1883 John Martin Coates Cole let

1883 John Martin Coates Cole letter written in Clones to R B Cole in New Zealand

Clones
27th Nov 1883

My Dear Bob,
I just arrived safely home last night after an absence of two weeks. I was in Dublin first for my examination but unfortunately got plucked? once more, this being the second time for that fowl operation. I had bad times of it in Dublin generally as I was pretty ill with an attack of English Cholera most of the time I was there. I went from Dublin to Kingstone, spent a few days here with cousin Mrs Rennie? and there spent a day to Mary? in Co. Wicklow. I saw Dick Robt John and Maggie Mitchell very frequently in Dublin and also Tommy Lowe The last mentioned is just doing as well (or as ill) on own. He is at home now doing nothing and his father is threatening to send him to America. It won't be very much matter where he goes to if he does not give up the liquor.

I suppose you heard that Beattie and George Nerain? went to America a couple of months ago. I have not heard since how they are doing. Mr Higgins our former pedagogue is now a curate of the Church of Ireland, is preaching somewhere south of Dublin and has finished up by getting married the other day to a **** Scott of Monaghan, a sister of Scott the flax buyer. When I shook Dublin's mud from off my brogues I went straight to Belfast & stopped a week in Mrs Greer's where as David could inform you I am on courting terms with the young lady of the house. I was up one evening in Walker's. They were all enquiring for you. Robert has got married lately. I then went down to Strangford and stopped a fortnight with Bob Bailey who is Presbyterian clergyman there. I had great times of it there sailing on Strangford Lough and shooting gulls and cormorants. I was several times over in Portaferry and spent a day with Aunt Margaret Anne. She has our two cousins the McBurneys since their mother died. Old Rose Melville or Cagher? my old nurse died in Strangford the time I was stopping there when I left Bailey. I went to the Grove a fortnight and I had a very pleasant time of it with Martin Ritchie. He is doing very well and not courting very much that I know of. When there I called on the Bassetts, Flynns?, Newells and others that you don't know. James Newell is in Ballynahinch Northern Bank at present. I stopped there with him a couple of days. I was again a week in Belfast then coming home and of course enjoyed my time and company there most immensely. I suppose you will be surprised to hear that Addie Averal ran away with Ballagh's? daughter of the sawmills at Comber Bridge. They are not married yet but will be some of these days.

I hear that Mrs McKee, Joe's mother is going out to Auckland to live with Joe. If you will take my advice you will give her a very wide berth as she is neither good nor middling. She gave up her house not long since and is at present a nurse in the Union Infirmary. She has just been making a regular prostitute of herself with a good many of the young fellows about the town and has left some neither happy in mind or healthy in body. I don't think that I know any more Clones news that would interest you as I have not had time to learn very much about it yet. We are all pretty well at present. Mother had an illness about a week ago but I believe it was only a very slight one. I am pretty strong and getting something heavier than I was lately. I am just 12 1/2 stone at present but I generally average more. Before I left England I was 14 stone. I hope both Aunts, David and yourself are quite well. I suppose you have plenty of society about Mangapai and some companions as well as David. I should like to hear something about them and more about yourself and David so when you write again you can remember that. If you are leaving Mangapai you should try and get a permanent situation or place if possible as I think it would be much better than knocking about from one thing to another. I think it must be a pretty good place where Bob and Joe Moorhead are in Africa as they send such a lot of money home to the father. Frank Leghorn has sent home Fred's passage money to go out to him some time soon. Mother sends enclosed photographs to David. I believe you got one lately. Tell Aunt Martin that I'm wondering sometimes if she is just the same as ever. Tell her that I'm just the same plus a ferocious moustache.

With love to the Aunts, David and yourself

I remain
Your Affectionate brother
John M. C. Cole

Mr R. B. Cole
Mangapai
Auckland N.Z.

P.S Mrs Robert Lowe had a young son a few days ago and is doing well. Robert is not doing quite so well as he is in the infirmary at Monaghan with a broken leg. He was larking with some fellows at the station steps and fell there putting his knee off joint at the same time as breaking the leg. Eliza Allelly? got married last week. Lizzie Blakely of near Stonebridge Tommy Lowe's sweetheart has got married but not to Tom. If mine treats me so I daresay I will be in a bay way for a short time. JMC Cole

Notes

Rev. Robert Taylor BAILEY . Ballyculter
From Co Cavan; ordination at Presbyterian church Strangford 7 Apr 1883; he increased the congregation to 60 & undertook renovations in 1886
Reference numbers DR; DR* 10/12/03