TOPIC:

Potchefstroom
14.12.1902


Dear Lee,

Your letter just received. Hope your head has quite recovered. I was delighted to see Bob’s name shining in the list of prize winners. I also observed the name of L McInnes next. The best ironed white shirt – surely you were not guilty. It must have been Pa. We went to a circus last night. It’s many long years since I did the like; but in this place it’s correct to go to everything. An American cowboy did some very clever riding. Then he challenged anyone in the audience to try it. Several of the Tommy’s tried but not one stood it for more than one round. At last a young Australian officer strolled in, a cigarette in his mouth, his hands in his pockets and calmly stepped on to the animal. Then the fun began. His riding was simply marvellous. He rode the horse in every possible way. The excitement was simply awful. People fairly yelled. We were so proud of our countryman. He was really a New Zealander but we claimed him just the same. You can just think how we sat on our tails and showed our teeth. But I assured our friends that that kind of riding was quite common at home. “You just ought to see my brother, Lee, ride” I said.

The four teachers from Johannesburg have offered to exchange quarters with us for the holidays. That’s just into our hands. No board to pay. We start for the Golden City on the 27th. The holidays start on the 20th but it will take the week to mend up our rags and make ourselves decent.

There was a bazaar last Wednesday. I served at the cool drink stall in the evening. Everybody in Africa is blessed with a mighty thirst and as the temperature hovered about the 100’s I did a roaring trade. In fact I believe I pretty well paid off the debt on the church.

The order of things is varied today. The daily thunderstorm came in the morning instead of the afternoon as is usual. Yesterday it was terrific. Hailstones big as small hen eggs. (You won’t believe me I know) but it’s true. There’s hardly a whole window in the town. The water fairly poured into our rooms which are at the top of the house. We had to climb on the beds to keep from floating. Nevertheless I assured people that we had still worse storms at home. Australia is not going to be beaten by a few hailstones.

I am getting quite a crack driver, Lee. You ought to see me handle the ribbons behind four mules. Can’t be bothered with horses now-a-days.

They are still worrying us to go to farm schools but I don’t move from this place as long as I can dodge it. I’m afraid the farm schools have no charm for Margaret Morison. I’m enclosing £3. You’ll perhaps remember that you lent me £5 when I left. I’ll be sending along some more if there’s any left after the Christmas holidays to pay my insurance.

Nobody ever told me anything about Bell Browne’s baby boy. I don’t even know his name. I must write to herself when I can get time.

I hope you all have a good Christmas. Do have a fowl and think of me while you eat it. We never see even the feathers here! One day it was announced that there was fowl for dinner. We rushed to the table but alas, 'twas only rabbit and the toughest one that ever was. Did you go to the Caledonian Sports? They had some here the other day. One man rose to a kilt.

Now, Lee, mind you write again soon, and a decent one next time please.

I hope everybody is alright. You’d be sad if you could see how fat I’m getting. Nearly 11 stone now.

Love to everybody.
Tell Ma I’m writing soon.
Mag

Hi Mark

It was good to have Margaret back on the forum again.

Regards
Brett

Brett Hendey wrote: Hi Mark

It was good to have Margaret back on the forum again.

Regards
Brett

Brett, Yes, it's been a while. All the remaining letters are transcribed now. Originally I thought it was just two left but was wrong. Still four to go.

Cheers,

Mark

Good Morning Mark.....

Love these letters, sorry to hear that there are only 4 left to go.....

I find letters give a more human touch rather than (sometimes dry) regimental of history books.....

Have you ever heard of a book called A Canadian Girl in South Africa by E. Maude Graham, William Briggs Press 1905..... I understand that it has been reprinted since.....

It is the story of some Canadian Girls who volunteered to do the same sort of work as Margaret..... Maybe they ran into each other.....

I wonder if there was an official program to send these ladies and if there has been anything written about them and the program.....

Mike

QSAMIKE wrote: Good Morning Mark.....

Love these letters, sorry to hear that there are only 4 left to go.....

I find letters give a more human touch rather than (sometimes dry) regimental of history books.....

Have you ever heard of a book called A Canadian Girl in South Africa by E. Maude Graham, William Briggs Press 1905..... I understand that it has been reprinted since.....

It is the story of some Canadian Girls who volunteered to do the same sort of work as Margaret..... Maybe they ran into each other.....

I wonder if there was an official program to send these ladies and if there has been anything written about them and the program.....

Mike

Hi Mike. I'll have to greet you with a good evening from this end. Thanks for the comments and I also really enjoy the human touch of letters.

I'm aware of the E. Maude Graham book but haven't read it. Margaret mentions a Canadian head mistress in one of her letters but sadly doesn't name her so it would appear that she did have contact with at least one of the Canadians.

Now for a very interesting addition that I learnt yesterday. My mother spoke to her cousin on Wednesday night about Margaret. He is the eldest of Margaret's grandchildren and because of his parents involvement in the war effort during WWII he spent most of his early and mid teens living with his grandparents. He told my mother that his wife's grandmother was one of the Canadian teachers that came out in 1902. She stayed. Her name was Mabel Vaughan Elliott.

Cheers,

Mark

Potchefstroom
24.12.1902

Dear Ma,

It’s the day before Christmas but nobody seems to trouble anything about it. It's only a name to most people out here. We’re all going to the Vaal River for a picnic. It’s about 18 miles out and we go in the regulation Capecart & four mules. Mules travel quite as well as horses and they never seem to tire. It is lovely here just now. At home everything will be drying up while here it is the rainy season and everything is delightfully green. The veldt is covered with long grass and such lovely flowers. We get heaps of fruit just for the picking. It’s growing along the lanes. Apples, figs, pears, apricots and plums. The grapes & peaches are not ripe yet but we’ve spotted the best places for them. On Saturday the 27th we expect to go to Johannesburg for a week or so. We are exchanging rooms with some of the teachers there and we know a few people so we ought to have a good time. The schools closed for the holidays last Friday and we have five weeks off. That’s one advantage of teaching in the town. The camp teachers have only about a fortnight’s holiday. The Inspector here is rather a bully and gives some of the teachers a bad time. He’s awfully civil to us, though. The others say he’s afraid of the Australians.

They want me to take the position of Head Mistress in the school I’m in now but I don’t think I’ll accept. The pay’s not much and nearly all the teachers in the school are Dutch. They’re so hard to manage. Can’t teach a bit and won’t be shown how. Then they’re so dreadfully dishonest. You can’t trust them or believe too much of what they say. The one who is Head Mistress now is a Canadian and they give her rather a bad time.

What a good show you must have had this year. The shearing will be all finished by this time and I expect Lee is doing the usual battle with that crop of his. Hope it’s even a better one than the last. Did he get the new machine for cutting it? I had a letter from Bell the other day but haven’t heard from Jim for a long time. But letters turn up occasionally that have been travelling for months. Got one this week that had had a trip to England. Do you get mine regularly? I write every week. People here have been moaning greatly about the heat but it’s really nothing to what we get at home. Don’t think it’s even been more than 100 and the nights are so deliciously cool. I’m busy trying to make a dress for next week. Dressmakers are out of the question. They charge so and everything is so dreadfully expensive. Boots are simply not to be had; mine are wearing out and I had to buy a pair of shoes that are so ugly I nearly cry every time I have to put them on. I’m going to send to England for anything I want now. It’s cheaper than getting from Australia. Only one duty.

I’ll be able to write you quite a long description of Johannesburg next time.

How’s Dad keeping? You didn’t say anything about him in your last letter.

Hope you all have a good day tomorrow.

Best love to everybody.

Margaret