| Title: | Beale, Joseph Sr to Beale, Margaret, 1853 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4476 |
| Collection | The Earth between them: Joseph Beale's letters home to Ireland from Victoria (1852-1853) [E.Beale] |
| File | beale/10 |
| Year | 1853 |
| Sender | Beale, Joseph Sr |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | clerk |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Destination | Mountmellick, Co. Laois, Ireland |
| Recipient | Beale, Margaret |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | husband-wife |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 832 |
| Genre | new job, prospects, acquaintances, correspondence, wave of emigrants, price of houses |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Melbourne 7 mo: 3rd 1853. Since I last wrote my dearest love, I am without any letters from home. I now send thee £20 bill first of exch[ang]e and the last of the former lot. Our plans of getting on here have quite changed since I last wrote. Gov't parted [disbanded] most of the workmen on the roads, our horses, and we then gave up the store and came to work the horses here, but we found our horses not sufficiently strong for town work, and to procure first rate draft horses would cost £120 for each horse, as they are now very dear, we therefore sold the horses. I got a situation from Wm. Locke as bookkeeper at £250 pr. ann: and I expect it will be £800 when I get all written up to his mind. He gave Joseph an easy post at £150 a year to commence with. I hope to get Francis a job also. J's Kennedy is with another party at £1 pr week with board and lodging. We shall work on during the winter months as we are, and if we see anything to pay better in spring, Jos'h Frs and J's Ken'y can do so but I intend keeping my present place as long as I can. If the books were written up, I should not have much to do, but they are more than 8 mo's in arrear, and unfortunately a young man who has been in the office before me and who was to assist me, is in typhus fever. It is pleasant to have the boys comfortably lodged and fed, and in respectable society. We pay each 30/- pr week Tor board and lodging with Wm. Robinson. Harry Fisher is here doing nothing, and so is Edw'd Eben[eze]r Barrington—I found I could not bear the cold of a tent during the frosty nights, without any fire, it would have cost me my life. My face, hands and feet swelled and I could not for two days after I came here get warmed. Now I am perfectly well and I think more robust than when I left home—but I am almost always thinking of you left behind me, the separation is very trying. If thy father would sell the interest in the mill and give thee the amount you might all come out here, for we can if spared support you in comfort. A great number of young men come here of the learned professions and they can do no good, a good accountant is worth three scholars of Trinity College, Dublin. Francis says "my mother don't mention the children in her letters, I should like very much to hear all particulars about them."—I expect thou wilt receive my last letters in ab't 3 weeks from this time. I don't know what vessel takes this, nor when she sails. I write this while the boys and Wm. R. are at meeting, the streets are so deep in mud (over one's shoes) that I staid at home to write to thee, as I have not time during the week—I shall anxiously await the arrival of thy next, which I hope will be a reply to mine pr. "Great Britain". That by the "Sarah Sands" thou wouldst receive about 1st of 5 month I expect. This colony is now getting overstocked with people as the Gov't keeps the lands "locked up", and no one can get a farm unless at im enormous price—land in Melbourne for building sells in some places as high as £100 to £120 a foot! for frontage, by about 80 to 90 feet in depth. If the cottage that Jno Glennon lived in at Barkmill was here, within a mile of town it would let for £300 a year! Timber here is just 10 times as dear as in England—I think there will be a great change before many years. Well my dearest treasure farewell. Kiss all my children for me and believe me to be with the warmest affection thy ever attached and loving husband Joseph Beale. My dear love lo sister M. Pim, Thomas and all their flock. 3rd day 7 mo. 5th—Since I wrote the annex'd, I had a chat with Wm Locke, he kindly said he would assist me in business if I saw an opportunity, but he expects me to keep to him. I know he has enabled two of my fellow clerks to build houses for themselves, and I think he would do more for me. He asked me today to examine a purchase of wool which the firm made, and in this way I think 1 can be very useful to them, at least I trust I shall, as I will give my entire assistance to them. Oh my love come here if at all in thy power, and I believe we shall end our days without the anxiety we have endured at home—ever thine J.B. |
