We can do sums and write in coppy

George’s two younger brothers write to him, showing their prowess at arithmetic.  

Overton

May 24^th 1880

Dear brother 

Eddy and I have been very ill we are quite well now we have four cats, four cows, four horses, fifteen hens, sixty three chickens, forty six lambs, one hundread and four sheep, one dog, four ducks, twenty one geese and three pigs, seven cattle and th colt are gone to Muzzart.  I and georgey Went with them and we expect to sow Swedes in a couple of weeks.

mother and father send their love to you mother is going to write to you to night

rember me to gorge and hedley

 I remain

                    your affectionate

                                        brother

                              Robert Bevan

Overton

May 24^th 1880

dear brother

robert and I have been very ill we have had measles and had to stay in bed three days we are quite well now and mother lets us go out again, we washed the sheep as on friday and if the weather is fine we expect to shear them on tuesday your strawberys are in blossom georgy took the trap to killay station to meet jane and morgan on friday tell georgy and hedley we can do sums and write in coppy give our love to them and them them we hope to see them in gow soon.

                    I remain your affectionate brother eddy

  

May 24^th 1880

Dear George

I am glad to say the little boys are quite well again.  I had to keep them in Bed three days they were very tired the last day.  I have not sent them to school & this afternoon they have been writeing to you.  Eddy has sent you plenty of Ink.  Jane and her Husband went back to Swansea this morning they came down on a sad errand poor Mrs Bevan died so suddenly it is a great grief to them all.  I had had your drawers made but not the shirts the Dressmaker is gone from home for a week or so I will send them to you as soon as I can get them made we are glad that you are going to stay with your Uncle this year.  I hope you will get on well & may the Lord be with you in all your goings.  I have been up since 4 oclock & cannot write a long letter to night.  We expect to Shear the Sheep to morrow if it is fine the weather has been very cold for the last few days & rain is much needed.  Sill will write & Tell you all news & with our kindest love I remain Dear George your ever

                              afft. Mother.

10 years penal servitude

Castle Square

Aug 14 1879

Dear brother

I am quite well and I hope you are the same.  And I hope you have not forgotten me here.  I wrote to you a little time ago and have not received an answer yet if my letter was lost I cannot blame you but if on the contrary you received it and have been paying to much attention to the young Ladies lately to answer it back I shall give you a good reprimanding and 10 years penal servitude.

I saw Rowland this morning and he share my views of the case he is coming home for his Holiday and is going down to Killay by train and is going to walk home.  I was home last Saturday week and I am going home in the harvest time for a weeks Holiday.

                   From Your Affectionate

                             Bro. F. Bevan

P.S. Please write to clear your self of those grave charges

                                                Good night

Too cold to cut the corn

July and just when George thought he was forgotten he receives letters from Jane and Elizzie.

Overton

Sunday Evening

My dear Brother

We are all most by ourselves to day.  Sill went into Swansea yesterday afternoon to go to Neath Fair with the cold and to day George Bevan and Robert is gone with Father & Mother to meet the 3 oclock train at Killay.  They are going to stay until Saturday at Mr Roberts they intended going yesterday but had not finished a bout the hay.  We have all in but one load it came on to rain or we should have finished. 

Mr. John Hughes of Newton was married yesterday to Miss Bevan of Pitton the youngest daughter of his Cousin. I suppose it was rather a grand turn out old Mrs Hughes has been living at Long Ash near the Mumbles for some time with David. They keep a pony and a cow they have a splendid house and garden like a gentlemans.  The school that is tomorrow at Porteynon they expect a large gathering.  The parents of most of the Children are invited Sill & Eliza so if all is well I shall be by myself to morrow night. 

I am a little better but far from well now.  Mother will write in a few days.  Eliza Bevan is going home on Saturday.  Aunt Harriet of Porteynon is not very well all besides enjoy good health hopying you enjoy the same

                   I am

                             Your aff. Sister

                                      Jane Bevan

Overton

Monday evening

Dear Brother

I suppose you think we have forgotten you.  I daresay we are not gifted with such long memories as you Llandudno people.  For you have been thinking of us very often this last month or so.  We have been very busy lately therefore you must excuse us.  

Hannah & Georgie were very disappointed last Wednesday.  The weather was stormy father was afraid to venture so far as Swansea so they all had to stay home.  Sil took the colt but missed to sell it horses were very cheap and he brought it home again.  He is going to Swansea tomorrow with the wool.  We have had new potatoes this long time we sent some to Swansea on Saturday but I dont know what they were sold for.

We have not begun to cut hay yet.  It is so cold that I dont know when the corn will be ripe.  We have no gooseberries now so I think you had better wait until the apples come before you send home your parcel.

We are all quite well and hoping you are the same

I remain

          Your affecte Sister

                   E. Bevan

P.S. I could not send the letter for want of a stamp.  There was none to be bought in Port Eynon.

Image - Kennixton Farmhouse for more information visit http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/

New hotel at Llandudno is good for trade

Silvanus was incapacitated for nine months following the typhoid outbreak in September - the illness appeared to have a debilitating effect upon him for much longer as is revealed in Ann’s letters.

Llandudno May 30^th

Dear Mother

I was very glad to hear from Uncle this morning that father was much better and liked to be able to sit up soon.

I shall send the Box to day (Thursday) Passenger train so you will have it on Saturday if you ask William to call at Killay.

There is a teapot, & the 2 spoons a piece of canvass & 2 sacks which Uncle thought would come handy for you.

And my Jacket & waistcoat & trousers, the jacket is gone too small & is nearly worn out and I am afraid I shall want a new one, and the waistcoat is gone too small but I have plenty of them.  The trousers is gone rather small and worn a good deal but I think I can manage with it when it is cleaned & Repaired.

The teapot will be about 4/- and the spoons 3/- but I cannot say what he will charge you exactly.

Has grandfather had his bedstead all right yet uncle was asking me if I had heard anything about it the other day?

We are very busy here.  I have just been counting how many bedsteads we have sold this spring and I find we have sold 70 and about 60 more on order for this new Hotel so we shall have plenty to do for some time yet.

                             I remain

                                      Your aff: son

                                                George Bevan

an old picture postcard of the promenade at Llandudno