Transcript of a Letter from Andrew Pettigrew to his Future Wife Agnes McLelland Allan

Letter from Andrew Pettigrew to his Future Wife Agnes McLelland Allan, 23 January 1855

Guildry Court,
Glasgow.Jan 23d /55.

My Dear Agnes

I now sit down to write you a few lines after a long journey and rocking about. I left Sheffield on the eighteenth and went down to Liverpool and I stop[p]ed all night there then I left at 11 o' clock with the steamboat for Glasgow. The weather was very fine the sea as calm as glass. We had very little passengers but what we had was very interesting. Amongst them was three sailors belonging to the Baltic fleet and they were very amusing indeed.

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They told the strangest stories almost making the hair stand on some of the peoples heads that believed them but you know that jack can spin a yarn where there is very little foundation. However they were very agreeable and kind. As I had nothing but a hat the[y] were kind enough to lend me a Baltic Bonnet to walk up and dow[n] the deck with. If you had seen me I am sure you would have laughed. However I will drop that subject and go on a little farther. Well we passed the [Ailsa] Crage [Craig] about 12 o' clock at night, and about 2 o' clock in the morning we came in front of the old town of Ayr. I had my own thoughts about the good old times and you were the main ones. The people would be all sleeping,

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but I thought if somebody knew where I was the[y] would not sleep much. Well I must say it was splendid to see the lights of the Dalry iron works of the sea. I saw them from the Craig making as it were the whole sea in a lumination. However amongst laughs and jock and beautiful views I arrived in Glasgow on Friday about 12 o' clock and I have been here ever since. I went into the nurserys today. I think I will stop in them to I get a place. I have 12 shillings per week and I may say that I am quite at home for I'm stop[p]ing with my brother and I can assure you both him and his wife pays every attention to me. I have not the least doubt that you would be woundring many a time where I was, but you see my

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words came true. I could fane take a race down to Ayr to see the Ayrshire lass but if I was doing so some people would be kin[d] enough to try to take there game of me for stoping so short a time so that is what keeps me. I have got to[o] manly a spirit or else I might be in England yet. It was a bad place the Botanical and a great many small messages to go and I would not be seen doing so, so that was the way that I leaved. Now my dear Agnes, I am getting very anxious to hear from you so I hope you will write me soon.

So I remain dear Agnes,
yours sincerely
Andrew Pettigrew

(Doc Ref: 2006.008)