| Title: | Isabella Allen, Bristol England to Andrew Marshall, Belfast. |
|---|---|
| ID | 34 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Allen, Isabella/98 |
| Year | 1838 |
| Sender | Allen, Isabella & W. J. Campbell Allen |
| Sender Gender | female-female |
| Sender Occupation | housewife |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Bristol, England |
| Destination | Belfast, N. Ireland |
| Recipient | Marshall, Andrew |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | daughter-father |
| Source | D/1558/1/2/32 : Presented by F.D.Campbell Esq., 15 London Road, Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex, England. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9803630 |
| Date | 01/09/1838 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 27:03:98. |
| Word Count | 1203 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Bristol Sept of the 1838 My dear [____?]. We have just finished tea in the White Inn as old fashioned a place as you can imagine, thick walls, thick window lashes, and wondrously little light admitted through the glass, owing to the near vicinity of the opposite houses which seem as old as the world, the noise of coaches coming and going from the office below and the confusion of voices of travellers, waiters porters on is incessant and almost deafening. This is the house of general resort in Bristol and truly you would think the hotel could not contain all that arrive they come frequent as bees; I hear there are travellers bound like ourselves for the great water among them but the coaches are not here. I hope you received the note sent by Mr Bashele from Liverpool that told of our safe arrival there. I may now tell you of our proceedings since then. At half after four we started in a second class train on the Railway and reached Birmingham at ten, the stoppages on the way were very numerous and retarded as, but the mode of travel [____?] thoughts very little fatiquing. A full moon was the most beautiful object I saw on my route and we were all three pretty well tired when we reached the hotel in Birmingham. The next morning at nine we started on the top of the coach for Gloucester a distance of ninety miles. The day proceeded to be fine and we got front seats. The country I admired from its richness and the neatness and comforts apparent in the houses both small and great, but it is flat and one mile traversed is the ditto of the one following. There is nothing to offend the eye no poverty no beggary nor filthiness but there is little to excite the looker on, every thing is, as Bryon says lame and domestican. The coaches are certainly delightful to travel on so well ordered and drawn and driven by such respectable horses and drivers. As we neared Cheltenham showers began to fall and the evening looked so threatening that we thought it [-------?] to stop there and not proceed the additional nine miles it rained the greater part of the evening only giving us a cessation of a few minutes in which we walked to [-------?] one of the P[----?]rooms built in great taste and surrounded with pleasant walks, grounds houses etc it was dark and damp and we saw the beauties of Cheltenham under very unfavourable auspices. This morning we started again on our journey on the outside and were favoured by the skies as before until we reached Bristol within three miles when the rain poured in a perfect torrent fortunately we were well [----?]ffled and received no injury but were ready for a hearty dinner when we reached this noisy abode. The drive today was more beautiful than that of yesterday though much of the same character, we were planted behind with an immense pile of luggage in front of us and had in consequence only side views. Our travelling companions consisted at first of two intelligent enough woman who favoured us with some conversation but one of them was replaced by a great redfaced - bloated looking man dressed in a waggoners blue shirt and his disagreable [disagreeable?] appearance served to act as a silencer to all the party, I was struck dumb. The grain seemed in a great degree gathered in but the country we passed was more a meadow and orchard district than a grain growing one I was tempted several times to jump off the coach to the top of a pear tree and sit there poised until I had sight off [of?] the finish but I could not both see one quite convenient enough for such an experiment and so I drove on like Tantalus unable to taste. William and his cousin are gone out for a stroll, it has just rained incessantly since our arrival here and in consequence I have been condemmed to the house fate and candles help to cheer me. I wonder what the crossing will be like we start at eleven for the Western and then taken to [----?] [-----?] for a while; I trust favouring breezes are in store for us and that in a fortnight or a little more I will be again occupied in the pleasing task of writing home. Be sure that some one writes by the 13th and 2Oth as I am in hopes we will find the letters in New York on returning from Niagara. The well known handwriting will be a joyful sight but I must not count time, but let the variety occupy my mind entirely I began to think of turning my steps homewards again but I feared a cold reception and thought it just as well on further deliberation to go on and take care of "that Creature" who contrives to take care of me dont [don't?] you think I was as wise to do so? But I must leave him room for saying something and and will conclude by sending love across the Channel to all my Dear [----?] down to dear Aleda who I trust is once more laughing and well dont [don't?] forget the quartette in College Square nor [------?] and Believe that I remain now and ever your attached and affectionate daughter Isabella. My Dear Sir, "Your attached & affectionate daughter" has left me little space, I presume she has told you everything I could say, & I am sure she has told [torn] much better than I could do. We have on the whole been much favoured so far as regards weather during our travelling, but the warnings have been so such that Bella has not been able to see any thing either of Cheltenham or this place. However we do not much regret this, as the rain was considerate enough not to drench us when outside the coaches.- I was desirous of not closing this letter until we got on board the Gt. [Great?] Western, that we might be able to say something of our accommodation, but Madame is anxious that you should certainly receive this letter and she is afraid that if we entrusted it to any one returning from the Ship it might be mislaid or forgotten, we therefore concluded on dispatching this epistle by post ourselves, leaving the ship to form a portion of our first communication from New York. Till then we must wish you farewell. - Be good enough to let my mother know that you have heard from us : assure all in Wellington Place & College Square of my kindest regards and believe me to be Ever yours W.J. Campbell Allen. Saturday morning 10 O'clock We are preparing to start on our voyage and I believe the day like its predecessor means to brighten up there are to 133 passengers on board and with [----?] servants on the number will not be much short of 200 I must say goodbye till I land again and with love to all again I am yours Isabella. |
