Thursday 29 November 2012

29th November 1812: A poorly Thomas Holden write from his transportation ship, The Fortune

On board the fortune November 29th 1812

Dear and loving wife I take opertunity of Righting a fue lines to you hoping they Will find you all in good helth but Dear wife I am very Sorry to inform you that I am Very Bad of the yellow Jandes and has been for a fortnight and I am still getting Worse and if I Very Soon do not get some Relif I am afrade I shall not Recover and dear wife I think it is with being so Close Confined and I have taken to my Bed – and dear wife I am Very unhappy Concerning I have Sent a letter and never Recevid no ancer and you knowing we may Saill any Day as Dear wife It is all the Confert I have in this world to hear from you Dear Wife I have no frend hear but John Fisher and he wates upon me and Lookes after me like a Brother Dear wife I have hard you have pititioned to go with me and Dear wife I Could wish to know if you have any prospect of going with me or getting me off

Dear wife you know it would not be too late to get my Sentance Mitgated if we were oute of the Contry as I would have you to do all you Can for me and Dear Wife the Capn dose not open the letters as the Capn dose at Langston harbour and dear Wife I Could wish to know if you have any Prospect of Coming to me and I would have you to Right amedintly by the Return of Post and Give my love to your sister Nancy and So no moar at Present from your Ever Loving and Effecned Husbant til Death Thomas Holding 

Dear Honored father and Mother I think it Propper to inform you what Situation I am in as you desired to know Dear father and Mother the Plase that I am in is like unto that which Mr Fletcher put me and my Brother and my Uncel [    ] into my Beddin is as Bad or worse -- and here are alowed to go on Deck aboute one hour Per Day and Some Times more & many Bolt[oun] [Donyours]

Dear Honored father and Mother we have Beene 7 weeks withoute Cleane Shorts and we asked the Capn for Shorts and he Said they Could not be Durty yeat – and I weare Irones on boath kegs as we did Before at the hulks Deare Honored father and mother if you Cannot Do nothing for me and very Soon I am Sure you will neve See me alive agane and give my love to my Brother and I I have Eaten nothing for 3 days not on[e] penny worth of meate – and so no moare at present from your Ever loving and Effecned but unfortunate and unhapy Son til deat for Ever Ever moare

Thomas Holding

This letter can be found at Lancashire County Records Office, ref DDX 140/7/12.

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