John Leckie hints that he and G. Mains have got richer and we trust that
all emigrants that are judicious will prosper. John McCubbin's son &
daughter go next week, so there is a fair sprinkling of Busby folks on the far
verge of the earth. John McCubbin does not think the diggin a desirable business.
But old John expects to set foot in Australia yet.
Block printing is mending
about Kilmarnock, Barrhead & Paisley and Netherlie works have made
a beginning at printing again. William had a good coat and saw stolen the other week and Jack had
a saw stolen. The legacies Alex'r Russell's uncle left will be paid about May. Aunty gets £55
pounds and Sandy and Annie will get their first instalment then. Had Alex'r been alive his legacy
would not have paid his debt. If health be granted there is not her to hinder them getting
comfortably through. Should Sandy or Annie die, the survivor heirs the deceased and in the case
of both of them dying before they come of age, Aunty heirs them. So we rest satisfied they will be
able to struggle through. I cannot remember anything else that could be interesting to you and
assist in cheering you at your toil on your far distant soil. I hope, along with yourself, that it
will not be long before we are all together again and that we pass a few more years in company.
May you be preserved and prospered in your undertakings and enabled to justly and love mercy
and to walk humbly before God.
a beginning at printing again. William had a good coat and saw stolen the other week and Jack had
a saw stolen. The legacies Alex'r Russell's uncle left will be paid about May. Aunty gets £55
pounds and Sandy and Annie will get their first instalment then. Had Alex'r been alive his legacy
would not have paid his debt. If health be granted there is not her to hinder them getting
comfortably through. Should Sandy or Annie die, the survivor heirs the deceased and in the case
of both of them dying before they come of age, Aunty heirs them. So we rest satisfied they will be
able to struggle through. I cannot remember anything else that could be interesting to you and
assist in cheering you at your toil on your far distant soil. I hope, along with yourself, that it
will not be long before we are all together again and that we pass a few more years in company.
May you be preserved and prospered in your undertakings and enabled to justly and love mercy
and to walk humbly before God.
I am, Your Affectionate Father,
Alex'r Dick.
Names & Notes on Letter
#25
David Alexander
Sandy, Annie & Mary Russell
John Twaddel
Andrew Colquhoun
J. Patterson
Mr. White
Miss Milvill
Margret Thompson
Arthur Watson
Jean McAlpine
Peter Robertson
John Leckie
John Nimmo
Neil Mclnnes
Thomas Mclnnes
Mr. Wakefield James Hall
William Stevens
Jan net Campbell
Mr. Dow
Todd & McGregor
Mr. Napier
'Persia'
Mr. Crum
Sir Colin Campbell
Lord Clarendon
William Wilson
Tilda Moore (Muir)
Mr. Hunter's daughter.
'Sovereign of the Sea'
G. Mains
John McCubbin, son & daughter
- transcription
and Names/Notes by Ian A Scales, c.1989
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