Letter #37 to sons in
Australia
Glasgow, Jan'y 10th.
1859
My Dear Sons,
A good new year to you all. I hope you are all cheerful and buoyant as
befits young men!!. And long may prudence, fortitude and truth erect each brow undaunting.
I had a letter from John, conveying his kind wishes and affectionate regards.
It is well none of you joined the Port Curtis rush. I see it is a dead dead
failure.
I see in the papers extracts from the "Argus" of the 15th.
Nov. the labour market is sadly overstocked. But your reform bill has passed
the assembly and is likely to pass the council and should the Victorians have
the judgement to return men of cornmonsense and thorough education to the
assembly and not chattering Magpyots a land bill suitable to the wants of the colony
and other reforms may be looked for and that will help matters.
The OGP's mending, so may the Nightingale and I hope Jack has ere now
seen gold in satisfactory quantities and I hope our friend John King is a light
hearted man rejoicing over a good job.
Auntie is in her usual and Annie and Sandy are still employed. We have
had fine mild weather since I arrived, I do not remember so fine a new year's
day. Barrowfield got very slack. I had the promise of a table at Daimonach.
Robert McGougan is fore man there and I expect to begin in a week or two.
Daimonach Company are putting up a shop for 12 cylinders. The printing, cutting
and engraving were little depressed during the last panic. Some other trades
suffered severely. Shipbuilders, engineers, masons have not recovered. McGregor
of Todd & McGregor is dead. I saw Jammie Pollock; he has been a good deal
idle. He is now employed at Stirling. He thinks William and Jack have lost
little by their unfortunate trip. Mr. Wylie is getting into the sere and yellow
leaf; he does nothing now for Mr. Harper, a small spec for himself now &
then. Joe Docherty got married last week to a Miss Brownlee. He works with
James at £2/10/- per week. James is doing well. Tessie Docherty got married to
a shopkeeper. They sell findon haddock, dried fish &c. Peter Robertson is
an engineer on a Government steamboat; he has a good job.
There is a man in the White Flat company named John Monach. I wish
William to let him know I have got a direction for his brother, James. I am
informed by a man from America that a letter directed to James Monach of the
Printwork at Rahway, New Jersey will find him. Mr. Monach has a printwork there
and two machines going and one of his brothers is with him. Mr. McDougall, Crum's
manager at Busby, is now landowner in America; his clerking son is ploughman.
I hope you got my former letter as you would be somewhat anxious when no
news of the 'Agincourt’ arrived with the Nov'r mail. To all my friends in
Geelong, my best wishes and new year compliments. I have sent 3 newspapers. But
there is nothing of great importance in the news way. The rumors of war are but
idle stories as yet. I hope there is yet Peace and Prosperity and sweet
sunshine for all.
I am your affectionate father
Alex'r Dick
Names & Notes on Letter
#57
John (Leckie?)
John King
Mary Russell, Annie & Sandy
Robert McGougan
Mr. Crum
McGregor, of Todd &
McGregor
Jammie Pollock
Mr. Wylie
Mr. Harper
Joe Docherty
Miss Brownlee
James Docherty
Tessie Docherty
Peter Robertson
John Monach
James Monach
Mr. Mc Dougall
- transcription and
Names/Notes by Ian A Scales, c.1989
Scans of the original letter (click on the thumbnail below for a
larger image; note that pages are not in reading order):
Page 4, 1
Page 2,3
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