Historical information
Post Card: Melton Railway Station 1909
Mattie to Fred
My Dear Fred I received your letter and the L2 10/- I was very pleased to hear that I could write again. You say you will come home after the last shead. I should think so. I had a letter from E Jenkins so I am going down to see her next week we call the baby Fernie now I hope you will agree. Dear Fern has got the whooping cough.
Written on the side: I suppose you will be away four weeks yet. Love from Mattie will write on Sunday.
This letter appears to be connected with the post card
Barwonleigh Saturday October 1908 handwriting
My Dear Mattie
I received your letter and was sorry to hear of our dear little babys misfortune how did it happen do you know what was the cause of it Mrs Watts must be a blind old fool not to have known what it was when you took him to her the first time poor dear you must be worried to death with all this trouble tell me what the doctor thinks of the rupture. I do hope dear he will get over this all right you must be nearly dead going without sleep for so long I had a bit of misfortune myself on Thursday the machine locked and jumped out of my hand and stuck in my bone I kept on working but it was very painful as all the holding is done with the..next page
..knee the boss also has been chipping a good deal this week he says the next time he has occasion to speak to me I will have to go he is very particular. I would like to go through if possible even if I do a lot less. I have about sixteen hundred done up to now and would get another nine hundred if I was let alone but I suppose we will live lovie even if I go do you know if they are full handed at Eynesbury if I thought I could get a week there I would cut myself out here quick. Well dear lovie I am sending you a couple of pounds as I suppose you will want it to get a truss. I don’t think they are very expensive and hope things will find this better with you. Well my dear love I must close with fond love for you and baby from your loving Husband Fred
Post Card: 16 Aug 1909 - Mathoura
The card depicts a small sailing boat laden with blue flowers.
Well Dear Wife you see I have kept my promise. I rode all the way up here and also carried all my luggage with me it came in handy as I had to camp on the road last night between Rochester and Echuca surrounded by water. I had to walk all the way pretty well from Rochester to Echuca. I am now waiting for the train to Deniliquin.
Love to you and my little son Fred. From you loving Husband Fred
Written along the top and side of the card.
what do you think if the card comes in all right as I have been wading through water all day yesterday and this might be …?
will write when I get to the Station, don’t forget to look after the little Freddie and
remember me to mother.
Post Card: 1909 - view across the Flat from the Creek looking to the Presbyterian Church in the distance with some small dwellings in the foreground.
To Mr Fred Myers Wandook Stn Denniliquin NSW
Dear Fred, received your letter I am sorry to hear you are having such wet weather I will write a letter tomorrow baby is better With Love from M
Post Card: 1910
Postmark Stamp 1d Aug 12 1910 Moama NSW Melton postmark stamped Aug 25?
Hare Street, looking south Echuca
Mrs F Myers, Melton P O Vic
Dear Mattie, Just a line to let you know I got here all right I go to Pericotta tonight and to Cobran to morrow best love to all from yours Fred
Letter Cobran Stn Via Deniliquin N.S.W. Sunday 21st Aug
extract I am having a good time here, a good cook and the best of everything no fires to light or kettles to boil just get up and wire in… plenty hard work the sheep are pretty tough but much better than Wandook. I am well among them here we had a little rain on Friday but not enough to stop us so we have got one full week in .. the weather is lovely. I have been basking in the sunshine mainly in the morning and feel strong and fit a as fiddle, they are a grand lot of men here I only knew one out of the lots but know them all pretty well now, we have a bit of a concert here every nights almost there are a few good singers here and we also had a phonograph up from the station with all the latest records we have two dancers among ourselves very boisterous affairs indeed thy do make the dust fly. I have not ventured to take part in it and don’t think I will either. I get enough dancing all day long and besides I have to furnish the music you ought to see them going when I rattle up the concertina.
Letter Cobran Stn via Deniliquin Thursday Sept 1st 1910 [abbreviated]
My Dear Mattie, I received your welcome letter today. I though I was never going to get one as it was Sunday fortnight when I wrote to you but we only the mail here twice a week so it takes a long time to write and get an answer. I also got a reply from Eynesbury and a favourable reply it starts on the 13th Oct. …. I have 800 sheep shorn up to date and am fifth among about 30 men. I am sending two more [Ls] this time which I drew on Saturday. I don’t like sending too much more this time as there is a chance of it going astray and it is not very easily earned…. Things must be humming in Melton with all them babies coming and people getting married… I suppose we will be having new neighbours soon. If Mr Watts is selling out he was getting more property then he could keep. I hope you will soon have rain…. you will have to watch our little boy the dear little rascal he must be getting very cute opening the gates he will be tumbling into the tank …. I love to think of the happy times we have had together and hope that we will love one another to the end .. the mail will not leave here until Monday Love to you dear wife and baby Fred
Post Card: – I Cling to you like Ivy
Cobran September 18th 1910
Fred awaits a letter from Mattie
I still have three weeks here yet.. I am sending L2 tell if you got the other 1L
1911
Letters Fred to Mattie October
Spring Plains Oct 1911
Mia Mia Post Office
I had a great job to catch the train at Diggers Rest as after I turned off the Keilor Rd it was very way and muddy and I had to walk a lot of the way and got there just in time. I came right into Redesdale by the train and stopped there last night… they had heavy rain on thursday up here and a tremendous fall of hail which covered the ground over a foot deep. There are only 4 shearers here yet.. I saw some of the sheep they look very rough and big so there will be no big tallies done, the men are saying he is giving 2s per hundred extra, so that will help a little. We are going to start Cobran via Deniliquin.
Post Card: three scenes of Mathoura 10/9/1914 EB on a photo copy 10/9/12 ?
Mathoura Thursday
Dear Mattie,
Just a line to let you know I got up here all right. I rode the seat out of my trousers. I have done 100 miles on the bike. I met none of the old hands this time so will go out on my own… Your loving husband Fred, did Marjie miss me at all.
Post Card: Cobran 15th Sept 1912
Hearts and intertwined flowers and little envelope he has written Marjorie
…just a line to let you know I will cut out here Friday next in find, we have had two falls of rain since I wrote and it has bean blowing a hurricane for couple of days and may blow up again however if we are delayed I will send you a card Wednesday
I am longing to see you and the two little kiddies again…. Fred
Copy only
Golf Hill
Sep 26th Cut out 31 Oct Total 2332
1913
Post Card: Scene View Street, Bendigo August 1913
Mathoura Tuesday
My Dear Mattie
Just a line to let you know I got up here all right. Teddy Ginger and another couple of chaps on the way …….
Letter
Cobran Sunday Aug 7th 1913
My Dear Mattie
Just a line to let you know that weather permitting we will cut out here about Thursday morning….I have not got any more shearing here. I have not heard from the other place…. Expect me about Friday …. I suppose Freddie and Marjie will be glad to see me, Marjie will climb all over me. I will be glad to se you all again you will have a fortnight before Golf Hill starts.
I see in the Express you sent that Annie McPherson of (Dunvegan) is engaged to Len Farrell, she appears to be going to take no risks with him she wont let him slip through her hands like the banker did…… Fred
Post Card: 1914 Garland of roses
Warrambeen Stn Shelford PO
October 14th 1914
Birthday wishes.
Post Card: Love’s Golden Chain
Golf Hill Tuesday Oct 17 1914
Birthday wishes
[ this one might be a different year]
Letter Cobran Wed 2nd Sept 1914
My Dear Mattie,
I received your welcome letter today and also the papers which were very acceptable as we don’t get many papers here we only get see one at odd times as we get none for the hut this year.. I have not seen a bit of butter since I left home as it is too dear for us for sinners here. Poor Marjie had a cold.. so the little kid wants to go to the war, she must think it is good like a picnic. We had light rain on Monday as usual only half a day’s shearing in the shed so that is all we done this week, we took a vote 9 to 6 no shearing so nothing till to morrow morning Thursday so there is still a good fortnights shearing to do, will do nothing Saturday polling day as we have to go 13 miles is near Services where I was last year so we will want the full day 50 men to vote and some will probably have to walk to get there, all solid for Labour.
I have just had an interval for lunch, pudding, yeast buns and rock cakes… We are doing nothing but eating and sleeping this week. Fred
I am sending L1 in this which will do you till I come back if I keep drawing up I will have none when I finish so make the most of it.
Post Card: Two doves with violets 1915
Cobran Wed 18th Sept [could be 1912]
Sorry to tell you we are delayed with rain so will not be home till next week… only 3 days of shearing to do…. expect me about the middle of next week….I wish I was with you now and the dear little ones Fred
Post Card: Iris Flowers
Barwonleigh Stn Tuesday Oct 14th 1918
Happy birthday greetings from Fred
Post Card: Irrigation channel Swan Hill 5 Year not shown
Swan Hill Tuesday night
Just a few lines to let you know I got this far all right. I had to walk nearly all the way to Gisborne and got there last night and took the train here today. It has been raining all the way between Gisborne and here. Moulamein tomorrow. I think it will be another case of walking as it is wet here no metal roads all mud.
best love to yourself and the little ones and also mother. will write Sunday
Post Card: The White Man’s Burden.The writing on the back rubbed out
Mattie has written, I was weighed and I am 8 stone 10 pounds.
Physical description
14 Post Cards, some have the original dates, others have the date added later by Martha. Two envelopes, one with addressed to Melton postmark Moule, stamp torn off, the other Cards from my dear Fred.
The letters and the notebooks can be cross checked according the their contents. Italics show the dates added by Mattie
