Insights from the Hawdon Letters: Colonial Life in NSW, Part 2, 1831-1833

Letters to England from John Hawdon of Elderslie and others

John Hawdon of Elderslie and others wrote letters to England between 1828 and 1837 – this post contains the letters from 1831 to 1833. The letters are held in the State Library of NSW. (State Library of NSW – Call Number A 1329-A 1330)

The Hawdon letters offer a valuable insight into colonial life in New South Wales during the late 1820s and 1830s, particularly in the Cowpastures and the broader region.

The Hawdon letters are difficult to read because they are cross-written in one continuous stream of consciousness with little punctuation. The writer has stopped writing in parts and recommenced at a later date. The original spelling has been retained, while paragraphing has been added to aid comprehension.

Index To Letters 1831-1833

Hawdon Letters Part 1 1828-1830

Hawdon Letters Part 3 1833-1837

The rhythms of colonial life

The Hawdon letters give a feel for the ebb and flow of colonial life in Cowpastures and New South Wales.

The letters convey the isolation from home in England and the desperation for news and would take months to arrive.

The letters provide insight into the precarious nature of communication between Sydney and England, highlighting how letter writers sent different letters on different ships, unaware of their safe arrival and unaware of family and business news.

The high cost of sending the letters is mentioned occasionally and was a constant concern for the Hawdon family.

Market prices, stock numbers and how well their farming ventures are doing in New South Wales is of great concern to the letter writers.

John Hawdon regularly travels to Sydney for business and writes to friends and colleagues about the distances involved.

There are references to a ‘box’ in letters. These would have been parcels or freight sent back to England, making them a convenient place to put a packet of letters.

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Index To Letters 1831-1833

3rd April 1831. Sydney NSW. William Thompson to Father.

6th March 1832. Elderslie. John Hawdon to Mother.

20^th August 1832. Elderslie. John Hawdon to [Gilbert] Wood.

October 1833. Thorington [East Suffolk]. Letter to Friend, from sister Mitt.

4th November 1833. Elderslie. Letter to Father from John Hawdon.

6th November 1833. Elderslie. Letter to Grandfather and Grandmother, from Grandchild John Hawdon.

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Letter 3 April 1831

3rd April 1831

Sydney NSW

Dear Father

I embrace this opportunity of writing to you hoping to find you in good health as I am present finding Swan River a barron place and provisions so very high.

I formed …ished  – to Embark for Sydney NSW. I left Swan River Dec 2 and arrived at Sydney on the 30^th.We had a very narrow escape from Shipwreck in Bass Straits. The vessel was so leaky we were obliged to pumps her ever pour during the passage.There is great difference between Swan River and Sydney no regard to the issue of provisions. In Sydney you can purchase the four pound loaf 7^d and very good beef at 1^d per pound. In fact cattle are so numerous up the country that the settlers are killing them for the sake of their hides.Any person who chooses to be industrious can obtain a much better livelihood here than in England.

The chief part of the work in the colony is done by prisoners so that a free man is obliged to take just of his wages in goods and the reminder in money.The finest cedar and gum trees grow which together with the wool are the chief articles of exportation, The soil is as good here as in England and the climate though warm is very healthy, Grapes, Melons, Peaches are very plentiful here you can purchase a dozen peaches for one penny in Sydney. There are several settlers living at the distance of 300 miles

[one copy of letter finishes here dated 3^rd April 1831]

[letter continues in second copy]

From Sydney where the soil is a great deal better than that near the town they are at present building steam boats for the conveyance of moored to the Sydney. Two newspapers are published every week in Sydney Mail coaches move daily between Sydney & the adjoining towns & have given you those remarks that you may form some idea of the state of the colony.

I sh^d like you too … them to my cousin John if he has not yet gone to Swan River. I suppose you have by this time rec^d the which I wrote to you date Freemantle Swan River if you have not – an arrived to it I shall be use to receive it as I left direction than any letter that were directed to me were to be forwarded to Sydney.

Mr W^d give me great pleasure to hear from you …  … Mary I hope you are both doing well. I am living at present with John Hawdon Esq whose brother we had as pupil whilst I lived with Mr Goodrich. Mr Hawdon had given me a recommendation to the Arch Deacon & I have got the promise of a situation now under Government as Schoolmaster. I have had the offer of other situations in the colony but I prefer this as I shall be always sure of may salary when it becomes due.

I should be very glad if you would collect the bills which are due to me and settle Mrs Southerons and Mr Andrews bills which I left unsettled Mrs Southrons bill is nine pounds two which must be deducted for property left in her charge. Mr Andrews is five pounds. The following are the bills due to me Mr Travis elect bridge owes me four pounds & Mrs Sheffield Silver Street £5 5^s Mr Forster Skillon Gilbert £1.18 & Mrs Ware Market Place Durham 16^s I once out the bills and declined them before I left England so that you will have nothing to do but to call upon them for payment If those persons will not settle the accounts & I will endeavour to remit you some money that you may settle what I am in debited had I held it in my power I would have settled every thing before I left England

I hope you will embrace the earliest opportunity & let me know all the particulars that have occured at Walsinghamshire. I left England I make my affectionate love to my sister to my uncle and aunts to my cousins John J Joseph and best respects to Mr G Woollen and two Mr & Mrs Browning.

I remain Dear Father Your most affection son

William Thompson

Direct for me to the care of J Hawdon, Elderslie, Sydney

[Addressed to]

Mr Robert Thompson, Fawn Lees House, near Wolsingham, Durham, England.

[William Thompson Irving was living with John Hawdon at Elderslie]

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Letter 6th March 1832

6th March 1832

Elderslie

My Dear Mother

It is a long time since I heard from you many of my Dear friends but perhaps you may say the same that it is long since you heard from us although I think I have written twice since I received a letter from England.

But as my dear wife presented me with another fine boy on the first of this month I will delay writing no longer I am thankful to state she has had a very good time of it and is doing well So you see we are in a likely way to have a large family.

They are all very healthy Thank God and as every thing is now very prosperous they are so many blessings

I am sure My Dear Mother will be glad to hear that all things are now prosperous with me we certainly have felt a few difficulties since leaving our native country but these when over only make us more thankful to enjoy the blessings of this life now when they come

This last has been a very good year for the settlers here at least I have felt it so.

My crops have been good and meat a much better market than we have been accustomed too.

My wheat crop is as very productive. Wheat is one of the principal things to be looked at in a new colony but what I principally turned my attention to this year was growing hay which turned out a very good crop and as it has been a deficient crop in general so the price is in consequence high.

I think I stated to you last year that I had a very large contract for hay to supply the government establishments at four pounds sixteen shillings per ton and this year tendered at five pounds eight shillings to supply the same thus was a tender for Sydney at five pounds four shillings which of course got it but the gentleman

[letter unfinished]

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Letter 20^th August 1832

20th August 1832

Elderslie

My Dear [Gilbert] Wood

From my last letter, which is dated long long ago I waited to believe that I might expect to see you in New South Wales and we put off having your little namesake christened until you came  to be a Godfather month and even you having clapsed we at last gave up hopes and he was christened last Sunday without the happiness of seeing you my dear friend here.

I had a letter the other day from Rob Dixon who is in the surveyor department and who has been stationed for upwards of a year at the head of Hunters River some hundred of miles from this place who in past accounts for your silence he stated that he had received letters from England and that you wrote them on the point of marriage or were to ship  If if is the case give your your wife a trip to NSW you have an idea how pleasant such a… against in a good vessel well fitted out if you will

I dont know but I may accompany you back again in about five as is year and I will engage that your capital shall be increased three hundred p. cent during that time I am now doing very well I have had some very good seasons since I came & I all so speculated too extensively when I first came after which things full upwards of two hundred p^r cent but I have over it all & thank God a good prospect be me.

you will observe by the date of this letter that Elderslie is still the place of our residence my Farm had done Extremely well for the last two years I found growing grain so very uncertain in this climate that I fortunately turned my attention to growing hay which I have found much more profitable & more since I have been as fortunate as to have the Government contracts the last two years for hay last year at four pounds Eighteen shillings per Ton and this year at six pounds fourteen shillings per Ton They take upwards of five Tons a which Takes some carting forty miles.

You will think it cannot pay well to cart so far but that it does pay very well to show you how little me think of the loading such distance compared with what you do in England I supply government with straw at £2.18 per Ton The reason why the loading costs so little we have no wages to pay having a government men each man manages his dray and carries his …low he has six bullocks in his dray.

we use no Harness only bows and … which we make on the farm the dray has a pole in it which is fastened … yoke of the hind bullock and it just takes them a week to load and … to Sydney and back they have six fresh bullocks next week and there is … expense at least very little I allow any man a couple of shillings

But it is not common to do so most of them as clever fellows the Ton is weighed at the stack and from them when delivered and still they can continue to have a hundred or two for themselves the way of doing it are arriving and various .

Our Hay is principally made of oats cut soon after they come into Ear last year I could not get a supplies seed oats and I sowed barley and even wheat which I can cut and the green state it prossessed for hay but was not considered quite so good as Oats.

The growing of sheep and cattle is a very profitable concern here. Cows can now be purchased at about Two pounds each and resell at £6 and the grass costs nothing.

I have got a very fine herd of about five hundred cattle principally of the Durham breed at Loach the Bulls and younger for ask of the herd and they have a most beautiful part of the country to graze on Mr Francis Hunt has the management of my stock stations, it is upwards of Two Hundred miles to the country of this place on the seaside there is about sixteen miles from the sea to the mountains and the mountains are inaccessible on the other two sides are two saltwater rivers upwards of half a mile & crop me to are no neighbours which is considered an advantage

at least there are none between the rivers there is a Taylor from Dublin got two thousand acres on this side of the river a most beautiful such flat without a tree on it and he is very likely to be year himself with managing his person altho’ it is this book I each saw me my life either here or any way alone and has neither rent to over nor wages to pay.

but I was describing my cattle use the land is rich and many flats of several Hundred acres we thout a tree on it other places just like a Gentlemans Park in England here

And there is climiss I wanted for my grant but could not get it and it was out of the time of demarkation so I find at this side of the river but I hope to get it changed when the times are extended but if they home not to be extended for the next seven years I hope they wont for it is just the same as my own.

I do not mean to do anything on my own place for I believe that when estate have been improved upon when sold they never such for help the money the improvements cont as a proof the person I am now on cost upon adds to 8 thousand pound per having improvements and money thousand say and I sent it for one thousand pounds a year and money is here land at neverless than two per cent and frequenly fifteen per cent it was 20 about eighteen months ago

Francis Hunt has just been here a few days but he was so anxious to be back we could only prevail on him to stop a few days h is very much improve under you saw him he grown a real hardy fellow a capital bushman

Then heal had been robbed by some pirates about ten months ago the fellows did not get much having been alarmed but having escaped so easily they came back again to rob them a second time But Francis Hunt & his men enjoyed them & took four prisoners I saw one of the fellows going down to Sydney with the Constables he has been very near forfeiting his life on the spot for his misdemeanours

He showed me where one of the men had sent some thr^o his … a black fellow there with a spear thro’ his cap & another spear went thro’ his trousers & yet he escaped the blacks all very useful to us down there Mr Hunt has one of them  a cows head one pig head & another assists the stockman these are regularly  fed I have had 10 or 12 employed … husking maize.

that is one very great advantage to have in this Colony over Van Diemans Land the notions these murder the while when ever they came here it is quite the reverse [convicts] we are on very good terms rather we have them completely at our command & where they are well treated they are very useful now if we set off to travel into the bush where we don’t know the country we take a black or two & it – is impossible to be lost with them they possess a sort of instinct with regard to travelling that is timely astonishing even in a place they have been in before they take you as direct as possible –

I wrote so far last night and after reading it over this morning I found that although three very long sides of paper have been filled have told you nothing at all about the country but as I am not inclined to burn this letter but to make you pay the postage for it you must just take it for granted for better or worse by the bye have Rated you had to pay a great deal for postage for a letter from here there must be some mistake in that for you ought never to pay more than the basic carriage that is from London & never have more than one shilling each letter to pay for those received from England but they were very few the last letter I received is dated upwards of 18 months ago all my Friends in England have forg… other me a together over yourself Wood have not waitted to use for nearly three years

how can you account for it when you do not write you near not tell me anything about politiks or public affairs for of these things I know all about them withing three month of here happening but this advice I need not give to you for you know that any trifling circumstances about yourself to any of my … acquaintances must be far more interesting than what I have read in two or three newpapers lose of before – 

… I don’t think I have told you one word about my Family Mrs Hawdon is looking very well stouter We appear since altogether than when you saw her she seems pretty well reconciled to the country yet sometimes she says she hopes we shall return to England again in ten years from our landing the time I fixed at first.

Now Wood I just want you to come out and I shall carry and effect a favourite scheme of mine at present And you also will be able to make a handsome thing by it and return in the course of a …. have I will tell you what it is.

There is a new settlement on the point of being formed at Spencer Gulf which is on Southern part of the coast of new Holland There is a River the Marumbidge river which I have been over that runs into Spencer Gulf.

Our Government last year sent an exploring party to trace this river and they followed it to Lake Alexandria within ninety miles of Spencers Gulf where I saw the Marrumbidge River.

The land on both sides was very fine but this party states (and one them I have seen) that the land improved considerable as they get further down and that when they got near the lake there are beautiful fine flats of great extent this place has such a fine harbour such back cleared flats and a Wanga cattle ewes for upwards of 7 hundred into the interior it is the place where Sydney ought to have been but as that is not the case it is place where a settlement must shortly be formed.

And I have some accounts that a company is now formed in England for that purpose.

Well all I want is a good market for my sheep cattle etc and should the company come & I have made up my mind to take my cattle sheep Horses indeed every thing down to them for sale.

I have engaged Stoeshe for a year come next Christmas after which time I shall be at liberty and fancy to your self my travelling down the Marimdidge river with a thousand head of cattle and I hope by that time to have a 2 thousand sheep and hundred working bullocks. We shall form quite a caravan. I calculate it will take me about 7 months to go.

Well now you have sufficient to home to because this letter make every necessary arrangement in England and after arriving here to Carry out your money in Stock and go down with me this new company away not yet for themselves of that hear in England at any rate I hope you will come out I am sure you might do well.

Now I will show you one way cattle may be purchased for one to two pounds per head according to ago quality to salted beef in casks is selling at 4^d per lbs any quantity you may have.

My bullocks that sold about 3 months ago that were not two years averaged upwards of 1600 lbs each now make your calculations.

See how immense the profit must be just in that speculation Casks are continuously very dear  but I hope we shall find sound wood to assume that grows here – Should you come bring nothing but money every other thing is a great hazard –

Rivers perhaps is the only certain speculation & that depends in a great measure how you purchase it –

You will  have heard I suppose that we have got another little Boy They are really four fine children very stout and remarkably they all coming on very fast in their Education I have a man that – teaches them & weighs the hay & grows fibage for himself a very profitable place & to grow. It makes from 40 to 50 pounds  an acre –

I am very sorry to observe that the reform Bill is lost [in England] and the Duke of Wellington again premier I suppose you will have a revolution of you have any spirit left in England a Friend of mind has just observed there will be no revolution that the duke being now in office has carried his point his object be now be to appease these people & grant them all they want – England will never prosper under such administration – but England’s politics is not the field thats meet for me –

The are all owed to distill these for our own uses & I can assume you I have now got as good whiskey from my own Barley as any the old scotch smugglers used to bring to Kimbleworth –

those well I suppose be great changes when I again visit England sho^d Stuart ever be the cases but do come out Wood & I will return with you again in a few years bring nothing back each with £1000 you would I am since make 3000 in these years –

sho^d you not come I hope I shall see again the social fire side at Kimbeworth sh^d you ever see any of my dear friends at Wakerfield with my kind love them we are all well – – God bless you John Hawdon

PS I make one condition in sending this viz. that you write and send me an answer within one calendar month after receiving this

Remember me kindly to your Brother we want a few letters like him here he would do very well here but I should not recommend any one leaving England after a certain age after the habits have become fixed the change is so great in a foreign land that I do think it only answers for your people

[Addressed to]

Gilbert Wood Esq. Kimbleworth, Durham England

Geo Broad, John Hunt, Thorington, Northumberland

[cross-written; some handwritten text illegible; handwritten text written in one continuous stream without punctuation]

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Letter October 1833

October 1833

Thorington [East Suffolk]

My Dear Friend

As I know you are anxious as well as myself to hear from the New World, I write to inform you that we had a Letters from John last Night and I take the earliest opportunity of forwarding you the particulars –

in the first place he says as soon as they arrived at Sydney and got their Cargo delivered he got leave of absence for five Days, he then directed  his Course up to Elderslie when he met your Son John & all his Family in good Health & friends & met with the Kindest brief

I can … you can imagine I suppose the meeting went so particularly glad on both sides, as for your Son John he says his four Quarters are as successfully grown; you would scarce know him again and his Wife these days

He never saw him look so well in his life; They have three fine Boys and a nice little Girl & John’s Sea Phrases breaks net money & thins even in his letters; he says Joe has gone up Elderslie and is going to live at the Farm which Frank has had the management of he speaks highly of Frank’s Industry & Accounting and I believe has given him every Encouragement is keeping a little Stock along with his own by way of rewarding him for his Steady Conduct he had told John that Frank had about 19-20 Cows of his own this he was landing from; so you see he will soon stock a small Farm,

They speak about herds of Cattle as we would speak about flocks of Sheep, he says Frank has seen Men convicts under him & they have this change of 1700 head of Cattle.

I suppose there is no Bounds as yet to there Lines of dimarkation, so that they may Jout  as much stock on the Pastures as even they choose your Son John says that Com Farms does not pay so well as Flocks & Herds do, was the reason for his giving up Elderslie, if they have 1700 Head of Cattle I don’t know how many Hundred Sheep they will have

he has miles once mentions Philip you may judge what a disappointment it would be to both John & Frank, They never saw each other, John only having five Days leave of absence, put it quite out of the Question home seeing Frank having 300 stock from your farm

They wrote to Frank but he did not receive the Letter for a Month after it was wrote, he immediately mounted his Horse and rode about 100 Miles across the Mountains thinking still to meet with John before he sailed, but on his load he heard the ship had sailed from Sydney to Hobart Town he then wrote to John at Hobart Town which Letter John see –

so you may Judge of the disappointment on both sides after have sailing the deep for about 16000 Miles and have the most fecation to miss one another

so mainly your Son John thinks they sailed within 3 or 4 Miles of where Frank lives, I think John seems half inclined to go out again next Spring with the same Ship

he says your Son John made him a very good offer if he were to stay in the Country that he would buy a Craft of some Kind & give John a sip Present a Month to Manage him and that he should have some share with him in the Comissn which offer he was obliged to decline at the Present, but I believe he will be going back next Jan^y prising in the same Ship as they all met with the Kindest treatment from the Capn

John I believe will have a Packet of Letters for you Son John to his Friends in England in Course he will have some for Wakerfield,

He wrote from the Sea not far from Dover as his Letter is as post marked Dover saying they expect to be in London before I send his Letter his Letter was dated the 9^th Sept^r so that their Ship must have arrived in London before this time  –

I must now change the subject & and give some det^ls of what we are doing here when I got home they had … part Com cut, the Wind had alarmed them very much I mean the Day which I Ieft your place I think in one Field we lost about 6 Bush of Oats per Acre [and the Oats were ………]

[stray text inverted on edge of paper fold] We shall be most happy to see some of your young folks over this …..

and the Oats were not near Ripe, but I am happy to say it was not general over the Farm, we have since this had two or three sheep Wessels which has done considerable damage; more than I was … saw since I came in the Country; yet I flatter myself that any Crop upon the Whole will still be a full acreage ones.

The Oats & Barley & Peas were a most repellent Crop, the Wheat plenty of Bulk but I rather doubt its yielding well. I believe we shall finish eating or nearly on this Night, Spring Wheat, but we have been laid off for about a Week, not being ripe, The prices given here begin very low the list White Wheat 6^d/- Barley 3^s/4 Oats 2/4 per Bushell have had Brisk Market for our Living at home I sold mine for 41/- a Head the highest price given in this Night whood They were sold at home, the Markets which was on the 27^th Sept^r turned out rather dull  say 2^s/ a Head less than prices before the Fair,

I waniss are pretty good here & wintering Cattle Keep pretty high I must now conclude with Kindest regards to all our & Family remember me Kindly to  Mr^s Barnes remain Y^r affect sister M. Hunt Circle

[stray sentence of edge of paper fold] Young folks run this Autumn is convenient… 

I take up my pen to thank you and Mr Hawdon and all your family for your kindness to Henry who sets out for Cumbria this day and I was very happy to hear by him that you were all in good health which a great blessing.

On my dear Sister, how can we be sufficiently thankful to the Lord for all his goodness to use poor frail realises. His mercies are unbounded I am very thankful to God for the safe arrival of poor Jake from a far distant Land and fraught with good news

Francis^s health appears to be quite established and he is now quite naturalised to the Climate and it gave us great comfort to hear that his kind friend and employee was so well satisfied with his management, I trust in time he will be able to stock a farm of his own

John says he spent 5 days with his Cousin and a pleasant time they had of it he says he never saw Mrs Hawden look so well and 4 fine Children and John and Gilbert are such nice Scholars when Mr and Mrs ^H goes to their own property to live they society will be great comfort to it same may God Almighty’s blessing attend all that concerns them in my sincere prayer. Please to make my kind regard

[edge of page inverted along paper fold] To Mrs Baings and her family and to any number of yours I beg to be remembered in love I remain Your affectionate sister

Mitt

[Addressed to]

Mr Hawdon Esq, Walkerfield, Slaindrop, Durham.

[cross-written; some handwritten text illegible; flow of handwritten text may be out of order as it does not follow paper folds]

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Letter 4^th November 1833

4th November 1833

Elderslie

My Dear Father

I had the pleasure to receive your Kind letter from Mr Forster a few days ago, which I can assume was a great treat it has been such a long time since we heard from any of our dear friends in England. I think the last letter we had was brought by John Hunt last Christmas; I am truly sorry  to hear of the death of Mr Barnes, death hath made great had occurous Family since I left England May we all My dear Father be prepared when it comes  to our little Fanny states in her letter that you and my dear Mother an looking very well and very little allised sense I left you which I was very glad to hear I sincerely hope I shall see you again should my affairs go on as prosperously as they now appear

I think I shall be able to utilise in seven or eight years your state my Brother …ssple for when to Emigrate to New South Wales and that you had given your consent providing my account in answer is favourable

[library tape covers edges of letter]

The prospect is very good here for steady and undoubted our young men with capital particularly if he ….ds his attention to sheep farming … can his purchased from twelve to seventy shillings per head the grass costs nothing there is only the Expense of Shepherds and wool sells very well I suppose one shilling and sixpence per for ….  a fortnight ago and sheep … about three pounds

Each ewe generally breed three in two years so that capital law out in sheep will return about twenty five per cent for the first year forty for the second and so on in proportion should they go on will – the withers generally bring from Eight to ten shillings each and are expected to pay all Expenses when the flocks are sufficiently Extensive – but sheep require great attention you ask me what capital I imant has requisite for Joseph capital is Essentially missany for he would from have to go a long way up the country and with a small capital the Expenses cl^d be just as great as with a larger

He really not to have less than a thousand pounds to set off each should you not be inclined to you have so much lend him or be there meant of his processessing  a past to make  up that sum, and if his will say met his meaning in the way I shall point out to him I will Engage that the interest of the part but there he regularly paid in London by his wool and the capital unpaid in a fixed year from ten to seventy per cent is paid for money here and G… cannot be had without the best of curity at that rate –

of course I state to every thing that lays in my power to assist him and I really do think a thousand pounds will as good to him with my knowledge of the country as two or three without afraid has … you d… me say which Mr F Hunt and Mr I Robinson are doing M… Hunt is on my grant of land and … the coast where I keep my cattle he is doing any work and is a acq… study young since he is as ple… to do and is pretty active

I have about Eight hundred head of cattle there … they are very well maged his dairy is well maged I was down about two months ago there will be about 300 cattle this year they are principally of the Durham bd

I am building a House on my own land to Shire acres unfenced I of lively … under Mr Hunt just made and J Sherack he has nearly 100 acres in cultivation it is very rich loam and I have just heard the crops are looking well he talks of beginning  for himself next year by doing which I am sure he will be doing  wrong he has now got about seventy head of cattle and a years salary will be due in about a month he has forty pounds a year he is at no Expenses, his cattle are taken care of along with mine –

Mr John Robinson has tes…d out a very indolent young man and too fond of drinking I have not heard of him for about a year I think he has left the colony –

leave writing the above I have unused accounts of my wool I am for last year which was sold in London on the 13 of last I was at the high price of 13/- per lb which is a very flattering account it having the highest price quoted with the …cisstion of a five bales of the Australian company’s …. I took an advance of 15^d per lb on it, the Expenses will be about 3^d per lb on including freight insurance and Every thing so that I shall have about as much more to come –

My hay crops are looking very well we are just beginning to cut these I have usual of 200 acres of Hay to cut I think I will average one Ton an acre I got Eight pounds a ton last year but I think it will be cheaper this year –

Margaret has written to my mother in this package and my Son John has written a letter to you and my dear Mother which I can have you with the … to see he is a very fine boy indeed they are four very healthy fine children

[library tape obscure top line of text on writing paper]

November 27^th I… write ago the … set vessel had sailed for England and now is not on vessel … … … from … …. yet … I … Sydney again next week and put this package into the that –  I have been in Sydney tens of time since June – writing the other side, I have been a good deal Enjoyed taking contracts for the sixth year commencing at Christmas

I have talking the supply of rations per cent daily man have five fifty miles up the country consisting of about 350 at 5^d ¾ per ration per day, which is 2^d per to four beef and 20^s/ per 100lb for flour –

I think it will pay me very well by selling my hides and making the fat into candles and attending surplus to the management of all the things I think a but – …lock each make possible to have Sound  – I have engaged Mr Forster

you sent a letter by to manage the further End of the line of road when then most of the People line I have to … having forty Pounds for this year have appears a very steady young M… and I hope each suits me

I could attend to it all … have  … nearly … our Hay harvest it has been a very fair season I have Engaged to supply Mr Hosagen for the Government horses in Sydney which will take all my Hay a Eight Pounds per ton, so that my contracts this are very … I think I shall be us the accept of upwards of £700 per month I shall have always flour to purchase … are ….. ….. …. After the first three …. …… away … … …

[text under library tape]

… … will be a very considerable profits left I can purchase bullocks for £2/10^s and flour at 15/- per 100^lb and this is the dearest time for wheat just before Harvest –

I h…t Mr Forster up to Mr Hunt for 50 fat cattle it will take him a month – we were … season plagued with a complaint among our cattle they call it here the Black by which made us havoc among many herds Mr Hunt wrote me last week  that has appeared in my herd and that we had lost from twelve to twenty  three and that the complaint is what in England is called the Quastin ill [black disease in cows caused by liver fluke] but I have not seen any yet that had its Some stockholders lost upwards of 100 last year but we must make up our minds to losses among stock –

I d… say give w^d must called

I taken another sheet in this … have crossed this  [letter] and have mind … …

I have taken Elderslie for another from next Christmas

I have many Engagements that I could not be use it this year which is a disappointment to me as I was very anxious to get to my own …

[text under  library tape]

place – it is a very pleasant plac… – I don’t think I have … those 400 acres of goods but out of the 2860 but it is very and clear of trees

it is between four and six weeks since I commenced this letter sent vessel has yet to sail there is one to sail on Sunday

The Children to whom I shall send it requested me to send you an a… we immediately, as Joseph was anxious, it was rather unfortunate I did not get your letters a little sooner as there was a vessel sailed two days before I received them the reason these have now sailed lately they are waiting of the wool coming down the country –

Gilbert Wood states he has taken Whetherwill for six years I think he had better have come here for six years –

what I recollect  of Whitworth it is bus^y country and I should think farming can not be a good speculation at your present low prices and more particularly in a bud country

William tells me that Willy Jeminus is now at Leeside of us

now to hear that at I think you will not be a hard landlord to him and he will all will remember me Kindly to him and manage and tell him I shall write him a letter during next package – Be kind enough to remember me Kindly to all Enquiring friends you say that many Enquiries you which is a pleasant idea to him that I am not yet forgotten I hope my dear Father I shall hear prove you more far quietly

More I have down the letters dihaved here only cast the inland postage which is a shilling whereas the letters to you I understand cost a great deal I think Gilbert Wood said about fourteen shillings – Mixed papers sent here only cost a penny Each that is the inland postage – I should like  some sent now and then –

I am going to Sydney in the morning I generally drive down to Liverpool which is twenty miles from here take the coach to Sydney which gets in by half two in the morning  I have all the day for business until four in the afternoon when the coach sets off again for Liverpool and I am at home by Eleven Oclock the same evening – our roads are almost as good as in England

I suppose you would have no idea that we should be able to travel so do the distances by in so new a country, but any person … this country cannot almost believe that it had not been colonised for fifty  years, yet it has the appearance of a country that has been peopled for centuries

I must now conclude as my paper is full believe me my dear Father even Your affectionate Son Margaret … me to give her Kind love to you and all friends at Walkinfield

John Hawdon

[cross-written; some handwritten text illegible; some handwritten text under library tape on the edge of letter paper]

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Letter 6th November 1833

6th November 1833

Elderslie New South Wales

Evans & Sons

My Dear Grandfather and Grandmother

My Brother Gilbert and my Sister Margaret join me in sending their kind love to you both; and to my Uncles and Aunts and other friends in England that is so far away from your affectionate grandchild

John Hawdon, Elderslie, New South Wales.

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References

Magee, Stuart 2006. The History of Moruya. Moruya District Historical Society, Moruya. Online at https://mdhs.org.au/history.html

Hawdon, John 1821-1833, John Hawdon letters, 1821-1833. MSS, State Library of NSW.

Hawdon family 1832-1838, Papers relating to the Hawdon Family, 1832-1838. MSS, State Library of NSW.