Iron Pot
July 3rd 1879
My dear Mother 

I received 6 newspapers and your welcome letter altho it came by a different mail and am glad to hear that you are all pretty well. I do not remember having a\sore throat since I left home and none of us are troubled with it so we ought to be thankful. I am sorry my carte did not please you. I will try and look younger next time but when in town I have a good deal to think about, and I perhaps trouble my head too much about trifles in place of endeavouring to place all my care in Him who has cared so much for me. I am glad to hear that Frances is so pleasantly situated and that Kate I hope will also be so. The Mr Babington you speak of may be a cousin but I do not think a brother. I think that I told you Mr B has retired on pension and is living out of town so we thought it better for Annie to go as a boarder to Mrs Cunningham where she was at school. It is about the best in town and Mrs C has reduced her usual charge. I am to pay £26 a year for all except music and washing. Annie is going up tomorrow if the weather permits. This winter has been the coldest we have experienced. The frost lays on the ground all day in the shade, is not that terrible! We have been enlarging our garden. I fancy it must be over ½ acre now and have got the new ground set with early potatoes. You are sorry at my careworn looks, it is enough to make one. I thought 5 youngsters were plenty to provide for but there is every probability of us requiring another name, so if in the feminine line we wont forget Bessie. Is it not Elizabeth alone? I hope George will not overtask his strength and that Sam will soon be fairly afloat.

And now I must tell you a little of the workings of Romanism in this remote corner. Pastor Chinquy arrived here about two weeks ago and the Town Hall was rented for his use. The Catholics organised a body of roughs and broke into it before the lecture commenced, and would not allow the meeting to continue. They were remonstrated with and no force was opposed to them. The superintendent of police refused to act so the meeting closed. The committee ….. the government and next day martial law was proclaimed. The volunteers and extra police called out and the liberty of the subject vindicated and a lecture delivered by the Pastor on Rome and liberty of conscience. But you will see the accounts in the papers which I will direct to send to George and shall also send one to the Rev H Henderson. I think it will do good for the Protestants of Tasmania have been asleep and have allowed the serpent’s fold to close around them. But the Catholics number only ¼ of the population, so I think there is enough of John Bull in the natives to assert their rights. There might be a chance for an Orange Lodge now. I am well here now and James seems better since the Gulls flew away with his titty.

The children never go in dangerous places and altho the place looks small there is plenty of room for them to play, and part of the rock slopes gentle so that they can go in and bathe. Altogether it is no so dangerous as it looks. Give my love to brothers and sisters and remember me to Aunt, Joe and Sophy.

And believe me your affect son,

J.C. Parkinson

Love from all to Grandma