| Title: | Ida Blackwood, Ireland to "My dear Mr Smyth" |
|---|---|
| ID | 6684 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Blackwood, Ida/25 |
| Year | 1912 |
| Sender | Blackwood, Ida |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | schoolmistress |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Co. Down, Ireland |
| Destination | Ontario, Canada |
| Recipient | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | friends |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth. |
| Doc. No. | 511090 |
| Date | 12/9/1912 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | |
| Word Count | 323 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Letter 2] c/o H. H. Carlisle Esq. V. S. Saint field, Co Down. Mon evening. My dear Mr Smyth, Well, you see I am keeping my promise, and am writing you, although I really have no news worth relating as Saint field is one of the "a la Plumbridge" sort of places that one unfortunately finds all over the country. I got down quite safely on Frid. [Friday?] evening, did not do anything worse than get in at the wrong end of the train. Only part of it comes to Saint field, so when at Comber an old crank of a collector came to check the tickets evicted me most unceremoniouslly and ungraciously, He yelled at me to "move to the front" and to the front it was in earnest, for I had barely time to scramble aboard another, somewhat nearer the engine when we started I might have been in the wrong shop [Page 2] again for all I troubled to enquire, but eventually I reached Saintfield. I was brought very much to the front by this mishap, as some S. field [Saintfield?] folks who witnessed the glorious charge of the Light Brigade for a carriage, and who were shocked at my ignorance of Geography Topography, Trainography or any “ography” you like , related the scene in S. [Saintfield?] School next morning. They really must be very much interested in me, but of course "what great ones do, the less will prattle of" Anything does for a topic here. All the folks, men & women, old and young are great politicians (after a fashion) They can talk about Home Rule & every one for miles round is tarred as being either a Liberal or a Unionist, However, in the schools the kids know nothing of history, the only thing one can interest them in is the size of Derry & the Battle of the Boyne The latter figures every where from 55 B. C. to 1910, and is the reply given when you ask "what famous battle was fought". |
