| Title: | Normile, Michael Jr to Normile, Michael Sr, 1871 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4253 |
| Collection | Oceans of Consolation [D. Fitzpatrick] |
| File | oceans/15 |
| Year | 1871 |
| Sender | Normile, Michael Jr |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | storeman |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | West Maitland, N. South Wales, Australia |
| Destination | Derry, Co. Clare, Northern Ireland |
| Recipient | Normile, Michael Sr |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | son-father |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1004 |
| Genre | news, latest events, labour |
| Note | |
| Transcript | West Maitland March 17th./69 Dear Father I received your welcomed letter by the last English mail which gave us great pleasure to hear from you, Stepmother Brothers & Sisters being in good Health. Likewise I am very glad to hear that Martin Neylon wife & family are enjoying good Health not forgeting my uncles & Aunts and all the old neighbors hoping they will be as happy as I wish them to be. At the Same time when writing this we are all in a perfect state of health thanks be to God. I am to inform you that we had a very hot Summer the last, it is over very near. ln another months time it will be geting cold. Morning & noons for the last six months we had it very hot. I got a letter from Michl. Carrigg of late. Both him & family are all well & doing remarkably well. Mary Carrigg is a big girl growing very tall her mother tells me. She is assistant Teacher along with a respectable Lady in Brisbane. They had a very hot Summer of it. Some people got sun struck there last summer. Morten Bay is Hotter in summer time then where we are. It lays to the North a good way. I got a letter From T. Doolan the very day I wrote this. Both him and Sister are in good health and I think they are doing very well. Buisness is geting very dull of late. There is no Public works carried one here of anny conciquence to take away a large Boddy of the working Class from the Towns. There is a small pice of railroad making that is crowded with people who is badly need of a Jobb. There is plenty money in this part of the Colloney, but these men that has it they wont leave it out in improving their lands or placces. There is Hundreds of them Storeing it up to go home to the Mother Country –and at the other hand our Gov erner & Legislature is not very willing to to Spend much money in improving our towns Streets or anny other place which Should be done by Goverment Money. In wet weather the most Part of our Streets are not Passible by man or beast. There is large water holes and Mud Holes large enough to Swallow a whole house. There is one Street which is the main Street in this Town that is more than a mile long, and when there is wet weather you should want a pair of boots to go above your knees to go through the mud & water in this Place, and that is considered to be a very fine street by the natives. My dear Father I must turn over to some thing more Important than what I have been speaking off. I am living in the one place and in the one work as I have been this long time Back. My work is not so heavy as I youst have one time. I can call on one or two men when I want them for Loading drays & &. My constant work is Packing [erased: in side] Groceries wine & spirits & & for up country use. John Ford was Stoping at my place for a few days after landing he gave me great intelligence about home. I was Surprised I do hear that Martin Neylon left his old House and go to live in a nother for the Sake of any Son or Daughter –but I Suppose he knows better. Jn Ford has gone up the Country to live in a station about 200 miles from Maitland and I think he done very wise for doing so. He can spare some money up there but he could not here. When he gets accustomed to his work he will get £1 per week & rations that is the general run of wages in the bush or country. Ellen Ford & Husband is gone a great way up the country to live. They are geting 70 £ per year and as much as they can eat & drink and many chances besides. Up in the interiour is the Place for makeing money if a man is lucky for he need not spend but what he gives for clothing. I must conclude my feeble accounts of Town & country. I will scend you some newspapers which will amuse some of the neighbours for a bit. I hope you will scend me a newspaper as offten as you can. I was very much obliged to you for scending me one. The last time I had to lend it to upwards of 60 peopple. It gives us great Consolation to hear from home and especily a good catholic paper. I should like if Mr. Shannon would communicate with me. I would scend him a paper every month if he scend me one in every 2 months either Sydney or one of our local papers –I hope Mr. & Mrs. Shannon are well. My loving Father The sad News of the Death of Mrs McMahon when I perceived it made the tears drop from my eys. She was a good neighbor & an old neighbour and woman I licked well may her Soul rest in peace. I hope the rest of the family are well. Patt Neylon wants to be remembered to his Father Mother Brothers & Sister –he is in good health and lives In Maitland. I must conclude those few lines with my love to you all hoping this will find you all in good Health. Remember me to Martin Neylon & Family my uncles & Aunts & to Numerious to mention. I hope you wont fail in Scending Me the newspapers often. The English Mail Arrives here every month and goes home every month Ml Normile It is a Patrick's Day I wrote this. Let me know how many in family have you scince I left. |
