| Title: | J A Smyth, Ontario to Miss Bella M. Smyth, Co Tyrone |
|---|---|
| ID | 2731 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, James Alexander/21(2) |
| Year | 1898 |
| Sender | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | student |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (Methodist) |
| Origin | Essex Co., Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smyth, Bella M. |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge. |
| Doc. No. | 0401003 |
| Date | 04/04/1898 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 06:01:2004. |
| Word Count | 849 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Front of envelope Miss Bella M.Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co.Tyrone, Ireland STAMPED ESSEX AP 3 98 ONT. Back of envelope STAMPED HAMILTON AP 6 1898 ONT. Hand written Arrived April 16th 1898 Saturday Morning Letter Essex,Ont., April 4th 1898 Dear Sisters Parents & Brothers, I have just been down to post office and received your letter and as you mention of John's intentions of going as an apprentice to Liverpool I thought I would answer immediately Your letter is rather indefinite in some places. You say he will get 38£. Is that altogether or per year? It is not very much money for four years if that is the meaning. As to being far away I would not think much of that. It is only about 10 or 11 hours travelling. Two and a half hours travelling to Belfast and from [then?] only eight hours shipping so that it is not very far away. The only thing which I don't like about these old Country firms is their long apprenticeships. In this country they pay you what you are worth and raise you when they think you are value for it and if you are not satisfied you can leave at any time. When he intended going to some such business as this he should have been attending school all along. His education is not very far advanced yet and in a business like that he will find it very useful. However I would advise him just in the month. He will find the month spent in that way and the benefit of the experience of much value. The months outing is well worth the trouble; If he goes he will have the Easter Summer and Xmas holidays to go home in and that should be quite sufficient. If I had been in his place I would have been studying for some of the civil service examinations, and they are pretty good paying position [positions]; One thing I would say, I would serve in no firm unless it was a first class house. I would go into no one horse establishment, This place may be a large enough business for all I know but he should know before going what is and all about it. What is the salary after the four years are up? I shall say no more concerning the matter as I might perhaps either advise him go or stay and then not like it, You all know about as well as I do except that I may have more experience than the most of them, I had a letter from Tommy Hay this morning he tells me he is getting along well. I had one from him last Xmas sometime but somehow or other I never answered it, However I must answer this one this week as I think he must not like it very well, I shall write to all to whom I think deserve a letter. You talk of Holidays. They commence on Thursday and open again on Apl [April?] 18 have quite a holiday but I must do some studying during these days as I am not as well up in some of my work as I should be, I thought the Local Government Bill was suitable to all classes, One thing the Irish people need a chang [change?] of some kind, I was down at Woodslee yesterday, walked up in the afternoon. I attended the funeral of a young man whom I knew, Bailey by name. He was killed in the state of Indiana last thursday and his people who use [used} to live in Woodslee, alway [always?] ury there. His Mother died last year and was buried in oodslee. His wife felt pretty bad and he was not long married. I suppose I will be down in Woodslee during the holidays, Chas [Charles] and Annie & family were all up for the funeral and I also saw many other acquaintances, As you mention songs being made keep yourselves clear of all such trash let those who delight in such work do it but I would steer clear of it. William should not work very hard until he gets used to the work again as he cannot get very strong in a few days. I am glad to know you got along so well with mad money this time, you know it is encouraging to get a fair recompense for your trouble, I did not get a letter from Willie Gilkison yet I think he is like myself he must be getting lazy, The weather is a little cold here just now. There is nothing been [being] done here yet in the farming line. We had fair weather in the beginning of the last month but it turn [turned] out quite cold when April visited us. I attended the millinery openings in town here on Thursday last. A few boys of us were together and we tried on some hats too. Of course there is no use in me telling you how good we looked with ladys [ladies] hats on but anyhow we had an evenings [evening's] fun. Write just as soon as possible and let me know the decision, Your Brother J A Smyth POSTSCRIPT [when?] addressed this letter I got tonight The writing seems strange to me Jas [James?] |
