| Title: | James A. Smyth, Ontario, to Bella Smyth, Castledamph |
|---|---|
| ID | 2725 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, James Alexander/18(2) |
| Year | 1897 |
| Sender | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | student |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (Methodist) |
| Origin | Essex Co., Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smyth, Bella M. |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth |
| Doc. No. | 0604177 |
| Date | 20/05/1897 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | |
| Word Count | 753 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of envelope] Miss Bella Smyth Castledamph Plumbridge Co. Tyrone Ireland [Stamped] ESSEX MY25 97 ONT. [Stamped] ESSEX MY 25 ONT [Postage stamp] Canada Postage 5 CENTS 5 [Written on left side] July [Written upside down on left side] [Arrived?] Jun 7 97 [Back of envelope] [Stamped] NEWTOWNSTEWART AM 5 0 JU 6 [97?] [Written sideways on left Arrived June 7 1897 [Written at bottom] Arived [Arrived?] June 7 97 [Written at top] [T?] John James Smyth Castledamph Plumbridge Co Tyrone [Page 1] Essex Ontario May 20th 97 Dear sister I received your letter a few days ago so I thought it about time to answer now, I have not very much to say & therefore it should not take me very long to say it. I am sorry to know that you people are having so much wet weather, It is just in a parallel with what we have had here during the Spring, We are having somewhat fair weather here just now with an occasional shower which saves the Town people the task of watering ther [their?] lawns, I did not go down to Woodslee to-day, I was down last Sunday [page 2] I saw a few of Woodslee people in the train last evening & they were telling me that Sarah A Duncan was [sic] there, There is cheap rates now so I suppose she came up to spend the. 24th May, I suppose you all know tomorrow is the Queens birthday (24th May) so that is a general holiday in this Country, You see the Canadian people are loyal and they have home Rule i.e. they govern themselves) We have no school tomorrow. I intend to go up to Windsor. There is a celebration in that city (I will send you a few newspapers with an account of the proceedings) a regiment of soldiers known as "The Queens Own” are coming [coming?] from Toronto so they will be the brightest gem in the days programme [page 3] as this is the sixtieth year of the Queens reign, there will be great celebration [in?] the 22 June, It does not seem very long since the last Jubilee year, when our band went away up above Roberts [sic] Dunn’s, I suppose that man, you mention as being dead, Joe Sproule was the one who kept the standings in the fairs. I see in last nights paper that Balfour is for bringing in some news [new?] Bill for Ireland. I think it is time something was done for Ireland which would help to relieve the people out of the miserable situation in which they [the?] majority are in, at the present time. I often wonder when I think how the poor people live compared with the poor in this country. They may just have as much money but the way of sleeping eating & living in general is no fit comparison with the peoples of this country. [page 4] I am glad to know that Joe Gilkinson is getting along so I think Joe will make a success of his business yet but he would have been much better had he another year or two at school. All carpenters should have a knowledge of mensuration and many other subjects, the value of which is beyond limit, I have forgot [sic] to get a list of the Exam, which I promised to send in my last letter, I send you one of our applications [sic] forms, We had to send them in this year before the 15th last they were not required to the 24 May I had only to pay $5 this year for both examinations The reason for this was that last year ther [there?] were a lot of complaints that pupils had to pay to [too?] much so that the result was no one pays more that [5$?] [page 5 ?] I recd [received?] an answer from MD, [Sometings?], It has rained a few heavy showers since I commenced this letter, I am afraid it will spoil the roads for to- morrows proceedings. I suppose the boys are busy every day, Between road work and farm work I am sure there is no idle time, Has Mary gave [given?] up school yet if she has she should think well over it and not loose four on five year like I did, [page torn off here] [page 6] I have almost said all that I think of now, Six years to-morrow morning since I landed at Quebec, How quick the time flies, It does not seem very long to me, Yet there has been a great many changes both at home and abroad, I am getting a little thinner now I weigh 177 lbs = [13st 5lbs?] I would like if I could get down to about 150 lbs, I am all together too heavy yet, How much do you girls and boys weigh, I would like to know for the fun of it, I think I will close now Hope you are all well, is mother in good health this Spring. I will [write?] next week again J. A. [James Alexander?] Smyth Transcribed by Mohamed Souissy |
