1955 Jan Robert Bell Cole

1955 Robert Bell Cole's letter written in Te Kuiti to Kathleen Corkey Merockbrun House

Mrs Kathleen Corkey
Merockbrun
Knockbreda Rd
Belfast
Ireland

Box 88
Te Kuiti
New Zealand
28th Jan 1955

Dear Kathleen,
Your Air mail came as a shock to me as I didn't even know Mac was ill and from the tone of your letter I gathered that a letter has gone astray or that you had notified some of the family well I hadn't heard from anyone else but I only have myself to blame being such a wretched correspondent and feel terribly guilty for instance ever since I received those lovely views of Ireland you sent me I intended to write and thank you and failed of course.

When I left home aged between 17 and 18 your father could have been under 8 so I didn't know him as well as the others but knew from Sis and David the sterling good character he was also from your mother's cousin Maggie Boyd when she was out here. The last letter I had from your father was the time that David Cole my nephew was with you and that was the only news we ever had of the visit, again possibly my fault.

I have just dropped on the last news you sent us 20/6/54 when Mac had a prostate op and was well again and the news of your family and Jacks and they seemed all right. Re enquiries about my brother John's family, we have a correspondent in Wellington, Mrs Greer a relative by marriage of John's wife Daisy. I know she told us poor Daisy had died of malnutrition on Jersey when the Germans commandeered all the food. I intend to write and ask her but I will now do so and find out all I can for you. We hear every Xmas from Martin, John's son his address is 155 Bathgate St Eltingville, Staten Island, New York.

I feel rather lost being the last of the family. I will be 94 next August and mother and I will have our 60th anniversary on July 24th. 16 grandchildren and 3 great grands. We are fortunate. Mother nearly stone deaf and me not quite so and both rather rocky on the legs. With sincere sympathy in your loss and a wish for every happiness
Your
Uncle Bob