| Title: | Earl of Ava to his Mother Marchioness of Dufferin & Ava |
|---|---|
| ID | 943 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Earl of Ava, Archibald/11 |
| Year | 1894 |
| Sender | Archibald, Earl of Ava |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | army officer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Europe? |
| Recipient | Hariot, Marchioness of Dufferin & Ava |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | son-mother |
| Source | D/1231/G/2/109: Deposited by Lady Hermione Blackwood |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9808498 |
| Date | 16/02/1894 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 19:08:98. |
| Word Count | 652 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | From Ld [Lord?] Ava 1894 Ottawa 16th Feb 94 [1894?] My dear Mama I am not at Mr Dixon's & their [---?] are in Toronto. They have very kindly asked me to go back to them for the opening of Parliament on the 17th March, but I have not made up my mind - though I half promised their [--?] to stay on. We have had a carnival on the Ice in which I & ten [tall?] went as a girls school "We are seven". I always think that its a great mistake for men to dress in women's clothes as it is so apt to be vulgar but in this case it was so extraordinarily funny that it did not matter. Mr Erskine is 6ft [feet?] 4. Capt Hindersley 6.3. Bob Ferguson 6.2. Dr [Sh----?] 6 ft [feet?]. I am close on it & Gordon & [------?] come next. We had in Kate Greenaway dress and poke bonnets. Huge sashes & bows & white apron & ten dress, made by a dress maker, were green & pink. We skated round according to height in Indian file with the shortest first. Lady Mayvine was the school mistress. After about « an hour we all changed and I went as an old English gentleman and I dont think i told you that in Quebec I saw a Miss Gillespie & a Mr Ogilvie both of whom were at [------?] with us - Ogilvie is an officer in the Garison artillery. I and ten stall are giving a [-----?] and a dance on the 28th & have about 130 people coming. I do not knowe if [-----?] existed when you were here. (Major Wickstead has just told me it did) so you must remember the place. We start from Parliament buildings at 5.30 and sit down to dinner on arrival, then dance till about one & drive back. I am sorry to say you will find I am no good at figures - but with pratice I would soon learn. On the rink here I get so much hockey that it leaves no time for practising & the other times when the band is playing there are too many people on the ice to get a chance. I have got no further than a 3 and an eight which I could do from the beginning. I see by the papers you have been keeping up your figure skating. At the carnival 10 of the prettiest girls in Ottawa went in the colours of our hockey club - "The Rebels" scarlet bodies and white skirts & little red caps & powdered hair. They looked awfully well. Mr Haycock was in an extraordinary outfit - holding up a big head by a pole & the [----?] fell down over him & it lo?] at looked like a big monster of some sort. I see his [--?] is [-----ing?] at Toronto. He never appears on the rinks here scarcely & he does not yet understand the game - which is a drawback as he always has to skip. We had one grand game in Quebec in which he let Campbell ship and we won by a point against the Garrison. Campbell is awfully funny on the Ice & makes the game so. He always says he doesn't like a funeral procession. I get more curling from Mr Dixon as he dines at 6.30. and they go on in the Ridlean Club until eleven. Her Excellency has been meeting & [--------?] but the "Woman Council" is an [-----?] that will hardley flourish here from what I have heard. I am sorry for her sake as she thinks so much about it. Your photographs will be much appreciated. I will send you the list to whom I have given them. I like he one of father very much. I remain my dear Mama Your affectly [affectionately?] Archie |
