A faded letter sent to Cork sailor Jonathan Buck in the North American colonies was optimistically addressed to the "Backside of the World". He never received it, but it did reach its destination.
So did 14 others sent to the popular young man between 1844 and 1848 from relatives in Cork, Athlone, Inishannon, Curragh and Roscommon, which have now been unearthed, with hundreds of others, by Canadian researchers.
Young girls left behind in Ireland penned messages of love to distant sweethearts, while mothers wrote of family tragedy. But sometimes the information never reached those struggling to make their fortunes in the wilds of what is now Canada, as they toiled for the Hudson's Bay Company.
Because of the difficulties of delivering mail to America's far north, hundreds of letters were stored in bags in the company's offices until the pioneers, out in unknown territory enduring terrible hardships, could be traced.
Nearly 300 which never made into the hands of the addressee, from people all over Ireland and Britain, are now giving historians a unique insight into ordinary and aristocratic home lives more than a century ago. It was a period in which frontiers were opening, wars had ended and the opportunities for a single man in the New World seemed unlimited. Among the mail sent to Jonathan Buck is a letter on rag cloth paper dated January 22nd, 1848 from his niece, Adelaide Olden, in Innishannon, Co Cork.
She wrote: "My Dearest Johnty, Since last I wrote to you many changes have taken place this side of the globe but I can safely say not one change has taken place in the affections for my beloved Uncle.
"We have this long time been expecting to hear of or from you and it was only three days ago since Andrew brought us word there were letters going, for you must know we have left town this year and are living near Innishannon, if you know where that celebrated town lies.
"Our demense is called Rock Castle. It is something in the style of the Little Island but much handsomer and larger. The water comes up to the grass garden and the river is not very wide. It looks splendid on a stormy day when the ships are coming up. We have beautiful bowers and seats cut in the rock and in short just suited to people of romantic minds.
"I have had a great disappointment lately in a love affair with the Honourable, though I must say dishonourable, Henry Bernard. He and Lord Bandon called to visit one day six months ago and the moment I saw him I set the eyes of my affection on him.
"I thought he returned my love (O and Henry why didst thou deceive me, I can say no more). He married General Turner's daughter. Is that not a grand romance? I would not know Henry if I saw him as I never laid my eyes on him but twice.
"I suppose Harriet will tell you about Alfys being married. I will finish foolish scribble as I am as great a fool as ever. Your affectionate Adelaide Olden."
Judith Hudson Beattie, keeper of the company archives in Winnipeg, is writing a book based on the letters and is trying to trace descendants of the Bucks and Oldens who lived in Cork, Curragh, Inishannon, Athlone and Roscommon.
Jonathon Buck signed on with the Hudson's Bay company in 1842 and was second mate of the Columbia the following year. He re-enlisted in London in 1845 but deserted in the Sandwich Islands, now Hawaii, in 1847. He was last heard of as a settler in what is now Oregon, USA.
Adam and Alfred Buck, two brothers, were apprenticed to a Henry Buck who appears to have been director of public works in the Athlone and Drumsna areas in 1844.
The Hudson's Bay Company gained huge power with its trading, commerce and exploration in the new colonies which would become Canada and parts of the United States.
Scores of young men would sign on with the company when its ships called at home ports taking on supplies and offloading valuable furs from the Americas. Many Hudson's Bay Company recruits deserted to make a new life for themselves. Others simply moved on and some died in service.
The undelivered mail was forwarded to the company's headquarters in London where it remained until 1974, when the office closed and the letters were packed into a box and shipped to Manitoba, Canada. The mail has been in storage until recently.
Hudson Beattie believes the writings of parents, siblings, sweethearts and wives can be as valuable as logbooks kept by explorers and captains of the sailing ships that navigated the Arctic or around Cape Horn to chart the new territories.
"It's very unusual to find letters from semi-literate or almost literate people," she says. "The history of the great men has already been done, but often, social history is based on very general indicators.
"This really personalises the people of the time, and various aspects of history. It makes it come alive."
Often letters contained news of the day including the fire in the Tower of London and Queen Victoria being "confined" with a prince. Others related sad tales of spurned love, unpaid bills or bereavement back home.
"Some letters had been opened but there were still some unopened when I got them," Hudson Beattie adds. In several cases, letters were addressed to a sailor and a specific ship, such as "James Adams, Seaman on board the Cowletts". In an effort to save money on postage, some correspondents would write across a page, turn the letter a quarter rotation then write again, forming a grid pattern.
Hudson Beattie's collection also contains business letters between Britain and North America mentioning the gold rush, the need for emigrants and offers of employment.
She is also hunting relatives of Francis Joseph Hardy, who had a sister in Innisgort and whose father, Henry William, was appointed lighthouse keeper at Kinsale in March 1838. Francis deserted in Hawaii on his way home in 1837.
She has offered the resources of the Hudson's Bay Company archives to anyone researching ancestors.
Judith Hudson Beattie can be contacted at 001-204945 4949 or 001-204945 2626. Fax: 001-204948 3236. Email: jbeattie@chc.gov.mb.ca
