My Dear Wife
I take this oppertunity of Writing to you Hoping to find to find you and My Dear Child in good health as this Leaves Me at Presant thanks Be to god for the Same and I ham very unhappy to think that you have for got me So soon for My Part I know that I ham Shut up in one Corner of the World But I hope that you wont for get to write to me hevery 3 Months as there is a Ship Sails from Portsmouth and there is nothing will Give Me More happiness than to hear from you for My Part there is never a Ship Coms to this Contry But I goes to know whether there is aney Letter for Me or no and when there is no Letter then I think you Have quite forgot Me to think that I have got ondley one Letter Since this time 3 yers So I Desire you Will Let Me know the Reason that My Brother Dont Write to Me and My Cousan James and I hope they Will find time to write if they Can and My Dear father and Mother I hear that there is Peace with all the World so I Desire you will Send the Word if it is So and Please to Let Me know how the trade is Since Peac[ ] and Whether I can get a honist Living or not and there is a Strong Report of us getting our pardon and if there is Please to Let Me Know By the first Ship and you Mentinsond Some of the Men that Came from England with Me But I will ashure you I have never Cept Company with any one Sins I Left my natife Contry for I will ashure you I find
it as Much as I Can do to Mind My Self and I have Done all that Eavr Man Can Do to get my Liberty
and to Come home But it is all in vain the More I strive the More I ham Behind So Dear Mother if
Should Please God to Let us Meet a gain in this World I hope it will Be a happy Meetting and if it Should Please god to Call Me Before our Meeting I hope we Shal Meet in another World Where there Will Be no More Parting once I Did not think that it would Be my feat to Be So far Distant from you My Dear Mother and you My Wife and Child Dear Mother things in this Contry is very Dear Mens hats is too Pound too Shillings and Stockings ten Shillings Per Pair and Shoos Sixteen Shillings Per Pair Sugar 3 Shillings Per Pound and Butter 7 Shillings Per Pound Cotton Prints 12 Shillings Per yard velveteen one Pound Per yard 40 Reed Muslin 12 Shillings Per yard and Eavry thing acordingly and allthough the Prices is So high We are Verry glad to get at aney Price so I must inform you of my Wages
I have 20 Pounds Per year in Corrency Money it will Be More than 12 Pounds in English Coin So My Dear Brother I hope you will Stay at home with your Mother and Becontented in the State you are in and I Desire you to write to Me and Send Me all the news that is going with you Both in family afairs and how trade is and the Prise of Vitling and all oather news that you Can as ther is nothing will give Me More Satisfaction then to hear from you all & when it is Dark with you it is Light with us and the natifs of this Contry they are Blaiks and they go naked Just as they Came into the world and they live on Nuts of trees as [ ] [ ] Snouts or aney oather Creeping thing [ ]n and Children goes all naked a Like So I have nothing More to add ondley Begging of you My Dear Wife that you will take Perticul[ ] Care of My Dear Child until I Return for I will ashure you I think of nothing But you and My Dear Child and My Sincere Prayr is Both Day and night that I May once More Be along with you Both and never More to Be Parted – – –
So no More at Presant from your Loving husba[ ] – [til Death] and affectinate father and Dutifull Son til Death Thos Holding
[To] Mrs Holding
to be left at the sign of the Golden L[ ]
Church Gate Bolton
Lee Moores
Lancashire
This letter can be found at Lancashire County Records Office, ref DDX 140/7/18.
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