Bendigo Gold
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A LETTER FROM BENDIGO
The Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company was a railway company in Victoria, Australia. The company was founded on 20 January 1853 to build the line from Melbourne to the port of Sandridge (now Port Melbourne). It was constructed in the broad gauge of 5 ft 3 in(1,600 mm), as the result of an agreement between the then Australian colonies to adopt that gauge. This was the first common-carrier railway to operate in Australia.[1] It opened on 12 September 1854, more than a year before the Sydney–Parramatta Railway in NSW, which opened on 26 September 1855.[2] |
This letter was written in 1868 by Albert Corri to his Uncle. It was discovered in Ballincolla house,Union Hall by the Cooke family. The snap shot of history written by Tess Bryan in her journal,is set in 1859, nine years before this genuine letter was written. 1. To whom is Albert writing? 2.Before Albert went gold digging, what job did he have? 3. Why did Albert stop gold digging? 4. Name two places in Bendigo in 1868. 5. Why was it so difficult to get a job in 1868? 6.What happened to Albert when he was looking for work? 7. In what year did Albert come to Australia? 8. What did Officer Moller bring from Ireland for Albert? 9. What did Albert's mother ask him to do? 10. Why was he unable to do as she asked? 11.Where did Albert want the money he earned, to be sent? 12. What made Tess Bryan's experience in Australia different from Albert's experience? My dearest and much respected Uncle, I will now endeavour to explain in some way my seeming neglect in not writing to you. Since I left the Mounted Force my luck when I turned to the Gold Digging did not last very long so that lately everything was going out and nothing coming in in which case a few pounds sterling is not long being spent, but we( my mate and I) stuck to it to the last till forced to leave. That being the case we made up the country together with our swags. in consequence since my last letter I have been and past my degrees as a colonist, having had bullock driving, carting, hay making, cutting timber etc,etc and now having in my journeys, passed through a town like Bendigo i could not refrain from enquiring for letters having received yours this morning. I could do no other than seat |
myself at the window of the Limerick Castle overlooking the market square and answer the same. It is not now as it used to be in the country three and four years ago where in the case a man's luck was out at the gold digging he could easily get work with a master and make a few pounds in a short time for another start, but the Country is at present overcrowded with emigrants, and emigrants the majority of whom are a burden to the Country landing as they do without a shilling being forced to labour for mere nothing, in consequence the looking for work is made a very uncertain game and when got the wage so low that a man may remain a working man for an indefinite period. in order to get this work we had to journey from one settlers to another enquiring of each as we went if my hands were wanted, if not, in most cases they would give us to eat and a place to sleep next morning starting us on the road to the next settlers perhaps, 30 or 40 miles across country where often chances to one it requires more navigation than you think for to find, so much so that we have been lost on one occasion for two days without food or water and found ourselves to our astonishment at the place from whence we started. But you will perhaps be rejoiced to hear that all this knocking about and work does not injure me either in health or spirits seeing it has thoroughly drilled me into it besides the climate perfectly agrees with me seeing I have not had an hour's illness since I have been in the Country that is since November 1853) Up the Country the work is always uncertain therefore the letters from home ( I can't get when I like not being able to make sure of one day to another, so that is excuse enough, but those that have everything about them can conceive nothing easier for me to do but to be waiting about for letters etc, and it makes me savage to think that I am written to and expected to go to Melbourne and see for what, a box of books(d-m the books) which was to be sent out by a young fellow named Moller an officer in the 40th Regt for me this is no doubt done out of kindness but it only shows on my mother's part ignorence
here I am 200 miles from that same place with a few shillings in my pocket for do you not see that the diggings failed me my money could not last for ever and where I get a weeks or two's work why I may be as many months without. When I get my money I will try and better myself with it and if I fail it will not be my fault.My mother in her last letter wished me to return home at the same time I had 7 shillings and 6 pence in my pocket was that my fault the Colony generally is in a rather depressed state the majority of the people are complaining and can it be so without a cause. I am sorry to have to give you so much trouble concerning this money I knew it would be so therefore I told my Mother to do the best she could with it her not having done so is not my fault, at the time I was in receipt of good and regular pay and therefore not being a spendthrift I did not want it, but since that I thought to better myself by Gold Digging but that failing and not being able by getting employment to raise sufficient for another start at the Gold Fields I was obliged to send for that money Direct as usual to Castlemaine Post office but as to my place of abode I am not able to say however as opportunity offers I will write to the post master at Castlemaine wherever I may be. I will now conclude this somewhat hasty scroll and believe me to be as ever
Your affectionate nephew Albert Tyssen Corri
PS Remember me to all.