| Title: | Thomas Hay India to Bella M. Smyth Castledamph |
|---|---|
| ID | 1370 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Hay, Thomas/37A |
| Year | 1898 |
| Sender | Hay, Thomas |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | soldier |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | India |
| Destination | Castledamph, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smyth, Bella M. |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | cousins |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth |
| Doc. No. | 604167 |
| Date | 12/07/1898 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 620 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of envelope] Miss B M Sm [torn] Castleda [torn] Plumbr [torn] Co Tyrone Ireland From Pte T [Private Thomas?] Hay C Squadron [torn] No 4112 [signed] H [Busby?] Gore Major Officer Commanding 11th Hussars [Back of envelope] [Stamped] NEWTOWNSTEWART JY 12 98 [handwritten] arrived Tuesday July 12th 1898 [Letter 1] [Page 1] (1) [Tialhote?] India Dear cousin In answer to your kind letter which I received this last mail I am very glad to see you all keeping well I am glad William has got better. Dear Cousin I have received a nice letter from cousin James he says he is keeping in good health and preparing for his examinations he as [has?] got plenty of studying to do [Page 2] he says he would like to get home for a few weeks this summer I suppose he will be there for a few years yet I would like to reach home the same time as him. Dear Cousin the last letter from home says they are all well and I believe Lizzie & Billy are about to get married some time this year so they are courting heavy I think I shall start courting one of these black lasses here soon for there is no other sort but I think I had best wait until I reach home [Page 3] again a [and?] get an Irish Lassie what say you Dear Cousin I hope John is liking his situation alright I know the neighbourhood well but I hope he never takes this job on hand or anything like it I would not like anymore [any more?] to come out here belonging to me we have it terrible hot Dear cousin I am sorry to tell you we have buried two of our draft this month with enterric [enteric?] fever neither of them reached the age of twenty two we buried them at seven o'clock at night it is as [Page 4] hot then as mid day summer at home I was one of the firing party we all tun out in white clothing but by the time we reach the cemetery you would have thought we had been out in the rain a couple of hours there wet with sweat. Dear cousin that young fellow on the photo his name is Walter Brassey he wanted to go to Ireland with me he as [has?] had a lot of sickness since he came out here he is going up the hills this month to benefit [Page 5] his health I am sorry he is going we are good chums I look after him well when he is in hospital he belongs to Liverpool he is a nice chap Dear Cousin there is no tho [sic] trouble here at present I dont think the British Government will have anything to do with America and Russia she has plenty to do in egypt. Dear Cousin I have stopped taking any kind of Liquors at all now I am [Page 6] I [sic] a member of the I.C.G.T. of India this last seven months I used to take beer before but I used to go like a bloke that was puggled [sic] the heat catches you but I am doing well is [since?] I have been a tetotolar [teetotaller?] Dear Cousin I think I have said all this time hoping these few lines will find you and all my relatives in good health as it me [sic] in good health I remain you loving How is Liza and Mary Cousin T [Thomas?] Hay to B M [Bella Maggie?] Smyth xxxxxx When are you going to send me your photo I want to get taken standing alone [along?] side of you I am going to send James one but I cannot get on [sic] yet the photographer as [has?]] gone up [sic] the hill for the summer we are going on three months march soon (same address) I remain your little Dashing Hussar Walter Brassey No 3993 B squadron XI Hussars Tealhot India how is Tilly and Tibby Gilkerson [Gilkinson?] and that young Lady of McFarlands and all the family give them my best wishes when you see them |
