England, Personal Writings (National Institute)

Personal Writings
Oh, to be lucky enough to have literate ancestors who wrote chatty letters, tear-stained diaries, or even casual postcards and account books and whose descendants preserved them and passed them on to us! Most family historians are not in this fortunate position but there are ways to find relevant items. Whether you see the original or a derivative copy they contain primary information. Researchers need to be aware that although these personal accounts and diaries may give more truthful accounts than official or edited versions, they still give highly subjective impressions of events and persons.

Letters
With determination and a dose of luck, most genealogists will come across letters concerning their families. They may come from distant cousins or perhaps be purchased from an antiquarian dealer. A sampling from a recent glance through online auction catalogues follows:


 *  Letters from John Dongworth, East Indies midshipman providing considerable information about his family and their fate, to John Powell of Shrewsbury 1775 and 1780.
 *  Letter from Harriet Bullen, wife of Charles Bullen Liberal politician, 1833 and 1838 to their daughter Fanny, advising against sea-bathing, as recently popularized by George III and IV. Letter from bellmaker James On of Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire 1803 to James Wheat informing him that his bell with new clapper, yoke and irons and a small bagg went to Hull last week and has been put on board the Captain Fox vessel for Tinsley…I shall take the earliest oppertunity [sic] of coming to Sheffield to Hang it…
 *  Letter from William Irwin, a smith employed by the Great Western Locomotive Department 1843 to his father in Newcastle telling him that The railway company has built a Large Factory at Swindon and has taken All the workmen from London Station to Swindon so that I was compelled to Go or Lose my employment it is A very pleasant free open Country and it seems to Agree with all the Children they never looked better, we got all down Goods and every thing Free of expense… [Last two from Ambra Books and Lesley Aitchison website]

Even if your relatives were illiterate there will often be letters written by others that mention them, particularly in 19th century correspondence with emigrants. This is the case in the clutch of letters from England retained by the family of my relative George Jupp a settler in New Zealand. Note how some of the older folk could not read and write and relied on the local curate or school teacher to assist them.

Chart: Letters to New Zealand (Courtesy of descendant Frank Jupp) To George JUPP, born 1828 (eldest son of James JUPP gamekeeper), went to New Zealand in 1851 - 1853 23 May From his father’s employer’s son C.H. CAMPION of Danny Park, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex but written from Westmeston Rectory, near Brighton, Sussex. [Some punctuation added]

Chart: continued - To George JUPP in New Zealand - 1864 (sic 1865) 15 May  From Sarah LEWRY [Some punctuation added]

Chart: continued To George Jupp in New Zealand - 1905 5th May From his half-brother William Jupp, Packhams Cottages, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex

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Information in this Wiki page is excerpted from the online course English: Education,Health and Contemporary Documents offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. To learn more about this course or other courses available from the Institute, see our website. We can be contacted at [mailto:wiki@genealogicalstudies.com wiki@genealogicalstudies.com] We welcome updates and additions to this Wiki page.