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

1. 10.10
Dear mother
Just a line or two to let you know
how things are going on here and that
is not too good I can assure you You
remember that last letter I wrote
you telling you that I was going to
start at Colidate well I started
and it only lasted four so shifts and
then a gang of us were payed off
for slackness I was on stonework
and damned heavy work it was
and from then util 3 weeks I
was knocking around the best way
I could until I got a start at South
Bouili I have been working there
for three weeks on stonework I have
8 Bob as shift of hours and all
nightshift it is rotten I can tell
you Now Mother you will be saying
he is doing will but what a mistake
the people at home make the hear
they make good money out here, true
but the what is the good of it you
have it all to pay away Now 

look at me for instance I work
for about for about 2£ 2s a week
and the it is not constant it is
very seldom the pit works the full
ten shifts a fortnight if so you get about 4.4.0
out of that I have get a pound a
week to pay for Lodgings for you
cant get them a penny cheaper and
no washing done so that is 2 quid
and by the time I send you something
each pay you will see I have not
much left I am about sick of it
although it will not be too bad if
this job is any way constant for
I can always be looking round
for something better Now Mother
how are you and Annie getting
on I hope you are getting on all
right Now. you will be saying
that I take my time about writing
well Mother I don't care about
writing unless I have something
to send with it but I will
write every fortnight now 

so you can write every fortnight
to my address is C/o W. Parks Midgley
Street, Coxtons Estate, Corrimal,
Elwarra Line, N.S.W. Now I think
I have little more to tell you than
that I am keeping as bit as fiddle
and that I am stopping with South
Shields people Now Mother this
is all at present so give my
love to Annie and with love
to yourselve I remain your loving
I remain
Your Loving Son
Jack
x x x x 
P.S. I am enclosing P O po for a 
quid 

1.9.11.10

12
Dear Mother
Just a few lines to
let you know that I
received your letters this
morning the ones that
you sent to Coledale
there were three letters
and three papers I am
glad to have that.
you are keeping all
right Now Mother
you asked me if I
had seen Jim Wilkinson
well by a lucky chance
I did see him in Sydney
about three months
ago he is on a tug
boat named the 
Storm Cook she runs
about Sydney. I see
you have given Sam
his marching orders
just liked his damned
cheek trying to rule
the roost he would
not have done it if
I had have been home
I bet on it would not
have been any fault
of mine if it had not
of stopped I also see
again that you have
given Antonio his
notice to 'Git' but
then it was just
like that pigs to 

try and boss it when 
he got the chance
I wish I had only
been home at home
I would have made
the Russian Jew bugger
dance a hornpipe on
his ars but [[?]]
[[?]] better luck
with the next
lodger I am leaving
my lodgings as my
landlord is preparing
to go home at the
end of the month
so they have sold
the bed I was using
but I am not sorry
for She was full
of slashing and tales
she is a proper gossip
she will very likely
to call on you when
she gets to Shields
again full of gossip
as usual but you
want to give her
the cold shoulder if
Now Mother I think
that i have given
you all the news so
with love to all
I remain
Your loving Son
Jack
P.S. I am sending a quid 

27.11.10
Corrimal
NSW
Dear Annie
Just a few lines to
let you know that
I am still alive and
kicking you Now
Annie I am very sorry
to hear that you are
not keeping well I
think you will have
to come out to Australia
and see if that will
do you any good and
I hear you are growing
like a leak if fact
they tell me you
are getting quite a tall
young woman there 
that should give you
you swelled head
Now how is things
going on at Shields
just about same I
reckon as they were
when I left them
you can give my love
to all my friends
and wish them a happy
New Year for me
and I also wish you
a happy New Year
Does the old woman
d stills eat "cocaonut]
bans" I could do with
one now give my
respects to Jack Fenwick 

and also to Mr & Mrs
Douwney Now Annie
I have not much
time to say as it
is three oclock and
I have to get changed
to get to the pit
I go in at five
and I an have a long
walk up the mountian
Now Annie I am
sending you a card
I hope you will
like it Now Annie
this is all at present
so with love
I remain
Your Loving Brother
Jack x x x x  

27.11.10
Corrimal
NSW

Dear Mother
Just a few lines to let
you know that I am still
alive and kicking of course
I told you In my last
letter that I had received
your three letters which
you sent to Coledale
Now Mother what were
you making such a song
about those so called
hardships there was no
hardship about it at all
it is just about the best
life that a fellow could
wish for "carrying his swag"
or "humping his bluey" 
as the colonials call it
going all over the country
with all your belongings
strapped on your back
that is your blankets
a change of underclothing
"if you have got any"
any a billycan y Now
Mother you will think
the that we would be
like the tramps in the
old country but what
a mistake the best of
respectable men with
a house of his own
when he gets out of work
he will just pack his
swag and off he goes

to where he heres the work
is on Now Mother I am
sending you a new year
card I think that it will
just about get th home
by about the New year
I say I want be home the
brus Christmas to help
you to eat that goose
mind I did use to help
with the goose if it
was only to eat it. I
I wish I was at Canny
Old Shields for the
Christmas this place
is so quiet it fact I
can feel my wih
whiskers turning grey 
all ready Now Mother
I hope that you are
keeping all right I have
changed my bourd
as Parks are selling off
it and could not keep
me any longer So just
put c/o J Heslop
Midgley St Corrimal
Now Mother I hope
you like this card
Now Mother I will
now conclude with
best love from
Your loving Son
Jack x x x x 
PS I am enclosing PO
for a quid