Letters from John Simpson Kirkpatrick to his Family, Part 1 of 2

Dear Mother 
Just a line to let you
know that we arrived at Newcastle
today and we are leaving tonight
I am sending you two pound
in this letter  Now mother I hope
that you are keeping and that
and Annie is keeping well.
Now Mother I am very
much pushed for time
So with love to you and
Annie
I remain
Your Loving Son
Jack 

Dear Mother.  Just a line to let you
know that I am still keeping in
the best of health I received all your
letters and papers.  I have had a letter
from the Bank in London and I have
got to write to Perth So that you
will be getting the money all right
soon with love to you and Annie
Your Loving Son
Jack 

Dear Mother
I am dropping you a letter
hopeing that it will find
you as it leaves me and that
is in the best of health
Now Mother I wrote you
a letter a fortnight ago
encloseing a quid but
that will not have
reached you yet Now
Mother I am sending you
15 bob this pay as I have
only had seven shifts
for the fortnight, which
after paying 2 pound
for bourd and paying
off is for s[?]y of my fags
I am just about cleaned 

out.  Now how is going things
on at home no earthquackes
or anything of that sort I suppose
since I left home how is the
pigeons going on but I dont
suppose that you have been
daft enough to keep them
as they were only a nuisance
and u God knows how long
it will be before I get home
again but I hope you have
still got Lilly she is still
worth keeping I suppose
& I will send you the 7/6
(DOG LICENSE)
for the new year for her
license.  I have such a nice
dog out here a cattle dog
such a pretty dog he is

and the license is only 2/6
a year out here Now how
is an Annie getting on.
and have you got any
lodgers yet by gum Mother
you of should be out here
keeping lodgers you would
make a fortune in a
quarter less than no time
for you would get a pound
a week and they dont
feed you too well either
the place where I was
before I came to stop
with Parks was rotten
there was very little
grub and what there
was it was dead crook

I could hardly get a drop
of water to bath with
when I came home
through the night I
soon got full up of it
when the man and wife
were drunk they used
to scrap like hell then
he started with me that
put the tall hat altogether
for fo he smote me across
the head with the poker
after that and put a
cut in my head about
an inch long after then
I sailed in and then you
could not see anything
for dust for I broke a 

chair over his head and
in the struggle we.
upscuttled and broke
a good few things so
me he got a summons
out against me for assault
and "abreaking hup of th
appy ome" but as both
him and the wife was
drunk and I wasnt the
case was dismissed I was
only there a fortnight
altogether and then I
came to stop with Parks
and I have got a good lodge
I can tell you plenty
pot pies and onion
puddings thems the 

the things you want
to get your back up
they are So Shields
people they used to live
in Byron St. at Westoe
there is only one thing
I am sorry about and
that is that they are
going Back to Shields
at Christmas so they
will be calling to
see you and giving
all the news about
Astrailia they are such
nice people Now Mother
how would you and
Annie like to come
out here but off course 

you would not care
to leave the old roost
ah weel wal hae tae
mak the oo it Now
Mother I think I have
given you al the news
So Give my love to
Annie and with love
to yourselve
I remain
Your Loving & Affectionate Son
Jack
x x x x x x 
PS. I am enclosing PO for 15 bob
 

hope you have sent
that Photo I asked
you for to your letter
addressed to Coledale
if not send it to
Corrimal you know
the address
C/o Parks, Midgley
St Corrimal Illarra
line.  New South Wales