Letters between John Simpson Kirkpatrick and his Mother, 1914 - Part 3 of 9

5.5.14 
S.S. Yankalilla 
Port Pirie 
  
Dear Mother 
Just a line to let you know 
that we arrived here today from 
Adilade I have been in this ship 
now over three months now I wrote  
a letter to you last month and 
one the month before and I sent 
three pound in each letter I expect 
that you have got them by now 
Well Mother I got a letter from Annie 
with your letters and she was telling 
me that you had been poorly but 
I hope that you are all right again 
by now I wish you were keeping in 
the same sort of health as I am 
at present I never felt better in 
my life before I got weighed last 
night and I went 12 stone 4 pound 
so that is not a bad weight for 
a man working in the stokehole 
and doing plenty of hard solid 
work I am going to try and hang 
this ship down for another

eight or nine months and then 
I am coming home so see and 
start looking your best for next 
year for I am getting about sick 
and tired of knocking about out 
here and you know the old 
saying that "Every bird likes 
its own nest Best" so you can 
look out for me next month year 
even if I land home broke 
Now Mother tell Annie that 
I got her letters all right and 
the Gazzettes and I have just 
got a letter from the Customs 
to tell me that they have got 
the box that she sent out 
but I will get it when I get 
to Newcastle this trip Jack 
Jackson is still in the ship with 
me Well Mother I will now draw 
to a close with love to you 
and Annie I remain 
Your Loving Son 
Jack 
P.S. I am enclosing a P.O. for 3 quid 
X X

30.5.14 
S.S.Yankilalla 
Melbourne 

Dear Mother 
Just a line to let you know that 
I am still alive and kicking I got your 
letters in Newcastle last trip and a  
photo from Annie You were saying  
that you had not received any of  
my letters well I have sent you 4 
letters since I joined this ship and 
12₤ altogether with this letter But I 
expect that you have received some 
of it by now Well Mother I am  
glad to hear that you are keeping 
better now for I am keeping in 
the pink of condition Tell TAnnie 
that I got her letter and Photo 
all right and I Iam sure that she 
looks real well I have shown 
it to a lot of my friends and 
they say that she is very like 
me Now Annie was telling me that 
Peggy said that I had been 
writing to her Well I suppose  
you know different to that I 
would to Peggy for the only letters 
that I have wrote to the old country

since I left were to you and Annie 
for I have not even answered Sarah's 
letters and for all the love that I 
have for Peggy it would not be 
worth the trouble of wasting good 
writing paper over I wrote a couple 
of letters to her when I was on 
the Heighington and that was the 
only letters that I ever wrote in my 
life to Peggy. and the only ones  
that I am ever likely to write to her 
If you had taken my advice in the  
first place when I left and kept 
her out of it you would not have had 
her to worry you at all you should 
know Peggy by now Now Mother hopeing 
that this will find you and Annie 
in the best of health as it leaves 
me at present 
I remain 
Your Loving Son 
Jack 
P.S. I am enclosing a P.O. for 3 quid 
P.S.S If there is any trouble with 
P.O. Exchange with Mrs Jackson 
Jackson Made Mistake with 
Money Order