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Archive Reference / Library Class No.D8760/F/FEG/1/25/5
Former ReferenceD3287/31/7/6-7
TitleLetter from Mary Price to her cousin Eleanor Isabella Gell, on assorted family news and on news about Tasmanian matters
Date21-23 Apr 1850
Extent2 sheets
LevelItem
RepositoryDerbyshire Record Office
SenderMary Price
Sender LocationNorfolk Island
RecipientEleanor Isabella Gell
Recipient LocationNo address
Archive CreatorEleanor Isabella Franklin, later Eleanor Gell (1824-1860)
Gell family of Hopton Hall, Wirksworth
CopiesA digital copy of this item can be viewed on the public computers at the record office.
TermInuit
Ethnic groups
Transcript or IndexNorfolk Island
21st April 1850
My dear Eleanor
A few weeks ago I received your letter dated the 21st August (49). I think some of your other letters to me must have gone astray. I lost part of the one in which you gave some account of Sophy’s dilemma with regard to Miss Rene. I cannot help thinking that same lady is not much good and that she attacked Sophy merely for the sake of extorting money from her. I have never been able to find out whether she ever had much to do. I only accidentally heard that Mrs E McDowell parted with her on no very good terms.
I feel quite sick at least at not hearing about dear Uncle John, yet hopeless as the case appears at present. I cannot quite give them up. The Esquimaux reports have given me some faint hope – There is very little chance of my ever seeing your dear Father again, even if he lived to be restored to his family once more, but although I could not be near him, it would still be a happiness for me to feel I know I had such a kind relation and friend in this world and should it have pleased God to remove him hence it is a consolation to think that he is so well fitted to enter that world of bliss where neither sin nor sorrow have any place.
I was very much pleased with the accounts you give of Emma & I am glad to find she has such kind friends in the Gells. I trust her intimacy with your sister in law will continue for it is of the greatest consequence to Emma to have serious associates of her age, for I fear her religious instruction has been left much to chance. I have never heard from her. I am under the impression that she is not allowed to write to me, were it not so, she would surely have acknowledged the receipt of the books I sent her, since, through you she must know where I am. I trust I may be mistaken as to my surmise. When you see or write to her give her my best love and kind remembrances to Mrs Evans – of whose health I am grieved to hear so poor an account. I have never had any intimation of your marriage except through the papers, until I received your last letter. From Sophy I have not had a syllable for a long time and it is more than a year since I heard from Aunt Jane & as to the other members of the family they do not trouble me with any letters, I am so bad a correspondent it is no wonder. I am sorry to hear such a wretched account of Aunt Wright’s family – They seem to be very unhealthy – Aunt Betsey lives on, wonderfully considering her age & infimities. I wrote to the latter about 18 months ago, but as I have received no answers I conclude my letter never reached its destination – like many others written from this place – We have not yet settled what we shall do with Fred. Mr Price dreads the Tasmanian schools, on account of the associates he would be likely to meet with there, & he is fully young to send home at present. Mr Price has some idea of getting a tutor, but I fear it will be a difficult matter to procure a suitable one. I am inclined to prefer a school education for Fred, for I think it is better suited to his character. He requires to associate with boys superior to himself in order to find his own level – for he has rather a good opinion of himself. I am in hopes of being able to persuade Mr Price to send him home in a couple more years. At present he is not altogether loosing his time. Mr Batchelor (the clergyman here whom you must recollect came out with the Bishop) gives him a latin lesson daily. The military schoolmaster gives him a writing lesson 3 times a week & also initiates him in the art of drilling and a respectable second class officer teaches him algebra & Euclid – for the rest of their instruction the children are dependant on myself. Until lately I had a German lady as governess – so that Fred reads & understands German tolerably well and can read French fluently – Our two little girls Emily & Anna are great pets. I do not know whether you have heard of our having lost our 3rd daughter & youngest child – She died of croup about a year ago. She was 17 months old. Her death was a sad blow to us. She was a most engaging sweet child. But now that time has healed my grief I feel happy to think she was so easily removed from this world of sin and sorrow, before she was tainted with the former and had not felt the latter.
I am glad to find you keep up your acquaintance with Mr Mackintosh. When you see him again do not forget to remember me very kindly to him. We still continue to like Norfolk Island, we see less of the prisoners here than we did in V.D. Land. Mr Price now gets 800 a year besides other advantages, which make the situation equivalent to a 1000 per annum. So that as far as wordly [sic] matters are concerned we have no right to complain. Our little ones are quite well. Fred is nearly as tall as myself: My better half is suffering greatly from nervous Rhumatism. This warm moist climate predisposes people to this malady – But I hope Mr P will soon be better: he is not nearly so stout as when you last saw him and much paler. We have all of us rather a cadaverous hue here owing to the constant heat – I often long for frost & snow – I think Mrs Scott acted very shabbily in writing to tell you she received no renumeration for her attendance upon Tom. Mrs Scott only sat up with Tom one night & part of another. Tom frightened the old woman so much in his ravings that she tore out of the room in the middle of the 2nd night of her attendance on him & Tom would not allow her to return. Mrs S. has however no right to complain for she was offered payment for the short time she attended Tom but refused to make any charge on account of her regard for the family.
Mrs Edward McDowall died about 3 months ago & the children went home in the Windermere. Mr Swanston is completely ruined & has ruined all those who had anything to do with him. I understand he is nearly out of his mind- Mr Carter bought his house in Newtown and is now living in it – Mrs E Bedford has gone home for the education of her eldest daughters. The Bishop has bought Mrs Pitcairns’ house. I hope we shall see him down here in the Spring. The comptroller &Mrs Hampton have been staying with us for the last month. We like them much. Dr Hampton seems very well pleased with the state of things here. Dr Hampton has been much abused by a certain set in V.D. Land, but from what I have seen of him I think him an upright well principled man. Young Gregson has paid us 2 visits as crown solicitor since his return to V.D. Land. He appears a quiet gentlemanlike young man, very like his Father in face, but very superior to him in a moral point of view-
I must now conclude my long letter with our united kind regards to you and Mr Gell.
Believe me
Ever yr affectionate
Cousin M. Price.
When you see or write to Miss Williamson give her my kind regards.
Write to me soon.
Freddy sends his love to you and Mr Gell.
23rd April – I have just heard by of Sydney that Captain Stanley of the Rattlesnake is dead. You must recollect him when he was captain of the Favourite –Poor old Mrs Burnett is also dead – a happy release for her for she was in every way fitted to leave this world
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