General Chat

nudge

A lovely look into the past CovJohn.......thank you........and it just goes to show, that we take our day to day life for granted, as perhaps being a bit mundane........but perhaps to our gt.grandchildren down the line, it may become of as much interest to others, as John's ancestor's letter has to us......

It shows what a busy man he was, and he still had time to keep in touch by letter with his family.....


sally

Hi,

Thank you people for reading my letter and your kind remarks.

John

Dear Cov John

Wow, I am almost speechless.

This makes history come to life.

What a priceless piece of family history.

It was very generous to share this.

Thank you.

Best wishes.

Just thought it would have been lovely to see an old stamp as well. But the letter is the most treasurable. :)

Tina x

Hi
No envelope or stamp I'm afraid, just a tatty piece of paper.

John

How very very lucky you are to have such a treasure as that.

I can just see your GG grandfather sitting there at his bureau dressed in a frock coat and dipping his pen in the inkwell, I wonder if it was a crystal inkwell or a silver one. Have you the postage stamp that came with it?

Thank you.

Tina x

n

n

Netty and Liz,

Thanks for your comments. I sure hope letter writing doesn't die out.

John

How lovely to have that letter. I have saved some letters of mine to my mum, she gave them back to me when she was having a clear out and I hope they will get passed down if I have grandchildren. I think there are some from my Mum to me too and I have kept many cards and other letters from people as I think they are interesting to read later on.
Such treasures, we should be careful what we get rid of.

Lizx

How lovely John, what a wonderful letter. Thank you for sharing.

Mau

Thanks Mau. Yes, I also love the turn of phrase.

John

Thank you John for letting us read your gggrandfather's letter, what a treasure you have there! and an insight into how life was in those days.

[ If i grow younger and handsomer against next summer I shall try another sitting and favour my friends with a few more copies]

.....I just love those lines :O)

Mau x

Hi,

We have a letter thats been passed down the family and I felt it might be of interest. The letter was from Thomas Whitaker, who was a clergyman in Dublin and is dated Oct. 31st 1873. The letter was sent to his nephew and namesake, Thomas Whitaker, born Liverpool in 1837, who was living with his family in Coventry. (He was my gg grandfather).
Here goes then.

My Dear Tom,
Many thanks for your and John Thomas' photographs. They are very good and like the originals. The weather did not answer well when mine were taken and some of my friends say they do not do me justice, but such as they are I thought I'd send them to you. If I grow younger and handsomer against next summer I shall try another sitting and favour my friends with a few more copies of my ???. I hope, when convient, you will let me have the rest of your family.
Your aunt has not been well lately. As for the old lady she is wonderfully well considering her years, now in her 86th year.
I have nothing to complain of myself, in fact I have not time to think of such, too much to attend to. I have got within the last month, the second chaplaincy of the Albert Chapel, in addition to the Adelaide Hospital, so I have three full services on Sundays besides my daily visiting and instruction in the Bible at the latter. Thank God I am fully equal to all, and only feel the better for my constant work.
I hope business is brisk with you, and that self and mother, wife and family are flourishing. How is your uncle George ? Is he getting more ??? and steady ? Has he a family and does his wife rule the roost ? I heard from Mary long ago that she said she'd master him, or fall in the attempt. Poor chap, he was never mindful of kindness done him, a bad trait in anyones' character.
I shall be happy to hear from you at your convenience.
With love to self and all your family
Ever yours affably
Thomas Whitaker

The John Thomas mentioned was John Thomas Whitaker my great grandfather. The business referred to was watch making.

The letter is very fragile and difficult to read, so I wrote it out on another sheet, there being just two words that I couldn't decipher.

Hope you found it of interest.

John