(No copy of original document available)

Introduction ¹

These letters were retained by my grandmother, Cecilia Elmslie, nee Cheyne, until her death. I inherited them from Aunt Coral. It is difficult to see why she retained these particular letters. Two of them are incomplete and one is not even addressed to her. Possibly they contain information that she wanted though it is not obvious what.

The family seem to have been chronically bad correspondents. My grandmother seems to have lost touch with all her family except her brother Antony after she left Australia. When she gave information about her family to her cousin Archibald Ythan Cheyne for the family history, she did not give details of the children of any of her siblings except Antony. Presumably she did not know them.

The letters give some family information not available otherwise and are also interesting as showing something of conditions in Australia in the late nineteenth century.

---

Letter 1 . From her mother (to Bessie) ²

Muckleford Dec 31st /65
Dear Bessie ^{3 4}

The first page is not only crossed by the fifth but is also badly blotted and the
upper half is almost illegible.

..deserve a good scolding for not writing ? ? of us for so long ? ? Johnnie you were young to ? and I felt very ? ? was so thankful to see ? paper. Mr & Mrs ? ⁵ among the arrivals in Melbourne. I sincerely hope the rest & change has done Mr Harper’s eyes good. I an glad you have got Antony ⁶ to stay a little time with you . I think the change of air will take awlMs cough and you will I am sure nurse him if he requires it. Alex ⁷ has just the same kind of harsh dry cough but is otherwise well & works hard.. This is a very busy time with us now. They begin to bring home the harvest tomorrow and we shall have please God to get it in safe the best crop we have had yet tho only half what we ought to have had if the weather had been more favourable.

The mowing machine was very useful and it was quite cheering to see Johnnie ⁸ seared ⁹ on the machine slashing down the crop (oats) and Alec and Mack ¹⁰ gathering it into? as fast as he cut it. We had to hire the rake from Watsons, we have some of the finest wheat on the creek & they say we will have 40 tons hay. How is your health my dear child. I hope you are not getting too fat. You ought to be in my place for a while. Up at five o’clock every morning helping to milk, cooking, washing etc etc. You wd soon be thin. I am thank God generally pretty well & at others very weak & low spirited. I have two or three attacks of palpitations which warn me of the uncertainty of life & the reality of religion at such time. I feel deeply for my dear children & pray that they may be spared to kno & love God & their Saviour. “love not this world” my dear Bessie which passeth away, seek pardon & peace with God & be prepared for whatever God may appoint.

I am very weary of my present laborious life. I long for a more quiet & suitable way of ? ? living. I wish to know whether you would ? promise of a few scholars as lodgers if I can get the house next to us where ? ? to live. Have you seen Mr Gregory ^{11 12}. I would be glad if you could see him for me & ask him if he could assist me in this matter. I could only take six & Cicy could help ? she is now 11 1/2 years old and after ? a class in the common school. I believe she ? ? her very reasonably. I think £40 a year for each pupil wd do.

I ? in haste conclude. God bless you dear Bessie.
Yr affe mother
A Cheyne

---

There were other children, not mentioned, but Johnnie was the eldest surviving son. It seems odd that she does not mention her husband. I do not know if he had moved to a living at Muckleford and was farming part time or if he had left the church and become a farmer. The general effect of he letter is that they were not farming very successfully and barely surviving. I do not know why Cecilia should have a letter addressed to her sister. Possibly it is as a memento. Anne Cheyne died in May 1867 ¹³, eighteen mon ¹⁴

---

Letter 2. From her father ¹⁵

Phillip Island
Feby 6th 1877

My dear Cicy,

I looked with considerable anxiety for the arrival of your vessel, and when she did make her appearance I expected to hear from you but I have been disappointed.
You know if I could afford it I would go to ? and see you ¹⁶. I received your facsimile(?) note and wrote to you at home. I trust when you visit England you will not neglect to keep up the acquaintance of such of you relations as may be in London, particularly Aunt Elizabeth ¹⁷ — you will find her a valuable friend. I have very little to tell you of interest here but that we are all thank God well every thing going on in the one usual way. Weather very dry and trying for our cattle, garden parched up, vegetables none except potatoes, have had a good deal of fruit. We have a considerable number of persons visiting the Island and I fancy it will become what is termed a fashionable watering place. Visitors seem generally pleased with it.

I had a letter from Bessy some time ago. She & her husband were well and they spoke of the probability of their visiting Melbourne during the summer. I do not
know what the rest of your brothers are doing. I have not heard from them for some time. You know I am a poor correspondent but that should no keep you from letting me hear from you. Give my kind regards to your husband and

Believe ne
Your affte father
J Cheyne

Sarah ¹⁸ desires to be particularly remembered to you. I hope some day to see you here.

---

Letter 3. from her aunt Augusta ^{19 20}

Garra ? Landace
South Gippsland
May 1881

My dear Cissie
You must think I have taken a very long time answering your short kind letter butI assure you I have not forgotten you, so have often tricked(?) to write. When the “Sobraon ” was back here I was laid up with an Ague face(?) and was not severe(?) when she left ²¹, I have not been strong since, but feel that I should send you a few lines to show you are not quite out of mind. You of course have heard of Willie’s ²² marriage and will be glad to hear that she is a very nice girl, in every way suited for him & ? a real good wife. Their dear little “Elsie St Leger”, very fair and is now 10 mos, just walking from chair to chair. She is starting to being trouble. But I haven’t told you I heard from my sister Amelia what sweet little ones yours are dear Cissie & should much like to see them, perhaps if spared I may some day if you come out again. I should so like to see dear old England again altho’ I probably should not recognise many places. Would it not be a pleasure for us to go together to see dear Aunt Fleming ²³? Have you been yet?

In one of her letters she said she would much like to see you dear Cissie.

I thought of moving(?) to Toorak(?) but found it could not be arranged Land is of so little & also is difficult to sell. Sometimes I feel very tired of Gippsland. It is so isolated from friends.

Vinie ²⁴ & her two babies are well. Yesterday she brought over her baby girl, little Alan has been very poorly, but now better. You dear Aunt Ellen ²⁵ (I heard from lately) is healthy but suffers from ? at times. While we have cold and frost, you I hope are enjoying nice spring weather. I hope dear you will write soon so that I know you forgive my chance(?) and kiss your dear little ones for me and with kind remembrance to Capt E beleve me dear Cissie.
Your affte Aunt
Augusta Forrest
P.S. As Willie may perhaps sell this place you might direct to Vinie’s care as
follows
Care of Mrs J.Henry
South Warragul
Gippsland

---

Letter 4. From her brother Antony. ²⁶

This is the last page of a letter with the address and date therefore missing. From the age given for Gerald, who was born in 1878, it must be about 1895

Wish follie who caused the rheumatic fever ²⁷ when we were at Beechworth(?) and, has never got over it. It will be a matter of. time but in the end I think she will regain her health ²⁸. Percy ²⁹ threw up his post in the P.O. and went over to West Australia moving(?). He has been sick and has caused us much anxiety & expense. He is over there at present and is not returning unless he makes his fortune which he thinks he will do some day. Gerald is at school and is making fair progress. He is 17 and I don’t know what I can do for him when he leaves school. There is nothing here for a young man to do. Any number here are working for merely minimal wages but things may improve. Essilmont my second daughter is a fine big girl and growing quite handsome. She is under 14 and taller than her mother. Renie the youngest is the smallest of all and will be like her Mamma. She is such a friend of ? and often sets the whole house in a ? by some wilful remark. They are both at school here and getting on well. Our friends over in Gippsland ³⁰ never write to me so I cannot how they are doing but I am much afraid they are not flourishing. Annie is living at Castlemaine and is in poor health. I saw Mrs Laver (Nellie Williamson) some time ago. Her husband superintends the Benevolent Asylum at Castlemaine & I think they are comfortable. Mollie ³¹ is with her Mamma and Mary minds the old place with the boys. They are mining and are doing pretty well when I last heard. The “Harpers” are also at Castlemaine and I do not know anything about them beyond the fact that they were in business & had quarrelled with Williamsons over something. We have some old Cmaine people here, the Hyndmans. You remember them of course. They live almost in front of my office. I cannot think of any further news.

We are having some cold weather, quite contrary to general Australian weather. A heavy fall of snow took place here last night and the children are delighted something new for them you know. You will excuse my crossing this. I am economical just at present. Elmslie tells me that Aunt Minty ³² is still alive and hearty. I suppose she hardly knows of our existence out here and never thinks of us I think long long ago you made a promise regarding our family tree. You were going to obtain and send me a correct copy. I wish you would do this as my youngsters are very much interested in the matter and would like to have a copy. Our old one is in a much dilapidated condition and a new copy would be quite a prize for our girls and boys.

Do you know anything of any New Zealand Cheynes? I met a man at Beechworth named Wyndham Cheyne. They seem to belong to a family that went out there many years ago from Scotland but as far as I could make out were neither kith nor kin to us.. I must now say good-bye & as we have re-commenced our correspondence I sincerely trust that you will write now and then and you can rely on my answering yours. Esther joins me in sending love to you and yours and we all wish you and your husband every prosperity.

I am
Your affte brother

ABS Cheyne
Kyneton
Victoria

---

Letter 5. From her brother Antony ³³

P.O. Kyneton
27.4.96

Dear Cecy
Yours of 11th Sept came duly to hand and I must tender a sincere apology for neglecting to answer it until now. I have my share of worry and anxiety I can assure you and not much spare time to call my own and when you add the inherited aversion all Cheynes ever had and ever will have to letter writing you may perhaps excuse the long delay and now I am sorry to say my news is not good news. About ten days since I received a letter from Mr Laver ³⁴, Castlemaine, saying “Mrs Williamson ³⁵ were there and poor old Col Bull was the only stranger present. The girls and boys have of course anticipated this for a long time as during the last 18 months Annie has never been able to leave her bed and in one sense it is quite a relief to them all but of course they cannot see it in that light just now. I saw her after death had taken place. She looked like a young girl almost quite like she used to long ago. She is buried at Campbell’s Creek in the same grave as Mother and Williamson. The boys and girls are well and I think you should write to them upon this occasion. All the rest of our people are well. Mrs Harper seems to me to look very old and Harper is quite an old fogey. They are living at Castlemaine. Have a nice house and farm just over the camp hill. I had not seen them for 30 years and of course would see a great change in them after such a lapse of time. I am glad to say Esther ³⁶ and family are quite well and Lillie ³⁷ is looking splendid and will I think be quite strong again. She is gradually growing out of her hermetic(?) attacks. Gerald ³⁸…..

---

Letter 6. From her brother Antony ³⁹

Envelope addressed to
Mrs J.A.Elmslie
81 St Marys Mansions
Paddington
London
And headed “A.Cheyne 23 Jan 06” and annotated “written to my mother Cecilia Elmslie by her brother Antony. Coral Roberts

Hamilton
Victoria
23.1.06

My dear Cecilia
• Yours of 16th Nov came duly to hand and I would have sent you an answer long ere this only for the fact that I have been dreadfully busy. You will see by the heading of this letter that I am at Hamilton, Victoria. We left Echuca six months ago and were very glad to get away. It’s an awful place for dust and heat and the change to this place was most agreeable to all of us. Hamilton is a very busy town and has a good climate and rates as the 4th most important inland town in Victoria as far as our business is concerned ⁴⁰. Yes, it’s years since we exchanged compliments on paper and I was despairing of ever getting a line from you again. I saw Noel ⁴¹ some time ago just for one day only. Of course I did not recognise him as he was such a small joker when I saw him last. The girls were down later on and met him and compared family notes I understand. I am sorry to hear that your means are limited. I always understood that you were in easy circumstances. We never could indulge in servants and don’t miss them, the girls and the wife do all the work and the boys are away. One in West Australia and one over in Sydney.. When Noel was over there I think he met Gerald. He is getting on pretty well and unlike his father has some brains and I believe will make his way in the world. Life with me has been one eternal grind and I am feeling old at last but I am strong and healthy. I suppose you know that Bessie is a widow. Harper died early in January and I think it was a relief. He was quite childish & almost helpless during the last year or two and I also suppose you know that John, Alick and William ⁴² are no more — Mack is somewhere in Melbourne but he inherits our poor old father’s failing ⁴³ and I never hear of his doings. Our stepmother ⁴⁴ died quite recently in Melbourne. I never saw the old lady but once many years ago.

I am afraid when you come to me for family history I shall prove an utter failure. I hardly know Aunt Minter(?) ⁴⁵ is. Of course I am interested in these things but have never heard much about the old places and names you mention. You promised one time to send me a complete family tree which I would very much like to have. You remember Elmslie gave me a copy of Buchan ⁴⁶ — well I was foolish enough to lend it to one of my boys and he lent it to Charlie Cheyne ⁴⁷ and the young scamp did not return it. You cannot get a copy out here and I suppose it will be difficult to get one at home. I have some recollection of our grandmother’s miniature and perhaps Maggie ⁴⁸ has it. I don’t think that lady wd part with it if she does possess it and as I am only on distant terms with her I would not care about writing to her for it. I think they are still in the old place, Glenmaggie Gippslamd. You see your beloved brother is a kind of Ishmael — and almost if not quite forgotten by his relations. Even you dear sister mine have left me severely alone for many years but as the long silence has been broken at last and as I am getting near the end of my journey (almost 60) I would be glad to hear from you when you can spare time to drop me a line and I can promise you that your letter will not remain unanswered.

Mary Williamson ⁴⁹ has been ill for a long time, could not walk for many months but she has taken a turn for the better and they say she will soon be quite well again. Of course you know all about poor Nellie Laver ⁵⁰. I saw her just before the sad event. She looked awful. Elsie and Lott are fine girls — and it’s quite pleasant to go and see them and Laver when in town. We always give them a look-up when down in the city — I trust that you and Capt Elmslie are quite well also the girls and Reggie. Do you know I have just been thinking Gerald knows more about our family than any of us. The very week your letter came to hand he sent me a long letter about the St Legers & and even had the effrontery to tell me that I did not know how to spell my Christian name which he truly says should be “Antony” ⁵¹ I think you should send him a line. His letters are quite refreshing. He has a notion of literature. Has written some nice short stories & some how had them accepted and printed. If you care to stir him up adress(sic) him thus.
Gerald Cheyne
St Johns Villa
Surrey St
Darlinghurst
N S Wales

And now my dear Sister I must terminate this long rigmarole. Esther and the girls send you fondest love and best wishes also (rather late) a happy new year.
Remember me to the Capt and thank him for his kindness to me long ago when I used to go down and see you on the “Old Sobraon” and now my best love to yourself.

I remain
Your affect brother
ABStJ Cheyne

Does Aunt Minty know that such a radical as Antony Butler St leger Cheyne
exists. Ask her.