My grandfather William CAUGHEY sent a postcard to his wife during April
1916, from Liverpool where he was waiting to sail to New York, USA on
the BALTIC. He wrote:
Dear Nell,
Just a line to let you know I am still in Liverpool and not likely to
get away till the 26th April, so I may be home for Easter again.
It is very high living here at present, seven shilings and six pence a
day, and there is no getting away until Baltic sails.
William was 38 years of age in 1916. He sent Nell another card, posted
in New York on 15 June 1916; he wrote:
Dear Wife,
Another week has gone by and still I have got no word from you. Perhaps
you have not received my letters, since I sent you three letters,
postcards and some newspapers.
In another note, it looks like in 1928, he wrote:
Today, I am a product of Skid Row, i.e. called the Bowry, or the Street
of Forgotten Men. All large cities in USA have a Skid Row where
derelicts of all nations all exist. So, I am not the only one today in
the USA.
When you get to be fifty, no one will give or hire you to work.
He wrote on 12 Feb. 1951:
No, I have not forgotten you
Your smiles and your tears
Not even after all the months
Of all those lonely years
Perhaps your brow is wrinkled now
And maybe your hair is gray
Some may think your charm has gone
But in the memories I have of you
You are the same to me
But I have lost your pictures
And if no more you smile on me
At least I knew once before
And I can always live and hope
That we shall meet again.
The Exile
Grandfather William would have been 73 years of age then. I still have
this letter, found among my late father's papers. There are tear stains
on it, perhaps those of my grandmother. The words, "no more" "no
more"
in different handwriting and different colour of ink are at the bottom.
I do not know, when nor where, he died, nor his last resting place.
If you know anything about William CAUGHEY, I would be glad to hear from
you.
--
John Caughey (c) 1998
john(a)caughey.demon.co.uk