Can you read this letter? There’s a prize on offer if you can

Below is a letter from the*Hackworth family archive. The letter is cross written, a*technique that Victorians used to save paper and reduce the cost of postage. The Hackworth archive is full of letters like this, and our team have been working to decipher them. This one is actually one of the*easiest to read.
Can you unlock what is being said? To encourage you, we’ve arranged a fantastic prize – a behind-the-scenes tour of Search Engine, or a framed reproduction of an engineering drawing showing either Mallard, Duchess of Hamilton*or Flying Scotsman. The first person to comment on this post with an accurate transcription of the letter (in the eyes of the judges) will win. Terms and conditions
You’ve got a week to post us your deciphered text: on 5 December 2011, we’ll post a full transcription ourselves. Good luck! (You can click the images for a larger view.)


The Hackworth archive consists of the papers of Timothy Hackworth. The archive is held here at the museum and is available for consultation through Search Engine. This cataloguing project has been made possible by The National Cataloguing Grants Programme for Archives.

Filed under: Research Tagged: competition, crosswriting, hackworth, letters

 

Here's my effort:

My Dear Jenny,

I really do not know how to begin to write you. I am such a stupid block & to apologise for not doing so before seems absurd. The fact of the case is that laziness & the antipathy I have to letter writing have prevented me doing so on paper although I have often written in my mind.
I have just had a walk on the sport-bank for a few minutes it is becoming quite a place of attraction the men are now getting their gardens put into order and besides the Company have commenced making a reservoir on the top of the hill just opposite our works. We hope they do not mean to drown us out of our place.
It is such a splendid afternoon there are hundreds of people walking out in the fields round our City it quite reminds me of the London parks on Sunday. I felt rather lonely when out by myself (Mr James being in the dales) so I determined to try to scribble a few lines to you.
We are going on pretty comfortably at present having two engines in hand and expect to get another shortly. You would be astonished at the number of people that come to see the eng that is nearly finished for Mr Stobart it is a tidy little thing.
You will perhaps have heard us talking about Geo.Thompson putting down a little Engine for Mr S for thrashing We expecte have got the job we gave them a price for ercting one for that purpose but Thompson got to Mr Stobart and persuaded him to have his –now they have got it put up and find it is too light for the work therefore they ordered one of us to be made immediately we have nearly double the price for our Engine than we offered them in the first instance aint that stunning! There is quite a mania for our patent Engines Mr Fletcher is wild about his he tells nearly every body he meets with that it Is the best Engine in the World. I quite believe if we had a few more put down that we shall have plenty of work and go on charmingly. Lizzy has this morning recd. A letter from dear Pru in which she says she wrote Mrs Boyle a fortnight ago a note enclosed from Mrs Simpson informs us that Miss S is engaged to Mr T G Horton. Lizzy seems quite affected with the information.
I can scarcely write a word for Jane Elizabeth and her Mamma are hanging over me snuffing out of my box which is on the table by me and sneezing immoderately.
The three young ones are running about the garden all alive and kicking I am just writing the copy of my letter on a piece of paper where Sam has been making his first attempt to copy a hymn out of the youth’s instructer which is quite alarming
Monday evening I have just come in to try and finish my note after doing some work for Messrs Duckett & Steads Loco Engine that their man was waiting for. I understand the young man at West Cottage has to be named after his Papa what do you think to that

It strikes me all things are going on sight up west the girl said last night that Mrs Jolin had been down stairs but it is a bit of business I hardly understand. Fearing you will be tired of reading a note about nothing at all I must come to a conclusion but before doing so I must give you Sam’s message. I asked him what message he had to send He said I was to give you his best love and kind wishes I had also to send a kiss from him. Our people are all very well with the exception of Mrs A who is much as usual they all join me in warmest love to you and believe me


To remain
Your most affectionate Bro
Timothy Hackworth

P.S Love and kisses to all your young friends, T.H.

 

Heres mine..
It's fascinating reading about life years ago by some one making bespoke products to sell in one off batches considered his emerging small business as a success ... With no idea the very industry which he not only is creating, but will evolve globally and fuel an empire.
It just goes to show, what you think you are doing could some day exceed your wildest imagination.

It is an insight into the private life of some one you could compare to Steve Jobs and the currently evolving IT industry today.


...
My dear Jenny,
I really do not know how to begin to write you, I am such a stupid Block to apologise for not doing so before seems absurd the fact of the case is that laziness If not antipathy.
I have to letter writing have presented me doing so on paper although I have often written in mind. I have just had a walk on the s/port bank for a few minutes it is becoming quite a place of attraction the men are now getting their gardens put into order and besides the company have commenced making a new reservoir on top of the hill just opposite our

....

Works they do not mean to drown us out of our place.
It is such a splendid afternoon there are hundreds of people walking about the fields around our city it quite reminds me of London parks on a Sunday. I felt a tad? Lonely when out by myself ( Mr James is being in the dales) so I determined to try to scribble a few lines to you.
We are going on pretty comfortably at present having two engines in hand and expect to get another shortly. You would be astonished at the number of people that come to see the eng (ine) that is nearly finished for mr stobart. It is a tidy little thing. You will perhaps have heard us talking about geo (rge) Thompson putting down a little engine for mr s for threshing . We Expected to to have got the job we gave them a price for erecting one for that purpose but Thompson got to mr stobart & persuaded him to have his - now they have got it but it is too light for the work therefore they ordered one of ours to be made immediately we have nearly doubled the price for our engine then we offered them in the first instance ain't that stunning. There is quite a mania for out patent engines.Mr Fletcher is wild about his he tells nearly everybody he meets with that it
...
Is the best engine in the world.
I quite believe If I had a few more put down that we shall have plenty of work and grow charmingly. Lizzy has this morning received a letter from dear RW, In which she says she wrote mrs boyle a fortnight ago a note endorsed from mrs Simpson informs us that miss s is engaged to mr j.g. Hoston. Lizzy seems quite affected with this information.

I can scarcely say a word for Jane Elizabeth her mamma are hanging over me snuffing out of my box which is on the table by me sneezing immoderately.

...

The three young ones are running about the garden all alive and kicking. I am just writing the copy of my letter on a piece of paper if which Sam has been making His first attempt to copy a hymn out of the youths institute which is quite alarming.
Monday coming I have just come in to try to finish my work after doing some work for the messers duckett + steads Loco engine that their man was waiting for a tender tank. The young man at west cottage has to be named after his papa What do you think to that.

....

It strikes me all things are going on right up west the girl said last night that mrs John had been down stairs but it is a bit of business I hardly understand. Fearing you will be tired of reading a note about nothing at all I must come to a conclusion but before doing so I must give you sams message. I asked him what message, he said I was to give his best love & kind wishes. I was also to send a kiss from him to. We people are all very well with the exception of this Who is much as normal They all Join me in wishing Love to you and believe me.
To remain
Your most affectionate bro
Timothy hackworth

Ps love & kisses to all of your young friends
TH

 

It's probably worth noting that the posts in this section of the forum from user "National Railway Museum" are automatic copies of what's posted in the National Railway Museum's own blog, not the result of somebody posting to Nat. Pres. themselves.

I guess to be eligible for the prize draw responses would need to be made to the NRM's blog, the first such response appeared on Nov 28th.

 

that's probably correct, however the NRM do look on this forum.