Genealogy Forum UK

One of my interests is philatelly, thats grown up stamp collecting, one area I have moved into is collecting postal history, old letters and envelopes. Some letters make very interesting reading, my latest purchase is a lengthy correspondance from Fanny Hooke to her brother who is living in the USA, a couple of interesting peices of gossip are relayed to the brother as follows:


Dated November 21st 1913

I think I told you Harry had broken off all love & friendship with Dolly - & is in love with married lady much older than he & also a husband living but not with her. What a silly boy he is to waste his time.

Willie was in London last Sunday until Tuesday morning & Frank & Harry dined with him at the Euston Hotel on the Sunday night. Frank is in fearful trouble about his wife. Willie & I had to send him £10-0-0 at an hours notice The other week to pay some bills she had run up .

She drinks & smokes all day long & she & the sweet baby boy & home are in a most neglected condition – her head is just alive with live stock and was when here in August. SO he is I think having a separation from her.

She will be allowed an weekly Allowance. We have offered to take the baby if she will part with it & he will go into (oliyo ?) for a time.

Willie said both boys were looking ill & their for Harry feels for Frank very much . We shall hear this first week what she is going to do. Possibly her mother will have her. She is no good to anyone and all love or affection for her has gone he tells us. We have been thinking next year he might go abroad.

My wife says I always drive to fast:....It must be in the genes..........

Worcester Journal
28th. Sept: 1872


Thomas GARRATT was my Gt.Grandfather & Jeremiah GARRATT my 2X Grandfather.

THought you might like to see the whole letter, so I scanned it and here it all is.

pages 4 and 5

pages 6 and 7

Brilliant what I could read. I love old things like this!
I wonder who they were? Intriguing!
Jo

Really lovely , my husband collects letters and diaries from the second world war and some are very emotional . I wrap them in ribbon and place them in a box has I feel they are so precious and we are just the guardians .

There were some squiggles I could not make out properly, Here is the transcription as best as I could do it.

My dearest Ted.
I have your two welcome letters of Oct 19 from Buffalo & now one received dated 6 from Washington Many thanks for both with all the news. Poor old dear you do a lot of knocking about in all kinds of climates & must often be tired & long for a quiet time & more home life.

I am glad you have a new audit in Washington. Hope business is real good & that you are keeping well & (free) from colds. I hope also that Ethel has got rid of her coughs & let it behind at the ? . Give her my love & tell her she owes me a letter. I have not heard from her for months. Well old boy I was truly sorry & so was Willie to hear of the death of your best man O’Brien. Poor old Chappie we have often thought & talked of him since you told us about him. It would be a big shock to you & what a lonely man he must have been.

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Have you filled his position with a good man. We were glad to hear that Mary had a room & had settled to work with some pupils. I do hope she will do well. I have not yet heard from her since leaving your home, but expect every mail, I heard from Mrs Dawson, she & Annie Watson were here for a couple of hours last Evening.

Annie had been to see Mrs Dawson I called to see her on Monday she is quite settled in half a house, her brother & sister in law having the top part. Mrs Dawson looks very poorly but I think After a quiet time * rest she will be better. Don’t mention about Mrs Dawsons looking ill to Mary. I think she worked too hard all the time she had this larger house & Aunty living with her.

By the way, Aunty is a little further off no, so we are not so worried with her, but her landlady wanted an increase last month of £1-0,0 a month she is so much trouble. But its worth it to have her further away. Now my dear boy I must tell you that am feeling some thing better the last few weeks & on Monday went to West Kirby to see the Aunts & found both very poorly. Aunt Eliza had
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been in bed & under the Dr & I was so sorry for them for they looked very miserable & ? maid girls are so hard to get thses days & the Aunts specially Aunt Luiton trying to get on with. I am wanting a second girl now & cant find one like. Then I suppose in a few months Joseph will be wanting Mary out to ? -

he was very pleased to see you & we hear all the news but he did not see much of you this trip said you were so busy - he has not had an increase ? But is hoping to soon he never misses a week writing to his little girl or she him. She is a good little soul & will make him a splendid wife.

I had a nice letter from Ada a few days ago telling me about Mrs Fore having such a splendid welcome from you. She had no time whilst hime on this last trip to come up but Ada wants to bring her up the next time. Fancy Doris is engaged to be married & to our ? young Frank Pitt. But it strange if she becomes connected with the pitt family which of course she will – She had been to her first ball at the town Hall the other week with him

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& was dressed in white Satin &swansdown & being a beautiful painter had painted pale pink wild Roses down the front of dress & around the basque – I should imagine that she would look very ?

Now dear I must tell you some of our home truths – I think I told you Harry had broken off all love & friendship with Dolly - & is in love with married lady much older than he & also a husband living but not with her. What a silly boy he is to waste his time – Willie was in London last Sunday until Tuesday morning & Frank & Harry dined with him at the Euston Hotel on the Sunday night. Frank is in fearful trouble about his wife.

Willie & I had to send him £10-0-0 at an hours notice The other week to pay some bills she had run up – she drinks & smokes all day long & she & the sweet baby boy & home are in a most neglected condition – her head is just alive with live stock and was when here in August.. SO he is I think having a separation from her. She will be allowed an weekly Allowance. We have offered to take the baby if she will part with it & he will go into ? for a time.

Willie said both boys were looking ill & their for Harry feels for Frank very much . We shall hear this first week what she is going to do. Possibly her mother will have her. She is no good to anyone and all love or affection for her has gone he tells us. We have been thinking next year he might go abroad.

They heard of hi troubles at the office & are very sorry. What a fool the boy has been & what a wreck he has made of his life, Nelly and Tom Hooke & lady friend came to see me a few weeks ago. Fanny is still with them & having a ? She has not been to see me since her return Nelly tells me she is treating her to a few lessons in singing.

You will have heard of Birmingham cousin Teds wife dying so suddenly. One of Willies Office staff has just died adter a weeks illness of acute pneumonia & was cremated at dufield? Last Saturday. Willie attended the service etc & I was so sorry to see in a paper last week the death of Mr Webb. Miss Winifred Webbs father he also was cremated – I have written her a few times of sympathy. What a lot of friends are passing away of late it makes one feel very sad.

How are George & ? getting on is ? still with you – by the way my Harry dined on Sunday week with cousin John & ? they have a loverly furnished flat near Harry for the winter so John has such a busy time as master of the carpenters etc I have left Birdhurst for the winter furnished there is only John Avis and Phillis at home Winnie is studying music in Berlin for the winter. Willie is working very hard at his ? from now until next may means a very busy time for him.

By the way Annie Watson sends you & Ethel her love, she is getting better looking & keeps her figure fine and she is so bright now she is rested up. Bobbie Watson from ? who is keeping her is having a long holiday & hopes to spend Xmas in England, he has been with mrs Gibbs and Co. for 8 years without a holiday, he gets £800 a year and all ? except clothes and Laundry so he has saved a nice little bit for a holiday he says.

I shall be pleased to see him here. We were hoping old Mr W would also come but he wont. I expect at 85 he feels it rather much. Now my dear old brother I think I have told you all the news for this time. Xmas will soon be here and in a week or two I must be making some mince meat and plum puddings I am wondering if the boys will be home and how ? you are having a big hug and kiss and lots of love from your loving old sister Fanny.

NB The old Aunts send you love and also does Willie ? that letter will reach you one of these days – my love to Mary when you see her. I do hope she will make a good musicain The Collards have always done well with their music. Did I tell you I had a call from Emily Butcher a cousin of theirs one day she looks very old and white haired. Now dear good night again.

The recipient of this letter is Edward W Hooke who ran a public accountancy company from 80 Wall Street New York. His firm was called, quite originally, Edward W Hooke and Co.