Letters from John Simpson Kirkpatrick to his Mother, 1912, Part 2 of 4

1 . 3 . 12
S.S. Cooringa
Newcastle

Dear Mother
Just a line to let
you know that I am
Still alive and kicking
and in the best of health
which I hope that you
and Annie are still
enjoying.  We arrived here
this morning from
Melbourne we have been
laying in Melbourne
for 16 days While we
were in Melbourne
I met Jack Waters
you know his Mother
lives in our old house
in Corbridge St he is

donkeyman on one
of the Port Boats which
sail from London to
the Colonies So he
will be calling when
he gets back to Shields
and telling you that
he met me he was 
giving me all the 
news abouts his three
sons you know I
used to be in the
same class as his
second son at at the
Barnes and Mortimer Rd
school but he will
hardly believe it when he
looks at me but then
he says he remembers
me as a kid when we
used to live in Eldon
St I did not see him
again the time we
were in Melbourne
so I suppose that he
will be home in about
six weeks time H He is
a hell of a liar for
he told me he was
second engineer in the
old Southmoor with my
father then he said he
had served his time
to be a blacksmith and
now he is going to sea
as donkeyman Now he

was telling me his
oldest son is second
Engineer on one of the
home boats and that
his youngest son was
apprentice at sea and
had two year of his
time in he must have
thought that I had been
out here ten year instead
of two and did not
know his sons he is
a bigger liar that
Tom Pepper Now Mother
I hope that you and
Annie & are keeping
in goodnic health I
I am keeping very well

my self at present
I got those Gaycetts
which you sent & the
X mas papers the Wear
has  arrived in Melbourne
the time we were there
but I dont know more
of the men of on her
the firemen are all
Sheilds men but they
belong the low end
of the two town
 M I think that I will
now draw to a close
So give my love to
Annie & with love to
yourselve I remain
Your loving Son Jack

PS I am enclosing
PO for three quid
2 1/2 quid

1.4.12                                                                                                   
S.S. Kooringa
Albany                                                                                                             

Dear Mother
Just a few lines
to let you know
that we arrived here
this morning from
Fremantle There has
been one of the big
passenger boats went
down with all hands
and two sailing ships
with all hands I am
sending you a PC
of the 'Koombana'
that was the name
of the passenger boat
there was 147 people
on board her she

was built on the
Tyne Now Mother
I hope that you
and Annie are
keeping well for
I am keeping all
right Now Mother
I am sending you
a P.O. for three pound
I suppose that Jack
Waters is home by
now - I think I will
now conclude so
give my love to
Annie and with
some to yourselve

I remain
Your loving Son
Jack

4.4.12
S.S. Kooringa
Bunbury                                                                                                                       

Dear Mother
I have just received
your letter 4 days ago
in Gerarlton and a
paper and P.C. from
I am Glad to hear
that you and Annie
are keeping well
I see that the miners
have started work
agian and by the
accounts in the
papers out here
they have not got
what they came
out for It is
damned hard

2.
when you come to
think of it the way
they have been treated
it is a pity they
had not waited for
another two or three
years until they
had plenty of money
in there union
so that they could
have hung  on a bit
longer then the
Government would
have forced a settlement
one way or another
but then it will
all ways be the
way in that Louse

3
bound country it
is not like Australia
for we have not got
any house of Lords where
a lot of empty headed
fools have the right
to throw of out any
bill no matter how
much benifit in
would to the working
classes just because
there fathers sat
there before then But
then England has
always been like
that and always
will be until the
people do away with

4
they lords Look at
the railways at
home for instance
they all belong to
private Companies
that pay very large
dividends every
quarter through
having the men with
constant jobs work
ten hours a day
for the huge sum
of 1 pound one shilling
a week then other people
think that they are
very well paid the
no Government worker
on the railway out

5
here were growling
about a right the
they rise of wages
so they went to
Arbrutration Court
and the award they
got was that no
man that was working
for the Government
connected with they
the railways the
least he could work
for was 9/6 per day
and of course paid
te higher wages
according to your
job Now on the NER
at home a porter get

6                                                                       
22  shilling a week
one week and 18
shillings the next
week and if he is
extra civil to the
passengers he might
in if he has got
a bit of good luck
he might get a
a stray threepenny bit
so  you will see the difference
between the two countries
the working man out here
seerle votes for a labour
Government out here
but the men at home
has not got the sense
for that he must go

7                                                                             
and vote for the first
big Liberal capilitist
that puts up for the
seat Now Mother I
hope that you and
and Annie are keeping
all right and that
Annie is still liking
her job I am not
looking to well myself
for I went greasing
a couple of mtnth
months ago and I
dont think that
the engine room agrees with me
I have lost about 4
pound in weight since
I started so I think

8
that I thrive better
on the hard work
in the Stokehold off
course it is a very
light job I have got
and a responsible
job to but I ho am
thinking of turning
it in as it does not
suit me I see the
Titanic has went
down with above 1000
people Now Mother
I will now concloude so
with love to you and
Annie I remain
Your loving Son
Jack PO for 3 quid