| Title: | McIlrath, Hamilton to McIlrath, William, 1873 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4502 |
| Collection | The McIlrath Letters: A family history in letters from New Zealand to Ireland (1860-1915) [Bassett, McKee et al.] |
| File | mcilrath/21 |
| Year | 1873 |
| Sender | McIlrath, Hamilton |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Kowai Pass, Canterbury, New Zealand |
| Destination | Killinchy, Co. Down, Northern Ireland |
| Recipient | McIlrath, William |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 458 |
| Genre | new position, wedding, birth, family |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Kowai Pass July 13th 1873 Dear Brother After so long neglecting to write to you I am half ashamed to commence again but the fact was about the time I knocked off my mind was not made up what to do. I was thinking about going home but then I was advised not to as I would be sure to come back again, so time went on and I did not care to tell you I had changed my mind, so I bought some land about forty miles from where James is and got married and so I am settled for a bit and doing very well. James sent me your letter of April 7th 1873 in which I was glad to hear you were all well. We are all well for there is three of us now we have got a fine little fellow over two months old which we have called John Robert for father & brother he is a very nice little boy I shall have his portrait taken and send it you as soon as convenient. Please to ask father and mother to forgive me not writing before for I am heartily ashamed of myself and shall not be guilty of the like again for it was not because they were out my mind for month after month I have been going to write this last three years and always put it off for I thought that James would let you know how I was and how I was getting on. I have got a very nice place for the time every one says who sees it. I gave an acre of land for a Presbyterian Church about a hundred yards from my house, which will improve the look of it a bit - by the bye there is no uniterians here leastways no church or clergyman so when I do go I go to the presbyterians. You might let me know how the uniterians is getting on at home and specially Mr McAws flock if he is still their minister. I wont write much more until I hear from some of you again. Eliza wishes to be kindly remembered to Father and Mother and sends her best love to you all. I send enclosed likenesses of her father sailing with an old tatooed Maori chief and a rather well dressed Maori woman. Give my kind love to John Mrs and family and to Mr J Jellies family and all old friends - James Mrs and family is well and so is Robert McIlrath and family. I shall write more when I get a letter from you again. I remain your affectionate brother H McIlrath Address Canterbury New Zealand Kowai Pass West Coast Road |
