| Title: | Jas Smyth, Ontario, to B. M. Smyth, Co. Tyrone. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2795 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, James Alexander/57 |
| Year | 1899 |
| 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, Castledamph, Plumbridge. |
| Doc. No. | 305048 |
| Date | 02/10/1899 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 07:07:03. |
| Word Count | 1051 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Envelope addressed to: - Miss B. M. Smyth Castledamph Plumbridge Co. Tyrone Ireland Postmarked on Front: - Windsor AM OC 3 99 ONT. Postmarked on Back: - Hamilton OCT 3 1899 - Newtownstewart - 10 0 - OCT - 99 Dear Sister Your letter of Sept, 14th to hand this week and I am rather glad to get it as I was both looking for news and awaiting the money order, I may say that I was out of money as I never got all that was comming [coming?] to me collected but when I run out of money I usually borrow. It seems to me you folks allways [always?] make your letter so very short and put the words so far apart that there is not much news when one does get when one does get (sic) a letter. If you sent a letter a little oftener and put more news in then one would not be so dissappointed [disappointed?] when they finish reading them. I suppose you have read an account of the Scotsman going on the rocks at Belle Isle There is one lady from Windsor Mrs Dickenson among the drowned, I see by tonights paper that they have arrested the crew at Montreal for [cooling?] etc on board the vessel According to accounts in paper, Paul [Krugher?] and John Bell intend having a little scrap down in S [South?] Africa, I dare John Bell (sic) will get the best of the battle one thing it will [give?] the newspapers something to talk about, for a few weeks, Tomorrow is the day for the [yacht?] contest and by the time this letter reaches you either Sir Thomas Lipton s yatch [yacht?] "Shamrock" or the American Columbia shall have [won?] the cup. I hope the "Shamrock" win, we will know the results here by 4 o clock tomorrow. I must say we have cold weather here for this time of the year, There was over 6 in of snow at London and St Thomas, on Saturday. There is no extra [stoves?] up yet in my boarding house and [also?] very, very, cold. I am writing this letter with two coats' on and then only keeping warm I have no overcoat and its' almost too cold on street without one, Your money order was on Essex, next time make it on Windsor and it will save me from going after it, I got a bycicle [bicycle] and wheeled down to Essex Saturday, left here at 9,o. clock and got to Essex at half past eleven a distance of 20 miles. I stayed in Essex until halfpast three and started back, I had a head wind all the way and I may say I had hard pumping until I reached Windsor I got my fill of riding a bycicle [bicycle] that [day?] I had other business down besides the money order as I wanted to see about my suit, I think perhaps he will have it by next week if he gets the cloth that I selected, he is waiting on it to arrive, I selected a blue this time, I may say that the suit I got made in strabane lasted well The coat and vest are good yet that is for every day wear, only a trifle faded with the sun - I have the coat on tonight- trying to keep warm, - Good cloth to wear, and tell Conroy that, I shall get another suit from him next time I am in Strabane, I suppose you think it will cost something attending and thats' what I think too The difference in board [amounts?] to quite a bit, I think I told you in my last letter I had it would be [15th?] December before I would be through here, There is no telling wether [whether?] I shall pass or not, There is a high standard to reach, and granting I do get through the next difficulty is to get a school, Then granting I get through and secures a school then the salary that I may expect will be only about [$?]35-0 or a little over £70 per anum Perhaps you may think that is quite a sum but it is considered a small salary here, from £ 150 up is considered a good salary There are so many lady teachers of late years gone into the teaching profession that the result is it brought down the salaries. I know many lady teachers working for [$?] 250 per year or about £50 and paying their board out of that We begin teaching on Wednesday I may say we begin teaching for marks as that is what we are working for just at present to get good marks and try and make them think that we know all about handling a class, There are 22 of us in training and there are eight rooms in the school. So we are divided into groups of three each except in [two?] [case?] where there are only [two?],- Each group takes one room, and we teach from 11 to 12 on Wednesday Thursday & Fridays. Each Person teaches 20 minutes The group that I am in [starts?] in the very highest of the eight rooms first, Next week we go down to the very infant class down in first room, and work up and teach eight weeks one in each room, Tuesday forenoon we go into the rooms and observe the other teachers teach, So I may say our [fun?] or otherwise our grief begins tomorrow morning, I spent one day at Essex Fair last week and while down I spent the morning at High School. I almost forgot, I saw your pictures At Woodslee last week, I think they are very good Belle is [staring?] a little and if William had those [side crabs?] off he would not look so old, I am looking for one for myself, if you have not already sent it I want one as soon as possible, I think you might have sent me one at first [as?] I am not much there, and anyhow I want one for myself, I see John's making an attempt at growing a [moustache?] If I have money enough I may have some taken this fall. Now don t forget but send me one immediately I think you made one mistake in not having Willie Johns' picture along with the rest Send me a paper once in a while, too bad I got to always ask for things. Jas [James?] A Smyth. Transcribed by Mohamed Souissy |
