Letter from Agnes Pettigrew to William Wallace Pettigrew 17 January 1889

[Address from envelope]

Mr W.W. Pettigrew
c/o Madame Toyte
3 Waterloo Cottages
Kew Green
Kew

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Mary [Logie Pettigrew] is going to write to you soon. She sends warmest love.

The Gardens
Cardiff Castle
Cardiff

Janry 17th /89

My Dear Willie

I have often said that there was a fate against me writing to Lizzie Tillman in a leasurely wa[y] for as soon as I would begin someone was sure to come in but I think I will have to say the same about writing you as every letter I have written you has been interrupted one way or another. As soon as I got the dinner

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over today I came away up to my sitting room to rest and write you and I thought I should have a nice long afternoon and as it was the clearest day it has been since you left I felt sort of cheerier to begin to you than I would have done any day this week before. I had not got my table out when Mrs Templeton came in and we got gossiping away till it was time for her to run and me to get my tea which she had not time to wait to share. So now I have got all three teas over and

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if only nobody comes in I will manage a little time with you to, but it was clear till after five tonight so of course that made the tea late. As I am speaking of myself I may just as well finish up before I begin another subject. Well I am thank full to say I keep better than I did. Only the weakness keeps me back. As this was washing week I had Mrs [Williams?] for two days till the wet cloths were out of the way and she is cuming tomorrow for a little to bake so you will have some of her cakes for tea on Saturday.

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I managed dinner both yesterday and today only I feel very shakey when on my feet but I am beginning to take my food better so that will get me my strength and my cough has been better again this Wednesday. I am sorry I won't be able to manage your shirt made this week. I cut it out yesterday thinking to get on with it before Saturday but I will have it early next week if I keep as well.

So much for myself - I was sorry to know that you have had such a hard turn. I do hope you will not have any return of it. I must send you up your bottle of mother['s] [Se---] which

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you can take a few drops of when you took anything you thought did not agree with you and be sure you try and take your food well. Perhaps Madame could get a little bit of fresh fish for your breakfast or tea now and again and get some fresh eggs as they are very strengthening for you that agrees with them. Take your food well and don't care whether you save anything or not and when you want anything for your fees or such like let me know

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and I will send it to you and keep a bill against you till you are independent of us all. I have sent to Lizzie Tillman to get you some sto[c]kings ready and when you think your white shirt needs replenishing, be sure and let me know. How did you get on with the porridge making? And have you got your new suit? Mrs Kinloch said she was sure you had got it but you never said. I told her to tell Mr Kinloch to have his bill in to me by Saturday week.

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You asked me how Ruth's [Ruth McConochie; W.W. Pettigrew's fiance] ring [engagement ring?] fitted. Well I did not get the chance to say a word as every time she has been in, some other one has been to[o]. She is making Agnes [Agnes Pettigrew (1877-1894)] a frock this week. She was in for the evening on Monday and I gave her what would have been your orange[;] a fine big one. I don't know whether she will tell you any household affairs [relating to the death of Ruth's father Charles McConochie in the last quarter of 1888], but in case not, a bird whispered to me that there was £100 of an Assurance. The other one of £500 had lapsed and so had the small one but looking over

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the papers sometime lately, they found that by paying up a little extra it could be brought up again which they did and a good job but if she just had had the £500 it would have set them on their feet. It is from grandmother that came but not to me so I have not said a word of it even to your father. I want Ruth to try and get her mother [Mary Ann McConochie nee Tate] up some evening to see me but she says she cannot get her to go nowhere. Mrs Graham and her were at the [Cathays] Cemetary on Monday forenoon. He [Charles McConochie] lies not far from our Lizzie [Elizabeth Kennedy Pettigrew (1864-1885)].

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The youngsters are at school this week and as they are into new classes and new books it has just been a constant drain on my purse. I have made up my mind that this will be Andrew's [Andrew Alexander Pettigrew] last quarter at music. It is just throwing money away to go on as he will not practise one minute unless he is forced to it. If he had even shown the least interest in it during his holidays I would have perhaps wrought away for

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a half year but he never put his hand to it at all the three weeks so I think that shows that the boy has no notion of it.

The church meeting was last night but I can tell you nothing about it as I miss my dear Willie for that and many a thing else and I have not seen Mrs McKay yet who was to come over and give me the news. Only the addition to the church is not to go on till the other debts are clear

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but one of the boys will tell you about it as Andrew was there to[o] with the expectation of hearing Charlie Ross giving a speech which there was no time for when all was done as they had taken up too long about the church. I was very glad indeed that you were going to Mr Barnes. I had a letter from Mrs Pollock on Saturday morning and she sent his address for to send you and to tell you to be sure to go, but I was to[o] late. You['re] not to take any notice of anything that you had heard [to?] speak

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of about Willie Pollock. I know you would not to do that. She says he has been doing much better this little time back and that Maude[?] is better so that she is in a more hopeful state than she was.

It seems a long time since we had a letter from you and yet it is not so long, but I just feel as if I should like one every morning. You and Hugh [Hugh Allan Pettigrew] had some ----- ------ but next time you write you must not put his name on the outside at all as the name is to[o] well known at the post office and they had just crossed

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out Jones name and ----berry street and put on Castle Gardens and posted it in to our box. However it happened that Andrew was just going out as the bell rang and he got it and brought it in to me laughing. So I pocketed it till the dinner was past and he had such laughing when he saw it but he was thankfull father did not see it as he would have thought it some underhand work.

Now you must try and write ---- now and again and Lizzie Tillman as she is very much interested

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in your news ------ and invites me afternoons to cheer me up for your absence as she knows how I will miss you. Harry Pike says he should like very much to be near you to brush your hair as he does not think it is like to you to be needing to do that but he was very pleased when I told him what you said about him teasing you to get up in the mornings. I will have to stop now as Mary

[sheet 4, side 3]

is sitting waiting over me to take this to post when she goes to fetch one of our clocks that has been at the watchmakers. Mrs W Ross was over this forenoon with the baby. She is better than she was but not strong. John is with her staying now. There is something I was going to tell you but I quite forgot so if I take mind of it when I send the box tomorrow I will do it - but I always forget the half I was going to say but indeed if I was telling

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you always everything I would be liking to say I should be writing every day and that would not do. This is the day of the voting for Penarth Council and father sent his pony coach to get voters for Mr Corbett. Would you like me to send a weekly paper and which one of the two?

Now I will have to stop so with every loving wish for your wellbeing and warmest love, I remain, my dear Willie, your ever loving mother,

A Pettigrew

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