| Title: | Beale, Joseph Sr & Joseph Jr to Beale, Margaret, 1853 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4481 |
| Collection | The Earth between them: Joseph Beale's letters home to Ireland from Victoria (1852-1853) [E.Beale] |
| File | beale/15 |
| Year | 1853 |
| Sender | Beale, Joseph Sr & Joseph Jr |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | clerk |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Destination | Mountmellick, Co. Laois, Ireland |
| Recipient | Beale, Margaret |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | husband-wife / son-mother |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1318 |
| Genre | correspondence, news, extract from a letter by Captn. Moreton, business dealings with the ship, debts / the diggins |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Melbourne 8 mo: 18, 1853. Today my best Beloved, one of our young men posted my letter for me. I also sent thee an "Argus" [newspaper] which was prepared purposely for the "Argo" via Southampton. While on ray return home this evening in company with one of our assistants in the office a very intelligent person from B[ritis]h N. America, I was called by name from a timber yard and handed a letter from "my mate" Captn Morton, addressed to the young man, who handed me it; I shall give thee a long extract, as I believe it will interest thee. On ray arrival at Win Robinson's I found a letter awaiting me from Geo: Black (which I enclose). I am anxious to meet Dr. Cutts and read him that part of thy letter alluding to G.B. and shew him G's letter to me, but if I do I shall not have this letter posted in time for the "Argo."—but in my next I purpose telling thee what he [Dr. Cutts] says—he has been a very kind friend to George or he would not have lent him 100 guineas—£10 only of wh. has been repaid. I enjoy an hours conversation with Dr. Cutts, he is an exceedingly well educated person with first rate inform'n on almost every subject. While I write in one room I hear Harry Fisher as is his wont, singing, whistling, talking all sorts of nonsense, disgustingly ridiculous— what is to become of him I know not. Dr. Fox, a steatly fr'd, said to me a few nights since "Jost. Beale, dost them know what I think would be the best thing could happen [to] Fisher?" No, Dr. Fox, what is that? "chat the sooner his money is spent the better, for then he will find he must work, he will learn the value of money ant! he may do well." To the present time he has earned nothing, nor does he seek for employ't— enough of him. Now for an extract from Captn. Morton's letter to his fr'd Robt. Knight. "Ship Inn, St. John St. Launceston Aug't 13, 1853. "Dear Robert This is the most quiet, delightful little place imaginable, the streets and shops all so clean and regular. We had a pretty good passage etc etc both the Captn and his wife, Mrs. Curtis were very kind to the passengers and more particularly to me, being an old "webfoot". The arrival of so large a vessel quite put the village in a ferment and by the time we had arrived at the wharf I really believe all the inhabitants were assembled there. I must now give you a short descript'n o£ the town, the wharf called the Queens is ab't £ of a mile long regularly laid and kept in first rate repair. This is the principal, but there are others and a new steam boat wharf in the course ot erection by the Gov't. There is a rise and fall of tide of about 12 feet etc, etc. There are a good many vessels built along the banks of the "Tamar", which is a beautiful winding stream, emptying itself into the straits 40 miles below Launceston. The mountains and banks on either side are thickly wooded, with here and there a bold lugged rock; and in other places some beautiful green spots richly cultivated to vary the scene, and what adds more than anything to the appearance are some little Emerald Isles, of ab't an acre or so, cover'd with vegetable gardens. It was enough to make our teeth water to see such luxuries growing in such abundance rinse to us apparently and not able to reach them; we reached town about 3 o'clk in the afternoon, and as the sun was shining warm all day, we had the pleasure of seeing all that was to be seen on the river, under the most auspicious circumstances—On landing the mate (who is well acquainted here) recommended us to a widow lady, Mrs. Brand, Ship Inn, where we were not long in shipping ourselves into the most comfortable quarters I have enjoyed since leaving home, elegant rooms (all the Houses here have first rate rooms) the tea table spread, the mistress at one end with the tea equipage before her, her eldest son acting as master, with a told ham ready £or service while at one side was a fine dish of fish, cold boiled and served up in Jelly—while 10 crown all we had a large dish of chopped lettuce, egg sauce and most temptingly decorated round with radishes and young leeks. ["These luxuries I have not seen here," interpolates Joseph, referring to the ham, lettuce, radishes and young leeks.] Never speak more of Melbourne to me. After tea enjoy'd our smoke and a tumbler of punch and retired. But oh! the luxury, just only think, each of us a room to ourselves! a perfect Lady's boudoir! carpetted, feather beds and curtains!! Well the whole thing was so novel, that I roll'd ab't ever so long before I closed my eyes in sleep." (it would be very novel indeed to me—J.B.) "The next day being Sunday we had a quiet walk round the town and were greatly pleased with the regularity of the streets and their neat cleanly appearance, all as smooth as a grass lawn, "I have commenced operations on our new ship, and hope by this day week to have made some show. I have written to Mr. Beale, and will continue to correspond with you if you will keep it up." [Joseph's letter continues:] Dont thou think the writer of the above can write an interesting letter? I felt it kind of the young man to whom it is addressed to hand it to me—but there is a great deal of good feeling and kind friendship one to another here—one instance I give thee. I owed a man £15 for the bal[anc]e of a cart. I did not call to pay him for ab't 3 weeks, and when I did I found him ill in bed. I gave him his money and sd I believe that is all that is between [us] and leit the house, when I heard him call from his bed "come back Mr B" so I recd. "You sd that was all that is between us"—Well, I sd I don't recollect more. "There is," and after a pause "there is friendship and good feeling between us, and if £50 loan be useful to you at any time, you know where it is to be had"—I could give thee other similar instances of disinterested friendship—but I don't owe a farthing in the Colony, unless it may be some trifle to Wm Robinson for our lodging which he can have on asking I dont know that I can say more, I have written all that I think can interest thee. On 1st day, I intend calling on Debby Thompson and "Mrs. Willan" and shall write thee again by next ship. I have my two sons sitting by me for the past hour, no one else present—they read whilst I write. Thy ever fond and aff'e Husband Joseph Beale. August 18th 1853. My verry dear Mother, I am wishing for the next letter to know where you have moved to. There was a new diggins discovered within the last month. They are said to be very rich, The escort was stopped and the gold taken from them to the amount of 10,000 ounces near the Bush Inn. They Got behind some fallen timber and fired on the troopers when passing and killed one and wooded another—[Joseph senior takes over:] Josh stopped writing, he reckons he cannot write with the ink, and gave it up in despair. I can write with it—but 1 have already finished. |
