Correspondence relating to Mary Anne 'Bessie' Pocock, pre-1914 - Part 4

[*OC Hospital

Morelburg

in our time*]

No 16 General Hospital

Elandsfontein

Dec 31^st

Dear Sister Bessie

Thanks very much for 

the Christmas Card you sent

me, it was very good of

you to think of sending it.

I have certainly not received

many from my other friends, but

as I am rather neglectful myself

in that way I feel I don't

deserve to be remembered.

I meant to have written to 

you to hear how you were

getting on since I left, but up

to the present have not done so.

I am afraid I am rather used

to putting things off from day to

day with the result that they are

never done in the end

Of course I have heard indirectly

from Middelburg, my latest news

coming from Sister Potts whom

I met while she was at Johannesburg,

I also met Sister Muller a short

time since. From them I heard 

that there were some changes

since I left. I hope they were

all for the better.

The work here I found was much

less than I had at Middelburg

and much easier got through.

The hospital has never been 

full so I have had none of  

the trouble that I had so

frequently at Middelburg of

trying to make room when it

did not exist. I don't think

I ever felt the same interest

in this hospital that I did

in the one of Middelburg, there 

we had to begin from the beginning
here every thing was done before

I came.  The climate here is

good. Cooler than at most 

places. I have two Australian 

Sisters whom you know, at least

they know you.  [[Laeh?]] Gifford 

has been here for some months

but she is now leaving.

She goes home on the Oceana

on the 7^th.  She leaves here on

Friday morning.

I hope you still like

your Station.

With best wishes for a happy

New Year

Yours Truly

J [[Homeley?]]

I think he will.  he promised me so

kindly & I would like to get charge of 

a Hospital if only for a short time again

just to spite Miss Gould & her party.

I trust I never come in contact with 

them again. it would be too dreadful if

I should happen to get on the same 

Boat to England with them would it not?

A come down for my proud spirit - oh!

I should have to make the best of it - but

pray that it may not happen.

I was grieved to hear Mother had had

Rheumatism again. I get it myself so

can feel her. How is the family

I have a Rifle each for Fred & John  I 

wish I could send them. if I were near

the coast I could send them by some

Captain & get Mr Smith to meet them, otherwise

I shall lose them. Luggage is such a nuisance

to take about. I hope I may not lose

them, they are not much good I don't think

but will be a curio, if ever I get to Cape

Colony where the ostrich farms are I'll try &

get some feathers & send you.  Of course

here in Transvaal they are as dear

as in Sydney - more so I think I had to pay 

£1-6-0 for a pair of corsets yesterday so you

can imagine

I am writing this on duty having nothing 

to do so that is why you get such a long

letter. Trusting you are quite well & that

I shall soon be able to tell you 

that I am on my way to England

there is nothing you could get to do

here now. If I get a Hosp. here I sh.

be able I think to get you over.

I cannot tell so do not say anything

to anyone.

Goodbye yr loving Sister

Bessie

If I do get to England suddenly

I shall try & send a 

cable or word, perhaps, 

(leaving) so you will

understand -

Hope Dady & Mother are
quite well - Sorry poor dear
Rube has headaches so much
I am sorry Mother did that with
her teeth. Now her picture will
not look a bit nice -
glad she told old J. See that
I did not want to go home
I'll wait a little while &
really settle my affairs here
then write a letter wh. you
can send on to him. in case
they do send for me.
I think I'll stay & get a Hosp:
here. I have been offered it
& if I keep well shall stay
that is unless I get very tired
& knocked up wh. I don't
expect I shall.
I sh. hate coming home with
Nelly Gould & her lot now.
very funny Sis Allwater
letters
Pocock. & Etc
Johannesburg

poor thing she has
always been under
an English supdt &
I never till the past
few months.
Anyway we are very
agreeable I have not been
changed or anything
since she came do
exactly the same
duties more in fact
I'm sure it annoys
Gould, Nellie, & old Johnson
who I am sure is half

a man.
I must leave off now
Getting a dreadful
scrawl this but I
am busy
Yr loving Sister
Bessie.
I hope Dady Rays good to everybody

& she got hold of it somehow
she had no business to
So she put it in another
envelope & add: then
Miss Bessie Pocock
Nursing Sister
N.S.W. ANSR
C/. The Superintending Sister
The Military Hospital
Middelburg
[*From E.J. Gould
L.S. NSW ANSR
Johannesburg*]
this shows how spiteful
she is at my being in
charge since landing
up till now so I think
I'll get another charge positn
if only to spite her

LES ROCHERS
NICE.
May 29^th
1902.
My dear Miss Pocock,
I wonder if you
ever got a letter from
my son during yr
illness. He thought
so much of you
& he said he wld
write as I was quite
ill myself, first

from blood poisoning
after vaccinations & then
one of my eyes got
so bad I was not
allowed to read or
write for weeks. Then
a rush of letters I
had not been able 

to answer. Now my
eye is all right,
We are soon leaving
first for [[Lascre?]] Waters 
mud baths for Sir James's
foot which has been
very bad again, so bad
he had to excuse himself
from attending any of
the present functions as
he cld not stand for
long. I trust Acqui
not far from Milan
will do him good
and that we can go
to England abt 15^th July.
Our son is at 

Woolwich & will
have to be in London
for the festivities.