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7 Jan 58 John Mauritius Father ______________________________________________________________________________________________

The first four pages of this letter are missing

5

..... begins about the end of Mar. as I can drive myself at no extra expense out to parties at any distance in the country instead of having to pay more than £2 for a trap, or make up a party paying 10^sh a piece and going with men who I do not care about making companions of. If it has not started, I will just express one or two wishes about it. It should be a very neat cart and very light. As light as possible in fact as is consistent with it being strong. But coming out as it does, especially as it will be a ‘Laurie and Marner’,* it should be a picture and do credit to the firm. The people here are fond of basket work. I leave it to taste and will not presume to give an opinion.

I am very anxious to get to work as Musketry Instructor again. I hate doing nothing altho’ I get the pay. I cannot understand why I like drill so much when every body else dislikes it. I fancy that I want employment always and as that is the only way a man can be busy in the army, I have taken to it as an occupation.

Peter writes to me from Calcutta. He was just leaving and seems broken hearted at not being able to get employment and, worst than all, not hearing from home. He writes in October that he was going to Shanghai and it is now January. I do not know whether I can send a letter up to him under from six weeks to two months and the ship has probably left Shanghai before this. However I will try altho’ he has given me no address to which to write. If he comes down here I must try and get him into a sugar plantation. It would be a capital thing for him as he would have to work hard and if persevering in ten years time, would be able to return home with money, and in fifteen years time he would be a rich man. I think some of my friends here would stir in the matter if he should come down, and it would be perhaps a pleasant thing for both of us if we were together and could talk over home.

Alfred and Frankie are both good boys, I hope and have, I am sure, enjoyed a merry Christmas in old England. I hope Alfred is not losing his strength but shall be glad to hear that he is picking up and getting strong.

And now for Mary and Mr Riley, I shall try and write to them but am not sure if I shall be able to, as I have a great deal to do with the Mess accounts both in money matters and in catering as I have to write to England for many things so that my time is very much taken up just when the mail is leaving. I have to look to my Mother’s letter and am keeping up a stout correspondence with Edmund at Penang. We talk over old times and all our friends and thus are very cosy between ourselves.

I must now conclude this with best love to you, and believe me ever,

My dear Father

Your affectionate Son

J Wimburn Laurie

4^th K.O. Reg^t

Jan^y 7^th 1858

* Laurie & Marner – coachbuilders formed by Sir Peter Laurie in 1798, at premises 311, Oxford Street. By 1851 the partners were John Laurie and Richard Marner. After the death of John Laurie in 1864 and Richard Marner in 1866, the business was continued by others and was incorporated in 1873. Later produced motor car bodies and were granted a Royal Warrant until 1920