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238 STRAY LETTERS ON EMIGRATION.
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Transcript
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
« Our Scheme For Promoting The Emigratio...
The first letter is from a lady—a widow—to whom reference was made in our emigration paper read at the Dublin meeting , and who
has now obtained a situation at £ 60 a year in Sydney , to which place she set sail on the 23 rd of September : —
Madam In comp , liance with , your request , I respectfully submit to your notice
the state of the female labor market in England ; and it is with no small amount of gratification I now give you ( for the furtherance of your plans ) a brief account of my experience , and the utter uselessness of attempting
to procure employment here . Previously to making an arrangement with Mrs . T , to accompany her to Sydney , I had advertised , in the course of ten m governess onths , eight . This times p — lan -in the failing capacit I app y lied of housekeeper for situation , s comp at the anion Gover , and - .
nursery , cations nesses' Institutions were of no , avail at each . I of spent which six , to week my great s in London disappointment , during which , my app time li-I was untiring- in my endeavor to become employed . I visited the Telegraph
Office for that purpose . Upon my application there , to my great astonishand ment upwards , the reception as candid room ates was for filled any vacancy with young each girls leaving of sixteen with years the hope of age of
having a favorable , decision passed _xipon her , specimen of handwriting , very many of whom , I fear , were disappointed—I amongst the number . You can scarcely imagine how thoroughly disheartened one feels after
having met with so many disappointments . In the morning I left my lodgings with a shadow of hope , but invariably returned home dispirited and after having _sjDent a day of intense anxiety . As a last resource
p weary ainfull , y humiliating as it was , I took ( being determined to leave nothing , untried ) the round of the shops of the principal streets in the west end of Londonoffering my services as shopwoman . By some of the masters I was
treated civill , y enough ; by many others , with great rudeness ; but the invariable answer I received from all was in the negative . My feelings at this juncture are better imagined than described : suffice it to say that this last
disappointment put a finishing stroke to any further attempt of seeking a livelihood here . I trust this faithful portrayal of my experience will be an inducement to many to turn their thoughts to emigration . Upon my arrival
it at is Sydney my sincer , I shall e and most heartfelt assuredly wish communicate that you every may , particular with O-od ' to s assistance you ; and , prosper in the noble work you have begun .
Gratefully and truly yours , The next letter is from a poor girl who went to New Zealand
last autumn ( in 1860 ) under the care of a lady , who placed her as servant in the Lyttleton HospitalNew Zealand . This girl ,
, although not belonging * to the class in which we are more _jDarticulariy interested , is yet a very fair example of what emigration
is capable of doing for -women whatever their position . Her another , a woman of most depraved habits , was allowing this
child to grow up in utter ignorance of all that was useful and good , and setting * an example whichif followedmust have inevitably
brought her daughter to ruin and , disgrace . , Fortunately , the girl was noticed by a lady who -was interested in emigration , and as she
was . of an age to judge for herself , it was proposed that the girl should immediately start for the colonies . We are happy to give
the following copy of the first letter received from her , and I do not
238 Stray Letters On Emigration.
238 STRAY LETTERS ON EMIGRATION .
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Dec. 1, 1861, page 238, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01121861/page/22/
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