LETTERS
WRITTEN
BY VARIOUS
FAMILY MEMBERS
1860 TO 1890’S
Oct 9th 1864
Windsor
My Dear Cousin,
We received your kind letter quite safe and are all happy to hear that you are in good health. Grandmother has been laid up in bed again for a fortnight and now I am happy to say is getting much better. My.. ..and I am shall...... her though I am going to Sydney tomorrow to stay for a few months. We got a letter from Ellen Gray she is married her name is now Mrs Rentle she send her likeness also her husbands he is very nice looking she has known him for eleven years and has never known him to be a bad temper. I must now conclude with love from Granny and Mother also A.C.and A.S. to yourself and all the family
I remain Your affectionate Cousin
Charlotte
(CHARLOTTE ATKINS)
3 rd Nov 1871
Mr G. York
Terrace Rd
Newtown
My Dear Cousin,
We received your last letter and I should have replied before this but we have been thinking of moving for some time past. My brother Robert is married he is living at Surrey Hills.
Mama and Granny are living by themselves. Grandmother is very feeble. She gets weaker and more so every day. My mother is not strong . She has had a very bad cough for some months. Uncle Richard’s second son has been up to see us. He has promised to send his father up at Christmas if possible. Their family are all very well. Marion is very ill. I do not know exactly what is the matter with her. Her left lung is diseased. We do not see very much of her for Mama is not able to leave Granny. She is not able to do anything to help herself and I have a young baby. He is only six weeks old , but I am not able to carry him any distance. Every one says he is a big as any child three months old, although Robert is only just married he has unusually large family and keeps Annie and her three children the youngest four years old poor little dear she is too weak and ill that she will never be able to walk. I have got the address on the front of the letter.
With best love from Grandmother, Mama and all the family
I remain
Yours affectionately
Charlotte Holdsworth
(CHARLOTTE HOLDSWORTH NEE ATKINS)
23 MAY 1881
SYDNEY
Dear Sister,
Just a few lines to let you know that I arrived here last night at twelve o’ clock . I go to look for Uncle Richard this evening and I will write you again as soon as I find him. With fond love to all of you.
I remain Dear Sister your affectionate Brother
WILLIAM GRAY
PS I have written to Mary Ann
WILLIAM.J.B.GRAY WRITING TO REBECCA JANE KIRBY
C NOV 1880
WOOLLAHRA
SUNDAY MORNING
DEAR ALICK,
I am sending you this line just to tell you that our Dear Aunt is laid up with Measles and although she is quite too ill to see anyone I thought it only right to let you know Dr Roberts is attending, he thinks with great care she will get better anyhow I am dreadfully anxious about her I cannot bear to think of losing her as it like parting with my own loved Mother. Over all we can only Pray God to spare her to us that is his will not ours “His Love “
I don’t know your address I am sending this on chance
Trusting your family are all well
Yours affectionately
Charlotte Holdsworth
CHARLOTTE HOLDSWORTH NEE ATKINS
WRITING TO ALEXANDER GRAY
ABOUT THEIR AUNT JANE MANSON NEE GRAY
7 MAY 1874
ROMA
Dear Aunt,
I write these few lines to you hoping to find all in good health as this leaves me at present praise God for it Dear Aunt you will be surprised to hear that poor Mother is dead she died on the 18th of this month of inflammation of the lungs she was only ill five days. I write to you for you to break it to poor Granny. I suppose it will give her a great shock she was speaking of her before she died. Wether Paddy or Billy was here when she died she was only home a fortnight when she died.
She had been away for three months. Give my kind love to Granny Aunt, Uncle and family the children all send their kind love to you all give my kind love to Betsy and Richard and except the same yourself. Jack joins me in kind love to you all so no more at present from your
Affectionate Nice
ANN CANTY
PS Please send Granny Maiden name by return post as I have to register Mothers Death
DIRECT TO
MRS JOHN CANTY
ROYAL HOTEL
ROMA
MARY HANNAH ELIZABETH CANTY NEE SLOANE WRITING TO REBECCA JANE KIRBY
22 April 1879
EMERALD HILL
My Dear Lizzie
I write to you hoping to find you well and Alick and all the children and Jane. I suppose that Alick got home all right. He went home in such a hurry that he forgot to let us know wether he got home or not. But I suppose he did or I should have heard of it. I suppose that he and the father as could down by this time., and that all things is going on all right again. Dear Lizzie I have not much to write about for everything is going on the old way. I have swallowed all that box of Fisick that Jane sent me and I have just ...... are one large lick at ...... Maypeys. I have no hope of ever getting better.
With kind love to you and Alick and Jane and all the children . Give my kind love to Father and all the families.
I remain your affectionate Father
RICHARD GRAY
RICHARD GRAY WRITING TO HIS DAUGHTER IN LAW ELIZABETH GRAY WIFE OF ALEXANDER GRAY
28 July 1879
Emeral Hill
My Dear Lizzie,
I was over at Sally’s the other day and she told me that you had been ill. I am very sorry to hear that but I hope that you are better now and that you and Alick and the children are all well now.
Jane says that you was cross with me for not writing to you . I hope you are not for I have nothing to write about for everything is very bad here things never was so bad before and for myself I have lost the sense of happy. Old duffer crawling about like a lame duck.
I remain My Dear Lizzie with kind love to you and Alick and children and all kind friends
Your affectionate Father
RICHARD GRAY
RICHARD GRAY WRITING TO HIS DAUGHTER IN LAW ELIZABETH GRAY WIFE OF ALEXANDER GRAY
6th MAY 1881
ROMA
Dear Sister Jane,
After all those years of silence between us and I am now writing a few lines to you hoping to find all well. I do not know if you will care for to own me as your sister now but I have never dine any harm to you or yours. When mother died you did not write a line to me but you may not have known where to find me, then it is of our mother being advertised for if .... and if not any of hers and fathers children to put in our claim to the estate of our late Aunt Jane Manson you are distinctly named in the paper the Q’lander of the 9th of April and you being the eldest and holding all papers of mother and the bible with all our births and ages fathers and mothers is in it also.
I do not know if you have seen the paper or heard anything of it but William has . Will you kindly answer this and either send me a copy of the date of my birth and where father and mother where married and are (all) particulars that you know of connected with our fathers and mother and grandparents has .
I had news from Sydney concerning our Aunts property or I am sending for the advertisement I think I am doing this for the best if you could either send me all particulars that you know or dear sister meet me once more in this world at Joe Freestones at Cambooya or may you would only have to ride 28 miles it would not be any expense to you we could then talk over all. I do not know if they run a coach there or not it was a Mr Davidson that used to live at Stonehenge that first told Sarah about it then Mr D Ross of Rockybanks told me and then I got the paper and saw for myself so now dear sister if you will kindly let me know by return post.
I remain your affectionate Sister
MARY WANSTALL
PS. I now been married to Wanstall for the last 9 years I thought it better to be a decent man’s wife than be ...... about the world. Now I have been I have tried to be a good Mother to my children and I am now much respected in Roma as I was disrespected through my own folly. But dear sister let the past be buried if ever I do live to see you I will ...... my troubled mind for one happy hour . I ...... near had since ever I was left alone is to make up your mind to meet me at any date you like to name your sister
MARY
I am that confused in writing this that perhaps you will not understand what I want you to do that is to prove my claim to a share in the estate ...... as well as yourself and William if you will answer this .Address to Mary Wanstall c/o T. McPhellamy Turf Club Hotel Roma.
MARY CAMPBELL- WANSTALL WRITING TO REBECCA JANE KIRBY NEE GRAY
31 STMAY 1881
ST JOHNS ROAD
FOREST LODGE
SYDNEY
Dear Sister,
I have found my Uncle and I have been to the lawyer and we went through all the papers concerning the Estate and as far as I can see they are all straight forward and correct. The money will not be paid for some time yet Alexander Gray son of Uncle Richard and I believe his claim to be just and I have consented to his getting the money. Richard Jones is not dead he was in Sydney and left two days before I got here. Old Uncle John is in Melbourne at Uncle Richard’s place. Dear Sister there is no use of Mary staying any longer than she may think fit for I have papers with me when I come back for both you and her to sign and they will have to come back to Sydney. She could go home and I will send the papers to her. The Lawyer says he will have all the papers ready for me by the beginning of the next week so I shall leave Sydney as soon as I get them I wish I had them now for I am sick of Sydney.
Dear Sister please write to Mary Ann and let her know when you expect me back. Further particulars I will tell you when I come. Hoping you Betsy, Richard and Wife and children and all the rest are well. With fond love.
I remain your affectionate Brother
WILLIAM GRAY
Ps Do not answer I may have left Sydney
WILLIAM JOHN BEST GRAY WRITING TO HIS SISTER REBECCA JANE KIRBY NEE GRAY
3rd NOV
MELBOURNE
Dear Wife,
I write these few lines to you hoping to find you and all the children all well as it leaves us at present. We left with out Jacks’s directions and we look will goung about stopping at this house and that one. At 6 o’clock in the morning with the bundles under our arms at last we found him he was sprit they are all well down here. Polly looks well .You must not expect much writing from me so goodbye
From Your Loving Husband
ALEX GRAY
NB I wish I was with you all
ALEXANDER GRAY WRITING TO HIS WIFE ELIZABETH GRAY
JANUARY 24th
EMERALD HILL
Dear Brother,
I received your letter and was glad to hear you were well as it leaves at present . I hope you have had a happy New Year ...... as Mine has passed off pretty well it might have passed off better let me know how you passed your New Year and I wish you many happy returns of the day . There are several of the old acquaintances getting married this year Jack Satchell and Harry Hispsley and Bob Gladson.
I have not been at work this morning I have been away shooting at the butts. My soffers has treated me badly this year he gave the other apprentice 1 pound for a Christmas Box and did not give me anything. So I dont care so much now about loosing one or two quarters , I managed to get through the first period this morning. Father was over here on Sunday he is mildly well Mother is knocking about as usual. Bill is not working. yet. Jack P wishes to be remembered to you things are dull here at present but I suppose they will brighten up a little soon at any rate it is to be hoped they will. Old Dan Fortune is over here he is thinking of going home he is just the same old chap as he was some years ago .
Let me know it is that you have changed your address I can not make it out I dont know what could have possessed you to change your address I am afraid you will not get it by that new name let me know in your next letter how I am to direct your letter and if you intend me to direct it always that way. I would like to take a trip over to Sydney and I think I shall when my time is up. The Deeke coming here before Christmas has put me back so many holidays but it is over now and I suppose we will get a fresh start.
I must conclude now by sending our best love to you wishing you Joy & Peace and Comfort. Tell me if you have seen Jim Toohey he is over that way just passing through the town.
I remain Dear Brother yours Truly and Affectionately
RICHARD GRAY
COMMON SMITH
RICHARD GRAY Jr WRITING TO HIS BROTHER ALEXANDER GRAY
04 APRIL 1893
38 COBDEN ST
SOUTH MELBOURNE
My Dear Lizzie and Alick
I received your kind letter and I was very glad to hear of Ruben good luck. I hope he will keep it. You tell me of 25th Wedding Day and I wish you 50 more of them, and that is 7 years since you went into that shop in Sydney and you have had 7 years Bad Luck. I hope you will have Good Luck all the rest of your life and all you leave behind you for nothing would give me more pleasure then to read in your letter that you and all belong to you was happy and prosporous. For I should like to see all of my family happy before I leave them for they all seem very unhappy now for they all at variness with one another.
For Doll and her husband have behaved very bad to them all. Doll and son have been over to young Tom 2 or 3 times and never went to see their Mother or Father nor any of the girls . Doll come to see me and Jane wanted her to go and see her Mother and Father & I think she would like to but I think she is frightened of her husband for he says he will never set foot inside their door again. He don’t want any of them to come to his house and that for any of the girls. He would not let them come here, and that ...... Ellen poor thing you would pity her if could see her for with one and...... she is fretting her self in to her grave. Dear Lizzie you say you miss me very much, well I miss you all very much for things is very pleasant for me for one anther is all was hurting me here for things very near as bad with my lot now as was I come from Sydney the time before last. I thought when I got my Rent that I should have a little left out of it to put in to the Bank, but they did not give me a chance they seem to be wanting for me to come and I suppose it will be the same it seems to me, that because I have those two little places that I must have money they know that I only get ONE POUND a week when they are let and they not always let.
And out of that I have got to pay the house rates, water rates closet rates and the insurance and keep them in repair. Then how much can I have to pay my board and lodgings and cloths you can guess how much I have to spend. It appears to me that some of them did not care if I had to sell them and starve they wouldn’t care a damn they would say this that I was a Damn fool for doing it.
When I had money they had it as free as water and I don’t like to be worried for it was I have not got it , but enough of this. Give my kind respects to Mother and Father and all Sisters, Brothers and friends give my kind love to Dear Ada and Ted and the dear little children. Give them a kiss from Old Grand father Ada has quite forgot she has Great Grand Father in Melbourne as well as she has in Sydney . My Dear I so glad that Ruben has had a bit of Good Luck at last and I hope it will stick to them. Give my love to Neni & Walter & side to ..... would guess of my & I hope ...... is getting a better trainer, and how did the little cart draw, did the springs stand your weight .
Love to you & Alick