My Dear Annie – Missingham Letters 5

The following letter is the first one sent to Annie by David from Kalgoorlie in the Goldfields. His account of day to day life is interesting. He comments of the number of fires and the all pervading dust. David does seem to have a somewhat condescending tone to his wife who’s opinions I would love to have read in her return replies. I am sure she was very competent being a lone parent to several young children as well as an un weaned baby ‘Mr Jack’

David Missingham

Kalgoorlie 7 December 1896

Hannans, a street scene, 1894

 My Dearest wifie your first letter dated 11 Nov just to hand 3 weeks or rather 24 days coming to hand and I have one from Beary’s Office dated 18^th just a week after.  I thought you would write once a week little sweetheart.  Im aftraid dear Annie that you have been worried unnecessarily about those bills.  None of them are of much consequence except the baker & grocer however by the time you get this you will have some cash I have sent you forwarded P.O. £4.0.0 and another for £10.0.0 and I have written to Horstmann of Brisbane to send you the amount of my a/c about £30.0.0 which you ought to get a little after this letter which I’m lucky enough to catch the P & O & mail boat it will arrive with you at Xmas, and as I mentioned before you can wire me if very urgent.  I thought that I had settled up with Lewis when I paid his mate.  They were the two fellows who worked on the fence they were on 2 days each at 13/4 per day.  Lewis is therefore entitled to £1.6.8 and he is precious dear at that.  I am quite certain that I paid the other one.  Don’t pay anybody unless they are your own a/c without referring them to me.  Patterson has taken advantage of you little one as, (if he is the man that I think he is), utterly and unless he shapes well fire him and if you any trouble whatever see Mowbray and he will deal with any of those sort of gentry.  Mrs Vanstone will have to pay that amount for fencing but need it until 2 months notice has been given to her that is two months from the time that you gave her the letter.

Kalgoorlie Dust

Sell the fowls by all means, it will be better to buy any eggs that you want than keep fowls for those people. I expect that they will make havoc in the garden.  Dearest Annie ‘You must stop suckling Jack’ he is strong and healthy and I want you to be well and strong when I come back or when you come here.  He has had a fair innings, and will do all right.  Whatever you do keep up your spirits and don’t think of the separation more than you can. Two months will be nearly over by the time you get this and I will see you again soon.  Never worry sweetheart over anything, the brighter days are surely coming.   I feel certain that I can overcome all my difficulties and that you will do the same.  I believe in you my own I am always thinking about you Annie, always, making plans for us both for the future when perchance I will tell them to you.  Always loving you, I do miss you and the babies there is no doubt, but I have to face it.  I’m writing in the morning whilst the billy boils and I will afterwards go down the shaft and do some measurements then make some sketches for Brisbane, post these letters for mail train tomorrow and so on.  This is an awful place for dust and wind.  We had a big fire the other day, very little water about and fires are a usual occurrences.   I wish you had your fowls here, they are worth 17/- per pair. Goats are £2.10.0 each.  Washing and more washing are my abomination, I don’t think that I can stand them much longer.  I’ll shall have to go without either soon.

Dearest I’m very concerned about your health and insist on your keeping well and free from worry and  put Mr Jack in the pack and eat nourishing things and think of me coming back to you quickly or vice versa when we do meet again we will stick together and no more parting.  Keep the children’s memories of me from fading to much and trusting you will have the happiest of Xmas’s with the Gardeners.

And with my best love and kisses believe me Dearest Annie your Loving husband

D Missingham.

Christmas Card 1896

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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