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Letters

to William Garland Nickisson in NSW 1856-1860
from Jane Emily Nickisson (his mother), Emily Nickisson (his sister), and Fanny Ball (his aunt), in Clerkenwell

From EMILY NICKISSON To: WILLIAM GARLAND NICKISSON Date: no date No address given Dear Willy, I wish they would set up a nice genteel parcels delivery Company and then we could send you the most delightful book you ever read, we have all been reading it and have been charmed it is by Bulwar and called "The Caxtons" we have been very much interested in it, for the hero goes to Australia and there is a most glowing account of a bush life but although Pisistratus (that is the hero's name) succeeds very well, he returns after a few years to England. Mama was reading this part aloud a few Sundays ago and we all cried dear Willy for we thought how far we were from partaking of the happiness we had been reading of; but I hope it will not be very long before we enjoy it too, until that time we must console ourselves by writing. We had an invitation this spring from Aunt Loyer to go to Paris and see the French Exhibition but we must decline it our funds not being in a state to warrant such a decided outlay more especially as there is such a bad account given of the present state of their Crystal Palace. People say it is nothing to compare to ours, that it is almost empty and that what goods there are covered with dust so we easily reconcile ourselves to the bunch of grapes which report is to obliging as to call sour. Mama bought such a pretty song a few days ago, it is called Willie we have missed you and seems written on purpose. Felix is to learn it and we all join in the chorus I will send you the words to show how apt they are. Oh Willie is it you dear safe safe at home They did not tell me true dear They said you would not come I heard you at the gate And it made my heart rejoice For I knew that welcome footstep And that dear familiar voice Making music on my ear In the lonely midnight gloom Oh Willie we have missed you Welcome Welcome home The days were sad without you The nights long and drear My dreams have been about you Oh welcome Willie dear Last night I wept and watched By the moonlight's cheerless ray Till I thought I heard your footsteps The I wiped my tears away Bur my heart grew sad again When I found you had not come Oh Willie we have missed you Welcome Welcome home Now I will give you the tune. Now I must say goodbye Willy with rememberance to Mr Kenrick and best love to yourself Believe me ever your affectionate sister, Emily Ask Mrs Kenrick to play it for you LINK Hear the song here! Link broken

From JANE EMILY NICKISSON To: WILLIAM GARLAND NICKISSON Date: 14 Sept 1856 43 Liverpool Street My dearest Willy, Your welcome letter of the 10th May has given me gret pleasure I hope you are married by this time and that you find all the satisfaction your have hoped for in your experience of married life. You must give my kindest love to your wife I hope to see her one day. What is her Christian name? And find all your anticipations realized of which there can be no doubt according to your description the one who is a good daughter must make a good wife. We are most willing to come to you had we but the means of paying our passage money £20 each (but ½ price for Felix) is the lowest I can hear of consistent with comfort on the voyage. Since midsummer our school has fallen off very much this is always a bad quarter we have lost our 5 best pupils owing to removals and other circumstances over which we had no control. I hope we shall make some additions this quarter. How tempting is your kind offer my dear Willy how happy should I be with you and much better it would be for Emily and Toddy than toiling here, we are going to save all we can towards coming over, but there is no one who can help up excepting Mr Smith and not having paid him yet for what he advanced to us to save our goods I cannot ask him so we must rely upon Providence and our own exertions to get over to you. Toddy has just returned from Paris she had enjoyed herself very much and has learned to speak the language very well. Aunt Loyer has been very kind to her, both Margaret and Matilda are unmarried. Marriages are as unfrequent in France as in England, girls like them with property remain single what chance then have those that have nothing. Aunt Smith and Emily are at Hastings Emily is going back to Brussels to school in October Poor Grandmama is very infirm she can only move about on crutches Grandpa is very well in health but very childish and quite loses his memory Our dear Emily will be 21 on the 28th of this month God bless her she is a dear good girl I am indeed blesses in my children all so affectionate and so dutiful. What pleasant evenings we should spend if we … with you. We have no society here but our family and the Dexters, Edwin is still doing nothing mores the pity at his age. We were much pleased with the newspaper pray send one whenever you can I like to know what you are about yonder. Uncle Richard's children have all got the scarlet fever Harry Smith is grown a very nice boy or young man - Now do write to us more frequently than you have hitherto done and pray dear Willie send a word for Aunt Smith she is very kind to us all and does us many little services she is a truly good sister if you would only send a trifle of the £10 I would cheerfully pay it but you know it is out of my power even Woods the tailor is not yet paid I own him still for you 20/- our means have been so strained but I do not care what we do to be able to come to you. I build such delightful castles in the air you cannot think of the happiness I provide myself with all my children round me in our new home. Acknowledge the receipt of the song Emily has sent you or we shall think it has never arrived as my Schottische must have been lost or no doubt you would have named it. Felix send his love he is all anticipation at your description of the friend he will have in Miss Phillips brother . Until we meet may God bless you and yours my ever dear Willy, Your affectionate mother J E Nickisson Kind regards to Mrs and a kiss for Miss Kenrick. You must give some of my best live to your wife my dear Willy and tell her I shall like a letter from her very much.

From EMILY NICKISSON To: WILLIAM GARLAND NICKISSON Date: 14 Sept 1856 43 Liverpool Street Dear Willy, What an amiable brother you are and how well you understand the way in which to rejoice a single sister's heart. The idea of those husbands knocking about to be had cheap in any quantity is really delightful but while offering me such an inducement to cross the Ocean you forget that by the time I arrive I shall be a complete old maid, a great, great deal too old for the Colony, particularly as you said Mrs. Willy (to whom give my love) was rather so at 19. I have been wondering whether the gentlemen in Australia wear farsatan(?) or gauze coats in the summer as you speak of brown Holland for winter wear. As you say you cannot obtain the song "Long parted have we been' that Mama mentioned I have copied it. I think it very pretty you and my new sister must sing it. I have come to the conclusion that if the weather is hotter with you than it has been here this summer you must of necessity be baked. I have been busy giving lessons some near Portman Square and some in Bond Street and have found my walk sometimes intensely hot. I suppose Mr. Gooch is tired of waiting by this time if so I hope he has found a wife skilled in the farming business. By my letter you will certainly consider I have not improved in sense since your departure so I will say Goodbye for fear of adding anything still more mad. Your affectionate sister, Emily Song: "Long Parted Have We Been" by Henry Russell (music and words) Long parted have we been Many troubles have we seen Since the weary day we left them on the good old English shore And we took a last farewell To return to them no more But they're coming coming coming They are coming with the flowers They are coming with the summer To this new land of ours And we'll all forget our sadness And shake their hands in gladness And bid them joyous welcome To this new land of ours How often have we prayed they were here in joy arrayed The friends, the dear relations and the lovers fond and true To share our better fortune and all the joys we knew And they're coming coming coming and we'll give them cordial greeting and have a merry meeting And a day of true rejoicing in this new land of ours. LINK Hear the song here! Look under 'undated'

From FANNY BALL To: WILLIAM GARLAND NICKISSON Date: 21st Oct 1859 No address My dear William, I hope this will reach you safely as if so Felix will be quite safe too. I never thought your Mama would have parted with him and although we have all tried to console her it is indeed a great grief to her. I know it is the wish of her life to go out to you but that seems at present impossible. You have been very good lately and have written so much more often do continue to do so it is such a delight to your dear mother. She is always with us in Myddleton St every Monday and Thursday and it often happens that on those days your letters arrive. Then such pleasure such joy you would almost expect the church bells to be rung. I call you William now I think it is not right to call you Willie any more with two children already if you go on so you will soon be quite a 'Patriarch'. I wish one of your sisters was likely to be married but there seems no chance the people here are so stylish and dress so such that Punch says the 'bachelors' are afraid to propose and owing to the very large hoops all the young ladies wear Punch says the beaus cannot get near enough to the girls to 'pop the question'. My dear Mama is very poorly but still I hope with care to get her through this winter. Will you give my kind love to your dear wife and tell her we are all pleased with her although we do not know her you give us so good an account of her that we think she much be all we could wish especially as you seem so happy together. It is our intention to have send a few toys for your little duckies, a doll from Grandmama Ball for little Emily and so forth but the time is so short that we shall not be able to it there only have been four clear days since it was settled that he should go to the day when he is to be on the ship. I hope you will excuse this scribble but ii am in school and while i write there a large class reading to me. We all hope you intend to come to England again in a few years do try and make a cosy little fortune and them come back and bring all belonging to you with you Felix as well. Mama sends her love to self and your better half in which Sophy and myself heartily join with kisses to the duckies and believe me yours affectionately Fanny Ball If you see Alfred will you remember me very kindly to him.

From JANE EMILY NICKISSON To: WILLIAM GARLAND NICKISSON Date: 10th Nov 1859 42 Frederick Street Grays Inn Road London My ever dear Willy, Yesterday 9th sailed the "White Star" from Liverpool at 4 o'clock in the morning it was to have sailed 24th last month but the dreadful gales of 26th and 27th the most formidable that have been known for years prevented the sailing. My dear Felix went on board 24th and has been there ever since, and has had a very boisterous beginning to his journey the ship broke from its anchor and was driven successively against two ships and so severely damaged that it has been under repair ever since. You may imagine my distress at hearing the account of the disasters yet how thankful I should be when I reflect upon the goodness of the Almighty that has preserved him in so many and great dangers. My reason for letting him go to Liverpool has been that two gentlemen (Thomas Rhodes and Thomas Smith) of ..... employed in the railway are to be on board and I have by the assistance of my friends found £30 for his passage in the second cabin that he might have some protection from them but I do not think they were on board until the ship was ready to start. The plan adopted by that line of ships is to take the passengers to Melbourne and then send all those on who are going to Sydney in steamboats which I am told go twice each week for this purpose. I should not have adopted this plan but have been persuaded by Mr. Loyer who assures me it is the best and quickest you will know or you can judge better than I when the ship "White Star" is likely to arrive at Melbourne and I rely upon you dear boy to meet my dear Felix on his arrival and at once take him to your home if it pleases the Almighty to take him to you in safety and I know you will find him all that a mother can wish. I understand it is not more than 3 or 4 days voyage from Melbourne to Sydney and that the passengers are not obliged to land at Melbourne, as it is a disreputable place and quite an unfit place for a boy of 16 to be in alone I trust you will see him as soon as the boat arrives (do be in waiting for him dear Willy) I have de.... him to write to you on his arrival at Melbourne that you may look out for him. I trust in the Lord that he will go in safety. You cannot imagine my dear Willy what it has cost me to part with him it seems so hard to lose sight of my two dear boys one after the other and but the hope it will be for their ultimate advantage has strengthened me I think I never could have consented, but my dear Willy you must be a father to him you are his godfather, Uncle Richard stood proxy for you when Felix was christened at Islington church. 11th Nov 1859 Felix has a letter of introduction to Mr. Alex Rhodes at Sydney the chief of the railway works, and the two gents who are on board the "White Star" with Felix are his brother and cousin there will be no difficulty about a situation for Felix as you will judge when he shows you the letter which is not sealed and I hope you will go with him to present it to Mr. Alex Rhodes directly on his arrival ? but I leave it to you to advise him for the best. The reason I have accepted of Mr. Loyer's offer is that I feared in your office he would not have a salary sufficient to keep himself and then might have been an expense to you, but I am assured he will be sufficiently paid he is to be at first in the office and then timekeeper and Mr. Loyer says if he practises drawing in the evenings he will soon be enabled to become a judge of the materials and workmanship and may in a few years be a sub?contractor those men make money very fast. I hope you will teach him a little ciphering he has not had much opportunity in gaining knowledge in that; at any rate, I hope you will assist him, and dear Willie, as I trust you SPEND YOUR EVENINGS AT HOME WITH YOUR WIFE AND FAMILY he can be your companion, he has not a single bad or wrong inclination ? but there is one thing I hope you will not encourage either by example or permission that is MUCH SMOKING of course he will have done that TOO MUCH on board, but that can be laid aside afterwards ? as to drinking he has no idea of such a thing ? but I know it is the besetting vice of colonies in general and he will remember our conversation with a returned gold digger just before he left home and the sad accounts he gave of its destructive effects. I send you one of my treasures, value it dear Willy, for my sake. Treat him as you would your own dear little boy. We hope you will like the presents that Felix has for you both and for the dear little ones. Emily and Toddy send you a nice inkstand with their kindest love I send you an amber mouthpiece of a cherry stick pipe, it was your poor Father's I hope dear Willy you will keep it for his sake. Great Grandmama Ball sends dear little Pran a pretty doll. Aunt Smith sends her a box of toys and a picture book and little Will a lamb Aunt Sophy a parrote(?) for Will Aunt Fanny a French kitchen to Pran Toddy sends Will a pair of Wellingtons I send dear little Will a rattle. Emily Smith sends a ball to Pran, I send her a coral necklace, Emily sends the spoons and sugar tongs and to Amelia with her best love, a toilette she has embroidered on net, and Toddy with her best love one worked in Railway braid Felix also has some little rememberences for his niece and nephew. We have all been wishing we could be with you when the box is opened the things are in Felix's small box he will have but 2 boxes his bedding and a hat case to take care of, a zinc bowl and a water can, all other utensils were to be found by the ship as we paid so high a price I would give anything for your likeness for poor Great Grandmama is always longing to see your children. All there send their love to you all. There is a letter among the presents from Robert Macaire and one from Aunt Fanny I hope poor Mrs Hyles is better as we do not hear of her. Matilda Loyer's sister Josephine is staying with us for a little while so she sends her love to you. I cannot get any news of Frank Childs. I have not seen him for years. Bob Hockings promised to write to you (we have not seen him for 12 months) but I wrote to him to ask him to do so. I leave Felix in your hands as regards his entering the Railway Co. or for you to find him a place in Messrs. Korffs, as you think for the best. There is a letter in the box for Amelia from Emily ? I trust you will receive the things safely. I think they ought not to cost anything for landing but you will see that by the contract ticket which is his receipt. Dear Willy on receipt of this letter will you be SO KIND AS TO WRITE TO ME BRIEF(?) and tell me what arrangements you will make to meet my dear Felix and what prospects you think would be best and your opinion of the Railway Co. ? in fact everything you can say to give me all the information you can I look forward to it. I have this moment my dear Amelia's letter of the 13th September I am very sorry to hear of your loss, have you no idea who has robbed you; but I am very pleased that the little pets are getting on so well. Why is a recruit like a vine? He is first listed then trained and has tendrills and then shoots. The man that was hemmed and pinned on Lord Mayor's Day has had a stitch in his side ever since. How was the greatest miracle done at the tea table upon a blind man? He took up his cup and saucer (saw, Sir) When was England to be bought the cheapest? When Richard III offered his kingdom for a horse. Why are there three good reasons for not taking a glass of brandy? Because there are three scruples to a dram (apothecaries weight) You must give a thousand kisses to the dear little ones. We shall now, more than ever, endeavour to save towards coming to you ? unless Felix has a free passage home at the completion of the railway works which will be from 3 ? 5 years. I hope and pray I may soon be permitted to see you as I hope he could either come home to fetch us or send us the means to come to you I wrote you by the August ? September mail and October and this is November 11th. Do you know if the Post Office people have found the letter? I have not heard from them lately. The last letter I had from dear Felix was written 8th and said the vessel would most probably sail at 4 o'clock Wednesday morning 9th as I have received no letter since I suppose this to be the case. I have sent to the agents Seymour, Peacock & Co. to enquire. I suppose the ship Co has agents at Melbourne and doubtless by writing to them you could learn when the vessel is likely to come in and then, dear Willy, you will be kind enough to write to Felix and give him every information you can to assist him and he has every expectation of hearing from you and looks forward to meeting you with the greastest pleasure. I am sure I need not ask for Amelia's kindness to him I am convinced that her dear husbands brother will need no other recommendation than that he is "Willy over again". With best love of all here I am your ever affectionate mother J.E. Nickisson I long to have a letter from dear Pran

From JANE EMILY NICKISSON To: WILLIAM GARLAND NICKISSON Date: 5 Jul 1860 42 Frederick Street, Grays Inn Road, My ever dear Willy, Now that I have (I trust) two dear boys to write to I must mind my P's and Q's as to the topics that will be most interesting to each one and first I hope your eye is quite well by this time I sent dear Amelia an enclosure by Mrs. Ioles letter of 19th ult (2nd mail of Jan 7) advising her to take ...... things for her faceache which I do hope she will soon receive and I am anxiously looking forward to hear your opinion of Mr. Rhodes and what prospect you think there is for my dear Felix I hope he will be in the office for some time at least and if you think when the time arrives for his being a timekeeper that it would be dangerous I mean liable to accidents (you laugh at my fears no doubt) have him with you that is do as you think best with him. In an old Bible Grandmama has there are the signatures of Louisa Amory (my fathers mother), her father, her husband, my father, mine is to be there and we want yours and your sons, so you must guide Master Atwells fingers and make him sign his name at full length. Grandmama wishes it placed at the back of Mr. Amorys portrait so that will be six generations ? viz. Mr. Amory, Mrs. David Ball, Mr. Richard John Ball, Mrs. Nickisson, Mr. Nickisson (you are the head of the family) and dear little Atwill. The list runs in the female line I suppose by the genealogical accounts I gave you some time ago you understand the ramifications of the family on my side, on the Nickissons I can give you very little. If you can put a few garden seeds into your letter Emily will by much obliged as she is very fond of flowers and you must tell her how to manage them, we hear some Australian flowers may be cultivated here with warmth they have some at the Crystal Palace I have not seen them. Whenever you see .... any very pretty ..... in December the letters were principally delivered yesterday but sorry am I to say if there is not one for me you cannot think what a disappointment it is for me and indeed to us all. How are you getting on I am sure you must require a tolerable salary to keep so many little mouths but I hope and trust you have good health and then any other experiences are light in comparison with doctoring. Give our kindest love to Amelia the darlings and keep a great portion for yourself, Your affectionate mother J. E. Nickisson I shall expect to hear from you as usual every mail and from Felix also make him write dear Willy. I received your kind letter of 13th July(?)/59 on the 12th Jan/60, is it not quick. How do the duckies like their presents? Has Robert Hockings ever written to you he promised to come and see us about 12 months ago but we have never seen him and I suppose now we never shall. Toddy has just thought you must be quite an an ancient mariner you are frightfully old 27 actually but I am sure you are as good as you are old. Toddy's birthday will be on the 16th, she will be 21 Harry Smith will be 21 in a month I am working a little Palelot for dear Prau(?) and when there is an opportunity shall send it. I am making it a full size so it will not be too small if it waits a little I shall always be looking forward to when it is finished to sending it to my darling ? What a happiness for us to receive a parcel from Australia. Did you ever hear anything of the person who robbed you. Emily and Toddy will write next time. I wish dear little Prau would write me a letter when I have the lock of her hair. Amelia could guide her hand you know I am sure she would not mind the trouble. Give them a thousand kisses for me. Good bye dear Willy God bless you all.

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