March 1868 [probably 1869] - Letter to Richard Terry junior in Tasmania from his mother Elizabeth in Tingewick

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

Tingewick
March 17th 1868

Dear Son and Daughter

I have once more taken the pleasure of writing trusting this may find you all in the enjoyment of good health, as it leaves me, and all of us, as well as usuall, thank God for it, I must beg to be excused for not writing before which I hope you will, Dear Son, I have been I must own, that I have been quite neglectfull in not writing before for I must inform you that your Sister, Fanny is Dead she died twelve month ago this March, poor Dear she left a family of five children but her Husband Father, takes two of them of his hands, and that is a good help for him,

now Son, I must tell you that Corn is Dear now in Old England, we give eightpence halfpenny for a 4 pound loaf, I tell you a potatoes are also very dear in our country, at length we have had provisions of all kind at full price,

now I must tell that Fanny Husband wanted me to stop and see to him and the family but I could not leave old Tingewick to do so, also, I tell you that Uncle Richards two Daughters are well, and their Husbands and Familys they are both lately confined Elizabeth as four and Ann as three, Elizabeth your Sister is still living at the place where she as been fourteen years, she is a good Girl to all of them,

now I beg you will have heard of your Brother Joseph if he is living by this time, and I trust that your Farm and Corn is doing better than it was, and hope you are getting on comfortable in the world, and that is all we have any reason to wish for for now we all join in love to you, wishing you all will, and trust you will write again, as soon as you can, from your ever loving and affectionate Mother

Elizabeth Terry