February 1858 - Letter to Richard Terry senior in Tasmania from his sister Hannah Benbow in Gawcott

Transcription kindly contributed by Gwennith May Smith (1929-2010), great-granddaughter of Richard Terry, through her daughter Virginia Ling

Gawcott Feb 14/58

Dear Brother,

I hope you will receive these few lines quite safe and i hope they will meet you enjoyment of good health as that is one of the greatest blessings this world can afford, I am very sorry i have to inform you that neither my health or my husband health is so good as it used to be my Husband breaks very fast and has a very bad cough on him but i hope as spring comes on we shall both improve in our health

We should very much like to see you indeed as in writing this letter i have the pleasure to inform you that i have received a very handsome present from you which i am afraid is more than i deserve but what we have done for your two children we have done with pleasure and they apear to us as if they was our own. Mr Whitehead our Minister with his usual kindness was very pleased to render us all the assistance which lay in his power as soon as he received the draft for the Amount which you sent he at once made the Bank aquaintted with it and in 30 days after he could draw it which he was very pleased to hand over the whole amount of 20 Pound with the exception of the Discount belonging to the bankers. I made both Bily and Ann a present out of it which they was highly pleased with as it was they said from their Dear Father who they was afraid they should never see any more but they cheer up their spirits with the thought that you will soon favour them with a letter as I believe they would scarcely know how to contain themselves if they was to have a letter from you, as poor Girls they often shed a tear and say they think their poor Father has forgotten them. I must also inform you that Elizabeth was married to a man a Native of Gawcott his name is James Osborn he is a very steady industrious Young Man, and i quite believe she has got a good partner and quite a sensible young man she was in service up to the week before she was married she was Married on last Tuesday the 9th day of Febuary, her sister Ann is in service and has a good place and she bears an eccelent charricter she is a dairy Maid and a fine stout Girle she is larger than her sister they both bear excelent charicters and are much repected they can both read and write well and that is a great blessing as these are so many poor girls which can do neither. Dear Brother i have put part of the money by in the bank against a rainy day as neither of us enjoy the best of health and I do assure it could not have been more acceptable as we was both ill at the time the letter reached us, i cannot describe to you our feelings on paper to think that providence should smile upon us at such a critical time and when least expected, and i am sure i are at a loss to express my feelings in thanking you for your liberal Kindness as you must except it on paper as i shall never be able to do it otherwise.

Dear Brother i have no more to say at this time but we should be very glad to hear from you as often as you can make it convenient Your daughters Elizabeth and Ann and all of us send our Love to you and your wife and family they would like to see their Mothers and Sister and would like to have a letter from them very much. In concluding i beg of you to except of our very best and kindest thanks for the honour you have bestowed upon us in remitting to us such a handsome present

We remain ever your most affectionate Brother & Sister
Thomas & Hannah Benbow
Gawcott
Nr Buckingham
Bucks
England