Original Rootsweb Co. Tyrone Community Site
Letter from Bessie Edmonds, Tullygarvin, Sandholes to her aunt Jane Spencer (nee McLaughlin)
Australia 1897
Written by Bessie EDMONDS of Tullygarvin,
Sandholes, co Tyrone to her aunt Mrs Jane SPENCER (nee McLAUGHLIN) in South
Yarra, Melbourne, Australia.
Bessie was born in 1880 in Tullygarvin,
Sandholes, Co Tyrone, the daughter of John EDMONDS and Eliza (nee McLAUGHLIN),
her parents having married in the Congregational Meeting House in Donaghey
in 1869.
Bessie's aunt, to whom the letter was written,
was Jane SPENCER, nee McLaughlin. Born in 1835, she was the eldest child of
William and Margaret McLAUGHLIN of Lurgy, parish of Donaghenry. In 1856 she
had married at Stewartstown to Robert Joshua SPENCER, and the couple had
emigrated to Australia aboard the “William Kirk” in 1860. Jane was widowed
in 1879, and died herself in Melbourne in 1902.
N.B. - this letter is transcribed line-for-line as it
was written with the spelling and punctuation as it exists in the
original
Copy of original letter -
page 1 & 4 ;
page 2 & 3
February 2nd 97
Madam,
I am taking the pleasure of
writing you these few lines as it is the first
I have ever wrote to you. We are all well
hoping these few lines will find you
the same. Mama and papa is well.
The[y] all send you their love as all her
children
do as well She has got old looking her hair
is grey more so than papas.
There are four girls of us and three boys
they are all a good size now there are three
of us at school yet I am going to send
you our names all the oldest is
Robert James second is William John
And the third Mary Elizabeth fourth
Maggie Jane fifth Sarah Ann
sixth Bessie Adessa seventh Samuel
Hadden Edmonds We have added one
tow the number Willie Boyd my
Aunt Sarah we[e] boy the other one is with
my aunt McAteere They are well
all of them and doing well They have
five children four girls and one boy
My Aunt and uncle Hamilton are
well but they have left your fathers
place and has gone to live in Belfast
He was an old Drunkard and drunk
her out of her fathers place he hasent
sold the place atall he has just gone
down to earn some money to pay
his Debt do not be naming anything
about this in yours letters
Uncle James and her and their
family is all well They have all got
married and made pretty good matches
I havent very much more to say as we
havent received any letter from you
but I hope as soon as this reaches you
that you will return one as quick as
you can for I am sure from the word
we have herd that you havent much
Else to do only write.
We are all at home only one of
us has gone out to business in a shop
in Dungannon it is the second girl
Maggie Jane she is doing well she is
there about half a year Write soon
and tell us if you have any word of
coming home I would like very much
to see you as you are the only one I
havent seen of my aunts
In conclusion I want to let you
know the weather is very cold. There hasent
been very much snow yet but no
matter it is very cold here you are in
the summer season now I suppose
Write in your next letter and let us
know if you will be coming home You
can come Home any time and you can
get your fathers place if you would wish
to live in it but dont come if you
havent got plenty of mony I think this
is all I have to say at present
But Remains
Yours sincerely
Bessie Edmonds
To
Mrs Spenser
Melbourne
=== I am sending the Directions =====
on an envelope.
I am sending you a lock of mamas Hair
Eliaza Edmunds
Mama wrote her own name here.
