Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Letters from Ireland, April the 12th

"Dear Datur rose i sit down to rite you those fue lines to let you now that we are all well at precent thank god we were all a bad cince crismas all coffing with a bad cold there is some of them better but for myself i will never wil mend much i got my age from doublin out of the cences book i am age seventy three years of any old people seventy will get the penshion as long as they live i am geting 5 shilings a week it keeps me of very well i am not able tow gow for it but i got a line from the docter and i sine my name to my check and bydey gets it and bings it home to me we have got now ceop in yet with rain i got now letter from jhon yet he must be dead or he wid have rote to me wel rose i must let you know that there is a large fameley here and will sown be more she is work very hard rose let me know is your coff any thing then det or it there any of your children coffing let me know did you here any word of the Burkes there is not a word about them here know more than if the woi dead matthew celley got maried to a cathlick man and he is ded and she is a real cathlick now let me know how is lysey and ant rose give my love to any Mcgill and sister rose we all sends our love to and fameley Patrick and BrMary ann rose Briget ghon gosefit all meney is as used a part scald i can rite home know more from your mother ann smith we have the best children in the world know more rite sown if you know any thing about johny tel me he must be dead rite sown."

Translation:
Dear Daughter Rose,
I sit down to write you those few lines to let you know that we are all well at present, thank Got. We were all bad since Christmas, all coughing with a bad cold. There is some of them better, but for myself, I will never mend much. I got my age from Dublin out of the census book, I am age 73 years. Any old people 70 will get the pension as long as they live. I am getting 5 shillings a week. It keeps me up very well. I am not able to go for it, but I got a line from the doctor and I sign my name to my check and Bydey gets it and brings it home to me. We have got no (unknown word) in yet with rain. I got no letter from John yet, he must be dead or he would have wrote to me.
Well, Rose, I must let you know that there is a large family here and will soon be more, she is working very hard. Rose let me know is your cough anything or is there any of your children coughing. Let me know. Did you hear any word of the Burkes, there is not a word about them here no more than if they were dead.

"Unknown female name" Celley got married to a Catholic man and he is dead and she is a real Catholic now.

Let me know how is Lysey and Aunt Rose. Give my love to any McGill and Sister Rose. We all send our love to any family. Patrick and Br Maryann, Rose, Briget gone goes fit all Memey is as usual a hurt I called, I can write once I know more. From your mother Ann Smith. We have the best children in the world. Know more. Write soon. If you know anything about Johny tell me, he must be dead. Write soon.

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I bolded the line "From your mother, Ann Smith" because it is the first time I knew her first name.

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According to the Old Age Pensions Act of 1908, The Act provided for a non-contributory old age pension for persons over the age of 70. It was enacted in January 1909 and paid a weekly pension of 5s a week. So, it is possible that this letter was written in April of 1909.

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