Transcription

Colonial Bank
Kingston 24th Jany 1871
 

My dear Uncle,

I was very glad to get your letter of the 27th Decr. It has given me great pleasure to forward to my grandmother the enclosure you sent for her. I have not heard from her since I sent it. I was in hopes I would have heard today in time to let you know, but I have not. I suppose the old lady was not in Falmouth when the Post arrived & so could not answer the letter as they have only 3 or 4 hours allowed them between the arrival & departure of the Post. I sent on your letter to me for their perusal, so if I do not answer any questions in this letter you may expect to have them answered next time.

I enclose photos of Edith (my sister 22 years of age) & myself. The only available Cartes of the Family to be had in time for the occasion. I don't like Edith's - it makes her look too old and dark. Mine was taken about 18 months ago & was considered very good. I am a little older looking now. My Mother does not take well but I will try to get a Carte of her when she returns from St. Anne. She has been away from Town for change for the last four mos. We shall be very glad to receive your promised Photos of family & self. Don't you feel old with a wife & three children? I hope to know them all one of these days. We have no direct communication with America just now, but in the course of a month or two a line of Steamers will run every month & there is no saying what a fellow may not be induced to do if the Bank authorities will give leave of absence. I have been working now 10 years (5 of them in the Establishment, & I have not had more than two or three weeks leave at any time, in fact I don't suppose I have had two mos. leave during the whole time. They are awfully stingy in that respect.

With regard to your proposal about Augustus. I have told my Aunt that before arrangements are entered into that you ought to be made perfectly acquainted with the full bearings of the case, so without for one moment wishing you to do otherwise than have the most tender & affte.(affectionate) feeling for your Brother. I think it my duty to say that he is not the gentleman in manner that he is by Birth. We must all make allowances for him - he was spoiled they say as a boy. I remember him staying with my Father in Trelawny. Bad company has been the bane of his life. Uncle Roger did his best/& he had a good deal of influence with the Chief Planters, Westmoreland, Hosack & e/ to push him on, but somehow he could not keep a situation for any length of time & at last he gave over trying Sugar Planting. My Aunt, Fashy Spalding, gave him a trial on her Penn as overseer under her, but there again his want of energy so thwarted her attempts to benefit him. I really do not know what he is doing now, he seems unable to help himself in any way. Perhaps the change to a strange & colder country may make an alteration in him. I hope so. You will of course understand why I have written so much on this subject. It is hardly fair to you or us, that he should be the first of the family you are likely to see, without knowing that he is not a fair speciman of the Swires. I do not think that going by way of Honduras would be either the shortest or cheapest route to New Orleans. i fancy that to New York would answer the purpose better. Sailing ships sometimes go from here to New Orleans direct, but these opportunities are of rare occurrence. Passage by sailing Vessel to any Port in the States would be about $48. Perhaps I could get it done for a trifle less.

You ask about the course of death of my Uncles. I thought my Aunt had written you on the subject. I have not time to enter into the matter today. Will do so next time. I am writing this against time, after a very heavy day at Bank & I will only get the letter in by enclosing it in that to our Agents in New York Maitland Phelps & Co.

You talk of retaining your love of horses. You remember my poor Father was great at all that sort of thing, dogs, guns, & e. I have not degenerated. I love sport dearly, tho I have but little time for anything. I go in for Cricket more than anything else just now. I had one or two very decent horses & a few dogs, but I can't afford to keep "Nags" (?) now, with my large family of Mother & two Sisters.

I must stop or I shall be too late. My love to you all. Aunt, Cousins & e. I hope I shall soon hear from you again. I think you may expect to hear from me by next mail.

Yrs. Very afftly (affectionately)
R. S. Haughton

P. Swire, Esq.

I enclose a letter from my Aunt.

Notes:

Grandmother is Frances Lydia (Cox) Swire, Philip's mother and Roger Haughton's grandmother.

Edith is Edith Anne Haughton, Roger S. Haughton's second sister.

Roger S. Haughton's mother is Hannah Jane (Swire) Haughton.

Augustus is Augustus Swire, brother to Philip and Uncle to Roger S. Haughton.

Roger's aunt in this reference is believed to be Emily Elizabeth (Swire) Brymer, who lived nearest to him.

Roger's Uncle Roger was Roger Jones Swire, brother to Philip.

Roger's Aunt Fashy Spalding is Frances Anne (Swire) Spalding, sister to Philip.

The two Uncles whose deaths are referred to here are John Henry Dalzell Swire (who died in 1867), and Roger Jones Swire (who died in 1870).

Roger S. Haughton's father was William Haughton.

Roger's aunt in this reference is believed to be either Emily (Swire) Brymer or Fashy (Swire) Spalding.