Henry Edward Hall to W S Hall, 8 December 1858

Letter

Title:	Henry Edward Hall to W S Hall, 8 December 1858
Identifier:	archives.org.au/Henry_Edward_Hall_to_W_S_Hall,_8_December_1858
Parent item:
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Date:	1858 December 8 Wed
Authors:	Henry Edward Hall
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License:	This work is free of known copyright restrictions.
Related people:	Henry Edward Hall · William Shakespeare Hall
Related places:	Wongung
Keywords:	Transcriptions by Ian Berryman · H.M. Wilson Archives
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File: H_E_Hall_1858_12_08.doc File:H_E_Hall_1858_12_08.pdf

Transcribed 14 April 2010 by IB, typed 2 August 2012

Checked against MS on 1 September 2012

Note: there are a number of instances where the context indicates that a word has been left out, and there are spelling errors etc. I have checked the MS very carefully, and the text below is a faithful transcript of the letter.

Transcription

Wongung Dec^r 8^th 1858

My dear Shakespeare

I rec^d your of Nov 3^rd and it gave me great pleasure I was very anxious about you as your Sister informed me she had not heard from you for some time and did not know where you were I have likewise rec^d letters from Sarah & Henry which I have answered — With respect to borrowing the money that might save the farm but at the same time it would be laying a very rent on it as you well know there is no run on the Farm the Interest of £400 would not be less than £40 the Government compells us to take a run in the Hills if we run on them and that we are obliged to do as the plains are too wet in winter we must likewise pay Peel or some one else for a run on the Plains this would make the rent more than £60 per Ann. Levy’s Son has claimed the half of the Estate and has sold it to some person or Company in England so than we might not get a run from them for so little as £10 but that is an uncertainty — The fied laying so far off the Cattle have such a distance to go to it that they neither give the quantity or quality of milk that they ought to do it is not addapted for a Dairy farm You recommend that your Brothers should do all the work themselves this would reduce them to the state of day labourers and even then it would be as much as they could pay their way for a short time and only a short time as you advise 30 Acres to be kept in tillage that would not yield a Crop long and as for the Dairy Cows that a lad you say could mind they would not produce manure sufficient for that quantity of land there must be new land cleared and fenc’d and where is the labour necessary to be paid from Previous to Henrys communication there was a large quantity of fencing prepared and it was intended to fence the lower field from the large Brook to the small one say from the Ironstone forde in the large brook to the Calves forde in the small brook and 7 or 8 Acres about ¼ of Mile lower down all the small was taken out and burned it would have been broken up last winter but is now left as it would not do to spend £30 or £40 on clearing and fencing when we expected the farm to be immediately sold but even since that the 5 Acres at the top of the field next the Cardup road has fenced with split mahogany and an Acre of Vines put in on trenched ground besides a trellis of more than 200 long 8 feet high and 12 feet wide so that the vines extend more than 400 yards so that with the roof there is more than 600 yards of trellis Henrys stating positively that he should leave in a Month or not more than two has subjected your Brothers and myself to great inconvenience and loss as they would have broken up the land and could have put a Crop in this next seed time now it is too late — As there would be no home for me I intended to go to the Murray and contracted with a Mason to build a Cottage now I can neither go there till I get a place to live in or remain here in expectation of having the place sold any week so that we are in the worse of all states that of uncertainty — I think it great folly for you and your Brother to wast the best part of your time in the manner you have done it resembles the infatuation of numbers in England who spent every Shilling they could raise year after year in hopes of getting one the large [?purses] and at length died beggars — We have had a light Crop of Barley off the lower field but have got a very fair Crop of Wheat in the field above the House the Barley is got wile they are ?[busy] reaping some Rye and the Wheat will be fit by the time they can get to it Frank is gone to the Blackwood but will return in a fortnight I told you in my last that Anderton was married to Mr Lazenbys eldest daughter Lucy so you have got a new Sister — I have been very unwell for the last month but have been better the last two days owing to the injury in my throat I can eat but little not sufficient to support my strength and the uneasy state of my mind has increased my debility with constant prayers for your temporal welfare and eternal happiness

I remain

Your affectionate Father

H E Hall

Dec 10^th They have [?finished] the Rye a good crop and began on the Wheat this Mor^g