"Dear dauter rose i sit down to ancer your letter i am glad to here from you that you and your fameley are all wel we are all well at precent thank god wel rose i have good news to tel you the govrment has granted a penshion tow all old people of seventy years of age i am getting my book this day for to lift my penshion on the first of the new year 5 shillings a week giving as long as we live i will be an hold penshionor now all old people that is seventy years of age is geting it i now nothing about the Barkeys now more than your self cince the old tinker went back to them the are all a bad party I got now etter from john yet i think he must be dead or sick i rote a letter to lysey money she did not ancer it yet let me know how is your ant roe and amy megill we did not here a word from that girl cince she said she would gow to see you we had no letter from Mary gun this 3 months we now nothing about her we have very cold wet weather wel rose my health is middling thank god but i am afraid that i will not live long tow lift the penshin it will be 12 pounds a year and its all a wanting you may put on a penny stamp will your letter it is oney a peny here rite sown and let me know how you dowing john be dead or he would rite wel rose Johny Bulick has bout the farm of Besy and he has bilt a new house and there is great changes all round her i have nothing more to tel you we all going in cending our love to you husband and fameley all our children cends there love to your childer know more from your mother ann smith rite sown again know from your mother"
Translation:
Dear Daughter Rose,
I sit down to answer your letter. I am glad to hear from you that you and your family are all well. We are all well at present, thank God. Well Rose, I have good news to tell you. The government has granted a pension to all old people of seventy years of age. I am getting my book this day for to lift my pension on the first of the new year. 5 shillings a week given as long as we live. I will be an old pensioner. Now all old people that is seventy years of age is getting it. I know nothing about the Barkeys, no more than yourself since the old tinker went back to them. They are all a bad party. I got no letter from John yet, I think he must be dead or sick. I wrote a letter to Lysey Money, she did not answer it yet. Let me know how is your Aunt Rose and Amy Megill. We did not hear a word from that girl since she said she would go to see you. We had no letter from Maryann this past 3 months. We know nothing about hr. We have very cold wet weather. Well Rose, my health is middling thank God, but I am afraid that I will not live long to lift the pension. It will be 12 pounds a year and it is all awanting. You may put on a penny stamp will your letter. It is only a penny here. Write soon and let me know how you are doing. John be dead or he would write. Well Rose, Johny Bullick has bought the farm of Besy and he has built a new house and there is great changes all round here. I have nothing more to tell you, we are all going in sending our love to you, husband and family. All our children send their love to your children. No more from your mother, Ann Smith. Write soon again, now from your mother.
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This letter references the Old Age Pension Act that was passed in 1908, and became effective in 1909. So, this places the letter date as December 14, 1908.
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