Letters from Robert Edmund Antill to his Parents, 1914-1915 -Part 2

Co. Mrs Dowsing, 
8 Thomas St. 
Windsor 
17 August 
1914 
  
Dear Mother & Father, 
I say this 
war looks pretty bad dosn't 
it, well it has done me 
a lot of good I don't think 
for it has lost me my job 
last friday week the boss 
came up to me & said that 
t he would fr have to put 
us single chaps off as all 
his orders had been cancled 
why he had over 2 months 
work in without getting 
any more orders in & now 
they have all gone to the 
wind. Well things looked 
pretty black & I thought 
I would be out for a good 
th time with things in 
such a state, & there hadn't 
I

been any adverst. in the paper 
for the last couple of days &  
there wasn't any on the friday. 
I can tell you I went home pretty 
down hearted & I was longing 
for Saturday morning to 
come to see if there was 
any more jobs going well & 
when I got the paper there 
was only 1 & that was 
in the opposite direction 
to wear I am living the 
surburb is called Monee Ponds 
well I thought I would go up & chance 
my luck but I hadn't much 
hope but swap my bob I got 
it & at £3 per week too & I 
think I was jolly lucky 
don't you this is my second 
week at the new shop. It is 
only a small place & all 
hand work we have to rip 
all stuff down by hand & all 
fret cutting is done with the 
bow-saw so but still I shall 
stop here till things get a 
II

bit brighter & there is more work 
about. The first job I was 
given out was a big 6 foot 
walnut side-board & it stands 
about 7'6" high with a big 
oval mirror at the back 
with a long shelf on top 
2 solid 2½" turned pillars & 
2 more small shelves & 4 
brackets under-neath then on 
the top its self there was an 
ovolo molding worked round 
(that was the only thing I 
felt a bit shakey about but 
I got it out all right) then 
there was 3 drawers & 2 cup- 
boards underneath. Well this  
took me 5½ days to make 
& now I have got another one 
to make the same size but a 
little different shape & this is 
in oak & by the way the bosses 
name is R.C. Philpott so you 
see we still cling to the potts. 
Well now I wonder how this 
war is affecting you I hope 
III

its not too bad. To-nights the 
night for the mail but it 
has not come yet perhaps 
shipping is held up which 
is very likely. Every body is 
running a muck fi here going 
up the pole but I wonder 
how you poor lot are getting 
on over in the misdt of it 
well I think I will now close 
hoping one & all are well 
are well at home 
I remain 
Your loving son 
Bob. 
IIII