Letters from John Simpson Kirkpatrick to his Family, 1910 - Part 1 of 2

[*This is S S “Yeddo”*]
16.4.10 
DONATED RECORDS LIST  
3424 
3rd Series

Dear Mother 
Just a few lines to let you know that I 
received your letters all right I am glad to 
hear that you are keeping all right for I 
am I can tell you Now Mother we had a 
very good passage from Medaira to Volfiaraisa 
and we were all pretty glad when we got in 
and got a spell for it is a long time to be 
in the stokehole without a spell for we 
were fifty days from the time we left the 
Tyne till we got to Volfiaraisa and I can 
tell you that it was hot right until we 
got in, we were all rare and thin when 
we arrived for we had been getting fed 
on all sort of rubbish for we had no potatoes 
shortly after we left c Medaira it was nothing 
but preserved spuds and peas and beans but 
we have been in making up for for it 
since we _have been in here for we are 
getting fed well and I am getting as fat 
as can be and feeling as fit as a fibl 
fiddle Now. Mother they are a fine lot 
of men and respectable to I have a pretty 
good time of it among you them Now  
Mother d you will have had two halfpays

by the time you get this letter and I think 
that you will draw a good few more before 
we get home again Now Mother I cant 
tell you were we are going to for she is 
not chartered yet but if they gett no 
orders by the time we are finished 
unloading we will be going on to Newcastle 
New South Wales which and I hope they do 
for if things is all right out there I am 
going to have a try at the pits Now 
Mother send that photo where you are 
taken in the group group for I think you look 
best on that one and I meant to fetch 
it away with me but forget so mind 
and be sure and send it Now Mother 
I think is all at present so give my love 
to Annie and with love to yourselve 
I remain 
Your loving Son 
Jack 
P S Now dont forget that Photo and 
write Sharp

DONATED RECORDS LIST 
3424 
31st July 1910 
Dear Mother
I am now writing you a few 
lines and not before time 
you will be thinking, but 
never mind better late than 
never Now I told you that 
I was clearing out of the 
Yeddo in my letter which 
I wrote from Newcastle 
on the sixth of May well 
I stopped by her a fortnight 
in Newcastle until 13^th I 
did not want to leave her 
before the 12^th of May 
because If I had the skipper 
would have wired home and 
stopped the halfpay which 
was due on the twelveth 
hows the day going on 
so I knew you would draw 
it on the 12^th so on the 13^th 
there 14 of us firemen and 
sailors cleared out There was 
another man and me beat 
our way down to Sidney 
we were knocking about 
Sidney for about fortnight 
and we could not get a  
days work nowhere I was  
properly sick of it so I 
worked my passage right 
away up into the north 
of Queensland and I got 
a start cutting sugar 
cane on the plantaisions 
but it only lasted a week 
and I wasnt sorry either 
for the heat was terrible 
PS I enclose PO for 1 pound 
w

it was 110 degrees in the shade 
and the money was small 
so me and another chap 
bought a swag between 
us the blankets billycan 
and tent and beat our way 
through the bush for about 
150 mile till we struck the 
the first cattle station  
we got a start for ten 
bob a week and our keep 
but at the end of the week 
he the boss sacked my mate because 
he couldnt manage the job 
but he offered m to keep 
me on and give me 1 pound 
but I wanted thirty bob a week and 
he would not give me it so I 
told him to keep his quid 
and get somebody else 
I always fansied when I was 
in the old country that 
a job riding about on a 
horse alday would be all 
right but I had my belly 
full of riding in that one 
week you get in to the 
saddle at daylight and 
you galloping about till 
dard dark change your 
horse twice a day I soon 
found out that a cowboys 
life was no catch so 
we "padded the of oof" 
down to the coast again we 
struck the coast at Cairns 
and I left my mate there 
and I came down south 
I worked my passage

down from Cairns when 
one off the firemen took 
sick and the chief engeneer 
offered me the job until 
the man ge got better 
and you can just bet 
your life I jumped at the 
chance of getting of a bob 
or two well I was on 
her for about fortnight 
we came down to Brisbane 
from Brisbane to Sidney 
Sidney to Melbourne 
Melbourne back to Sidney 
well I got a couple of  
quid of the th chief and 
tu ten Bob off the second 
and so I made off m for  
the mines at once so by

b the time I paid my  
train fare down to Coledale 
and bought a lot some working 
clothes I have not much 
left but b I am sending  
you a post office order for 
a quid I have got to start 
at coal Coledale pit on 
Monday night and I will 
have to work 3 weeks before 
I get n pay so it will be 
three weeks before I can send 
you any more money Now  
Mother when you answer 
this letter address it to me 
C/O post office. Coledale. 
New South Wales because 
it is only a little township 
and there is no postman 
now give my love to Annie 
and with love to yourselve 
I remain 
Your loving & Affecionate Son 
x x x x Jack x x x x x x

29.9.10 
Dear Mother 
Just a line or two 
to let you know that 
I am still alive yet 
and kicking and still 
keeping well which 
I hope you a doing 
as well Now Mother 
I suppose you have 
got that first letter 
which I sent Corrimal 
and I sent you a quid 
in it and I am sending 
you a quid in this 
one as well I only 
sent you 15 Bob last 
pay as I had only 
a bad pay last pay  
am enclosing PO for a quid 
but never you will 
not be dependant  
on any soninlaws for 
enything if I can 
help it yo now if 
you only had a lodger 
and Annie working 
and the ten bob a  
week which I send you 
I dont consider you 
would be doing too 
bad By the way how 
is Annie getting  
on I sent her a PC 
last pay but I 
dont suppose she 
will get that for 
about another

fortnight or so tell 
I often wonder if 
"Poor wee Annie has 
the worrums" yet 
if so till her to  
try wormcake 
Martha will till 
her what that is 
like Now Mother 
I have not got much 
more to tell you 
except that I am 
dying to get the  
first letter and 
get some news  
of 'Canny And Shields'. 
you know it is such 
a hell of a long 
aye Jackie maa lad  
time to wait for a  
letter it two month 
and a half from 
the time you send 
it two the time you  
received it. Ah well 
wil hae tae mak 
the best of it so 
dont forget two 
make the best  
write pretty often 
Now Mother I do 
hope you are keeping 
well so give my  
love to Annie and  
with love to yourselve 
I remain 
Your loving & affecionate 
son Jack x x x x x x