Letter #52 to son Alex in Australia
145 Great Eastern Road, Glasgow,
17th. January, 1861
My Dear Son,
I have received yours of 22nd.
October with its ups and downs. I expected that Thomas Slater would hunt you
out some way or other. It was fortunate that you still have your friend
Chambers at your back. When the Havelock and the Moonlight Flat have made
additions to your store you may have an opportunity of being of some service to
Mr. C. You have followed Jack in perilous travel and can tell like Othello
"of most disastrous chances, of moving accidents by flood and field of
hairbreadth scapes".
I see Jack & William are also speculating in
Quartz mining shares. I hope they have made fortunate hits and that they will
soon rank as rising colonists.
I was at Busby 3 weeks at our old Harness patterns.
It kept me in motion during the intense cold. It was pleasant work. I wish it
had continued. I expect to get in about Glasgow, in the meantime printworks are
flat. Hugh McLechtie is thriving in his shop. He is about to build a shop
adjoining Warnock, the fleshers. Arch'd McLintock's wife died the other day at
Kilmarnock. Alpin is a stout hirsute man. David looks better; his wife has a
child. Mr. Gilmour of Eaglesham has built a large house on the hillside a mile
from the water pool towards Eagleshame. I was at Thornliebank and saw Duncan
Roy. Torn Roy & John Loudon are at the Small River diggings. The McCubbins
went to the Snowy Mountains. Alex'r Dick is not succeeding so very well. John
Leckie lodged while at Sydney with a son in law of Wm. Cargill's and departed
without paying, but left some clothes. He sent from Geelong for a hundred dozen
eggs and he would remit the money for eggs and lodgings. The eggs were sent,
but John sent no money. John whitewashed himself, said the child was your's
that Miss Bruce had and spoke of you as the cause of much disturbance betwixt
him and his wife. Make no mention of these remarks to anyone. I send them for
your private guidance. Poltroons in a scape one and all calmneale(???) all
around.
This mail from Australia
brings better news than last of commerce and gold digging so your merchants
will get their spirits up. I said in my last I would write William by this
mail, but as I have not his direction I have sent no letter or paper to him. I
wish you all a good new year and hope you will be favoured with fortune's
smiles. Tilda Moore's husband is making money. He stopped giving credit and his
business has paid him much better since. Wm. Smith of Busbyside has retired.
The Thompsons have taken his farm at £40 increase of rent. Alex'r Barr's farm
is taken by Arthur Watson's eldest son at £100 increase of rent. So much for
the results of free trade in grain.
The termination of the Chinese and New Zealand wars
is satisfactory. Our American friends have got a quarrelling, it is to be hoped
the Southern states will cool down before blows are struck with the North. Our
trade would be seriosly injured were the Southern states devastated to any
considerable extent. There are a large number of joiners idle in Glasgow. Some
of those at work got their hands frostbitten (the temperature was 5, 7, 10, 17
below freezing point according to locality. The lowest temperature we have had
for 43 years. Some of the papers say for 80 years). So that though Jack & William
are both cutters and joiners they would most likely saved as little at home as
in Australia and in the long run Australia is likely to be the better spec.
Our friends at Leven are in their usual and Auntie
and Annie are at the caps. A. Russell is still with a shopkeeper in the Gallowgate, stout and active; a good
shopman. I will get the usual letter from Australia on Monday or Tuesday, I expect
to find each at the good job he had in
the last with the prospec of a long run of it, hearty and hopeful.
I remain, your affectionate Father,
Alex'r Dick.
Names &.
Notes on Letter #52
Thomas Slater
Chambers
Hugh McLechtie
Arch'd McLintock
Alpi n
David (Alexander?)
Mr. Gilmour
Duncan Roy
Tom Roy
John Loudon
McCubbins
Alex'r Dick
John Leckie
Wm. Cargill
Miss Bruce
Mrs. Leckie
Tilda Moore's husband
Wm. Smith
Thompsons
Alex'r Barr
Arthur Watson
Mary, Annie & Alex'r Russell
- transcription
and Names/Notes by Ian A Scales, c.1989
Scans of the original letter (click on the image below for a larger file):
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