Bagillt
September 14, 1855
Dear Children,
I take the pleasure of sending a few lines to you in answer
to yours of the 12th as we duly received on the 3rd inst.
and was very glad to hear that you was all well in health, as this leaves us
pretty well at present, thanks be to God for his mercy toward us at all
times. And as you say that we were
anxious to hear from you it is very true, for we waited altogether until last
week to hear from Edwin according to Edwin’s promise when he wrote home to
inform us of his brother coming home it was but small and he made a promise
that he would be writing the next Sunday and post with the next mail, and I
wrote the last week at random and directed as usual to Edwin, and we are in
hopes that ere this that you have received it.
And I don’t know how to write to you now hardly for as you may see by me
altering the date, for I was stopped from writing the last week after I started.
And in regard of your brother James there is nothing here
for him to do, and there is Joseph Lane, Robert Lane’s son, has come home from
sea about a fortnight back, and your brother and him has taken to follow one
another since he is at home. He is a
very sturdy lad and has been out this last voyage 14 months and brought home
with him above forty pounds for his father and mother and the other two had to
home forty pounds. Just a few days
before I heard their father saying it in our house and Joseph Lane has been
wanting James to go to Liverpool for to ship with him to Australia to go to for
his brothers, and they both went to Liverpool on Tuesday last and we received a
letter from your brother this morning saying that had shipped himself for the
West Indies at three pounds a month, and he has not sent the name of the vessel
not yet, but sent for his boxes and some clothes and that he would send the
name of the ship and when he would be starting again . Therefore you may judge how troublesome it is
for us at the present after receiving your letters and receiving him home and
all and keeping a watchful eye over him since he is at home, but has not seen
anything out of the way in him since he has been at home. Therefore we don’t know what to think of him
but we are in great hopes that he may have a great deal of luck & have his
health and that it may do him a great deal of good for I can assure you to what
he has been saying to different people several times that he repents coming
home very much and saying he would been very glad if he could plan it to go to
his brother John once more. But as for keeping
him at home we had not the means of doing it and he knew it well himself to,
for it is so sorry here that you would not believe, for the top colliery is
stopping this last month. Therefore it
makes this place very slack and everything.
So dear we have now only four pounds & quarter of flower
for a shilling and everything else according to that. And it is a very hard case to live here you
may depend upon it these days. I have
sent in the last letter as I have directed to Edwin for him to make any enquiry
with you if you know anything of William Jones journey for his mother had not
heard anything of him for above a twelve months. Therefore his mother would be greatly obliged
to you if you know anything of him if you would have the goodness to send and
let us know. And another thing you told us that Edwin was to work for you now
but did not say whether he had come to you or not but in hopes that it is so.
Therefore I must conclude for this time again with our kind
regard to you all. And your mother is
very anxious to have a few lines in your next from Elizabeth.
PS – William Jones, watchmaker, sends his and family kindest
regards to you and sent down this week for your address that he was going to
send you some newspapers. And I have
been expecting to have some newspapers altogether and has not received none
this three months since and cannot think what is the reason.
All your brothers and sisters sends their kind respects to
you all as a family and except the same from your dutyful father and mother,
Robert & Sarah Benjamin
You must excuse my writing this time for my hand shakes and
I don’t know what for excepting it is something about this lad. Write soon and then I shall send the name of
the ship if he goes out.
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