This is the last of these letters written By Elizabeth Eaglesfield from Wymondham, Leicestershire to her son who was working away in County Durham. These letters were saved by John, and copies were sent to me from a descendant of his from New York State. I should point out that there is a distinct gap with no letters between 1858 and 1868, and I presume that these must have been lost over time – I can’t imagine that there was no correspondence between mother and son for 10 years. John had been working in County Durham from the late 1850s and had married in 1861 to Mary Ann Allan, nee Porter, a young widow. They had by this time had 3 children; Mary Ann born 1862 – presumably name after her mother; Elizabeth born 1864 – named after John’s mother; and Isabella born 1867 – perhaps after her maternal grandmother, though I can’t trace her. This letter was written in 1869 and follows on from the one written in September 1868 where John had obviously informed his mother and father that he and his family were planning to emigrate to the USA. He must also have told them that he was intending to have a studio photograph taken of his family to send to his mother. She commented in the previous letter when saying that the elder brother George had turned grey, “I hope you will not disappoint us with your likeness.” Again the letter is reproduced as written. Jan 26 (1869) Wymondham My dear son daughter we recived your leter an portrets an sory to hear you had such illness in your house I hope you are all beter it leaves me beter than I have been your father his very stricken betimes with his water dear son we was in hopes you had haltied your minds and staid in your owen contry your father thinks their would be a liveing to be had he says he thinks you do not know what you are going to throw your self into but if you are bent of going it will be know use to say anything but we both would rather you did not go if you do go I hope we shall be decived an we hope an traust you will get safe over so I must leave it with you to jug for your selves we never see nor hear nothing of the Rudkins your father says the letter from amraca did not go to stainby your aunt his living but your uncle tom Eaglesfield died on chrismes eve at Birmegim William Beecraft his Maria an lives in one of the Mill Houses your aunt parker his had 2 strokes an has not spoke since the last you brother George an his wife came to see us in October dear son we have not heard anything of your brother William it has worit me George Rudkin has so much a weack to live on from the trustees or elc he would braught his Mother to the uinen well I must draw to a conlsuan another word about you going before I would com home your wife looks ill I must conclude with love to you both an children from your affactnate Mother E Eaglesfield susans address just the same as before Nom Miss Dunsmore 6 Eldon Street Leicester Across the top of the first page of this letter is written We had at first direct James Street we now direct what I have sent you Now with (most) corrections and full stops Jan 26 (1869) Wymondham My dear son daughter we recived (received) your leter an portrets (portraits) an sory to hear you had such illness in your house. I hope you are all beter. it leaves me beter than I have been. your father his very stricken betimes with his water. dear son we was in hopes you had haltied (altered) your minds and staid in your owen contry (own country) your father thinks their would be a liveing to be had. he says he thinks you do not know what you are going to throw your self into, but if you are bent of going it will be know (no) use to say anything but we both would rather you did not go. if you do go I hope we shall be decived ( deceived? but still can’t make sense of this line) an we hope an traust (trust) you will get safe over, so I must leave it with you to jug (judge) for your selves. we never see nor hear nothing of the Rudkins.¹ your father says the letter from amraca (America) did not go to stainby.² your aunt his living³ but your uncle tom Eaglesfield died on chrismes eve at Birmegim (Christmas Eve at Birmingham)⁴ William Beecraft his Maria an lives in one of the Mill Houses.⁵ your aunt parker his had 2 strokes an has not spoke since the last.⁶ your brother George an his wife came to see us in October.⁷ dear son we have not heard anything of your brother William.⁸ it has worit (again that dialect word for worried) me. George Rudkin has so much a weack to live on from the trustees or elc (else)he would braught (brought) his Mother to the uinen. (Union).⁹ well I must draw to a conlsuan (conclusion). another word about you going. before I would com home, your wife looks ill. I must conclude with love to you both an children from your affactnate Mother E Eaglesfield susans address just the same as before Nom Miss Dunsmore 6 Eldon Street Leicester Across the top of the first page of this letter is written We had at first direct James Street we now direct what I have sent you Footnotes: 1, 2 & 9: “The Rudkins” refers to the family of George Eaglesfield’s sister Susannah who had married John Rudkin, a farmer in Stainby, which was just over the border in Lincolnshire. John had died in 1861 and at the time of this letter, the farm was being run by Susannah and son George. This was 153 acres and employed 2 labourers, so shows that other members of this Eaglesfield branch were not as poor as George and Elizabeth in Wymondham. I do not know what the reference to “a letter from maraca (America)” means, unless it was a request for a reference for John prior to his emigration. I also do not understand why George Rudkin was talking about “the union” with respect to his mother. They appeared to be quite well off. 3 & 4: Uncle Tom who died on Christmas Eve refers to George Eaglesfield’s eldest brother, Thomas, who at the time of his death was a Coal and Lime Agent in Birmingham, again showing the differences in fortune/wealth in this family. “Your Aunt is living” I think refers to his second wife, who herself died later in 1869. 5: Another of George Eaglesfield’s sister, Maria, had married William Beecroft (spelled presumably as spoken as “Beecraft”) who was a shoemaker and cottager of 7 acres, in Market Overton, just over the border in Rutland. 6: I have no idea who “Aunt Parker” is. This is only a side branch of my tree, so there is a limit for my research. 7: Brother George, the eldest sibling, was a Railway Signalman in Derby. 8: William was the youngest brother still living and had left Wymondham to work in Harby, Leics. (census 1851) where elder brother George was also living, having married there. Co-incidentally he was working for the Vicar, as was John at the same time, but in Little Dalby. William then moved to London via Berkshire (see a previous letter) where he worked as a servant/butler. He also married in London “Susans Address” refers to sister Susannah who was working as a servant to John Dunmore, (a “manufacturer of fancy hosiery” in Eldon Street, Leicester) and his spinster sister Mary Ann. I find this letter quite heartfelt as Elizabeth keeps breaking off from family news to plead with her son to stay in England. It’s saddening to see that she starts every separate entreaty with the words “dear son”. I would also guess that the reason she thinks that John’s wife “looks ill” is probably due to the way photos were taken in those days. With the long exposure needed, many people in these Studio shots certainly did unintentionally look unhappy and ill, having to hold a set pose for quite a long time. However, John did emigrate, in April of this year, 1869. He settled in Pennsylvania as a famer, and had two more children there; Susannah in 1870 – named after his sister; and George in 1874, named after his father. His mother died in 1870 about a year after John emigrated, and his father died in September 1873. They are both buried in Wymondham churchyard, but on the one time I “walked” the churchyard I couldn’t find them. There is just one more letter extant, written by sister Susannah (Susan) to John in 1896 bringing him up to date with family matters, and I will publish this on Monday. Brian Binns Loughborough _____ No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2112/4789 - Release Date: 02/04/12