John Wood was born in London in 1793 and emigrated to Canada in 1832. He died in 1872. He became a well-known watch- and clock-maker and jeweller in Montreal from where this 1859 letter originates, addressed to his sister [in law?]. He updates her on family news but also reports on the state of his business including losses incurred when ships from England carrying watches for him were wrecked. He comments on the construction and opening of the Victoria Bridge in Montreal and on unrest in pre-Civil War America.
I also transcribe a fragment of an earlier 1851 second letter written by his wife Anna (1789-1864) which reflects on loss of children but also mentions the London Great Exhibiton of 1851, illustrating how those who had long been absent from England continued to take an interest in its affairs. It opens with a passage which strongly suggests that one of her own chidlren is currently in England and staying with his relatives in Gravesend; he is most likely her youngest son later known as the Reverend John Wood.(1828-1905).
Letters home from distant family members probably had a high survival rate until a family line became extinct and a house clearance ensued and accumulations of correspondence dispersed. A collector at some point removed the postage stamp from John's folded letter but did not put what was left into the waste bin, a common fate. Anna Wood's fragmentary second letter is missing an enclosed second sheet (sids 3/4) with sides 1(address panel), 4, 5 and 6(blank) remaining. Other letters written by John Wood and members of his family are held in McGill University archives and he is the subject of a 1986 biography which I have not read (second-hand copies are expensive) but which is listed at the end.
Transcription
Addressed to: Mrs Wm.
Wood 4 Cutmore Street Wrotham Road Gravesend
England
Datelined: Montreal Decr.
29 1859
Despatch postmark
MONTREAL DE 30 1859 arrival postmark
GRAVESEND JA 12 60; postage stamp removed
My dear Sister
It is now long time since
I wrote to you or had the pleasure of hearing rom you, of myself the older I
get the less disposition I have to sit down to write a letter, I have seldom
much in the way of domestic news and other matters cannot be very interesting
to you. During the summer poor Anna was pretty much laid up but is again about
having on Monday last attained her seventeenth year, Peter’s three children
have all got the hooping cough but are getting well over it. John [Reverend
John Wood, 1828-1905] came down here in June bringing his wife and two children
they had the hooping cough but were getting well over it and have since quite
recovered. He is still at Brentford, every thing is very comfortable between
him and his people but Canada West has been in a sad state of Bankruptcy and
they have been rather worse than some other places and as a consequence many of
its Inhabitants have left as a consequence the church has got a good deal
behind hand with his salary and on the whole it was rather unfortunate his
buying a house as I have had to help him with money I could not well afford.
Charles is still at Melbourn[e, in
Quebec]. I think I mentioned in a former letter that they had adopted a little
girl. He is slow and sure, seems very happy and content and is saving money. Of
ourselves business has been as well as we could expect. We never received a box
of watches out of the wreck of the Canadian Steam Ship [probably the ]. A party of Americans were trying to raise
her all summer. Twice I went down to see them it ultimately broke in half they
are however very sanguine and expect to get her up in the Spring.as they have
got her off the rocks. Should I ever recover them I have to pay Fifty per
cent on the appraised value. They are
well soldered up in a tin case. You will learn from the papers that our
wonderful bridge [the Victoria Bridge over the St. Lawrence River] is now
completed the locomotive and cars heavily laden making little or no impression
on it. I went down into the river to witness the process of building the piers,
the water was very deep and the current about nine miles an hour , they first
build what is called a coffer dam or frame work very large and sink it. Piles
re then driven in and the water pumped out by steam, the rocks are then blasted
by gun powder, at the bottom there was a train rail road for moving the immense
stone used in building here the men worked in gangs night and day. We are
expecting the Prince of Wales out in the Spring when there is to be a grand
celebration. You heard I suppose of the total loss of our steam ship Indian last
month when twenty two persons were drowned [current figure 27 out of 138; the
ship was travelling from Liverpool to Portland, Maine]. I fear we sustain a
small loss by her but do not yet know the particulars. The weather with us is
now intensely cold today it has marked Twenty degrees below Zero, carriages are
now passing over the river opposite the City.
In the States there has
been a great deal of excitement about a supposed rising of the slaves. Five
poor creatures were hung and a number shot, I believe the attempt was simply to
some some of the slaves at liberty, a good many make their escape into Canada.
A good strong man or woman is worth from 1000 to 1200 dollars. The congress has
been three weeks in session and as yet they have been unable to agree upon a
speaker, not does there seem any probability of their coming to terms. Slavery is
their curse. We hear a great deal about the rvivals in Ireland and some parts
of England. I hope it will not end in more excitement. I now send you Four
Pound as interest for the Forty [?] pounds still due you. I have had some very
heavy rates lately but if you are i want of money I will let you have it. I
hope Wiliam is getting better with his school and that Sarah now has plenty to
do in the screw making.I should feel great pleasure in seeing you all and
listening to the Organ Players. In the states church singing has
degenerated to a mere choir a Performance in which the congregation sat and
listened. People got tired of it and great efforts are now made to return
congregational singing s an acto of worship, chanting is now being introduced
into dissenting chapels, a new cathedral has just been opened in Montreal,
Moore [?] is making a clock for it in which we have some interest. Wee of
course continue to attend the congregational church. I am forced to conclude
rather abruptly as the mail closes today before the usual time in consequence
of severe weather. I can only therefore wish you and yours health and happiness
and hope you will all enjoy a happy new Year.
I remain with love to all
Your affectionate Brother
John Wood
*
Anna
Wood 1851 letter fragment
Addressed
to: Mrs Wood Senior Gravesend
Appears
to have been carried by hand and only put in the post at SWANSEA JY 28 1851 and
charged only inland postage of two pence for a double weight letter comprised
of two sheets; this is the outer sheet.
….
he is with you endeavour to prevail on him to go to bed in good time and
rise in time of a morning, to take a walk with some of his cousins before he
takes his breakfast. Night study has worn his strength and that of a fellow
student who came down with him so as to alter them very much Mr .... [ncannot transcribe name] is much thinner than when 3 years ago he went up to Toronto to study. I hope
William and his dear partner have nearly recovered from their severe affliction
and are able to say with the … Job …the Lord giveth and the Lord hath taken
away but blessed be His holy Name it is well; I did and do sympathise with you
and them, as I have lost 5 of our children of whom dear Charlotte was
the greatest loss but time the softener of sorrow and the thought that
she was taken from an earthly to a Heavenly abode, where I trust in a few year
I shall join her and a very dear Mother wo has now been dead 21 years consoles
me for this long remembered Friend and Child. But I will hasten to a
more pleasant topic as grief is never welcome. I suppose you have all seen the
grand Exhibition [the Great Exhibition of 1851] as we have flattering accounts
by the Papers of the Visits of the Queen and Prince Albert and other persons of
Princely birth. A young man named Alfred Perry is gone home [i.e., to England]
with an Engine, made by his brothers [George Perry’s fire engine] at the event.
on purpose to send to the Worlds Fair and has been made quite proud by
the commendations bestowed on it by Prince Albert who seems to interest himself
much in the different Pieces Machinists have forwarded to be seen. He knows us well and if William should see
him there he can tell all about us and can describe to him all about Montreal.
Give my love to Mrs Shery and tell her I wish her and her husband and family
well I hope he has constant employment, tell Sarah Senior we are all at present
well I do not forget her kindness when we lived in London give my love her and
Martha Reese and remember me kindly to all who enquire after me but I suppose
many have forgot.
I
intended to tell you about the Pete Dieu [Prie Dieu?] but as John goes to
Quebec a day sooner than I expected I have to finish my letter in a
great hurry so conclude wishing you all health
Happiness and Every comfort this transistory World can afford you William and
his wife &c &c I hope Providence will bless and be your guide and
remain dear Betty your truly Affectionate Sister and Friend
Anna
Wood
June
23 1851
References
William Archibald Wood, THE
DAYS OF JOHN WOOD WATCHMAKER as depicted in his own letters of 1832-1872, other
family letters of the same period, and in the memoirs that his youngest son,
the Reverend John Wood, recorded in 1899 (1986)