July 21. 38                                                  

Slieveroe

                                                                [Stranoden]

                                                                  Monaghan

 

My dearest Sallie[1],

                 I think its about time you were getting some news from the old country.  One of the cheeriest items is that Jack[2] & family are home.  We had him here for five weeks.  He left May[3] & Terence[4] & his amah with her mother in London so we had him all to ourselves.  His little girl[5] is in school in England, and when her holidays start, all are going to the sea side.  I really did not feel equal to having the whole family here besides I feel May would be happier in or near London, which is the headquarters of her mother & two widowed sisters.  Jack looks real well & hardly a day older for the last five years.  He is just the same loving home bird - never happier than when he is going about with Tom[6].  Unfortunately the weather was not kind to him.  It rained almost all the time.  Indeed we are having a most depressing wet cold summer, & a poor prospect of crops.  We have fires still in the sitting rooms fancy such a thing in July!!  I am  much better than I was, but I can't boast of my walking achievements, but I have a wheeled chair, which the girls take me out in[7], when there is a glimpse of sunshine.  Otherwise I am really very well but I do miss not being able to fly about as formerly.  Sallie Gilmore[8], though four years older than I am, is quite active but is very thin, while I keep my condition wonderfully.  She lives principally with Eily[9] her married daughter, in Dublin. She is quite happy there but is greatly distressed over the long & seemingly hopeless illness of her youngest son Tommy[10].  I  fear his is a case of T.B.  He and his wife[11] have been in Switzerland for months, for the sunshine treatment, but so far no improvement.  Brownie[12] & her flock are well.  We see them generally every week.  Margaret[13] has passed her entrance exam in Trinity & will be going to Dublin in Oct. & George[14] has won a £30 scholarship in the Royal School Armagh and is to go there after the summer holidays.  Samuel[15] keeps well but is not allowed to study yet.  Thompson[16] & Blin[17] "Hold the Fort" in Killynure.  Its a big change since the big houseful of long ago.  Davy Gilmore[18], his wife & 2 children are in Liscalgot & Urker belongs to Jim & Molly Wright[19].  They bought it when Tommy Jackson[20] sold it.  Molly loves it for old times sake.  I have not been there since poor Aunt Mary[21] died.  How few of the old folk remain!

    I had a visit from Martha Carson[22] last week.  She was enquiring particularly for you.  I hope you keep well also Clair[23] & Mary[24] & their respective families. Love to them all including your dear old self.

                                           Ever dearest

                                              Your fond sister

                                                 Maggie[25]



[1] Sarah (McCullagh) Whiteside

[2] There are a bunch of assumption here that may or may not be right. I started with the thought that this is John McCullagh, son of Andrew Bradford McCullagh & Margaret (Jackson) (Reed) McCullagh. It could also be John Stephenson Reed WRIGHT (1877-1941) who had worked for HSBC as did his son Terence WRIGHT. If this is so, then the assumptions about “May” and “Terence” in the footnotes beneath are inaccurate.

[3] May Coltman

[4] John Terrence McCullagh

[5] Eileen McCullagh

[6] probably Thomas Jackson Reed, son of Robert Hamilton Reed & Margaret (Jackson) (Reed) McCullagh

[7] NOTE: unless I am mistaken, she is only 58 at this stage of her life

[8] Sarah (Jackson) Gilmore, wife of Eliezer Gilmore, sister of Sir Thomas JACKSON

[9] Edith Eileen (née GILMORE) RYDER (1890-1977)

[10] Thomas Jackson Gilmore, who died about 1939

[11] Marion Elizabeth ARKCOLL

[12] Alice Margaret (McCullagh) Alexander, wife of Andrew Alexander

[13] Margaret Rankin Alexander, daughter of Alice Margaret (McCullagh) Alexander

[14] George Alexander, son of  Alice Margaret (McCullagh) Alexande

[15] Samuel Alexander (three years older than his brother, George, but seemingly in need of shelter)

[16] Thompson Brown jr.

[17] Sarah “Blin” Brown

[18] David Gilmore, son of Eliezer Gilmore & Sarah Jackson, husband of Elsie Muriel Coulter

[19] James Wright & Mary (Menary Wright (daughter of Mary Griffin)

[20] probably Thomas Dare JACKSON, so of Sir Thomas JACKSON

[21] Mary (Jackson) GRIFFIN, sister of Sir Thomas JACKSON

[22] Martha CARSON?

[23] Thomas Clair WHITESIDE, son of Sarah

[24] Mary Ione WHITESDIE, daughter of Sarah

[25] Margaret (née JACKSON) (REED) McCULLAGH, sister-in-law of Sarah WHITESIDE