| Title: | W. Stewart, Stranorlar, to G Kirkpatrick, Ballymena. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3075 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Stewart, Rev William/49 |
| Year | 1854 |
| Sender | Stewart, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | reverend |
| Sender Religion | Protestant |
| Origin | Stranorlar, Co. Donegal, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Cullybackey, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Rev. George Kirkpatrick |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | friends, colleagues |
| Source | D 1604/131: presented by Rev. Robert Kirkpatrick, Breezemount, The Roddens, Larne, County Antrim. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9012029 |
| Date | 17/05/1854 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by B.W. 06:12:1993 |
| Word Count | 1044 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To: Revd George Kirkpatrick Hazel Bank Culleybacky [Cullybackey?] Ballymena From: Tyrcallen Stranorlar Wednesday May 17th 1854 My dear George I do not know whether Mary Louisa Robinson will deprive the Governor of the Bank of Ireland and his partner of the services of Alexander the Discreet. I think a blessing seems to attend the house of Kirkpatrick, for since the French Emperor's marriage he has certainly become a better and wiser man. I was in great hopes of being able to pay you a visit about the beginning of this month, as we had occasion to go to Glasgow last month where we landed early on the morning of Good Friday on which day I was Sixty. We had so calm a passage that even Mrs Stewart was not sick and had a most kind and comfortable reception from our esteemed landlady, Mrs Fortheringham, 69 Batt Street where we had been during our last visit in [18?]'51. As Mrs Fortheringham (nee Dora Macdonald) is an Episcopalian, we had an excellent pew in St Jude's Blythswood Square, Mr Miles successor to Robert Mongomery [Montgomery?] being minister. He married to a neice of Mrs Dean Carter, cousin of Mrs Maxwell Carpendale and has a very extensive Ulster connection & acquaintance. Having been in very early life in the Navy, he has all the raciness of an evangelical sailor. He called upon us with great frankness on Easter Monday, and Mrs & Miss Miles some days after, but as it was the day before out [our?] departure, we had not the opportunity of returning the visit and making further acquaintance with them. They live at Kelvin Grove, close to the beautifully situated Botanick[Botanic?] Gardens, but as there is an omnibus every hour, he is not dissociated from his congregation. You are aware that all the non-Paseyite[?] episcopal clergy in Scotland have been excommunicated from the Scotch [Scottish?] Episcopal church, and are under the Archbishop of York. Sauchiehall Street which leads to the new #PAGE 2 city of palaces called Woodside, will probably be the most splendid street of Glasgow. They are taking down immense ranges of the old buildings in it and erecting new blocks in a Style and sumptuousness of architecture which I believe is unequalled. The great free stone quarry is within the city of Glasgow, very near the principal railway terminus. I was much surprized [surprised?] to meet in Glasgow on the day I landed, Rev____d [Reverend?] Robert Cunningham who is married to Elisabeth Jeffery, Edward's wife's sister, and who had started for New York from Broomi[?] with his wife and his two little daughters a few days before we landed, in the "Glasgow." The vessel had struck & stuck upon an unknown rock in the Clyde during the low tides occasioned by the long continued East winds, and the passengers had been taken back to Glasgow Mr Cunningham with some difficulty got his passage money returned, and they were sent free to the "Pacifick"[Pacific?] in the Mersey, but the passage money was £40 higher. We spent Friday evening with them at Mr James Browne's, Mr Cunningham's sister's husband, who has lately become by succession Laird of Carrie. It turned out to be Carrie's birthday as well as mine. They lived in a part of Sauchie Hall [Sauchiehall?] Street called Wellington Place, moderate sized houses with long gardens in front, but probably it will soon be converted into broad and magnificent portion of that rising street. I spent several hours with them the next day (Saturday) on board the Princess Royal in which they were transferred to the Mersey. They were accompanied by the wife of Professor Daniel Wilson of Toronto with her three little daughters and two little sons. These, with Mr Cunningham's two little daughters, formed the happiest little knot of Christian children I have ever met. Mr Cunningham preched in the salon of the Princess Royal on Easter Sunday to a very attentive and interesting congregation. I spent eleven hours on Thursday the 20th of April with my young friend John George Cunningham in Edinburgh. He had just taken the degree of AM[?] with much distinction but seemed greatly worn out with study. He judiciously went to Carrie near Edinburgh with his uncle soon after and to Glendorick in the Carse of Gowsie to recruit his #PAGE 3 health. He spent part of last summer with me along with his cousin my nephew Henry William, and we expect him again this summer. The two principal novelties in Edinburgh since I saw it eleven years ago are Donaldsons Hospital, a splendid architectural gem; and the statue of the old Duke on a rearing horse. Mrs Stewart and I also took advantage of an excursion train to visit our friend in Ayr for a few hours, at less than 1/4[d?] fare. We returned to Londonderry on the National fast day, but the Vessell [Vessel?] having been detained four hours we were too late for the Cathedral service. The collection at Stranorlar exceeded £10. I have just recieved a letter from my friend Valentine Griffith, announcing the death, after a very short illness of his youngest daughter Jane. She was a very dear and nobleminded girl, very like her uncle Robert and nearly six feet high. I much regret the absence from [?] Rille of Mr Griffith's excellent Christain friend and neigbour [neighbour?] Mrs Hume, daughter of the late Bennet Dugdale. The two eldest daughters were absent, at Mullamore, Mr Barlie's, & Mrs Griffith has been long exceedingly ill. I hope this trial & fatigue may not be too severe for poor Helen. I cannot go to them; as I am laid up with my first attack of [?] I little thought my dear George when I began my letter to you, that we should hear this sad intelligence. There was something singularly nobel, disinterested, self denying and affectionate in Jane Griffith. I fear she over worked herself during the long illness of the family. Mr Griffith mentioned her death as one full of humble reliance on her saviour, and that her last articulate word was "Tyrcallen." I cannot recur to other subjects at present. Believe me my dear George Ever sincerely yours Wm [William?] Stewart Mrs Stewart desires to be affectionately remembered to you. Mrs Kirkpatrick & family. We found it necessary to return by Derry and to give up our intended East Ulster tour. |
