February 9th 1858

Dear Nephew and Niece

I write these few lines to you hoping to find you all in good health
has it leaves us all at the present thank god for it  i am very much
surprised at you not answering my letter which i posted on the 23th of
July 1857  I am very much obliged to you for the offer you made me but
i think i shall decline coming to America has i am troubled with the
rhumatisam in my knewws which i think it will not be requisite for me
to start i was ill a month in hay harvest when i wrote that letter in
July to you we have our son George at home going a long with me to
work and William is living with Mr William Lees [???] Greatrocks at
L8..10s [L=pound sign, letters above numbers] per year and Joseph is
Living with Mr John Jackson at the oaks about half mile from highlow
for L4..10s [same] per year your Grandfather sends is best respects to
you all and he is very glad to hear you are doing well he keeps
breaking stone on the roads yet he goes on two sticker [???] your
Uncle George and is family are all very well for any thing i know and
Uncle George Green and is family is all very well for any thing i know
they are all very well at Boden [sic] head for any thing i know.  your
Mother is very

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is very much surprised at you not answering her letter which she
posted on the 2th of February 1857 which she thinks it a long time
your Uncle Joseph at Martin side died on the 22th of December 1857
your Aunt Ann and your cousin Joseph is very well But your cousin
William is very ill he has been ill ever since the 15th of December
1857 through eating great quantities of apples and then he wanted
something to purge him which he took three pints of mounting flax tea
which it purged him to that degree which caused him and inflamation on
the liver and since that he has had a inflamation in the bowels the
Doctor gave him up on the 24th of January 1858 but your Aunt Ann was
over at our house on the 27th of January and she said he was a little
better and we have heard since he is getting better James Walker of
monyassh is very much surprised at you not droping a few lines to
him has you and him were was old purticulars so he wished me to drop a
line to you when i wrote now i will gave you a little information of
the times good horses are worth L20..to L40 each and good cows are
worth from L12 to L20 each and sheep are worth from L1 to L3 each beef
and mutton is from s6 to s7 per lb and pork is worth from s5 1/2 to
s6 per lb and flour is worth from L1..s10 to 2 per stone and meal is
worth L1..s3 per peck [???] and butter is worth s1..o3 [o???] per lb
and sugar is worth from o5 to o6 [o???] per lb and tea is worth from
o3 too4 [o???] per ounce and potatoes is worth from s12 to s16 per
Load

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we have had a very fine open winter so far we have had very little
snow yet i should like you to send me a aletter to myself becausee
when you send a letter to Boden [sic] head it comes to our house and
before we have well read it we have to send it back and it is tied up
in a lot of rugs and we never can see it any more

Now Brother Mark i am very much surprised at you not writing to me has
you said you would do when you landed and send me all purticulars of
the country and of your voyage which you never have done so i begin to
think you have no respect for your father brothers and sisters and
your relations on your side it seems you are above writing to us now
you are got into America  William Holbrook of s Cheldon [???] is dead
and he has left your cousin George Gyte is property except L10 a piece
to James Smiths two children which they are to have when they are 21
years of age but George Gyte receives the interest of it till they are
twentyone Elizabeth Boom is in the family way by Antony Nailor of S
Cheldon [???] and she is expecting a little one every day and she is
at your sisters Marthas  So I conclude with our kind Love to you all
we
Remain your affectionate Uncle And Aunt
William and Ellen Brassington
Chelmorton Derbyshire

[in box in lower-left corner:]
Direct for
Chelmorton
Near Toddington [???]