Letter #66 to son Alex in Australia
145
G. E.Road,
Glasgow,
19th Ap’l. 1862
My Dear Son,
I have
yours of 24th.Jan'y and I expect the Feb'y mail before I seal up. The result of
your first year's trade is, I think, satisfactory. £1500 profit on £2100 is not
amiss and it is highly creditable to Mr. McGee so small an amount of bad debts.
The bar trade was unfortunate and it is hard to say where the blame lay. But
the ale for keeping in Australia requires to be brewed for the purpose strong
and well fined and should not be exposed to the sun on carts in warm days. And
your cellar would require to be at the same temperature at all times. Inferior ales
wont keep in your climate and McGee & Dick would require to have their ales
direct from the brewers, otherwise the quality cannot be depended on. If you
get the right article it will keep for years in a proper place. I hope Mr.
Newman will turn out a first rate and that he will show a satisfactory balance.
Jack &
William seem to be making more than a living as they sent me five pounds. I
hope they will be able to get over their embarrassments and with health,
strength and wit they will yet rank among the prosperous. Jack thinks 1 might
go to the exhibition in London. I cannot say I feel anxious to see the great
show, but I may take a change of air somewhere else. I was at Mr. Loudon's
funeral the other day. The machines are on five days a week and no appearance
of work for block printers.
Willie
Wilson is expected from Maryborough in the 'Marco Polo'. Alex'r told me Willie
had nearly £1000 when he went out. I was down at Leven. Trade keeps good there.
The Cor dale printers had got a strike settled. Our friends were enquiring
about you all, but there all in their ordinary; no changes.
I am well
pleased the Traditions arrived. They connect you with Scotland and will tend to
make you remember you native land, it will provoke a smile to inform you that
when my mother was born a Bible and a pair of breeches were laid below her
mother's pillow to prevent the fairies from stealing the unbaptised infant and
leaving one of their own manufacture in its place. My grandfather disclaimed
having any share in the arrangement, but he and his wife had to allow the
attending neighbours their own way. He was no believer in ghosts but he was not
so sure about fairies. He said they are said to be fallen angels that are
allowed to live on earth till the judgement and decent men had told him they
had seen the fairies and spoken with them and he could not disbelieve his
informants as it was not easy to see how they could be mistaken.
The
American war still continues and no prospect of it terminating. The North is
hemming in the South a little and taking their borders, but that the North will
conquer the South is still as improbable as ever. Iron plated vessels have come
in contact, but the battle of Merrimac and Monitor is not conclusive as to the
iron plated ships being able to resist balls, as by experiments in England any
iron plated ship afloat might be sunk by a single shot.
I might
have been at work either at Dalmonach or Ferryfield but there is little to be
made at their styles and as the doctor told me not to begin yet I let it alone.
I feel rather weak; a cough that keeps up the pain in my side. I saw Dr. Humphries at Bonhill and got a cure
for the cough from him. I am taking it and with a change of air when the
weather warms I expect to get round.
My finances are all right. I have £30, but this shows I have not
nearly kept myself since I came home and that, but for my family I would have
been in a scrape. So I may
well feel grateful to you all and very thankful you have both the means and the
will. And hoping prosperity will attend you all
I remain,
your affectionate Father,
Alex'r
Dick.
I have
written John M Dick, Ballarat
The
Australian mail is not to hand yet.
Names &
Notes on Letter #66
Mr. McGee
Mr. Newman
Willie
Wilson
'Marco Polo'
Alex'r
Wilson
My mother
My grandmother
My grandfather
Dr.
Humphries
- transcription and
Names/Notes by Ian A Scales, c.1989 (note- the ‘original’ transcription was in printed format on
paper, and has been re-formatted using OCR – so may have some inaccuracies
which have escaped my editing – C. S-P)
Scans of the original letter (click
on the image below for a larger version):
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