Home

CORVIZ

Main content

Title: Wyly, Elizabeth to Wyly, Matilda, 1858
ID4260
CollectionOceans of Consolation [D. Fitzpatrick]
Fileoceans/22
Year1858
SenderWyly, Elizabeth
Sender Genderfemale
Sender Occupationhousewife
Sender Religionunknown
OriginNorth Adelaide, Australia
DestinationNewry, Co. Down, Northern Ireland
RecipientWyly, Matilda
Recipient Genderfemale
Relationshipaunt-niece
Source
Archive
Doc. No.
Date
Partial Date
Doc. Type
Logunknown
Word Count873
Genrenews, life in the colonies
Note
Transcript[from transcription of lost original]

Barton Terrace North Adelaide
South Australia
Nov. 19th 1858
My dear Matilda,
I was very glad to hear from you and that you and the children were
well. Isabella showed me their letters which were very nice and well done.
We also saw your likeness and I was surprised to see so much change in
you, but it will soon be nine years since I saw you, yet the time appears
short it passes so quickly and you have had much care and trouble. I hope
your Mother may long be spared to you.
You and your children might do very well here but I should not wish
to induce anyone to come as many find fault with it at first as I did, but I
trust with God's blessing we shall do well yet. Education costs much.
Fanny, Henrietta, William and Alexander's amounts to nearly £50 a year,
servants wages (one) 9/- per week and 10/- per week rent, but I expect the
children will be fitted for respectable situations, and the money will not be
thrown away.
I am sorry to say your Uncle's health is very middling latterly. He
has not been able to attend to business this week, he has a bad cough and
loks very delicate, that I am very uneasy about him but I hope it may not
signify—he is very low spirited and you never saw anyone more altered in
every way.
We were glad to hear poor Lucy had got a comfortable situation. I
suppose you go to see her when you go to Dublin. I intend writing to her
soon. Isabella I expect will be married shortly, the latter end of January Or
beginning of February, to one of her employers Mr. Scott. He is from the
County Tyrone, a respectable steady, sober young man. I don't know that
he has got any money to boast of but he has a good business and there is
every prospect of happiness. They have been long attached—she has refused
3 others within the last 3 weeks.
Ruth and hers are very well—her husband is a sadler and has property
in houses and land, and I believe are very comfortable but have it all to
themselves—am never asked to spend a day. She did ask me once or twice
but she had no dinner, keeps everything for themselves—he does not go
home till night from the shop. She charges her brother Aleck 2/- for his
dinner of a Sunday, yet he often spends it with us.
Isabella has no idea of inducing Mary or Bessie to come out here,
they would only be a burden to her or us if out of situations. I know two
young girls looking for places these months back and can't procure them.
Business is so dull, particularly at this season of the year just before the
harvest. It will soon be in now and I trust a plentiful one. We have had a
very favorable season. Till latterly it has been rather dry, but I trust there
has not been much injury done to the crop.
I don't make my own bread now it was so troublesome sending it
out to be baked. We send our meat to the bakehouse, no one here roasts
it at the fire its too expensive, and makes the house too warm. You think
you could not bear the heat, but it does not last long without intervals of
cold—we have heavenly weather at times. This is the most disagreeable
month, many days so dusty that you should be quite astonished where it
comes from, but on the whole I don't find fault with the climate and believe
it healthier than home.
Should you ever come you might get the situation of Matron to an
emigrant vessel and you could have your children with you for a trifle, but
I should never advise you to come while you can live at home.
Dublin must appear altered to you. I suppose there is not a Wyly in
it now. Was there anything heard of Charles? I regret dear Nancy and
Fanny very much, and when I heard poor Fanny was in Melbourne I
thought I had her in my grasp yet she never was able to write to me and
a few weeks after was in her grave. 5 of the family buried in Melbourne.
I am very glad Isabella will soon have a home of her own and not be
serving for others. She has got very thin latterly but I expect she will get
plump again shortly. You are too far off to send you any of the cake. She
has got a fine stock of clothing, a chest of drawers etc. etc. and a share in
a Building Society, and I am sure she will make a good wife.
I had to leave this letter so often it is quite disjointed but I shall take more time for the next. Your Uncle and the children unite in dear love to you and yours, and ever believe me your
Very affectionate Aunt
E. Wyly
Mrs. Wyly
Mrs. Bell
Hill Street
Newry
Co. Down
Ireland