Captain Jack Isbester

Hard down! Hard down!


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every Sunday at the sailor’s chapel since I came.

      Kind love to Granny, Uncle, Mrs M and the children and tell them that if I am spared to come home I shall bring them something nice Write next post both you and granny

      I remain your loving nephew

      Arthur C Irvine

      My adress is Mr Burgess Seamens Bordings 34 Brown Street Glasgow

      My Dearest Sister,

      What is the reason I have got no letter? I have written twice and received no answer. Is our people angry with me or what? I am sick tired of this place and ship and seeing the Shetland lads geting letters from home and me geting none.

      Private Make dear sister would you write to Constantinople and tell me if I should come home in winter or what are people is thinking about me? I know that there is something up, else I would have had a letter. If any of them is dead it is gust [just] as good for me to know it now as after but if I don’t get a letter in Constantinople this is the last they shall ever have from me so I must close for want of time tell D to write Love to all I remain your loving brother

      Al

      Adress to all on board the Barque emerald to the care of Hild & Mathers, ship brokers Constantinople

      Private Dearest Sister

      I have forgot to tell you something If you see any opening on shore about the time that I come to England for this is hurting me I can agrie fine with the sea work, but this harbour work would kill a horse Write me about 3 weeks and tell me.

      Alle

      Strom Bridge Whiteness Shetland 3rd May

      My own darling boy,

      We were all glad of your letters last week. I hope by this time you are getting on with your voyage & I hope you have fine weather. We have fine dry days now with north wind. We finished our oats on Friday and set some potatoes on Saturday. Andrew Garrick is finished. Annie sends her love to you. That is the only one of them we have seen. Kate writes that she wishes you had come to see her

      After giving news of nine family friends and neighbours, she continues:

      Now I think I have told you all the news Mary Jane will finish this to you with much love to your dear self I do hope you are taking care of yourself and not fighting with anyone dear darling boy do write soon. your own Mother WM Irvine Stromebridge

      Mary Jane was ready to tell him of the scandals rocking the rural community:

      My dear brother, How are you getting on? We are jugging along the best way we can. Laurie Morrison was bailed out but was no sooner out than Charles Duncan put him in again for £70 which he was owing him as his lawyer when they went to law about Jane Gibbs Rhilo, so he has to sit till he pays it. Peter Jamison Stromness hens are all dead & he has gone to law, for he say Nellies folk have poisoned them. The Police have been out & taken some of the hens in to inspect I doubt it will go hard with them, they are telling so many lies with love your Mary

      My Dear David,

      We are Bound to Odessa to load grain and then I will have more time and write you a long letter Just now I am swearing for the Mate because he wants me to throw a line to the tug & I won’t. I shall try and bring home a turk home with me in winter give my love to all I am as fat as a pig and as strong as a lion you can writ to the General Post Office her and I will get it as I come down again [i.e returning south through the Bosphorus] we are Lying under the sultan’s Palace and the Mahomedans is saying their prayers so good bye for the present I remain yours truly

      Ale

      In a photo (Fig.2.1) taken about that time, Arthur does indeed look substantially built; but refusing the mate’s order after only four months’ sea service seems rather reckless. Perhaps he is really admitting that he couldn’t, rather than wouldn’t, throw the line to the tug – it’s a skilled task. What sort of turk he proposed to bring home remains a mystery to me.

      Figure 2.1 Arthur Irvine

      Dearest Father,

      This is to tell you that I have left the New House & shipped on board this one which is called the Norwich Trader of Sunderland We are going to Peterhead with salt and expect to go from there with salt the Syran left here with salt for Lerwick yesterday I thought it very homely to hear my own native Language among the cockneys Dutch Welch and Scotch as soon as I hear it I was not long of singing out Do you belong to Shetland If I had got 20 or 30 £ I would have come with her You can tell David if he does not rube his Face well with crotin oil I shall have more whiskers than him as I can get hold of it with my Teeth

      But I will send my things and then you can judge for yourselves as soon as I get to Peterhead. Give my love to all and write by return of post to peterhead so no more at present I remain your loving son

      Arthur C Irvine

      Adress Arthur C Irvine Care of Capt Sutherland Schooner Norwich Trader Peterhead Scotland

      Dearest Mother and Father,

      Ale