Lake Macquarie History

Letter from Richard Fennell to his brother William, 3rd October 1874

Lake Macquarie
3rd October, 1874

Dear William,

It is with feelings of deep sorrow that I have to tell you of the very sudden death of our brother Thomas. A letter has just arrived from a Mr. Pope in Adelaide announcing his death on the 19th August. We had a letter from him dated 26th July, stating that he was so unwell that he had left the station and gone to Adelaide to obtain better medical advice, and again on the 27th that the doctors thought so seriously of his case that they got him a ticket for the Hospital where he would be more kindly cared for than in a boarding house - we immediately wrote to him to come up to us as soon as his medical advisers thought him strong enough to bear the voyage, but we never heard from him again.

The tidings of his death came from this Mr. Pope stating that Thomas had left what he possessed to my son Walter and stated that the Person he had left sole executor had been taken ill and was at present in Lunatic Asylum, so Walter started for Adelaide, and as soon as we hear from him I will write you fully. We are at present quite in the dark as regards the nature of his complaint or any particulars. I wrote to Louisa a long time since - to Mary enclosing receipts for the money, and to yourself when the duplicates came - but have not had any letters from home.

Please give my kindest love to all and believe me

Your most affectionate brother,
Richards

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