Mr Carberry McCarthy | Strand Road, Cork | for John Tyndall, |
Leighlin Bridge | Tuesday night Feb, 1. 1842.
My dear John
I think you are anxiously expecting something in the shape of a letter from me and though you think there is blame to be laid to the charge of the post office be assured that there is not as I received your two last letters.1 I was waiting for Mr John Alexander to come from Dublin where he has been this long time. The day I went to Milford2 he was not there, but I saw Mr Charles3 and read your letter for him. He said he had heard of you and would be glad, if in his power, to serve you. But he was afraid it was not; as England was filled with engineers; that the man to whom he is bound is often without employment, that you would have better chance in Dublin, but that as soon as he would go over to London – which will be next week – he will speak to his master for you.
I was in Milford this day when he repeated the same words to me and asked me did I hear from you since. I also saw Mr John4 who was at the time very busy. I told him my business. He said he would be glad to have it in his power to serve a protestant man, especially such a one as you were, and requested of me to leave your letter with him till the next day I go to Milford. Its useless to speak to Mr Steuart on this occasion, as he is using all the interest he has to get the eldest of the Rev Mr Hickey’s sons,5 who is very badly off, some situation and wrote to Colonel Bruen in London on the subject, who told him that at present nothing could be done for him. They would be glad to get a situation for him of sixty or seventy pounds a year. You may guess from this the low ebb Mr Hickey’s family has come to, and the great difficulty of getting any situation. Keep this a secret, as they would not wish to have it known. I have not spoken to the Dean6 yet, but will shortly, and will let you know his answer. The Colonel7 was at home for a few days, as your uncle Caleb was with him on Saturday last and expects to be appointed High Constable at the Assizes;8 and only he went off on Monday though the day being tremendious wet I would have got letters from the Dean and Mrs Steuart to him. We had a dreadful storm here a few days ago,9 five or six thatched houses were blown down, windows broken, and slate houses stripped. We were obliged to keep the shutters of the shop window up all day else the house would be blown down. I left a letter this day with Mr Conwill as I was going to Milford. I think it was from Evans, as the Bandon post mark was on the letter. When I hear of anything worth letting you know you shall hear from me. We are all well | Your affectionate father | John Tyndall
The bug was dreadful. Why is W.S.10 dumb?
RI MS JT/1/10/3265
LT Transcript Only
your two last letters: letters 0118 and 0119.
Milford: the Alexander family’s estate on the River Barrow 3 miles north of Leighlin Bridge.
Mr Charles: Charles Leslie Alexander (1820–88), who later entered the Church, was one of the sons of John Alexander.
Mr John: John Alexander (1802–85), was another son of the above. He had studied at Trinity College, Dublin, served as High Sheriff of Carlow (1824) and in 1853 was elected Tory MP for Carlow Borough.
Rev Mr Hickey’s sons: possibly a son of the Reverend James Hickey.
the Dean: Dean Richard Barnard.
The Colonel: Colonel Henry Bruen.
appointed High Constable at the Assizes: Caleb Tyndall was ‘appointed High Constable for the Barony of Idrone west’; see letter 0130.
dreadful storm here a few days ago: on 25–6 January.
W.S.: Walter Snooks, one of Tyndall’s pseudonyms.
Please cite as “Tyndall0120,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on 29 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/tyndall/letters/Tyndall0120