William Moodie - Letters 7,8 - from Alexandria, Scotland, 1856

These are the first 2 letters of 1856 written to William's friend Alex Dick (jnr) in the goldfields of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. They have quite a few pages (so a bit rambling to fill the pages) but they are quite legible.

Wm Moodie Letter  7  - Jan 1-4, 1856 - 6 pages

Jan 1, 1856   - North St, Alexandria, Scotland

William waxes philosophical for a few pages to fill up this letter, but finally gives a bit of local gossip and comments on Alex’s life in Australia. At the end he even hints at a possible romantic interest.

He mentions:

• Alex’s ‘measure of success’ at digging for gold
• J. Leckie and family – are doing well in Australia
• J. McIntyre – may not be tough/young enough for the hardships and dangers of a (gold) digger’s life in Australia
• J. Buchanan – a “rolling stone” travelling “North and South” through Australia; possible farm in New Zealand

Local Alexandria/Busby news:

• the calico printing business has been very bad for a long time
• the “Literary” group – may be dissolved, but planned soiree for about 80 people; he is to play the organ to lead the glee party (and to take a lady as partner…).
• his father (William snr) – “has not wrought any for nearly two years” but has the possible prospect of a position in an engineering business at “Constinople” Turkey.
• Peter Robertson – still dithering about emigrating… a rather scathing account…

Other local people briefly mentioned:

• Brother John (in Glasgow – saw Alex’s brother John & father – all well)
• David Alexander (had a letter from Alex)
• Mr Maxwell Mr & Mrs Stevens (send best wishes etc.)

Wm Moodie Letter  8  - Apr 27-28, 1856 - 10 pages

Apr 27, 1856   - North St, Alexandria, Scotland

William was a bit anxious as he hadn’t heard from Alex for a while, and he had read in the newspapers of “destructions of life and property by fire & water at the goldfields”; however a letter from Alex arrived as William was writing the second part of the letter. Alex’s hard labours at ‘digging’ were proving fruitless, and he was considering giving up prospecting. William would have liked to support his friend with more than just words, but his own family were suffering from lack of work and are only able to keep “floating at starvation point”.

He talks of the local social life –

• There is much marrying etc. going on, though none of “Alex’s” seem to be “in apparent danger” (though later in the letter Wm describes a fanciful scene where he is married, and names his wife as Mary Rankin, whom he actually married in 1861);
• the Teetotalers had a soiree, and are to have Musical meetings once a week (Wm plays the harmonium); he gives a humorous description of some of the more rabid Teetotalers’ delusional ravings
• the “Literary” meetings are going well.

Other news -

• John (brother) and he are still working, though orders have fallen off and the introduction of new processes (described) are threatening the traditional methods.
• the Ferry field  Machine printing shop burned down on 18th
• William snr sailed on the 9^th in the ‘Taurus S.S.’ to Constantinople, to work in an engineering factory; if successful, he may send for others in the family to follow. His passage to Turkey cost £20, and he will get £4-5 a week at the start.
• The war has ended, and William talks about it briefly.

Other people he mentions are-

• Willie Steven – at the goldfields with Alex; may lose his hearing
• A Stevens – out of work due to the fire at the printing shop
• P. McNichol – Alex met his friend (probably named Macklin) at Ballarat
• ‘Old’ Macklin – retired Sgt Major, lived in Bonhill
• ’tilda Moore (who emigrated with her husband James Murdoch in 1853 and whose sister Isabella Muir later married Alex’s brother John; Isabella and John were my grandmother’s parents)
• John Dickson – who Alex may have met at Ballarat; comes from Leven and is acquainted with the Rankins, friends of Wm’s (and his future in-laws)