SFM3/98

From Hugh Swaffield in Sheffield to his father. 'Many thanks for your letter received this morning & can assure you you have helped me very much & now I shall be able to get on & can safely that it only lays with myself as to what happens as Turnell is a thundering good fellow & is pushing me forward for all his worth & has told me that he could not have believed that I could have made such good progress. I'm almost certain to get a few good jobs on my own this winter in fact I've done one since I've been back which is only small but every little helps (as the Old Lady said) it will bring me in about £6 & will or ought to come just about Xmas time, I'm very busy just now with that Bank I told you we were going to build at Mexborough which I should think will come out at about £4000 but we have a job in the office that the Estimate (lowest) is £25,000, I should think that Turnell was never talked about as much as he is at present his name seemes to be on everybodys lips. When Kitchener was here he slept in the 3rd House that Turnell built after he set up for himself in fact it was about half way up when I came up first in 1897. I thought I told you how many Bars I had to my medal; well I've three for being in engagements in Cape Coloney O Free State & Transvaal. If you would very much like to see it I would send it down by post but should not like to loose it as of course should never get another also my discharge papers but anyrate I shall bring them down at Xmas but will send them if you like. I'm glad Colonel French has been down to Bedford again I think he's a fine fellow. I dont know what kind of harvest weather you are having down there but there are hundreds of acres of corn still standing up here & as green as grass & it has poured everyday this week, a lot of the Farmers are going smash poor beggars they will never get it in & if they do it will be no good except for Bedding. I'm going to see a fellow tonight who asked me to go up & see him he is thinking of building 6 houses & wants to do them for about £2,000. If he does build them he is going to let me have the job of drawing them out & getting them passed by the Building Corporation & then I've finished but I'm afraid he wont proceed as he wants them done in a great hurry & many of the contractors are so full up just now that they wont take work on. With love to all & thanking you again for your help Your affectinate son Hugh'

11 October 1902

From: 1902 To: 1902

item

Swaffield, Hugh,
Swaffield, Henry Richard James,
Kitchener, Horatio Herbert, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum,
Turnell, Ernest,
French, John Denton Pinkstone (1st Earl of Ypres)

actions 1815-1914, harvesting, weather, architectural draughtsman, Sheffield, South Africa, Mexborough