SARAH PURCOCKS, LATER STRAKER
1 May 2015
23 April 1866, Sarah Purcocks to Kate Forbes, Sinquassi, Natal, NAD Forbes
My dear Kate
We are very much disappointed in not hearing from you last Friday the last we heard from was that yourself and little David were not well and Alick being so ill makes us very anxious to hear from you often…
Father and Mother left last Friday for town… I think they will be back next week I feel more comfortable now Mrs Cooke is at home than I did last time if Mother had gone on, because they would have both been away and I should not have had a female to speak to. Now Mrs Cooke is at home she comes down twice a week and I went up there yesterday after noon so it is not so lonely…
J Hill is going to leave his present abode and is going to live on Mr Walmsleys farm where Mr McLoughlin lives…
Mr Milnes is building a new house but we cannot make out what he is going to do and George will not tell us anything…
Mrs Cooke is taken up with the Misses Giffords ?Heakly’s girl Clara has gone to work at ?Mrs Lize Sulett’s…
Mr Williams is at John Dunn’s ?old house collecting taxes
I have told you all the news and shall be very much disappointed if I dont hear from you or David on Friday
All join in love & lots of kisses to self & dear children and hope ?Sanday is better
from your sister
Sarah
George & David have gone to bed & I must go now
29 May 1867, Sarah Forbes to Kate Forbes, Morley Park, Natal; NAD Forbes
My dear Kate
I forgot to send to you by Post today so send this by wagon to Post in the town David & Mick walked over to Dingley yesterday. Aunt is going to ?Umplati for an outing, Mr Green & Jim ?Fuller was here Mr Green is going to have the farm for seven years, he is the same Mr G of old You can expect us up in a fortnight or three weeks we are waiting to close the Agreement with Mr Green… we shall want your wagon for me & Sarah Dingley to sleep in As she is coming up…
Bob Hampson is better & we have sent a cow & calf for milk for him as he has to have four bottles of milk a day. Mrs Milne has only been over once since we have been here – I went over once by myself & once with Sarah Dingley…
The wagon is going to fetch Vin Mr Hampson is going to settle about his leaving school
About the Kafir gords, the baize is in a long box that was sent up with the Piano & the blue stuff in a deep box…
If ?Balourn comes for Betty, dont let her go, we have turned him off the Farm. I think I have told you all the news…
Your affect Sister
SFP
6 September 1871, Sarah Purcocks to David Forbes snr, no place given, NAD Forbes
Dear David
…I wish you was back for more reason than just one but of course it is better for you
to get as much as you can now you are there…
…Kate & the new baby are all right baby is a fine strong boy..
you really ought to get some medicine for her & Nellie Nellie has the wind the same as she had before you left…
Brother David has such a bad hand… as soon as David has finish[ed] planting at Athole Kate will come here again she will be alright with David staying with her …
…our girl has run away & Mother has so much to do having only ?Kaffalia that I must come home some times or we shall have her knocked up. Really you are blessed with as bright a set of nigers as any man could well have. They had not even thatched the hut or finished the ditch till Kate went down & neither are quite finished yet. They could not even keep the cattle out of the field.
…The quaggas were within 100 yards Father & David have shot 80 to 100 skins They are mostly small…
We are in mourning for Uncle…
Every one is telling me how stout I am getting & so I am… you would really pity poor Duncan [an ox] with the weight he has to carry…
Today is pig killing David killed Kate one last week
^Bring two good hair combs as Kate has none^
Your affect sister Sarah
1 August 1886, Sarah Purcocks to Kate Forbes, Westoe, New Scotland, NAD Forbes
My dear Kate
Yours of June 18 to hand letter the week before has not yet come the Young Ladies Journal did not come…
I went to Athole Monday killed the pig on Tuesday…
…the dining room and the old thatch was pulled off the back part… I let Mr Walker take the wagon… Bob & Joe had put the roof on the plastering and putting floors in… I expect ?Fovi will finish thatching next week your husband will have to pay him I have only 11/- in the house he said he would do it 10/- & unreadable their charge a £1
Dick & Aqua are at ?Fovi farm they have not saleable things…
Since Mr Phillips left here he went with Mr ?Gerduvod to the Swazi Kings…
Mr P bring word that he met a Mr Pullin – concerned in the ?Ohelly concession they have found a reef and Mr Hollin has gone to Middelburg to get it assayed…
…Mr Mikle has been turned off several places as belonging to other people…
The Swazi King is in trouble with the Transvaal Govt… of course Bandine will refuse and the Boers will take his country
George Walker sends word 4 more oxen died
I am very particular nothing but the old greys go to Athole from here [re lung sickness]…
Mrs Copoy has nearly always got a head ache but baby is fat & grows so…
Don’t you think I’m getting adventurous riding to Athole & back twice I think it deserves a new habit…
Mrs Bell writes she will leave Camden…
Erskine writes that if he had stayed at the Gold fields he would have been worth £50000000000000000
I was mistaken about McCorkindale estate At first we understood they had to give half the land back but Mr Evans says they had to give all back which I sent you word, but you will hear from Green who of course will know
Mr Thompson has walked to Inqwenia to try if he can get a billet…
Mrs Copoy lives on vegetables and Bread and salt…
When do you think of coming back I might give a spree when you come tell Kitty
…I think I sent you word that Paddy Clarke was sent to Ermelo jail… he beat his wife & was going to shoot people…
I must now finish
With love to all from
Your affectionate Sister
Sarah
16 July 1889, Sarah Purcocks Straker to Kate Forbes, no place given but Westoe, New Scotland, NAD Forbes
Dear Kate
Gambose came yesterday with a note from Dave written from Kannermers store asking Bob to go to Athole and Attend to the lambs as he ‘Dave’ may not be back for a few weeks
Jim & his family were over on Sunday but went home again Kopoy & family went on Sunday and Mr Albrecht left yesterday for Stynsdorp…
Mr Sewell is coming to ?Rolfontein to superintend the post contract I am going to Athole to see about killing the pigs Bismark is at the reef butchering the pigs
I sent for your post this week so as to send you the papers I saw in the paper the Spartan arrived in England I have only had a short letter from Maggie since you left…
[end missing]
4 May 1890, Sarah Purcocks Straker to Kate Forbes, Westoe, New Scotland, NAD Forbes
My dear Kate
Yours of April 2 and Nellie of the 3rd same by last post thank Nellie for hers.
The Glasgow Co shares I will keep more for old acquaintance sake, Vin & Kopoy think 4/9 not good enough so will not sell theirs…
Vin & Mattie came here with the Dingley crowd on Wednesday Mrs Archer was also here the Dingleys left the next day…
Maggie will have a birthday on the 7th so many happy returns of the day Jim was up last week but neither have come up today Sunday…
I have had a storm of visitors now I expect a calm but the races…
Mr Archers horse that Vin had…
Mrs Dingley bought me a present for self & baby a alpaca dress with a figured strip very pretty… Mrs McKenzie is going to make it…
Mr Litchfield is still here I hear Erskine is down on his luck again – but the young Erskines & Bobbie are doing well…
The little Dingley is such a fine baby ?Jim has to get a Kafir girl to nurse him as Nellie require one girl and one to do the house work…
We are sending our 5th sales of Wool away Vin sent Dave wool down to Natal about 10 days ago as you folks have a lot of money from wool
[end missing]
Last updated: 1 May 2015
