Letter from David Evans to Children
Dowlais January 25, 1875
Dear Children Ve)
I receiv'd your letter of the 28 of october the 22 of
November and was very glad to have it and to know that you were all well and in
good health as I am at present and always the same thank God for his mercy towards
me, It had Williams likeness in it and did like him well he looks a healthy and
strong man so strong as his Grandfather and I hope that he will live so long
too and enjoy health the same all his days as I do.
I would have wrote sooner if it was not so near Christmas
that I should go there before I would write back, so I was there near a
fornight before I return back owing to frosty weather.
Your family at Hirwaun do increase very fast at present
there, I have seen Joseph Rowlands there he remains there still, Thomas is at
Cwymbychan they send their best respect to you all and so do your relation all
of them--
It is gone a very slow times here all together the Iron
Works all of them are half dead here for the want of orders and among the
Workman there is nothing but strikes and rumors of strikes continual when the
half off is half idle already, Gyfartha have been on the stop for many months
together but there is some hope now that it will start again by degrees but
very slow.
The coal works at Hirwaun is working but the Iron Works is
at a stand still without no hope of it it to start again neither, but
there is a notice out here now that a lock out will take place through all the
works the first of Febuary unless all the men will go to their work before that
time, because now there is good many of them belonging to their Union so they
will not work as long as they can, but those that are willing to work are more
numerous than those that are for strike 3 times more, how it will come I can't
say now, however only hope for the best, there is thousands in want already in
Merthyr and Dowlais as it is and if they will stop the whold it be worst again.
I never did see times so bad as they are at present it is
impossible to a trades man to carry on his Business for the goods that he gives
out, and as it so how can things go on like, I can't say things are so but in
America every bit as they are here by all account that come from there.
So I have no more at present to send to you except one thing
and that is concerning the ten pounds you sent to me on account to assist me on
the journey, you better send to them to return back to you or to forward here
to me so I have no more at present I hope I shall write again in short time to
let you know how things are going on here-
I hope you are all well as I am at present
David Evans
