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

5 .6. 11 
J Kirkpatrick 
SS Cooringa 
Adilade 

Dear Mother
Just a line to let 
you know that we 
arrived here the morning 
from Newcastle I got 
three letters from you
and a Post card 
from Annie this 
morning I am glad
to hear that you 
are both keeping well 
and I that Annie  
as got a good job
How is the Shop doing
you have never mention 
in . your letters whether
you if going well 

2 
passage out for it 
dosnt matter in what 
part of this colony he 
lands he will get as 
much work as he wants 
that is of course if he 
isnt frightenon of a bit 
of hard work if he does 
managed to ever get 
out here he could get 
his wife and kid out 
for a bout a fiver and 
ans I am sure he would 
be better out here than 
w starving in that old 
lousebound country 
for a quid a week  

3  
or not Now you were 
telling me that Jack 
Fenwick has got 
married Poor Bugge 
 tell him I am sorry 
to hear of it and 
give him my deepest 
sympathy But tell 
him that he is silly 
to waste his time 
leading hay for his 
old man he he wants 
to keep his eyes open 
for a ship coming out 
this way and get out 
with her even if he 
has got to work or 

Now Mother I got 
your Photo & it looks 
very good I will get 
mine taken and send 
it to you We have 
been a trip up to 
Rockhampton right up 
in the North of Queensland
ant it was terribly hot 
it was as far as 115 
degrees of heat in the 
shade when we were 
up there Now Mother
I will now conclude
with love to you & Annie
from Jack
PS I am enclosing PO for 2 quid 

J Kirkpatrick
SS Cooringa 
9.7.11

Dear Mother
Just a line to let you know
that we arrived here this morning
from Bunbury I am sending you
your money as usual I would
have sent it on the first
as usual but we have been
right up the Northwest a
far as Geralton and we
dont get paid in them
small ports so we have
had to wait till we got
to Adilade Now Mother 
I hope that you had got
that money that I sent
last month from Newcastle
I have not received a
letter from you for above
two Months I am just
wondering if you have
forgot me altogether
Now Mother I am thinking
of going across to Vancouver
in British Columbia my 
mate is going across and 

he wants me to go with
him but I dont know 
yet what I will do yet 
so you can still keep 
on sending your letters 
to the SS Cooringa and 
if I do happen to go 
across I can easily get 
my letters sent on to me 
until I write and give 
you my address Now 
Mother I hope you and 
 M Annie are keeping well 
and that you are doing 
well in your shop I 
suppose by the in a very 
short time I will hearing 
of all the horses and carts
that are running about with 
I your famous "Cockonat Buns" 
Now Mother I hope that you 
and Annie are keeping well 
for I am still keeping very well 
so to best love to you and the kid 
from your loving 
Jack
[*PS have you still got Lil if so would 
you get her photo taking and 
send it out to me for I would 
like show it to the donkey man of this 
ship he is a So Shields man*]

S S Cooringa
Fremanle
21.8.11

Dear Mother.
Just a few lines to 
let you know that 
we arrived at Fremantle 
today From Port Kembla 
on the first of the 
month but we dont 
get paid there so I 
could not send you 
any monies but I am 
sending you a couple
of quid in this 
letter and I will be 
sending you another
couple on the First 

have just got in 
this morning so the
letters might come 
off later & we have
had a very bad 
passage to the West
this time we have 
been 20 days instead
of about 14 we have 
had two life boats
washed away coming 
across the 'Bite' and
the second cook got 
washed obouard and
drowned Now Mother
I think I will now
conclude & a give  
of next month Now 
Mother I hope that
you and Annie are 
keeping well for I 
am keeping pretty 
well my self I am 
Glad to hear that 
Annie is still sticking
her job and that 
you have got a 
lodger I suppose 
that it is only a 
matter of time and 
you will make 
your fortune I have 
not had a letter
from you for above
a month but we 

my love to Annie
and with love
to yourselve
I remain 
Your loving Son
 Jack  

8. 11. 11
SS Kooringer
Adilade

Dear Mother
Just a line or two
to let you know
that we arrived here
this morning from
Bunbury in the West
Now I am sorry that
I could not say more
in my last letter
as I had to run
from the PO to 
avoid losing my  
passage I sent you
a PO for two pound
in the letter I hope 
you got it all
right Now Mother 

I hope that you and
Annie are keeping 
all right I for I am 
keeping in good nick 
just now I suppose 
that you are having 
terribly cold weather 
at home just now 
it makes me run 
cold all over when 
think of the cold
winters you get in 
the Old Country i 
 is just the reverse 
to what we are getting 
here it is very hot 
here now but it is 
nothing to what it  
will be by about  
Cristmas we get it
about 125 degrees of
heat here in Midsummer
and that is in the
shade Now Mother
I suppose that you
will soon be making
preparations for
Cristmas by the time
you get this letter
So I am sending you
a couple of quid
extra this month for
your Cristmas box
so dont forget to
drop it in your
stocking for of me 

Now Mother I will have
to draw to a close
now so I will wish
you and Annie A
Merry Cristmas & a
Happy New Year
So with best love From
Your Loving Son
Jack
PS I am Sending
Annie a P0 for a
quid for her 'Crist box"

7. 12. 11
SS Cooringa
Fremantle

Dear Mother
Just a few lines to
let you know that
we arrived here from 
Newcastle Now Mother
I sent You and Annie
your Xmas boxes from
Adilade I hope that
you get it all right
I sent you a PO
for 4₤ and Annie
a PO for 1 pound
Now Mother I hope
you and Annie are
getting on all right
and are as I keeping in good
health Now I am
sending you two 
pound in this letter
Now give my love
and with love to 
yourselve
I remain
Your Loving Son
Jack
PS am enclosing 
PO for a quid