| Title: | McIlrath, James L to McIlrath family, 1860 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4482 |
| Collection | The McIlrath Letters: A family history in letters from New Zealand to Ireland (1860-1915) [Bassett, McKee et al.] |
| File | mcilrath/1 |
| Year | 1860 |
| Sender | McIlrath, James L |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | emigrant |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Liverpool, England |
| Destination | Killinchy, Co. Down, Northern Ireland |
| Recipient | McIlrath family |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | son-parents |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 397 |
| Genre | account of passage |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Liverpool Dock, Dec 1860 Father, Mother and brothers, I now take this opportunity to let you know we are all well hoping you are all the same. We left Belfast on Monday night at half past 7 and landed in Liverpool at half past 11 on Tuesday after a severe night - for my part I was not the least afraid the waves dashed over the deck you could not imagine nor one describe such a scene. I did not see a single one that was not seasick except myself up to about 6 in the morning and then only a little. Hamilton was the first of us threw up and William vomited time about and both together I went to see to get some water for them and after drinking myself vomited directly but was shortly better. The reports we heard of the lads in Liverpool was too true they are a sore set but we watched the Boys. We carried out our own boxes and 4 of us got a cart for 1/=, to carry our boxes to the ship offices. We are clear of Liverpool with very little expense. We took tea aboard the Belfast steamer before we landed that morning, and eat nothing till on board the Donald McKay last night. We have managed everything well for so far we examined the two small boxes and they're all safe but two eggs that we can see. We had a very busy day yesterday getting all things managed we got the bedding and tin ware at what we expected but when we were ready to start after having run from we landed I saw we had nothing for a tea pot 1 ran back for them but they cost six pence a piece extra and when I got back they were just starting. There is two Germans a Co.Derry man a Co.Armagh man a man from the Cottown and us three in one room. The Germans have both instruments of music and are playing at this time. We have just bought a lamp and candles which will be very useful as we are in the dark after night. We have got tea and biscuits twice last night and this morning, we will get out to Liverpool this day if we like free. Best wishes to all neighbours and friends from, James Mcllrath (off Liverpool) |
