Summary

Hand-written letter from Nathanial ('Nath') McKay to his son Hugh Victor McKay, dated 25 November 1886.
Nathanial writes about how the binders and reapers are working, the condition of the crops after the rains, and the illness of young Alice McKay, who appears to have whooping cough.

Physical Description

One sheet of off-white, lined note paper. Handwritten text in black ink, both sides.

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Old McKay Archive, H.V. McKay Sunshine Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Working Life & Trades, Sustainable Futures

  • Acquisition Information

    Donation from Mrs. Cecil Newton McKay (nee Shaw), University of Melbourne Archives (The)

  • Date Written

    25 Nov 1886

  • Inscriptions

    Handwritten, blue ink: ' G 7.1 ' Handwritten, black ink: ' Drummartin 25th Novr 86 / My dear Hugh, I sent a telegram yesterday to T. Robinson & Co. for Duplicates twenty five . It is a better casting belonging to the Binder we have been geting [sic] on badly with the reaper and binders one of the cogs of the casting Amt[?] up brock [sic] of in less than two days after we put it on machine stoped [sic] working. A man was brought as spoken in driving while binders works badly after we finish Botrams[?] our own oats will be as much as we will get down. It took us nearly a day to fix it last time and about same before puting [sic] casting on before. we have heavy rains here last night which will benefit growing crops but will spoil some of our hay Samuel & Co have got about half of it in we could not get a man until last night when a man came in & I engaged him to help us for a few days. The heat up here has been excessive for the past winter of course the rain will alter that. We are all pretty well with the exception of Little Alice. She seems to have another attack of the Hopping [sic, Whooping] Cough. Write at once and let us know how you are getting on, we have had no time to do anything with the colts [amiss?] we come from Sondhurst. [Dininea?] has not written yet. I think it is time he settled his act. Hoping God will bless and keep you from every evil. Mother writes with [mis] on love. Your loving Father, Nath McKay. '

  • Classification

    Manufacturing & industry, Agricultural & horticultural equipment, Correspondence

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Technology

  • Type of item

    Document

  • Overall Dimensions

    228 mm (Width), 184 mm (Height)

  • Keywords

    Agricultural Machinery, Manufacturing, Correspondence, Letters, Handwriting, Whooping Cough