Transcript of Letter From Jimmy Durham to Stella Robson, 17 April 1908

Please remember that all transcripts show what is written on the page; spelling and grammatical mistakes are not corrected.

“17/4/08 – Cork

My Dear Stella

Well you will think I am a long time answering your very nice letter which I received with fathers letter.

Oh Stella how pleased I am to hear of the dear little baby doing well she must be a sweet little child and gave her a sweet kiss for me and is there anything I can buy for the dear child tell me I dont mind what it is I must buy my God child something. I am quite proud of being its God father. Mrs Whan and the children where asking very kindly after you all and hope to hear from you sometime you must try and write to Mrs Whan some time dear. Dear Stella I hope you will always reckon me as your brother I have know you from when you was a dear little child and I always use to look to your father and dear mother as my mother aswell. They have treated me like one of you all and its now I know it Stella when I was young I didn’t seem to take any notice but all the good advice our dear mother use to give us as done us a lot of good.

Believe me Stella since the great loss of our dear mother I have been a different chap all together and it has opened my heart towards you all and in the future I shall be a good boy and treat you all like my sisters and brothers and I hope you will to me. I havn’t been keeping very well lately my dear girl and I must say I have been very unfortunate this year I hope I have no more for a while. Today it been such a nice day I took advantage and went for a nice long bicycle ride to Blarney and kissed the real Blarney stone so I must be lucky in the future.

Tell Father I received his nice letter a few days ago and tell me that I am made full Bandsman but havn’t heard whether I shall get a full Bandsman pension or not but I am going up to see the Colonel as soon as he comes back off leave.

Well Stella our band are in hopes of coming to Newcastle as we have been engaged to play at different places and I believe we are going to finish up at Darlington so that will be very nice wont it Stella I shall very likely be able to see you all if we go to Darlington & I would like you to hear our Band. I shall let you know as soon as we get to know the Band master is expecting to hear any day now whether we shall go or not. I am also expecting to go to London next month for 4 or 5 days to represent our battalion Army Temperance Association and expect to get the Award of Merit. I shall let you know if I get the Award of Merit. It is a very high honour to get Stella and it will be presented to me by Field Marshall Lord Roberts.

Now Stella I shall close I have no more for you at present. Remember me to father and all at home. Hoping you are all well. Love to all.

Your loving brother Jimmy”