| Title: | Alexander Caledon, Quebec to "My Dear Mother" |
|---|---|
| ID | 3601 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | lord caledon/7 |
| Year | 1841 |
| Sender | Lord Caledon (James Du Pre Alexander) |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | politician |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Quebec, Canada |
| Destination | Barnet, England |
| Recipient | Countess of Caledon |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | son-mother |
| Source | D 2433/B/8/31: Letter to the 2nd Earl of Caledon and his Wife from Lord Alexander a Serving Officer in Quebec 1838-1842 |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N. Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9706198 |
| Date | 09/04/1841 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 25:06:97. |
| Word Count | 765 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Paid by Halifax Steamer McCanteys of Caledon Lyttenhanger Barnet England Quebec April 9 1841 My dear Mother British Queen [?] of the New York steamers broke her paddle wheel and put in to Halifax we have accounts by her of preparations in the navy to reinforce the fourth American station, but I should hardly suppose their [there?] will be a war. I entirely forget whether I told you of my projected trip with Simpson in my last letter. I am going for 3 months to shoot in the neighbourhood of Red River and return with the next party. I have leave till the first of August. I may be back before that time if I am bored but not much if I find that I like it I daresay I shall remain a little longer. Two of our officers went the year before last and they liked the trip but found the constant paddling rather monotonous, but I shall never have another opportunity of seeing the country so well. We were to have had the Bishop of Montreal, but hes [he is?] not going now. I do not know whether any amateurs are going besides myself. I have been hard at work doing duty and as I am to pay up I dont [don't?] think it will count as leave and I expect to have my regular tures [tours?] of 6 months about November when I shall most likely be at home towards the latter end of that month. We have still from 4 to 5 feet of snow. Grimston has been living for the last six weeks in the woods as I have seen nothing of him, he will soon be back. Should there not be a war here I suppose it is more than probable that we shall return to England this summer. Do you intend to go to Caledon soon if you do I believe every thing is in good order there and from all accounts the servants are behaving very well. I wish you would be kind enough to see to the papering and furnishing the little rooms and the hall by the billiard room & I think it would be as well to color the billiard room and have it made comfortable. I do not think there will be any necessity for colouring the outside of the house unless you find it looks very bad and then it had better be well done at once. I have written to Mr Beatice about the various houses in Caledon which looked so bad. I hope he will bally (sic) Mr Pringle into making them look decent I have also written to George Molyneaux to go over and look at the Fish Ponds. If you go to Caledon ask him and his wife over as I am sure you will like them - I think that Blayneys plans are rather incomprehensible. I cannot but be sure of the [?] if not at present yet [?] distant period. We have got a son of Veruers in the regt [regiment?] he is posted to this Battn [Battalion?] and we expect him over soon. I shall go to Montreal on a visit to Simpson before starting from whence I shall write after which if I have any opportunity I shall send letters to you but unless there is a party leaving Red River the instant we get there I shall be back nearly as soon as any letter can come. I believe we go in great state about 20 voyagers in each canoe. There is no great difficulty in the voyage as our old Colonel Bowles who is near 60 went the year before last. My old torments the mosquitoes are the only drawbacks - I shall be glad to get a little recreation as I have been nearly 10 months at work here. The general is going down the river on a fishing excursion next month. Stopford has written to me concerning the building a church on the estate. I have given directions to Beatice as I think you will agree with me that if I am to give land and subscribe I ought to have some check upon them so as to be able to compel them to keep it decent as the state of the Church and Church Yard at Caledon are not always in the best repair and I cannot but complain of the way in which [Freddy?] has behaved in allowing it to be in such a slovenly state. The mail goes out tomorrow morning and most likely the English mail will arrive a few hours later which is provoking as I cannot answer letters Your affectionate son Caledon |
