Letters from Cornwall abt. 1871
The following are two letters written by John Richards to his son, Thomas Henry Richards when Tom went away to mine in Chile. The letters must be representative of what most Cornish families went through. They are copied exactly as written to preserve the dialect and flavor of the letters. (fs=ss)
First letter
written prior to 1871
# 1.
Dear Son It is with a akeing heart and a trembling hand
That i have to write you this letter seeing and feeling our dear
Beloved son torn a way from our breast whose feeling we cannot
Describe but in all that Ever we pafsed through Thear was never
Nothing like this my Dear and beloved i beleive a great deal of it
is ariveing from the prospect that father nor mother will never
Kifs your dear sweet lips no more our blefsed Saviour only knows
But we cannot Expect it under our preasant conditions of health and age
When i arived home from the redruth Station when i took my
t farewell of you your dear mother cried out that her
Sweet child is gone we then went up Steers threw our [selves]
on your bed and theare the Streaming tears did run
down our cheeks for the last of our Dear loveing and obeiyent Son
And not only we but it allso threw the whole place of Carnbrea
In a State of mourning with all how Ever knew you Every
One says what a nice clever young man he was in all the
Neibourhood and that he allways respected himself and would
Not mix up with no bad company thearefore my Dear child
We hope that will be allways your greatest Studey to keep your Self
To your Self and be Sure to take care of all Foreing Lickures
for it is only traps for men to get them drunk Stock
Away theare money and keep them poor Dear son i need not
Write much to you on this Subject we are fulley convinced
That you know all about that matter you know that Seven
care Years is better than fouteen years mispent So Dear Son this
#2.
We hope and trust in god that he will bring you Saft
To your uncle Samuell Stephens how have been Such a great
frend to you and Still we rest Satisfied that he will Still
continue to be the Same thearefore my Dear and tender
beloved Son we give you up in the hands of your uncle
As you are bereaved of a tender father and a beloved Mother
That he will act a parants part as near as he can as you
Are young in years and i hope you will allways Keep your
Your Self in obeigance to him and ask him for your
Steering cource in pafsing throw this life for the bread
Wich perish Dear Son when you write to father and mother
Leave me beg of you to pray to god to in able you to Say
That you have a good god for his Spareing merces in bringing
your over that great perilous deep and Spareing your
Precious life for you without his asistance you could
Not love a Single moment thearfore my Dear Son take
of that precious Soul of yours that mgod hath given you
That must and will live for Ever and for Ever as long as
Eternity Shall Last and if lost for Ever lost So Dear child
Let the place be as it be as wheare you are So Sinfull as
it may be it is no Excuse for you for you know that your
God in England is your god in Chili and you know that he
Hath Said that whosoever trusteth me Shall never be
Confounded Dear Son your father can Speak this to be
True for he hath taken away the fear of death and the
And the Sting of the grave with a blooming hope that
If inever am permitid to See you Dear face nomore
The rest of this letter has been lost, possibly by
Thomas Henry Richards himself on his way home from Chile.
John Richards, the writer, was born in Boscadjack, Sithney
Parish, Cornwall in 1813, but was living in the village of
Carnbrea, Illogan Parish near Redruth in 1871.
Samuel Henry Stephens was the younger brother of Tom's
mother, Martha Stephens Richards.
2nd letter
#1.
1871 May [1st] My Dear Son in the midst of overwelling
Troble and Sorrow i have to writ you this painfull
And heartrending tale concerning the death of your
Dear and tender loveing and affectionate mother how departed
This life on the 25 of April. She died about 10 oclock at night
She often cryed out oh my dear tom what Shall i do to give
you up but on Sunday morning a fortnight before She died She
went with me to the clafs meeting a humble true penitant is iEver
Saw at the feet of the Saviour and when She came out She
She Said to me that all could Speak a word for christ besides
She i Said to her to hold on beleiveing on christ and you will
Be Saved So we Spent the day together in Singing reading and
Praying untill Eveing come and then we went to chapple but
She was badly able to Set up and after the Sermon was over
Thear was a lovefeast So i went over to her and i asked her wether
She was able to Stop and She Said She would try to So She Sat
Down untill it was over and when we came out it was raining and
I wanted for her to wait a bit but She was not willing She wanted
To get in to rest her dear weak Starved bodey So i got her in
and She fell to Set down on a chear by the Stove and i went
as quick as possable and took the bottle and i put a glafs of wine
In her left hand and theare She held it out to her arms End
She never tasted it but cryed out lord Save me i Said amen
She Said again lord Save me I Said amen the third time
Christ have mercey upon me i Said amen told her that
Is what i had been wanting to hear this long time by this time
All fear and Shame was gone it was a downright flood of
Rain i dirrectly took the door and the first one i called upon
Was charls crase John amen henery Treloar and Stephen
Nicklos and the house full of men and woman this took place
About nine oclock in the Evening the all Said that the was never
In no Such place before in theare lives The power of the holy
Gost came down and full the place wheare we was Sitting
#2.
and about midnight She cryed out my lord and my god and
and her countenance alltered in a momant and her face did
Shine with the glory of god and She burst out into Singing theare
Will no Sorrow theare and you nor me never heard another Sing
Not what we call Singing before but She Sung then with that
Heavenly voice that all of us wheare astonished we all Joined in
Singing at the Same time and partes come forth from the door
To hark for the was hard to belive that it was She untill the come
forth to See for themselves the Said it was a tine that would never
Be for gotten no more with all that was theare Dear Son your
Dear mother that loved you like the life in her own bodey did
Often Say my dear Tom what Shall i do to give you up my Dear
She would Say but after She was converted She gave you all
Into the hands of God hopeing She Should meet her dear husband
and children after this Short life is Ended up to heaven wheare parting
Will be no more my dear Son became all as it wheare dead
unto her She Shook hands with her dear old happy mother how (Martha EDWARDS STEPHENS)
Who was preasant at her departure but no Sorrow She kifsed the
The boy billey but no tears the tears was all wiped from her Eyes (16 y/o son William RICHARDS)
So my dear Son i know that you dearly loved your mother and
I know that your trovle will be very great but i hope god will
Help you to bear it up as well as you can as your dear father
Can a Sure you of her bright testamoney left behind that
She died in peace and gone up Shrouded in a Saviours love
Dear Son father do not begrudge her bright crown in heaven
But you may needs think that i cannot describe to you the troble
That is now crofsing my breast in lamentation of the lost of my
dear and tender beloved wife how is for Ever gone from me
and i now in my old age and not able to work it have allmost
Cost my life for i have been forst to wait and tend upon your
Dear mother day and night and the Smell was So bad that
I was oblidged to leave down the windows day and night and all
Proceeding from this cancer in the Stomack So at last the
Pafsage all cloosed up and then She was Soon gone
#3.
So now my Dear Son we left in this world of troble
and i have no one to take aney part of it from me
and if you forsake me you Know wheare i must go to
But i do not beleive that you will and i trust that god will
Give you health and wealth and long to love and after death
I hope that we as parants and children Shall all meet in heaven
Wheare parting will be no more your Dear mother is buried
To redruth churchtown in the new ground but Mr Renfery left
me put her up to top cloose to the old ground in a very remarkable (beautiful view of Carnbrea Mount)
Place by the Side of a tombstone wheare lay the remains of and old
Woman aged 90 and her daughter Just down Strait against your
Your uncle franks grave Dear Son your dear mother was highly respected (probably Francis Stephens)
To funeral She was buried on Saturday Eveing at 6 o clock She died
April 25 and buried the 29 and a large guntay of people to the funeral
and batefull Singing Willian nicklos the clafs leader gave out
The hymn and was Sung to the door reJoice for a Sister disceace
Our loost is her infinit gain and to the churchtown the Sung again
We lift our voice and Shout out Solam Joys and to the grave Side
The Sung weep not for me ye Standers by wisdon beset me round
Dear Son your dear mother had Every thing done for her that Ever could
Be done for her in this world and She Had Every thing to make use of
That She could put down docter Hichens bill for useing the Tube is
1’’13 i never had aney new clothes for my Self but a Scarf and gloves
and them i paid for but i was obliged make advancement on the
The bill for a new Suit for you dear brother william for he is
Grown out of his clothes and be could not go to the funeral So Mr Comens
Bill was L pound 2 Shillings before you left and now it is Six pound 12
and Mr Bears the Shoue maker was before you left was to pounds
and that made it To pound 13 Shillings i had 3 pounds of your grandmother (Martha EDWARDS STEPHENS)
To Burey your dear mother and one pound your dear mother had before
She died and ten pounds your uncle Samuell Said for us to (Samuel Henry STEPHENS)
Have and you know that we had four pounds of Lifsey before you (prob. Elizabeth THOMAS RICHARDS)
Went a way to buy my best cloths
#4.
But we payed down to 50 Shillings but your Dear mother
Borrowed 1 13 Shillings of her Since but before you went away
But i never Knowed aneything about it until a day before She
Died and then She call me to her bedside and told me of it
And i Said all right my Dear tom will See it all paid
So my you will find that alltogether with threequarters rent
32 pounds my dear Son i know that is a great bill but your dear
mother never wanted for nothing that this world could aford
And thearefore we could not do no other we paid 2 10 for raw milk
best branday and wines of all kinds and Everyother i mention to
Try to keep her a life but it could not be done aney longer your Dear
Brother billey have been very unwell his last months haven made
but one months pay but he is all right again now and Still working
for 30 five Shillings a month with the timber man John apie
To wheal bafset mine So my Dear Son you Plainly See that your poor
Old father is in great distrefs and troble but Still trusting in god
With no one with me but the dear little billey and christ in home
I belive will bring me very Shortly Saft home your aunt Jane (prob.wife of John STEPHENS)
Would have us to come out theare to live in one of her houses and
Billey would have her to wash and mend for us and Lifsey Say
If we would come to lanner to live She would take a house large
for the bouth fameleys So Dear Son i will do whatever you mind
for me to do if you would rather for us to Stop hear untill you do
Return Send me all the Particklars that you mind for me to
Do on the answer of this letter Dear Son paraps you will Say
Pleas my Self but i cannot do nothing untill i have the order
from you for Every prospect is darkned up now with me that i do
know what to do nor wheare to go but dear Son the last cost is gone
about your dear mother now unlefs you wish to put a head Stone
To her grave and that i Should like to have done if i could
for i do believe that i Shall be put down upon her very Soon
But we cannot call the ground our own without we put a grave
Stone and pay Six Shillings besides to buy the ground and then
it is ours for Ever and no one Ells could never be put thear but our own
famely
#5. (short page)
Dear Son you Said to let you know about your life insurance
I did not insure your life for your dear mother wanted the little
money that was left John Thomas Carnbrea was killed yesterday
To Tolgas mine naneys husband a left four children So Dear Son i cannot (Ann “Naney” CARPENTER THOMAS)
write much more for i cant Send but ahalf ounce weight Lifsey told
me She was going to Send you afew lines in my letter but She have not
been heare your brother his highley well pleased with his presant as that yet
You Sent him but he have not had it as yet we hant heard of the men
#6. (short page)
Your grandmother disirred to be remembered to her dear children
and to you all and your aunts do the Same and the are all well
So now Dear Son i am coming to conclude you with me will
One wanting but She is far better than you or me may god help you
your brother and i do Sleep in your chamber and in your bed
So now my dear and Tender beloved Son i must conclude
and we Still remain your loveing brother and
Afectionate father until death farewell my Dear child
John Richards died 20 Aug 1873 and was buried along-side his wife
in the Redruth (St.Euny) Churchyard. As per his wishes, a stone was
errected by the family. “Billey” Richards joined his brother and uncle
in the mines in Chile a and married a Chilean girl. Thomas Henry Richards
returned to Carnbrea and married Elizabeth Carpenter. They emigrated
to the U.S. and are buried in Sacramento, California.
Elizabeth “Lifsey” THOMAS RICHARDS and her children also emigrated to
California and the families have stayed in contact.
(Elizabeth THOMAS RICHARDS was the widow of John RICHARDS II, oldest
son of John RICHARDS.)
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