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21 Pitsmoor Avenue

Pitsmoor,

Sheffield

England

Feb 22, 1928

Dear William,

I received your [dear] letter about a

fortnight since but this has been my first

[opportunity] as I've have got the children down

with measles so I am taking the opportunity

of writing to you tonight [Ash] Wednesday.

I should very much like to come to you in

Canada as I should love to get in for

farming if only I could get set up. I

should not hesitate in getting emigration

paper filled in. You say you can get me

a job if only I would let you know

'when I was coming but I think if you are

talking about coming over here on a holiday

I think I will wait another twelve months

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and then you will be able to tell me

more about things in Canada so [write] back

and let me know if you intend coming

over and then we can have a better talk

all on our own and then if things turn out

alright we may go back with you for

[Florence] is talking about coming out

this summer but I think she is in the

same mind as us we would rather wait

and hear what you have got to say about

Canada in person for we hear of some

getting on and others failing and I [should]

not come to be stranded in Canada especially

if I bring your Aunt Ada and your two

nephews George and Bernard for it is quite

different from being on your own and I

have been thinking if hey could manage

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here in Sheffield while I come over and get

going I think things would be much better

than all coming at once and then I could make

things a lot better for when I send for the

family what do you say about it of course.

I should want to take farming up because I

think if I could get going I am sure we should

succeed in time and one never [knows] if we

save our money we may have a farm all

on our own for by the time I come over you will

have gained some experience and one never knows

you may get a farm yourself and then I could

come and work for you and we could work

together and I am sure we could get on alright

together for I am one what likes work and I

don't care how hard the work is so long

as we are getting some benefit by it and

it makes it a lot better if you get with

some one whom you [know] so look after

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your money old boy and then if you get some

land of your own it makes it a lot better when

one is emigrating from England for someone

in Canada to nominate you when you have

filled in your emigration papers but anyway

write back and let me know if you are

coming over next year on a holiday and

then we can have a good talk about Canada

and the work and the money people

are earning for you have so many different

tales about Canada so we will leave it

at that till I get our next letter.

My dear old boy and I [hope] you are coming over

to Sheffield for a holiday for it is such

a long time since I last saw you and

[I expect] I shall not know you when

you do come over you will be quite

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young man. We are having some better weather

here just now we seem to be having an

early Spring. I went to see Sheffield Wednesday

and Sheffield United Play for the fifth

[round] of the cup last Saturday and they

draw 1-1 and they have been having their

[replay] today at [Bramhall Lane] and United

beat Wednesday 4-1 what a contrast

from last Saturday what do you say.

I bet you would have been excited if

you had have been there so now United

has got through the fifth round they

meet Notts Forest at [Bramhall Lane]

for the sixth round so I will write and

let you know if they get through

for I am hoping to go and see them

play the next round on Saturday

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March 3rd for if they beat Notts Forest

which they ought to do they will be in

the semi-final. I think Florence is leaving

her place for their does not seem to be

enough to eat where she is at at present.

So she will be staying with us while she

gets somewhere else for she makes our house

her home. We were down at Uncle [Ernests]

last Sunday and Uncle John and Aunt

[Ethel] was their from [Heely] and he

was right pleased because you had

wrote to him for I told him I had

send his address to you and your cousin

Edwin Mason at [Darrell] gets married

at Easter so their is going to be

a wedding in the family.

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Your Aunt Berthas address is Mrs. B.

Wildsmith Swallow Street off Newhall

Road [Attencliffe], Sheffield England.

We are going to have either Vera or Elizabeth

here in the summer when they get their

months Holiday for they have not had

a holiday for two years and [Lizzie] stopped

at your Aunt Annies in Clan Rd and

Vera stayed at [Grammas] in Newhall

Road and they managed to spend a

days outing with us in Firth Park and

we took our teas and we had a very

good day so if they manage to get out

this year we are hoping that one of

them will stay with us and we will

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stay at your Aunt Ada's at [Farnall]. I am

glad you are finding plenty of enjoyment

besides work for one is only young once so

make the best of it while you are young

for I [dare say] you busy time will be

coming on again now. We are all keeping

in good health and strength having

George and Bernard having measles of course

that is a child's complaint it is about a

three weeks job before they will be ready

for school again so you can guess we are

having a busy time just [now] hoping

this letter will find you in good health

and strength as it leaves me All at

present and look [sharp] and write and

let me know if you are coming over if you

intend coming. From your Uncle Bernard

and Aunt Ada and George and Bernard with

fondest love xxxxxx Bernard and [George]

Envelope (Front)

Mr. Wm. Clarke

C/O J. Brookes (R.R.3)

Paris, Ontario

Canada

(Stamp) Sheffield

3:15 PM

23 Feb

1928