This
is a frustrating letter written on three pieces of paper and not even the order
entirely clear; they are not from the same sheet and it may be that there are
portions missing. I found them tucked inside the original envelope which a
dealer had priced at £2.50 for the stamp and the postmarks including a numeral
“46” of Blairgowrie which cancels the stamp. The recipient is undoubtedly James
Stormonth Darling (1830-1881), a prominent Scottish lawyer who did indeed live
at the address on the envelope, 64 Northumberland Street in Edinburgh’s New
Town.
The
sender signs herself Margt McIntosh and has posted the letter in Kirkmichael, a
dozen miles north of Blairgowrie. She is a housemaid and is now in some
distress; I think the obvious reading is that she is pregnant (the reference to
“to months” suggests this; but she may also have recently given birth) and that
the father is the “Charley” of the letter; but this is by no means certain.
That she asks for a “character” from Stormonth Darling implies that she has
previously worked for him and the references to Balvarran are to the family
home of the Stormonth Darlings which lies just a mile and a half north of
Kirkmichael. It’s possible that she is currently at Balvarran or has recently
been there; the name "Magaret McIntosh" appears to be common in Kirkmichael and that would be the sensible place to focus on in any attempt to probe deeper. That she requests that Stormonth
Darling NOT answer the letter - which does not give her address - implies that he knows where she is.
I
have transcribed carefully to preserve spellings but I can make no more
progress in telling the tale.
Addressed
to: J Stormont Darling Esq 64
north-umberland Street Edinburgh
Datelined:
May 1863
Postmarks
of BLAIRGOWRIE, KIRKMICHAEL, and EDINBURGH
all dated MY 28 63, of which Kirkmichael is probably the despatch office, a dozen miles north of Blairgowrie. Franked 1d stamp.
If
charley speaks of my name to you you will not let on that you no me
Sir
I
take the leberty of writing you to ask a favour from you if you can do it it
all Sir and if it is mr horne displeasure with you as you no boauth aboauth [both
about] me as I told you my mind about myself before and I wood ....with you. this one thing and and all
never troable you again if mrs gell [but died 1860] rquires a housemaid I woud goe as I have not got
another please yet I am afraid of been found out a boute blairgowrie to put my
name in here for a plase if you wood do this one thing for me as I have braought
myself to greef and Shame what will reix [rax is a known Scottish
variant of stretch] you I spose but however theere not a ….left upon you to haurt like me I have
got noathing to keep me but my to hands
and my character what will not be not be reafused from one that I have
been with if it is asked for as I have not another character to chance [? have]
of hear when I was away Edinburgh and if you do this for me you will not tell
charley noathing about it if you pleas but to ask at charley about one that
nows about [t?]he house and am the only one that nows about it in the country gist
now
yeat
for elspeth can not do it this year with hear child if you do me this favour as
you have doon to me afore perhaps it might bring me on to get another plase for
myself if you … [?] for my character froom mrs harrey mirchiston Castle [then
a school] Edinburgh you might geet doon quietly for me I have not another
before I came to balraran [Balvarran] that mrs Spaleding dalrack and mrs Small Tirnean if you wood geet me into balraran [Balvarran] for the to mounths as mr horne is to be a way if there is one required and if not you might lere [? Scottish for teach] the house cleaning to me as I have not got a plase
I
hope you will not answer this letter back it can be doun with charley quietly
and never to speak of my name to him it all because he nows that you have not
been in bahaharan [Balvarran] all the time I was there
Margt
McIntosh
You
will under ,,, it is
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