Summary

First of a three page handwritten letter written by Lettie from Kew, Melbourne to her friends Nellie and Will in England, dated 19 August 1913. Lettie migrated to Australia on the SS Port Macquarie with her daughter Kit [Katie], in April 1913. This is one of two letters and a postcard featuring an image of the SS Port Macquarie which have survived having been found by the granddaughter of the recipient Nellie.

The letter suggests that Lettie is in domestic service and as she is still paying off an advance to Mrs Woodruff (either her employer or the senior housekeeper), they probably arrived not too long before the letter was written. References to the boat also implies it still fresh in her memory. Lettie is working in Kew and she and her daughter appear to be well treated, eating well and contemplating a trip to Tasmania for the summer months with her employer. She comments on the expensive standard of living, missing the small bargain shops in England as well as the difficulty for male employment except on the land and in the bush. It would appear that Lettie was sponsored to come out to Australia, a common practice particularly as a way of encouraging domestic and agricultural workers of which there was a great shortage in Victoria. Lettie also expresses her hopes to return to England after four years.

Physical Description

First of a three page letter written on one side in black ink. Paper lined and has several creases where letter has been folded in half and then into thirds.Pages 2 and 3 are numbered in the top left corners.

Significance

This small set of correspondence is significant as a representation of the life of an English domestic servant in Melbourne in the early 1900s. References to sponsorship, treatment, the price of goods, distance from home and urban employment opportunities offer a personal reflection on life in Melbourne, as well as touching on broader themes of migration and in particular the shortage of domestic and agricultural workers which resulted in large assisted migration schemes targeting British migrants for these types of employment.

More Information

  • Collecting Areas

    Migration & Cultural Diversity, Working Life & Trades

  • Acquisition Information

    Donation from Frances Walsh, 25 Oct 2009

  • Sender

    Mrs Lettie, Kew, Victoria, Australia, 19 Aug 1913

  • Other Association (See Comments)

    England, Great Britain, 19 Aug 1913
    Letter addressed to Nellie and Will in England.

  • Inscriptions

    Header: Mill Hill/25 Fellows Street/Kew, Melbourne/Australia/August 19th 1913 My dear Nellie & Will Thank you so much for your nice letter it is so nice to get one, the girls from Dalefield never write to me here, did Mrs Forster tell you Nell was getting married. I suspect she is married by now as it was to be July. I had a nice long letter from Mrs Forster yesterday week, she said you had been to see her. I heard from Jan[?] yesterday she is in quite a way about the photo she sent you she does not know if you received it. I think you must have left Windsor where/when[?] she sent it, but has not had it returned either, would you drop her a line she might have another one to spare, her address is (Mrs H Smithe 64 Dlagon[?] Avenue/Harrogate/Yorks We still like this part of the world fairly well. Mrs Woodruff is very nice & so kind to us so that is something you will see we are in our proper house now it is quite a country place very quiet, a 4' fare into Melbourne. I wish it was a cheaper place, everything is dear except meal; for a 1' reel of cotton you have to pay 2d everything seems double, so you see one [?] much like that. I wish I had bought a lot of my felt shoes out with me they all seem to be [?] bed room slippers here & so dear I miss the cheap shops very much there is no 1' Bazaar or house & [?] shops either, we have a nice woman to do needlework here, she has been three times she came on our boat, her husband can't get any work, there seems to be no work for men only on the land & up in the bush there are quite a lot of men without work. Mrs Woodruff has gone away for a week so I are[?] housekeeper, we have plenty to eat & I [?] things the same as at Dalefield. I had a very nice letter from Mrs Cooper yesterday she is very glad we are here. Mrs Woodruff's niece/ is staying here, the one that came out with her, but she is going back to England in [?] months time. I think she is going to Frickley[?] first, if all's well we hope to go home in five years time, it seems a long time to look forward to. That is if we are still with Mrs W, we only have 4 more [?] to pay here. Then we shall be able to keep all our wages. I am glad to say Kit looks much better for being here & she eats so well & the same with me I look ever so much better & eat like anything. Perhaps we are all going to Tasmania for Jan & Feb. Those are the two hot months here. It costs 4£ & 8d return for each person. Don't you think that is a lot of money. Your[?] dear Kit & I both send our very best love to yourself & Will. Wishing[?] you are both well, write again as soon as you can. It takes just over four weeks bye by dear your ever Loving friend Lettie

  • Classification

    Migration, Settlement - employment, Correspondence

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    History

  • Type of item

    Document

  • Overall Dimensions

    200 mm (Width), 280 mm (Height)

  • Keywords

    Correspondence, Domestic Work, English Immigration, Immigrant Voyages, Women's Work