A Letter to Mother

The following transcript of a letter was sent to me by Clare Shawcross. It is a facinating account of an emigrants first weeks in New York. It was written by Joshua Roylance to his mother Mrs Perrin. The Warburton connection is tenuous. Mrs Perrin is my 3x great grandmother (and Clare’s 4x great grandmother). Her grand daughter Hannah Davenport married my great grandfather George Warburton.

Mrs Perrin had previously resided in my tree as Mary Roylance, as that was the name by which she married Henry Burgess, and had 8 children, 4 girls followed by 4 boys. The eldest of them was Sarah, who married William Davenport, and Hannah was their 3rd child.

I knew that after Henry Burgess died Mary married John Perrin and had 2 further sons. What the letter showed was that Roylance was the name of her first husband, Joshua Vernon Roylance, who died not long after Joshua, their only child, was born in 1815.

Mary’s maiden name was Mary Timperley, an interesting coincidence since I grew up in Timperley. The original village was greatly extended during the 20th century by the addition of housing estates. Timperley also had a station on the direct line into Manchester, making commuting straight forward.

Finding Mary has added a couple of new lines to my tree. I am still working on these but they will be added to the website in due course.

Joshua was married to Jane Higginson in 1839, but in the 1851 census they are not together. Joshua, a schoolmaster, is lodging in Cheadle Moseley, whilst Jane is visiting Thomas and Sarah Williamson in Heaton Norris.

Joshua arrived in New York on the Irene, from Liverpool, on July 19th 1852.

• Posted Dec 12” 1852   
• Ward’s Island
• Nov 16” 1852

My Dear Mother,

          Long have I intended writing you, and many uneasy hours has 
it cost me, in not being able to do so; but I trust you will forgive me 
for the apparent neglect and believe that unworthy as I may have been, 
I have not, nor ever can forget or cease to love a parent for whom I 
owe so much, and who has suffered so much for my misspent life.

           I will also trust that a brief narrative of my eventful life 
since leaving my dearly-loved home will be taken as sufficient apology 
for my long silence. I am fully convinced that you have spent many 
unhappy hours on my account, and have had many misgivings with respect 
to the course of life I might be leading. My past life I grieve and 
confess must leave to such surmises, but I am thankful to say and I 
know, you will be equally thankful to know, that I have not disgraced 
myself by any mean or unmanly actions since I left my native land, and 
I am at the present time filling (I believe satisfactorily) a most 
responsible, and if not a very lucrative, at least a highly reputable 
situation.

           On leaving my brother Harry I immediately repaired to the 
vessel and although we did not sail until the following Tuesday, I did 
not leave it again, and we had a modestly good passage, but a somewhat 
long one, being exactly six weeks, from the time we went on board to 
the time we landed in New York.

           You will probably surprised to hear that I did not 
experience one hours sea or other sickness throughout the whole voyage, 
and I trust was one of the most useful passengers on boat, which 
consisted of seven hundred within too(?). I wrote and read a great deal 
and found the two volumes of sermons my Aunt presented to me extremely 
useful, as previous to our second Sunday on board, I was requested to 
conduct a religious service, which I did during the remainder of the 
passage. I am quite aware that my efforts were very imperfect, still I 
hope they were acceptable to that being to whom they were offered & 
whose laws I had so long and grievously been violating.

           I have a very long journal of my passage, which I was 
urgently pressed to have printed, by both officers and passengers, but 
I would not comply with the request on account of the expence; could I 
have done so I would easily have cleared thirty or forty dollars. I 
would have sent you a written copy of it along with this letter, but I 
have not the means, but when I receive my quarters pay at Xmas, will 
not fail doing so, trusting that it may find to pass over a—-ceably 
(agreeably?) a few hours during the long winter evenings.

           Pretty nearly the last words that Harry said to me was that 
when I wrote to state nothing but facts. Nothing else shall you hear 
from me. Upon landing in New York, as you are aware, I had but what I 
left Liverpool with 22/6 a very trifle in a large city without a single 
individual that you know, and having to trust to providence for your 
future means of subsistence. All this I was previously fully aware of 
and did not doubt that I should be able by my own exertions to obtain 
some kind of employment, but in this case I was, as I had often been 
before to sanguine. For six weeks did I diligently seek and offer 
myself for almost every kind of work, unsuccessfully, suffering, I must 
confess those privations that I will not hurt your feelings by 
relating; suffice to say that I subsisted by occasionally writing a 
letter for a person imight accidentally fall in with, and by printing 
(painting?) ornamental cards for shop windows and limited enough I 
assure you, my resources were.

           At the end of six weeks, I fell in with a clergyman for whom 
I was recommended by a draper who I had done some writing for, and was 
engaged by him to work in his garden, or grounds that was converting 
into a garden, and where he proposed building next spring a family 
house. The day after I was engaged p——- wit, I was consequently 
sent to assist the carpenter, and was found so active that I was kept 
at that work. After three weeks was raised my wages with a promise of 
constant employment I felt extremely(?) comfortable, but just as I felt 
myself settled, I was attacked with a bowel complaint and remained with 
them at their charge. He feared keeping me longer, when I left for New 
York where I stopped(?) until my money and most of my clothes were 
gone.

I then made application gaining admission to this hospital or as it was 
called ‘the emigrants refuge’ named at the head of this letter. This 
island is perhaps half the size of Style, and has been purchased by the 
Commissioner(s?) Of Emigration for receiving emigrants who are sick and 
have not the means for paying for medical or other attendance. I 
perhaps need not say that I was most thankful to be received in this 
asylum (which is situated up the river about two miles from the city) 
and in a short time was restored to health. The institution is not 
confined to one building but consists of numerous houses or as they are 
called ‘shanties’ each admitting of a certain number of patients 
clasifying the various diseases with which the patient may be 
afflicted. I cannot enumerate the variety, but every complaint is 
comprised. It is also a receptacle for parties who are destitute, who 
can be clothed, fed for their labour and furnished with better 
employment as soon as possible.

           Orphans also find here a home and are well clothed and fed 
and sheltered until able to obtain their own living. Further details I 
will not enter into other to say that shortly after my admission I was 
noticed by the Doctor and was promised a situation. Each ‘shanty’ has 
its nurse and assistant and hold about forty five patients. The 
situation I looked for was assistant, as it is very rare for anyone to 
be appointed nurse without first having acted the position of 
subordinate. This I had to do for two months in the third degree 
without any remuneration, than my board(?) and clothing. When the nurse 
for the group was, for neglect of duty, was discharged, I must 
unexpectedly was appointed in his stead over the senior assistant who 
certainly was on scholarship as want(?) of knowledge of medicine 
inable(?) to cope & had however continued still to work comfortably 
together. I don’t boast when I say I am giving satisfaction to my 
employers and to the patients entrusted to my charge. It is neither a 
very comfortable place, nor by any means an easy one. I am now out of 
my bed and must remain so for five hours to ten oclock. I can safely 
say I have not had more than four to five hours of sleep of a night for 
the last six weeks and do not however complain, neither will I as long 
as the Almighty spares my health, which I am thankful to say I am 
enjoying.

           I am far stouter(?) than you last saw me. My time is is so 
limited that I beg you to excuse writing in anything like a collected 
manner. I have several most dangerous cases whose deaths may be 
expected any hour; indeed such scenes are no novelty to me now. Three 
died last week. In the midst of death then how can I forget my own end. 
I trust I do not do so, but that I am prepared for the awful but 
certain change.

           My salary is one hundred and eighty dollars per year, 
payable quarterly. The first of which I receive at Christmas (with 
board, washing and most of my clothes except a best suit, which one but 
of little use.

           You are neither permitted to enter upon or leave the Island 
without a pass, neither have you any chance of spending money as there 
are stores of all kinds to provide what is necessary, no money being 
taken or received. I cannot therefore is so disposed spend my earnings. 
But I have no desire to any such thing, my object is to save; and I 
must with God’s blessing to be enabled to return and prove 
substantially that I deeply deplore my past degradation. It is a 
country I can never bring my mind to settle, for although I have no 
thought of leaving it for years, I believe I can save money and until I 
have done so will remain.

           Good mechanics, joiners, bricklayers etc. may do well but 
scholarship is not of much value here until you become known. Book 
keepers or clerks are well paid but it requires considerable interest? 
T o obtain such a situation. My brother John might do well here and 
would have no difficulty in getting employment, I have often wished him 
love and hope he is doping well. I know he may do so if he chooses and 
anyone who is doing moderately at home is unwise if he leaves for few 
come here who have to submit to many privations for a length of time 
and after all those who have been brought up in a comfortable home, 
must not expect ever to find those comforts here.

           If a man does not know himself, then come to America, I 
warrant his wits will soon be set to work to let him be ever so sharp 
he will meet with more ‘know it alls’ than himself. Do not suppose that 
I am whining I am not. I am thankful for the success I have met with 
and am resolved to do my duty in the situation I am placed in until an 
opportunity offers of meeting with something more congenial to my 
talents. You will probably if you receive this have received a letter 
from William. I hope so and sincerely do I hope that the accounts from 
him may be favourable and that he may be prosperous and happy in that 
Distant land. [note from KCWS: Australia, I think] I sometimes have a 
notion of going there myself as I feel assured that it is a country 
where success is certain if parties are guided by prudence, but I trust 
I have in great measure divested myself of that impetuosity, which has 
been so great a characteristic of my past life and shall take no steps 
without mature consideration, but I will trouble you no more about 
myself, having stated all particulars and that truly. I hope you are 
all well & you have had a prosperous year. How is Sarah, William & 
family & Hannah, her William and their little ones. I have thought with 
a considerable degree of coolness. One thing however stirs my feelings 
and has often overpowered me, that is when about my work I commence 
humming some favourite tune almost unconsciously it suddenly calls to 
mind your own cheerful family circle; would that I could bring back 
those happy times; such however cannot be and I cannot now join in. Let 
us hope that the recollection of them will inspire me with fresh 
courage to preserve bonds(?) to check any relapsing & fall back into my 
former evil courses. Give my love to my Uncle Samuel and say that I 
hope he is well and prosperous and to my Aunt Lydia & Uncle Pownall’s 
family. I am much engaged at this time and anxious to send this by next 
mail. You will therefore excuse me saying more further than to request 
you to write me a letter of all particulars immediately. Excuse me if I 
neglect mentioning all my friends particularly believe I forget none. 
Remember me to Mrs. ____, Mrs Higginson if she enquires and let me also 
ask have you heard from or seen Jane. I much fear, if she e—ed (?erred) 
so far as as a presentation, I shall have a good deal to answer for. 
God in heaven forgive her and me and may she be happier than I ever can 
be, although I am now cheerful and do not let vain regrets trouble or 
divert me from what I consider to be my line of duty. Let me hear of 
her. Do not fear it upsetting me. My nerves are far stronger than when 
I left you. I hope my father’s health is perfectly reestablished. Give 
my dear love to him, my cousin, Aunt, brother and sisters and all 
friends and accept my dearest Mother the sincere and ever affectionate 
love of

your Unfortunate but not unfeeling Son,

Joshua Roylance

• Write soon and direct
• J. Roylance
• Orderly Hospital
• No. 8 Shanty
• Wards Island
• Near New York
• Sent to
• Mrs. Perrin
• Oversley Ford
• Styal

Joshua mentions a number of family members in his letter:

• Brother Harry – this is Henry Burgess, Mary and Henry’s 5th child and eldest son.
• Brother John – this is John Burgess, Mary and Henry’s 6th child and second son.
• William – -this is William Burgess, Mary and Henry’s 7th child and third son.
• Sarah, William and family – this is Sarah Burgess, my great great grandmother, and Mary and Henry’s eldest child. She married William Davenport and had 2 of their 4 children at the time of the letter. My great grandmother Hannah was the third child, born just over a year later.
• Hannah, her William and little ones – Hannah Burgess was Mary and Henry’s 4th daughter. She married William Burgess at Styal in 1849 and had 2 young children by the 1851 census.
• Uncle Samuel – Samuel Timperley is either Mary’s brother or the husband of Joshua’s aunt Hannah, his late father’s sister.
• Aunt Lydia & Uncle Pownall’s family – Lydia Roylance was Joshua’s late father’s sister, baptised at Styal in 1787. She married Thomas Pownall, though the marriage hasn’t been found. A marriage in 1836 at Manchester, St John is too late. A son aged 40, and a grand daughter aged 15 are with them at Heaton Norris in the 1851 census.
• Mrs Higginson – Joshua’s mother-in-law.
• Jane – Jane Roylance nee Higginson, Joshua’s estranged wife.

I have no further information on Joshua. There is no evidence he returned England, and there are no further details in any Ancestry Public Tree.