| Title: | Earl of Ava to His Mother Marchioness of Dufferin & Ava |
|---|---|
| ID | 955 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Earl of Ava, Archibald/38 |
| 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/2/113: Deposited by Lady Hermione Blackwood |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9808503 |
| Date | 24/12/1894 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 19:08:98. |
| Word Count | 643 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | From Ld [Lord?] Ava - Aberdeen [-------?] 1894 24th Dec [1894] GOVERNMENT HOUSE. OTTAWA. My dear Mama - You will have received a Xmas card I sent you I hope in good time. It is [--?] Aberdeen handwriting & a good many were printed for Govt. [government?] House. I have been having an awfully good time, never better fun anywhere. I am busy all day long at something or other. In the morning we go & practice figures on the Ridean Rink in Ottawa & have about got to the waltzing stage. About 8 or 10 girls generally turn up and they teach us. I get alot of curling too in the afternoons as I always either play in the Ridean Club rink or else here. The G.G. club was allowed to go to pieces in the Stanley's time but luckily Ld. [Lord?] A. is taking to it so it will pick up again. At first he objected to the iron stones & an inside rink but I think he will come round. We play hockey in the Ridean rink 3 times week & are beginning to get into it. Up to this we have had nothing but frost but it looks like a thaw now. Ly. [Lady?] Aberdeen has very kindly insisted that I stay on with them to the end of Jany. and of course I am only too glad. It is a very jolly house to stay in as they let one do exactly as one likes. They are very late as breakfast is after 10 & lunch 2.30 dinner 8.15 & they sit up very late at night, then Ex's I believe sometimes write up to 2 & 3 in the morning. Some people have very wrong impressions about them in the country I think. They call this "Priedieu Hall" & expect that there will be no gaities at Govt. [government?] House but I expect they will find that they are much out in their calculations. I told you about the electric cars - At present they run as far as the lodge but Ld. [Lord?] A. [Aberdeen?] is going to get the rails laid down as far as the house and the idea is to run special cars from Ottawa on ball nights & Saturdays etc. It will knock the cab men out but it will benefit all the poor people that cant afford to pay 4 & 5 dollars for a cab. Mr Dixon has been very good about introducing me to your friends. I have met most of them but not either Mrs Egan or Mrd Cochon. I will call on both of them next week. It has evidently been the custom of Canadians to judge everything by what you did & they even date events from the fancy dress ball. They have apparently got a regular habit of saying "Oh, but the Dufferins didn't do that" or "Oh, but the Dufferins did it" etc. I believe once a man was showing portraits of people in the [-----?] by a magic lantern. When fathers came they all stood up in their seats & cheered. The Stanleys will be forgotten very soon I think, & after you the Lansdowns will be remembered the longest. Mr McIntosh the [-----?] Gov. [Govenor?] of the N.W. has sent me a Xmas card - which I am sending on to you - I should like it carefully kept. Little Kimber that you mention tells me he has written to you. He is drinking rather hard & looks shaky. Mr Dixon dislikes him immensely but I inquired from one or two men that would know about him & I think Mr Dixon pitches into him unnecessarily. Mr D. [Dixon?] is very good natured & kind but he sadly wants shaking up sometimes he is a little soft. Wishing you a very Happy New Year I remain my dear Mama Your affectly [affectionately?] Archie |
