Home

CORVIZ

Main content

Title: Reynolds, Mary Ann to Reynolds (n. Kavanagh), Mary Ann, 1896
ID4228
CollectionThe Reynolds Letters. An Irish Emigrant Family in Late Victorian Manchester [L.W. McBride]
Filereynolds/40
Year1896
SenderReynolds, Mary Ann
Sender Genderfemale
Sender Occupationlinen worker
Sender Religionunknown
OriginManchester, England
DestinationChicago, Illinois, USA
RecipientReynolds (n. Kavanagh), Mary Ann
Recipient Genderfemale
Relationshipsisters-in-law
Source
Archive
Doc. No.
Date
Partial Date
Doc. Type
Logunknown
Word Count623
Genreillness, family, weather
Note
Transcript3, Clarence Road,
Victoria Park,
Longsight, Manchester.
April 7 1896

Dear Sister,
We Received your letter on 3 inst and was pleased to hear you ware
all quite well as we are enjoyning the Same at presant, thank God. Your Letter was quite diferant to the previous one I had from you.
You Said you would give me a Royal welcome. I think their is a doubt
about it. Dont Excuse youre house to me. If it will Suit, you it will Satisfie me. I have had to ruff it in my time as much as anyone. I thought a trip to america would Restore my health a little as I am not atall Strong
and I would like to Keep as quiet as possible untill I Return back if God
Spares me.
We were Surprised to hear James is out of work So long. He Said in
his Letters he did not look for work, it was all one round of pleashure.
I whish we could Say die Same here as it is all one round of work with
us, Except when the Summer comes we take a holiday for a week or
two. You Said in your letter that James left a good Situation to come to
Manchester. I have just found one of your letters writton before James
left home saying his prospects are not very bright here at present. That
does not Say he had a very good Situation. He ought to make a Start at
anything and not be particular, living in a fine City like chicago where
their are 2 millions of people.
William often wishes he had his business in your City. I think you
ought to bee pleased to have James back after 16 months. He Returned
home in good health . He is a very Delicate young man and if he Stoped
another winter in Manchester it is doubtfull if you would See him
agane. Dr Kennedy told us he was very delicate. He Said he never Seen
a more delicate young man. When he was taken ill he Sunk rapidity,
onley with grate care we pulled him through.
I am getting old and it is as much as I can do to Look after myselfe,
and if anything happened to James you would blame us. He was not atall
fit for our work. It is a gob more Suitable for an older and Experianced
man. If James got a fortune he would not Like Manchester. Their was
nothing worth Looking at, Everyting dull, no life, no gayiety, nothing
to be compared with america, if he worked 6 years in a basement where
there was only 2 inches of Space over the Side walk for the Steam to
come out. William Showed him the celler. He has gone through as
much as would Kill a few and he has plenty of work in him yet. So you
can See hard work does not Kill people. William was 5 years in business for himselfe at James age. We thought when he Returned home he
would make a start at once. I want to See what Chicatgo is Like and
then I will be the better judge.
The weather is very nice here at presant. We have cominced today
after the holidays. William would have answered James letter but he has
not been so well for a month or two. He had Dr Kennedy atending him.
He had influense [influenza] agane. He is nearley quite well now. We
have been busy this Easter time.
I will Send you a Letter before I Start for newyork to Say the time I
will arive in Chicago.

With Best wishes to all the family
Your affectionate Sister
Mary Ann