| Title: | McIlrath, Agnes to McIlrath, William, 1902 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4531 |
| Collection | The McIlrath Letters: A family history in letters from New Zealand to Ireland (1860-1915) [Bassett, McKee et al.] |
| File | mcilrath/50 |
| Year | 1902 |
| Sender | McIlrath, Agnes |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | housewife |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Lakeside, Canterbury, New Zealand |
| Destination | Killinchy, Co. Down, Northern Ireland |
| Recipient | McIlrath, William |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | niece-uncle |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 479 |
| Genre | decease, family |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Lakeside NZ August 1st 1902 My Dear Uncle William, We were very pleased to get a letter from you. I am very sorry that we had not written to you before. Dear Papa will be gone from us a year & a week tomorrow, little did I think, dear uncle, when I prepared him for bed the last time that he would never rise again. I was the last of us Papa spoke to that night & I was the first in his room in the morning. I never thought as I rushed down stairs alarmed by the noise he was making that it was to find dearest Papa so far gone, when I spoke to him and he made no answer, I received a terrible shock I will never forget it never. Dear uncle we know that we have the full & kind sympathy of you all at home. Sometimes I reel that dear papa cannot be dead he must not be dead, but it is so, he has gone home to his long rest, he looked so peaceful and calm in death. What a great blessing it is to be able to realise how near God is in trouble how he helps us bear our sorrows, a very present help in trouble. Did it not seem a very strange thing that papa had just made himself a new pair of crutches a short time before he died. We know not what a day may bring forth. God help us to so love that we may be always ready to meet Him. Our brother Robert was down seeing us last week, he and the family (children too) are to spend Christmas with us. I almost felt sorry when Robert told us that the baby could walk I was looking forward to a good time teaching him, he is called for his father & Papa. The little girl is called for our mother her two grandmothers (Agnes Jane) Papa was very fond of her. Mr and Mrs Thompson are well and I had a holiday with them for a fortnight in April. Eva is looking forward to a holiday at Springfield in October. They wanted both but it would not be very nice for the boys to be by themselves. Our brother James is working in a Creamery the work suits him very well, he does not care for farm work. We are all very sorry to hear that Uncle John had not been very well, we hope it may please God to restore him to perfect health. Eva has some photos for you and uncle John, now dear uncle I will conclude with much love from us all to you all, hoping that you are all in good health as we are. I remain you loving neice Agnes (I will be looking forward to a letter from you) |
