So many took an interest in the letter in my last post written by a young man to his Mother when he was at sea in 1901. For those wondering what happened to him, here he is below.
He maried my Grandmother in 1899 so was obviously married when he wrote the letter. They had 9 children, one of them being my Father.
He died aged 67 having lived a fairly prosperous life but I was only a baby so never knew him.
Below is another interesting letter written to my Grandmother by her Aunt when grieving the death of a child. Note the black border which was always used (even when I was a child) when someone was in mourning. It is actually 2 letters in one as part of it is to my Grandmother's daughter.
I am not actually researching my family tree but putting together all the information that I already have which has previously been researched by two cousins and myself. I also have several centuries of research on Alan's family and this was done by his brother and gifted to my daughter when she married.
Green’s House Farm
Rainhill
Feb 12th, 1900
My dear Niece
I received your letter and was glad to hear from you. I wish you both much happiness in your married life; may God bless you and prosper you, which He never fails to help them that trust in Him. I was very glad to know that Lily has got a son and doing well. Poor Joe I feel awfully sorrow for him & I do hope he will come back one day safe for I am sure his mother will feel it very much, his wife must be very anxious about him be sure & let me know if you hear from him, you did not say how your father was but I suppose no news is good news. I hope sister & little May will soon be all right, I should like to see Thomas I hope he is well.
Dear May, (one of Grandmother's daughters - my Aunt) I hardly know how to express myself in the terrible blow I have received. I have been broken hearted since my darling died it is God’s mercy that I have been spared, it came so sudden upon us that it threw me prostrate with grief. I miss him everywhere & more every day. I really feel I can never see through it but if it will please the Almighty to spare me that I may worship him in health & strength that I may be prepared to meet my Angel Boy above. I do not think I shall ever be happy again in this world, I was so much attached to my love. Mr Frith was very much grieved though he is keeping up very well. Elisabeth & Martha are very well they send their love to you all. Excuse the writing for it is in tears; you might bring your husband down never mind if you have no Mourning that will no make any difference. I shall be glad to see any one of you any time, you did not give me your name so I have addressed the letter to your Mother so that all may see it. Tell little May her photo is all right, not forgetting Lily & husband, so I think I have mentioned you all.
So with love
I remain
Your Aunt in trouble
J. E. Frith
Letter sent to: -
Mrs Ledson
2 Florida Street
Strand Road
Bootle
Liverpool
19 comments:
Very nice that you have these in your possession. I treasure my stack of letters, war records, and family history. My daughter did much research the last year and nothing is more exciting than finding yourself connected to someone several centuries ago. I loved the obvious Christian sentiments in the letters. Thanks for sharing!
What a world of grief this reveals.....
..." I do not think I shall ever be happy again in this world, I was so much attached to my love."
I suppose people do get over such things (my own mother for example). What faith you must have to survive such a blow!
Well below freezing here today.
13'f today at noon.......
Wishing you cheerful things!
I am just fascinated by the writing and content. Thank you for sharing. So long ago.
Dear Barbara, It is so wonderful to have such letters in your family archive. They are always so illuminating about the times in which they were written and are to be treasured for all future generations to enjoy.
Dear Barb,
Thank you for sharing letters.
I had no idea that black borders were used. Very helpful in knowing that one is grieving.
May you have a wonderful winter.
Trying to stay warm here in Kansas.
I am truly ready for Spring!
Perhaps Valentine's Day will warm my soul up a bit.
d from homehaven
A very sad letter but also full of trust in God in the midst of it.
Interesting to see a Florida street in Liverpool....
You are reminding me of all the family information I have that still needs organizing.
I do think that these letters and others like them do convey so much about the times they were living in. It's hard to imagine now what it must have been like then. Letters were a very valuable source of communication. Today our internet makes us so much more in touch.
Looking through treasures like that is a very good winter past time and something very valuable to pass on to future generations too.
Such raw grief. Oh I feel for this dear one. We do have such promise in God. He understands such despair. Thanks for sharing this intimate letter from your family.
Sunny and in the garden~California
Such treasures, I never saw the black border before. I remember the
blacked out lines on overseas letters from WWII. There was a saying in one letter my Grandmother used to use. She was from Sheffield. Stay Warm, we are having a terrable cold winter in Maine.
yvonne
Barbara, the saying
"NO news is Good News."
Sometimes I can't remember
hope it's not Alzheimers..
GOD FORBID.
yvonne
One hopes that this poor woman was helped by pouring out her grief. It touched me to read it. I have some lovely old letters and of great interest to my family. A letter perfectly describing heart trouble written nearly 100 years ago by my maternal great-great grandmother and one written by her son describing his father's poor state of mental health after her death.
How very precious and heart-wrenching. Again, there is so much emotion in what she writes. Yet there is the "formal" reference to Mr. Frith and having to mention each one by name...as the custom. In those days news travelled slowly and each word consumed by the recipient - so important in communications. Also, I loved to hear how she turned her grief to the "Almighty" and requested his grace to bear her sorrow. Thanks again for sharing this lovely piece of your personal family history!
Wonderful social history- irreplacable.
Florida Street doesn't exist anymore (redeveloped)but Strand does.
http://www.bootlehistory.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15716&sid=c86911497c3b0fe678ed51bcaf15c43b
last couple of pics show the development of the Strand Shopping Centre at the E side of the road.
I had a look for the farm at http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html but my eye sight wasn't good enough.
Her anguish is still so very immediate, I hope she learned to accept and find peace in her life.
And her unshaken faith, also jolted me.
j
People did know how to write a good letter in those days. Formality was the norm. We have lost a great deal, I think.
Just popped in to wish you a good Sunday, we have so much snow it's terrible.
yvonne
how interesting - I love old letters even if I don't know the person who has written them. A art which is dying out today and being replaced by emails etc (not quite the same really is it?). I recently discovered that I have a 2nd cousin living in Dagenham and have been corresponding with her and when I arrived home from holiday lo and behold there on the door mat was a letter from 2nd Cousin Mildred.. wonderful.. take care, Judyx
I've tried to trace some of my family history over the years. My great grandmother came from England on a ship to America, met a man from Germany on the ship, and they were married shortly after they landed.
She was Amy Marlow, and I've never been able to find out much about her.
She passed when I was 5 or 6, and I can remember her at her 92 birthday party! Didn't mean to ramble....
Thank you for sharing. I love the handwriting. It seems everyone had such beautiful handwriting "back then". I find all this so interesting. Life was difficult then, and people seemed to care so much.
Blessings,
Anne x
Hi Barbara,
What a beautiful letter to have! I know it’s a very loose connection, but it looks like your Grandmother’s Aunt was the second wife of my great-great-great grandfather, Robert (Mr!) Frith.
My family tree says that the little boy who died was called Frederick James Frith, and only 14 years old.
It would be lovely to find out how we'e related!
Best wishes,
Jennifer
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