| Title: | Beck [Rebecca?] Grange to Bella M. Smyth, Castledamph |
|---|---|
| ID | 152 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Becky/78 |
| Year | 1898 |
| Sender | Becky |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Grange, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Plumbridge, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smyth, Bella M. |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | friends |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth |
| Doc. No. | 506033 |
| Date | 14/01/1898 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 09:06:2005. |
| Word Count | 838 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Miss B M Smyth Castledamph Plumbridge Miss Bella M. Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge. [Back of Envelope] [Written on Envelope] Arrived January 14th 1898 [Frid 88?] arrived January 14th 1898 Friday morning [Page 1] Grange, Wednesday Evg. [Evening?] My dear Bella, I was so awfully glad to get your nice letter & New Year Reminder please accept my thanks the card was a beauty. So sorry to hear of poor Willie being so ill I do trust he is back to his old self again It is so hard to shake [Page 2] that disease off so he will need to take care and do everything softly for a while I trust your mother & father are keeping strong as for the rest of you I'm sure I need not ask. I dont know how any person could take ill such lovely weather as we are having this winter for so far. Im sure you have seen the account of the dreadful burning we had in town such a fire you never seen one time it was thought nothing could save the whole block of houses. I hear Lyttle is having a cheap sale just [Page 3] now. I dont think the articles are much damaged. So glad to hear that all the old friends being so well, as, perhaps you did, & I know, you do think I have & had forgotten you all but not so “still to memory ever dear” that is it. When are you all coming down to see us. I hope soon as we will all be delighted to see you & I know Willie will be taking some constitutional drives so he could bring you all down. And you never visit the poor Master such a shame Bella not to try & cut out our neighbours I heard they were very thick & that he is not at all popular amongst [Page 4] the people such a shame for him to say anything about the children poor wee things they were not bad let him take care his pride dont [sic] get a fall poor fellow he must be foolish I wonder how they are attending but then, this is the best season. Do you remember the good times we used to have Bella & sure poor Tilda [Matilda?] sent me a nice letter & card & I have no news to write her only what I'm writing to you so you can just tell her or let her see it and thank her from me & say I will write to her soon & sudden sometime. I saw Miss Houston's [Huston’s?] marriage in the papers caught at last - poor foolish fly.- [Page 5] Now dear Bella, I am writing you a very long letter this time and I hope to have a long & -newsy- one from you you will need this word explained I know so I will do it I want one full of news & as long, I mean filled up. Now I suppose Minnie wrote to you so I will give you a short account of her doings. She was up at xmas & we had a jolly time but she only took from Thursday till Tuesday & she likes her school & change of managers & all that the children are good & quiet no trouble keeping up average as yet but [Page 6] the numbers increasing got good lodgings with Mrs McKinlay sister to the Mayoress of Derry so she is no small women none of us have gone to see her yet as it is different now Mrs Mc [McKinley?] is very good & kind to her they keep two servant girls & Minnie & children are driven to school & back almost everyday as it is a mile from their house. they [the?] children are very fond of Minnie Eilieen [Eileen?] & Robert are the names of the two who are at school they never went till Minnie went down there Mr McCandless & Miss McCandless a [are?] both very nice to Minnie that is the Minister you know His sister sits with Minnie in the pew on Sundays since she went there as Minnie sings in Church. [Page 7] The Orange ball went off very quietly on last Friday night had a lot of people over 150 I hear Jerry & Armour were there till 6am next morning This is the Prayer Meeting night but it is raining & tomorrow night the young Woman's Christian Association Meeting we may go there so you see this place is still alive. [Page 8] Now if I have not expressed myself I dont know who has but dont give the people any news dear Bella as I only want to tell you ones as you's were -all- amongst our best friends. Tell me if the boys are playing any tricks on the new comers [newcomers?] yet but He will be too smart for them. Now remember me to James Houston [Huston?] Mr Mrs McCullagh & family & and any of our friends who may enquire you know who I mean & the Gilkys [Gilkinson’s?] & to each one & wee Willie John Father Mother & all & write soon to your old friend xxxxxxx Beck. [Rebecca?] [Note on side of Page 7] Does Tom still go to the Plum [Plumbridge?] yet Transcribed by Greg Floyd |
