from Agnes Bell (Thompson)

Irvine, Park Drive,

Leeds Road, Harrogate

April 9th, 1903

My dear Mary

I am writing to you instead of Mother. I do hope you may ...... get rain.... this & the grass & wild flowers spring up again. You would miss Annie when she went away. Bessie & the boys also. But they will all soon be home again. You will never see the opposum now if nice.......... gone away.

Sabbath is Easter and tomorrow Good Friday. Do you get eggs died for Easter? When your Papa was a boy, I had to dye their eggs all colours. I was out in the town today and I saw such …. of eggs made of something – all sizes like hens, ducks, pigeons filled with chocolate. They don’t do any work on Good Friday, just like Sunday.

Uncle Angus was ............... about an hour today. He missed the train at ........ Clara is not walking yet. Letitia is grown a big girl and runs after her Papa all day. What games do you play at?

My ...... hands have been .... but ....... when fine weather has come. I hope they may be better. .......also is much better – she is getting out. The spring flowers are all coming out such quantities of daffodils, but we ...................... James Marius will be a big boy now.

Auntie joins in ..................... & misses all you......................

Your affect. G ma

Notes:

Seems to be written by Agnes Bell (nee Thompson) - Lewis Bell’s mother, to her grand-daughter, Mary Calvert Bell, aged 5 at the time.

Annie Bell – aged 15 at the time
James Marius (Jimmy) Bell– aged 9 months at the time
Bessie Bell – aged 19 at the time
Uncle Angus – Angus Bell m. his cousin Sarah Bell, daughter of William Bell
Auntie – may be Sarah Bell
Angus, William and Lewis Bell (husband of MaryAnn) - brothers
Letitia – Angus Bell’s daughter Letitia who died (presumably at a young age)
Clara – Angus Bell’s daughter