Bowden head Chapel-en-le-Frith Nov. 8th 1855 Dear son, Your letter dated August 23rd arrived in due course and as you may suppose I was much delighted to hear of your success in the world. I also find that your success does not consist of houses, land, corn, cattle, alone and the like, but that you and your better half are fulfilling the commands of scripture by increasing and multiplying and my werse [???] wish respecting that part of your success is that your children may prove a blessing to you. Agreeable to your request I sent for your Uncle Mark immediately on arrival of your letter, and he was very thankful for your kind offer and at once said that he would go to America if God spared his health, so that it now depends upon you and George Gyte as to whether he comes or not. In your letter you said you would try how great his desire was, and you now have it. You increasing Family must bring no small amount of labour to your wife and your Aunt at Great Rocks is very anxious to know what asssistance she has in household [next page] affairs. Your Grandfather was at Lideswell on Monday and I saw him there, and he was much pleased at your kind remembrance of him. Your Uncle William, George, Joseph, Matthew + Mark, together with your Aunts, Ellen Mary, Ann, Hannah + Martha desire to be kindly remembered to you, and are equally glad with me to hear of your great success. Your Uncle Joseph is somewhat pleased to hear that you frequently make use of the name of your Creator, but is afraid that your letter does not contain althogether truthful statements in the first place, he does not believe that you and Joseph Gyte did cut 2 acres of wheat in a day, nor any other two men, neither does he believe that you have ploughed 3 acres in one day. I do however hope that you know better than associate the name of the Almighty God with lies, and I hope you will succeed in convincing Uncle Joseph to that effect. I am not aware whether you ever get a newspaper or not but no doubt you sometimes hear of the war in which we are at present engaged in alliance with France + Turkey against Russia our success in that great war has been very great indeed [next page] and we have the consolation to know that we are fighting on the side of humanity. War however is always dreadful and as you mmay reasonably think is filling many a Brothers heart with woe, and many an orphan will have to mourn the loss of a Father, still we must endeavor to bear these things as we know that wars will never cease so long as Satan continues to have so much power over Kings, Emperors, Presidents, and Governments. As a natural consequence of war, provisions of every sort are very dear in England at this time. Flour is 3/1 per day [???] + groceries in proportion. the Corn + Hay crop have been very good indeed I think the season has been abundant in everything but potatoes which I think are perhaps worse than ever. I have not seen George Gyte but I met a person (a stranger) at Lideswell who said both George and his Brother were going to America next spring. You will please tell Joseph Gyte that I saw his sister Ruth on Sunday last and she desired to be kindly remembered to him. I now give you the ages of you Uncle Mark's Children. Frank in his 13th year. Mary Ellen in her 9th year. Alice in her 6th year and George in his 3 year. [next page] I trust I have now given you all the information respecting Mark's Family that is necessary for you to make the arrangements of which you speak in your letter. I have not written quite so soon as I would but quite as soon as I could gather the information you required. and give your Friends an opportunity of seeing and speaking of your letter. Mr. Lingard Miss Lingard William Lingard + Charles Lingard send their best respects to you and your better half and are glad to hear of your prosperity. I must now conclude by giving you the kind love and regards of your Sister Harriott + Brother John together with your Father and more particularly myself, and remain your affectionate mother Ann Nall N.B. You will remember a little girl coming to Malcroft call'd Mary Ann sister, to Jimmy Lingard, I have to tell you that she is married and in America but I do not know what part, her Brother William is also gone to Australia more than two years since, and their mother died at Ashton about a month ago.