| Title: | McIlrath, James L to McIlrath family, 1873 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4501 |
| Collection | The McIlrath Letters: A family history in letters from New Zealand to Ireland (1860-1915) [Bassett, McKee et al.] |
| File | mcilrath/20 |
| Year | 1873 |
| Sender | McIlrath, James L |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Southbridge, Canterbury, New Zealand |
| Destination | Killinchy, Co. Down, Northern Ireland |
| Recipient | McIlrath family |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | son-parents |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 825 |
| Genre | prospects, account of Southbridge, local economy |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Southbridge Canterbury N.Z. December 21st 1873 Father Mother & Brother I had a letter ready to post this evening and being at the post office I enquired and received one from you William dated April 7th 73. It gives me pleasure to know that you are all well we are all well thank God. It was a pity about your fingers William but it is not like other sickness I have not (been) unable to work two day's together since I left home. I had an offer for my farm since I wrote last and I scarcely knew what to do I was offered one thousand £1000 pounds or ten pounds per acre land only together with leave to take the crop off that I was about to put in. I had three months given to make up my mind so I resolved to wait a little longer. Property here is getting up in value fast they are commenced to make a railway to Southbridge that is a town about two miles from I live and I have been over the same spot when there was not a single house there nor yet in view and the country is flat. I recollect the Mr Gillespie you mention carting up a load of timber for us when for 17 miles before we got to what is now Southbridge there was only one shepherd hut. Now this Southbridge is a nice little town with one English church and one Scotch or Presbyterian but by the way there is no Uniterian (Hush!) it is a thing never mentioned here we have a very clever little man in the Presbyterian church or meeting house one of those men that can take out a text square himself up and deliver a very good sermon without hem or ha, none of those written affairs but still I for one can scarcely swallow all he says not with the same ease as his Reverence seems to deliver it anyhow, there is also a large blacksmiths that employs about 12 men and is where I got the first reaper that was made there it cost £55 pounds, a carpenters shop, a bakery, a saddlers shop, a shoemakers, three large stores and a fourth in course of erection, one hotel, one boarding house, milliners shop, besides a nursery, and coaching establishment, and a large town hall for public meetings and amusements. There is a Ball there this night and I suppose by this time 10 o'clock they are heel and toeing pretty freely admission 7s/6d but you will say what stuff what has all this to do with us 16 thousand miles away admitted but I confess I feel a certain amount of pride to watch the progress of this once waste spot I believe I would have sold my farm only for much the same reasons when one settles down on a place where it never was occupied before and fences off his fields, builds houses, plants trees, makes gardens and so on you feel proud at least I do of what I have done and I could not leave without taking a lingering look behind, besides as mother used to say, you know where you are but you dont know where you are going I mind it well, now I would be more afraid of rueing coming home to Ireland than I was of leaving which I never once done. I doubt a good many I wont say all that goes home would wish to be back again but if I thought I could do anything well at home I might come before many years I know the time is past I said I would and meant it too but what did I then know I would have been well pleased to return with what I could now. I believe I could land in Belfast with from fifteen to eighteen hundred pounds but once there either rent a farm or freehold I suppose is out of the question but I have wandered away until I almost fancy I am on Irish soil but to return to reality, I have not sold one bushel of last seasons crop now mid winter oats was only 1s/10d per bushel of 40 pounds after harvest and now they are 4s/6d. Wheat is the same, Butter is 1s per lb. I sold £60 pounds worth of pigs about a month ago that never was in sty fattened on stubble they are 31/2d per pound I sold my ones alive. I shall try and persuade Hamilton to write he always says he will he is well. Tell John that I have not got a paper I dont know when I shall send him one by this mail. Accept my best wishes one and all give my respects to Mr. Jellie Mrs. and whole family, Uncle William and family, I remain your affectionate son and brother James L McIlrath |
