Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Margaret Catchpole - papers, 1803-1811
A 1508

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Sedney January th 21 st. 1802

honred madam

with grat plesher i take up my penn to a Quaint you, my good Ladday, of my saf a rivel at port Jackson new South Wales sedeny on the 20th Day of Desember 1801.
As i was a Going to be Landed, on the Left hand of me, it put me in mind of the Cleeff - Both the housen and Lik wise the hills so as it put me in very Good spirites seeing a places so much Like my owen nativ home.
It is a Grat deel moor Lik englent then ever i Did expet to a seen for hear is Gardden stuff of all koind.expt gosbres an Currenes and appelles. The Garddenes are very Buttefull in ded all planted with geraniums and thay run up 7 and 8 foot hy.
It is a very woodey Cuntry, for if i goo out, aney a Distences hear is going throw woodes for miles - But thay are very Buttefull - and very prettey Beardes.
I only wish my my Good Laddey i Could send you one of these parrotes, for thay are very Buttefull, But i see so many Dy on Bord it mak me so very unwilling to send you one - But if i should Continner Long in this Countrey i suarteneley will send you sumthing out of this wicked Countrey - FOR I MUST SAY THIS IS THE WICKEDES PLACE I EVER WAS IN ALL MY LIFE.
The weat harvest was all most over just as i Landded. Hear weat is 8 shillenes pear Busshell at this time, hear is 2 Cropes in the summer, one with weat and one with indey Corn. I Cannot give you not much a Count of the Countrey, not in this letter, But i will Giv
you moor in the next for i niver shorll for Git yuir Goodness my Good Laddey you sheow to me Befor i Left englent - i took every thing over with me safe and thay are a Grat sarves to me in Deed.
Not that i am in such Grat trobell at pressent, But God oneley know how it may

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Be for hear is maney one that hav Benn hear for maney year and thay hav thar poor head shaved and sent up to the Coole river and thear Carrey Cooles from Day Light in the morning till Dark at Knight, and half starved, but i hear that is a Going to Be put By, and so it had need, for it is very crouell in ded.
Norfolk islent is a Bad places a nof to send aney poor Cratuer, with steel Corler on thear poor neckes, But i will tak Good keear of myself from that.
I am prettey well of at present for i was taken of the stores 2 Days after i Landed so i hav no Govment work to do, nor thay hav nothing to do with me - oneley when hear Be a generel mustter,
then i must a peear to Leat them know i am hear - and - if i hav a mind i goo up to Parramatta, 20 miles, or to towen Gabbey, 30 mile, or to Oxberrey, 40 mile I hav to git a pass or elce i should Be taken up and put into prison - for a very Lettell will do that hear.
My Dear Good Laddey i wont to say a grat Deel moor But time will not permit for i expet the ship to saill every Day.
I have Benn very Bad sinces i Com on shor, i thought i shold a Lorst my Life, But Bless Be to the Lord i am a grat Deel Better - i was Charmenley all my passeg Considren we Com over the Beay of Beskey, and wee Crost the Line very well in ded.
I was tossed a Bout very much in Ded But i should not mind it if I was But a Coming to old englent onces moor, for i Cannot say that I Lik this Contrey - no, nor niver shorll.
The Governor hav a good maney Cowes and a notheh gentleman hear is a good maney horses and verry smart wiskes and Leetell shay cartes and passeg Bootes
my Dear madam i must con Clud an send you moor acount the next time

from your unfortuned searvant Margaret Catchpole

madam pray Be so koind as to Leet docter Stebbenes hav that sid of the Letter. I hop thes few scroules find you and all your Good famley well and i hop my Good ladey you writ to the fust transport ship that do Come out for i should Be very glad to hear from you.

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for Docter Stebbenes

Dear Sir

this is to a Quaint you of our saf Landen at Sedney on the 20th. day
of december.
Wee wear all well - Barker is a Live, But she was very much fritened at the rufness of the sea - she youst to very often Cry out "i wish i was with my Dear mr. Stebenes for i niver shorll see ipswich no moor" - But she is much the sam as ever.
Elesabeth kellett Live very neear to me and do very well and she is off the stores so as we ar not driv about after work for the Govment Lik horseas - wee are free from all hard work.
sarey Barker hav to spinn for Govment and she is up on the stors But she Can Git har work don By 12 or 1 a clock if she work hard at it.
sir pray Giv my Best respects to all my old fellear prisnors and tell them niver to say "Dead Hearted" at the thoughts of coming to Boteny Bay for it is Likley you may niver see it - for it is not in hapited - onely By the Blackes, the nativs of this place - thay are very saveg for thay all wais Carrey with them spears and tommeay horkes so when thay can meet with a wit man thay will rob them and speer them. - i for my part do not Like them - i do not know how to Look at them - thay are such poor naked Craturs - thay Behav them selves well a nof when thay Com in to my house for if not wee would Git them punneshed. thay very often hav a grand fite with them selves 20 and 30 all to gether - and we pray to be spared. sum of them are kild - thear is nothing said to them for killing one a nother.
The Cropes of weat is very good in this Countrey for it perducers forteey Busshells per ackear - it is a very Bountifull place in deed for i under stand them that niver had a child in all thear lives hav sum after thay com hear.

[continued from last page of letter]

Dear sir

Jan th 21 the Blacks the natives of this places kild and Wounded 8 men and wemen and Children - 1 man they cut of his arms half way up and Brock the Bones that they Left on very much and Cut thear Leages of up to thear knees and the poor man was carread in to the ospitle a Liv - But the Govener hav sent men out after them to shot every 1 thay find - so as i hop i shorll give you Better a Count the next Letter

Pray sir send me word if you know wear Dinah parker and har Child is

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Sir i will wright moor a Bout the Countrey when i wright a Gain. Tea is 22's to 20 and 15 shillenes - sugger 2 shillenes to18 and 15 pence per pound - salt beef 1 shilling per pound - mutton 2ds per pound - fifteen shillings for a par of shos -10d for a par of stockenes - fiv shillinges for a yard of Common prent - 3d for a yard of carlaker - 3 shillinges for a pound of sop - Fish is as Chape as aney thing wee can By - But wee hav no monney to trad with hear.

Pray my good sir remember me to Mrs. ripshaw and tell her hear is one of Mr ripshawes owen Daughters Liven up in the Countrey - But i hav not seen har - not yet.

Sir i hop you will Be so koined as to writ to me By the fust ship that do Com out to Botany Bay and Drect to me at samewell rolley in the Brickfeldes No 40 sedney.
sir we had not one died - no not all the passeg out in so maney a wemen.

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to Mr John Cobbold Esq
Ipswich
Suffolk
To the Cear
Cap sunter

Janry. 21st 1802
Margaret Catchpole
To Mrs. Cobbold
Written from Botteny Bay

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Sydney December the 20 1804
        
My Dear

Uncle and aunt. with grat plesher i once moor tak up my penn to wright to you and all my Dear Cusanes unkles and auntes and all enquiren Frindes - Hoping they ear all in good health as it Lave me - Bless God for it - and as young as ever.and in good Spirites I will asuer you uncle i should be all most ready to Jump over St. John Church - wich is the fust Church that is finiched in the Countrey.
My dear uncle and aunt you must well think what a Comfort it would Be for me to hear from you all as i her englent is in a ver Bad Stat - and this is the fouth time of my wrighten.
fust i sent you a Letter by the ship i com in and the next was the Glatton and the next was the Calcutter - hopping that i should a had a Letter Long Before this. Time hear is Long - i's a nof to mak me go out of my Mind to se so maney Letters Com from London and poor i cannot git no not one - i all wayes thought that Mrs Cobbold would a sent me one Befor this time - But i hop my Dear uncle you will not neglect me this time for i am very unhappey to think that i cannot hear from you and my Aunt and all my Dear Cusanes.
I am in grat hopes that - please God - i should Live so Long as 2 or 3 year -i shorll hav that plesher and that grat Joy of seeing you all - for this Gouvener is a very Good Man to parden such as has heavy sentences for Life - Hear hav Bin a Grat maney that hav got thear free parden.
The young Man that Bring this Letter was for Lif But now he is Com free to his owen hom - wich is in London - I lived with him at Mr John palmers a squirs - for i lived thear twelves Monthes as a Cook and Darrey Searvent and this William lived thear as Fotman so he promesed me he would brind this letter saf to London i hav left that places for this 18 Monthes and more - At this present time i am housekeeper to a free sattler that had the miss fortin to Loos a Good Wife and left him with tow children - thay com over in the sam ship i did.
Thes free peopell are the farmers they hav one hundred ackers giv to them wen they Com hear But it is all Lik a Wood so thay hav to Cut dowen the tres and burn

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them a Way Befor thear can be aney Corn grow - Wee Begun to sow Wheat in March and aprell and harvest com on in november and as soon as that is of thay seet fieer to the stubbell and Burn it of and then put in Corn Dyrickely- not plow it nor how it.
Ower land is most part Brak up with min and larg howes wich is very hard work and hav kiled maney a good man. This is a very Daingres Countrey to Liv in for the natives thay are Black minn and wimen - thay Goo nacked - thay youst to kill the wight poopell very much But thay are Better - But bad a nof - now. the Black Snakes is very Bad for thay will fly at you Lik a Dog and if thay Bit us wee dy at sun dowen - Hear is som 12 feet Long and as big as your thy and maney very Daingress thinges and maney grat Quorstess things - but if can onces git a leetter from your Dear Handes i will send you a List of the holl Countrey.
My Dear Uncle and aunt pray Giv my Lov to my Dear uncle and aunt Leedder and all my Cusanes - and for Gods sak and for my Sak Leet all that is Liven see this Letter.
This is a very hot Countrey - the Ground burn ouer Feet in the Summer part - wich is at this time - and in the Winter it is very Could, but no snow-just very white frostes - It is a grat Deel Coulder than it youst to Be for it was a very woodey places but now it onely is in sum places - it will be a very poples places in Time - it is a grat Deel Better then it was whin i fust Com hear.
Hear is a few appeall and pear trees and Grapes - a few oke trees but no other sort exept petches and apery Cot - no gosbress nor currenes.
Monney is very scarce Cus a penney Goo for 2 pences - all Coppers go the sam - silver and Gould is hard to Be com at By the Lik of me.
Thay trad from Indey and Chainry to hear - Tea hav bin for fouer pound four shillenes par pound. Sarah Barker and

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the other Young Wooman that went with me is Liven so my Dear uncle if the young man should wright from London to you - send to him Diddareckley and then he will bring it saf to me - for he intend to Com Back a Gain.
So i must Con Clud with all my Best Prayers and Wiches to you all - and i remain your Loven Cusen

Margreat Catchpoule

pray Goo to mrs. Cobbold and tell har that i hope she will send me werd how all the good fammeley do for i longt to hear from them all and should be very glad to know if Doter Stebben Be a live - and then i will send to you all a Gain if the young Man wright to you and if you send to me Drect at Sydney new South Wales port Jackson, i hav sent a Letter to mrs. Cobbold - Let my Letter be left at Govment houes.

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mrs palmer was very sorrey to part with me - she is a very nices Ladey and was very happey to find i had such a Good frind as you my Good Laday.
She said she never read such a Good Letter as that of mrs Sloorgin and hoped that i would read it to her searvent and that she had a Grat mind to hav it put in the newes paper - and that yours was a very nices Letter indeed.
She had no dought But that i was worthey of all the favers that was showen to me for so Grat a spirit and that i had Behaved my self so well sinces i com hear - But if i Cold But onces return to my owennativ Land - what a happey woman should i Be. But - my Good Ladey - it is you that Giv me all the happness that I hav hear for i keep my self free from all men and that is moor then aney woman Can say in the hol Colony young or old - for the young Gairles that are born in this Countrey marry very young at 14 or 15 years old.
Everything is very forward in this Countrey - But very unsearten - wee may hav a Good Crop of Grain on the Ground to Day and all Cut of by the next in places By a haill Storm or a Blight or a flood. - On Monday Larst th 16 of this dat a haill Storm went over inplaces and Cut dowen the wheat Just as it was in Blum - the hail stones was as big as piggenes egges.
Our hearvest will be in a Bout 5 weekes

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from this dat - very hot wether is Coming on - wee dread the Blight in our eyes - for hear is nothing to Be got as thear is at hom - one day we Can see and the next - Quit Blind - sum hold so a week - sum a fortnight and sum 3 week.
The natives are not so wicked as they wear - they are Gitten verey sivell But will not work very Littell - thay say the whit man worket and the Black man patter - the word patter is eat - Thay are Grat Craturs to fit a monkest them selves with speers The price of stock is very Grat - a sow 10 pound - a ewe 7 pound - a milken Goat 3 pound 10 - a cow 40 to sixtey pound - a Good hors 1 hundred pound - a maer 1 hundred and fortey and fiftey pound. Honred madam i humbell Beg of you to Giv my Duty to Mrs Sloorgin and Beg the faver to hear from har soon- and so very sorrey that i meet with such a miss forthen as to Loose all my thinges - My Dutey to mr Stebbing and hop he is well.

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i must Con Clud my self with sham of Being so troblsum But must Beg the faver to hear from you as soon as possbell wich all ways giv Joy and Comfort to your humbell searvent

Margaret Catchpole

sp to derect to
mr Richard
underwood houns ditch London
By payen the post
and it will com
to me saf

i think this derectshon had Best Be put on to an out Sid Case and mine on the Letter
By the faver of mr underwood
M Catchpole
sydney new south wales

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Mrs Cobbold

25 May 1807
Margaret Catchpole
to
Mrs Cobbold

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sydney october th18 1807

honred madam

with the grates of plesher i taik ever opertunetey of wrighten you as it is my Dutey so to do - as you are my only Dear frind that i hav - and sencly do i pray to God for your health and happness - and all your Good dear family - and hop in God to hear from you soon. That is the only Comfort that i Can find in a foren Land a monkest so maney wicked Creaturs - for thay robed me of all my Collectshon a Corden to your wich - then in readness to a sent to for you my good Laday - wich i dear venter to say would a Binn valuable to you - as every think was so parfect and in good oder But i will endavor for But sorrey am i - wheen i had so Good Conveyencnes - But i will soon Be a Bout it a Gain for

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it is the grates plesher that i hav of waiten on you my Dear Good Ladey - Whot wold my Life Be hear to me - was it not for you honred madam.
You ar niver out of my thoughtes Dear madam - when i think of the dethes and trobeles you hav had i wonder hoow you can think on me - and sincerely do i return your thankes for the stat of your good family and hop i shorll all wayes Be stated with the same. I sencer wich to now how miss harit and sofier do and all your owen Dear family do and if you hav aney knowleg of Govner Bligh and Can Bertishon to him - Thear is no dought But something wold be don for me as i Behav so well and niver git in to no trobell. I hav Binn to Live with mrs palmer sinces i rot to you my Good Ladey By the Bufflow.- I hop you hav receved a smorll

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Caces with 2 mounten Cockes and a hen fessant and newes papers By the faver of Capt Brookes on Bord the Bufflow.
every thing is very Dear - pork 2 shillenes - mutton and beef 2 and 3 pences par pound - soft suger 6 and 8 shillenes par pound - tea 30 shillenes par pound - wheat 25 shillenes par Bushell - prented Cotton 10 to 12 shillenes par yard - shose 10 and 13 shillenes par pear - no Linnen Cloth of no sort to be got - every thing very Deear indeed - no paper to be got for newes papers.
threed at this time is 1 shillen par Cain But i hav a Leettell Left of that you sent me in that very nice Box - that was a grat Comfort to me as i had Binn so very ill at that time and under doctor masons keear and a Bout 8 months ago - to oblig mrs palmer - i took a very Long wolk of 30 miles and over heat myself I Com out with Blesters on my Back as if i had Binn Burnt By smorle Coles of fier and swelled so Bad that i thought i should a Binn dead very soon. - But Bless Be to God i did recover - But not well a nof to stop with mrs palmer for i am very week ever sences and afraid of taken Could as ther is so heates and Couldes to be taken.

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Mrs Cobbold
sp to Derect to mr. Richard
underwood no 142
hounds didth
London

sp to put this on to the out sid Case and mine on the Letter

18 October 1807
Margaret Catchpole
to Mrs Cobbold

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oct th 8 1809 Richmon hill

honred Madam

i one moor tak up my pen to in form you my Good Ladey that I receved a Box from you - everything very saf - and a thousen thankes to you.
I hav returned in Letters that i have rot Befor this - it was 3 year Larst Jun sinces i reeved the Box - then madam a corden to your request i pequered 1 par of mountain feasentes - 2 setes of newes papers - and had a smorll sedder Case made and the drectshon I had painted on it for feear it shold not Be saf. mrs palmer took it in heand to send it on Bord the Bufflow - Capt housten - the ship that Govner king left the Colleny in. It is all most 3 year sinces it saild - my niver receven no answer I was all wais afraid it was Lost
I had got a very nices parsel of thinges - and thay ware stol from me.- I niver Cold venter to send aney thing untill such a time as I Can reeve a Letter from you my Good Ladey - it would Giv me the Gratest of happenes.
Any thing that i Can Gratify you in is to me the Gratest of plesher - if i Can But onces moor hav my Liberty restored to me to return to my owen native Land for i am all most Broken hearted - fust with the floodes - 2 with fiear - 3 with such suprisen high windes that Cleared ackers of standen timber and trees that wear of a very Grat sise.
Wee was a fraid to stop in doors my Good Ladey - hear have binn a flood in the month of may wich destressed us very Much - The next flood - on the Larst day of July and the fust day of august - the higest that was ever noun By the whit men - went over the topes of the housen

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and many poor Cratuers Crying out for marcey - Crying out for Botes - firen off Gunes in Destress - it was shoken to hear.
this is the secont tim that one thomas Lacey - his wife and family - was Carread a way in thaer Barn-standing on the mow - Thay mad holes throw the thach and was taken out By men in Botes and thear Lives happely saved. Sum just expired as thay wear picked up of thear housen Barnes - Stackes and such as the poor Cratuers Cold Git on. Maney one was drounded and at the time the flood was at the haight wee all was in Grat feear wee shold Be stearved when the wheat stackes - Barnes and housen went. - maney thousen Buchelles of indey Corn was woshed a way - we mak Bread of that
in sted of wheat - Most part of the wheat that was in the Ground was kild By the
flood.
Wheat is 1 pound 10 shillens par Buchell - indey Corn fifteen shillenes par Buchell - Beef 18 pences - mutton 18 - freesh pork forteen pences - freesh Butter fiv shillenes par pound - tea 2 and 3 pound for one singel pound - sugger fiv and six shillenes par pound.
In times it is a Grat deel Chaper - sugger 1 shillen - tea from 10 to 20 shillenes par pound - Clothen is in gennell very Dear and non to Be Got in times - at this time it is a grat deel Better By a few shippen that is Com in.
I rent a smorll farm - only 20 ackers - But half of it Cleard - i Liv in my Littell Cotteg all a Loon except a Lettell Child or tow Com and stop with me - my Good Ladey you know i am very fond of Children.
I hier a man to work my Ground - i shold a done very well had not this shoken flood com - it hav mad me very poor - my Lors is a Bout fiftey pound and within a very Littell of Loosen my owen Life By the Ground

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Caven a way - my prayers are all upon your Goodness and your famialy and pray to God i shorll hav that Comfort to reeve a Letter onces moor - and to hav the Comfort of heaven you and your Good family Being well Giv Joy and Comfort to
your old serveant

Margaret Catchpole

Dear madam

i send my dutey full thankes to that Good Ladey mrs Slorgin for that hansom pressent and Good advices wich i dayley foller.- all thou i hav rot i hav waited in vain for an answer. By this day twelv monthes i shorl Be in Grates hopes of a return of a letter. i hop Mr Stebbing is well and every one that i now. Cold i hav the happness to see you all once moor - my health is very Bad in times

sp to Derect to M.C
richmon hill to Be Left at
Mr Richard palmers at the
Black Swan on the Brickfeild
hill Sydney new south wales.

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to Mr. John Cobbold Esqr
Cliff
Ipswich
Suffolk

8th 1809
Margaret Catchpole
to
Mrs Cobbold

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Richmon hill Sepr th 1 1811

honred
madam - on the 28 of augt i receved my Cedar Case that Captn pritchard should a brought. it is all most 2 year a Goo sinces he Landed the troops hear -
mrs palmer my worthy Good frind took keear of it in har owen stoor rom till i Could Goo dowen my self - and when i heard of it i set of and walked all the way dowen - and it is fiftey miles from richmon hill to seddney.
mrs palmer that Good laday cold not think whear it Cold a Binn all that time - But your Letter madam put all ours minds very happey a Bout it.
honred maddam it Giv me Grat happness when i found you received the Birds quite safe and evrything that you sent me my Good Laddey was very saf and delight full packed up and was higly exceptable. - i iue you a thosen thankes for them - i niver Can Be thankfull a nof to you for it.
i am very sorrey in the respect of Loosing my Good frind Mrs Sloorgin But with the help of God i will foller her Good advices as much as possebell - har Blessens are sartenly Com hear and will Be all ways thought on. - them Good Bookes i am very fond of.
i am very sorrey to hear of miss anne and in the sam time marster roowland - he was my favreat - he was Born in them happy

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Days when i Lived with you.

i am sorrey to hear you have Binn so very ill - if thear was But aney thing that i Could Git in this Countrey that niver was sent to englent i wold do it with the Graest of plesher and shold Be in Dutey Bound my Good Ladday.
i niver Can Be Dutfull a nof nor thankfull a nof to you and your Godness my Dear madam - i am a shamed to send this few scroles into your handes - only i am suear it is my Dutey so to do as the ship is Going to sail Dyreckly and in hast.
i am Liven all a Loon as Befor in a very onest way of Life - hear is not one woman in the Coloney Liv Lik my self. The Cap you sent me of your head was a grat Comfort to me - I put it on and ware it - i Drink the tea with tears and heavey heart
i hop this will find you and all your Good famleay in Good health and Grat thankes for a Lettear at any time - i must con Clud - your Blissen and my well wiches

Margaret Catchpole

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John Cobbold Esquire
Cliff
Ipswich
Suffolk