Letters from John Simpson Kirkpatrick to his Mother, 1911, Part 1 of 3

16.1.11 
S.S Carringa 
Albany 
West Aust. 
  
Dear Mother 
Just a few lines to you know  
that I am still alive and kicking 
and that I have started work 
again I left Corrimal about 
a week after I wrote you that 
letter with the Xmas cards 
in it I went from Corrimal 
to a place called Mt Kembla 
but I only stopped there a 
week for it was right up 
on top of the mountain and it was 
a very quite place so I took 
and worked my passage 
across to Fremantle in 
Western Australia I went 
up the country a bit about 
200 Miles but things were 
rotten there has been a very 
big gold rush here but  
all the good it done 
was to simply cover ress 
the country with men 
right from Bulfinch 
to Fremantle and work

was bad to get there 
was men working for 
three and four bob a day 
so that was no good 
to me so I went back to the 
coast again. I got the 
chance of a seconds stevedore 
job on the Carringa so  
I took it for the time being 
until I can get something 
better Now Mother I can't  
sent you anything with 
this letter as I am hard 
broke the until the end 
of the month they pay 
the last day in each 
month so I will send you something 
then Now Mother I hope that 
you and Annie are keeping 
well and that Annie is 
liking her job at the fruit 
shop I received your first 
letter which you sent to Corrimal 
the day I left and a paper 
Now Mother I think that

I will now conclude 
w so give my love to Annie 
and with love to yourselve 
I remain 
Your loving Son 
Jack 
PS When you write send 
it S.S. Corringa. Melbourne 
Melbourne 
Victoria 
and put on Please send on

Fremantle 1.31.11 
S S Coringa 
  
Dear Mother 
Just a line or two to let 
you know that I am sending 
you a couple of quid from here 
I hope that you and Annie  
are keeping all right Now 
Mother I am dead beat for 
time at present so excuse 
shortness of letter I am in 
the Stokehole again I am 
Firing on the Corringa now 
So give my love to Annie 
and with love to Yourselve 
I remain 
Your Loving Son 
Jack 
P.S will write your a letter 
from next port without fail

17.2.11 
Bunbury 
W A. 
  
Dear Mother 
Just a line or two to let you 
that I arrived at Bunbury this 
morning From Sydney via Fremantle 
we are going to load timber for 
Adilade in South Australia 
and Melborne and Sydney 
Now Mother how is things 
going on at home I suppose 
you have had one of those 
English winters about a foot 
of snow and a lot of frost 
we have had a hot summer here 
you see we are having our 
summer when you are having 
your winter it is very hot 
out in the West here where 
I li am Just now but I stand 
it all right a lot better than 
I think that I would stand 
the cold at home Now 
aske Annie how is she liking 
her job in the fruit shop  
I suppose she we will give

you a pound of grapes now and 
then when you go in for a  
hapenny turnip. Now Mother 
I am very sorry that I had 
nothing to send you in that 
last letter but you see I was 
right up agian it at the time 
or in other words I was dead 
broke but I am sending you 
a quid in this one. I had  
very little to take and I had 
some *duds to buy for I only 
had what I stood up in If  
we get go to Adilade and 
get paid there I will send 
of a couple of quid I know 
it will be acceptable as I expect 
things are still bad at home 
Now Mother I hope that you 
ha are keeping all right and 
well for mind I am I was 
weight today I was 12 stone 
4 pound I am getting an awful 
size I am filling out fine 
[*DUDS mean Clothes*]

of coure it is a very light 
job far different to pitwork 
or Frireing Now Mother have 
you still got *Lil yet  Now 
[*LIL a little Yorkshire Terrier he 
loved & left with my mother*]
mention me to my Friends 
and give my love to Annie 
and With love to yourselve 
I remain 
Your loving Son 
Jack 
x x  x x x x 
P.S. Dont Forget the address 
S.S. Cooringa Melbourne and 
put on . "Please send on" 
I have only got your First 
letter which you sent to 
Corrimal did you send 
that Photo as you promised 
I hope you have 
Now Solong 

2.3.11 
S.S. Kooringa 
Adilade 
S.A. 
  
Dear Mother 
Just a line or to let you know 
that we arrived in Adilade on 
Monday from Bunbury as I told 
you in my last letter that I was 
thinking that we would go to 
Adilaide We are going from 
here to Melbourne where we 
will start to run between 
Melbourne Sydney & Newcastle 
Now Mother I hope that you 
are all keeping well at home 
for I am still in the pink 
of condition I am thinking of 
coing back into the stokehole 
agian if I get the chanse 
you Now Mother I sent you 
a letter From Bunbury & I  
sent you a quid in that 
letter and I am sending you 
a couple of quid in this letter 
Now I have not got a lot 
to say in this letter as the 
mail leaves and I am pinched 
for time So Give my love to

to M Annie & with love to 
yourselve 
I remain 
Your loving Son 
Jack