Alexr Dick _Letter No. 30_ from Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, Feb. 1858

1858 - Victoria, Australia

The first 1858 letter I have from Alex Dick's collection is in February, although there are envelopes postmarked Alexandria - Glasgow Jan'y 4th and Ballarat Jan 22nd (?).

This one is from Alex's father, Alexr Snr, with notes from Alex's two younger brothers who had come out to Australia with their father in 1856. They seem to be living in Ballarat, trying their hand at gold mining.

Letter #30 to son Alex in Geelong (?)                    

                                      Ballarat 18th.Feb'y.1858

My Dear Son,

We received yours yesterday and should have been pleased to hear that you like your situation and you had resolved to remain. There is slight change in Ballarat since you went away. We hear of no wonderful holes.

But your next question is more significant and when Jack & I agreed last night we would write you today we were not prepared for the intelligence we have to convey. Wee Rachel is no more. She died about 9 this morning. On Monday her bowels became disordered, but nothing more than we might expect of a child teething, for her two lower front teeth seemed coming through. Yesterday was extremely warm and oppressive and she lay quiet and to appearance sleeping all day. But when the evening cooled she seemed to revive, but she did not sleep all night and this morning her feet felt cold and her breathing somewhat difficult. A medical man came but she got rapidly worse and seemed to have croup and so passed away....

We have not heard from William. We expect him over on Saturday first, or the following Saturday at farthest and we will advise you of his success. I think John would like a job at his trade. He has been expecting Mr. Leckie, or you, to find a place thus some weeks and was every day expecting notice to go down.

Your wonderful news from Glasgow & Busby smack of the imaginative. Give George my
compliments, I like to hear of his prosperity. One could wish he made Mrs. Mains a little happier.
Give her my best wishes, also Mr.& Mrs. Leckie and Alex'r Dick. What is John Aitcheson doing.
Any word of Mr. Rattary returning. Have any other of our old friends arrived at Geelong with
authentic intelligence from Busby. Jack will give all information about Gravel Pits, Nightingale
&c. The 'Red Jacket' leaves on 5th.March. Do you see any chance of giving me a sight of the
Glasgow Barricades.                                              

                                                                               Yours affectionately,

Alex'r Dick.

Dear Brother, Jack is at the Gravel Pits, John is doing nothing. Last week I was on for wages as the Gum tree was used up. So John thinking 70/- was no go and as he did not want to go himself if he could do anything in the way of getting a situation he would give up digging, he asked me to go for a week or two till he would here from you at whatever it might turn out to be the half share. This I agreed to, but this week or two the divides will be rather small. In fact nothing, as the little engine is getting important alterations and the boiler being built anew, I think we have had two divides at the O.G.P. since I wrote you last, namely Feb'y 6, £4, Feb'y 13, £5, Nightingale second divide, £6 to the half-share, all of which I paid to John. In regard to Nightingale, Neeshaw has a case the same and Walsh says that there will be no difficulty in gaining so John and I think, as it is going to pay well, it is worth risking £5 on it. Out of 14 machines last fortnight the highest was 55 ounces 13 dwt, the last, 14 oz.. Generally about 20 and 30, pretty fair work to be taken, 7 feet high. Last week I stopt payment of the sleeping half share to J. Hunter so that the 1 /4 share claimed by you lies in the secretary's hands till one of us wins it at the Court of Mines, which is expected to sit in a week or two. We intend to employ Walsh. Should your presence be required, could you attend. I suppose not, so we must try and do without you. I have no doubt if it is to be got tha Walsh will do it, as he is best acquainted with local court affairs.

Nothing new on Ballarat except Rachel's death which is rather a sad occurance, the more so as it was very sudden. As John will not have time to write to Mr. L today please inform them. G.M's news is, in a measure, likely to become, in a measure, like most of his yarns, a great measure from the truth. There's no doubt that stoppage of Emigration must have been seriously felt in Busby. I will probably write on Sunday should there be any news from Pinch Gut. W. Stevens is as usual, but going to get his pile in the Hope Company, Golden Point lead. He sends his compliments to you. The Hope Comp'y are down about 30 feet in the rock with there shaft. Western are advertising for tenders to sink a shaft. Do you want to speculate. Now is your chance. Yours &c.

  John Dick.

I left a bundle of Slates, Arithmatic Books, School Books, Copy Books in J. Leckie's cellar. Send me up one Arithmetic and all the Copy Books when you send for your chest, if they are still alive. There were some Grammar books too... Father.

Names & Notes on Letter #30

Wee Rachel (King ??)

John (King ??)

Mr. Leckie

George & Mrs. Mains

John Aitcheson

Mr. Rattary

"Red Jacket'

Neeshaw

Walsh

J. Hunter

W. Stevens

By inference, some time between 4/12/1856 (*28) and 21/1/87 (*29) Alex'r removed from Belfast (Port Fairy) to Geelong. John and William remained at or near Belfast (??). Alex was in Geelong and by 18/2/1857 he had started work (clerical?) in Geelong at £.2 /week plus board and attended classes in foremanship & book-keeping at Geelong Grammar School. Alex'r, John & William were in Ballarat (or district).

Cross-reference to the Reminiscences & Diaries of Alexander Dick (MS 11241, Latrobe Library of Victoria) suggest, that about this time Alex'r, Alex, John & William built a small cottage at Golden Point, Ballarat.

- transcription and Names/Notes by Ian A Scales, c.1989


Here is a scan of the original letter (click on the thumbnail below for a larger image):