Dear Father,
Dear Father I hope this letter will find you well I received the sad news of me Poor Mothers death May the Oalmighty god have mercy on her Soul It is now seven years since I have written to home I am grieved to say it It is the reason that I have Ben so unlucky on the digging I often thout of writing But was Disapointed in not sending you money I know a letter from me would be welcome without I supose a few years ago you heard I was married I was Married in Saint Francis Chappel Melbourne to Mary Courtney in February 1859 Shortly after I went to the New Zeland Gold fields But did not stop long things looked Bad there I am very Unsuccessful for the last 7 years [Direct Ballarat Post Office Victoria Ausralia]
I have lost some few hundreads of Pounds But there is thousands more as well as me & do not despair yet I was away of Ballarat for 3 years and had a severe fit of feaver I met with some severe hardships We had too very good children Honora and Anne But and we returning Back to Ballarat the Booth Cauth a cold and Died of Scarlet Feaver it was a severe blow to us I had Doctors and done all I could as I touth the were Both Called after their grand mother Honora was aged 4 year 9 months Anne 3 years 6 months Matt was god Father for the eldest Dear Father I am Sorry I cannot send you any Money at Present But will not Forget you when I have it I have met with so many reverces that I am only recovering meself the wages here at Present is 7 shillings 6 Pence 8 hours work or 2£ 5shilling a week but there is a great deal of broken time in many places do not average 1£ 17 shilling aweek often less every thing here is very Dear A man withe 2 or 3 Children at the Present rate of wages can hardly keep out of dept The mines outside Ballarat is very near all failures there is some Million of money lost and more there is at Present over 4 to 5 hundread miners out of employment in Ballarat there is a great deal of ups and downs here But If ever I get a rise again I will look for something Better than mining Mary has had very Poor health since the Children Died but is getting Better If ever I do well again I hope to return but not to work for me liveing I wish you to Keep yourself as respectable as you can and as well clothed as you Can you have no one know to lok to But yourself Dear Father Send kind love to Matt James and Dennis I hope the are doing Better than here I never wished them to come here For I thout to return If I done well Give my kind love to Me Aunt Winney I supose I can well tell her grief since she lost me Poor Mother I have never felt so lonely in all me life as I have this day Give me Best respects to uncle Patt Parton give me kind love to Mary Barton James Patt John Michael I hope the are well In America I hope all the old Neghbors that is alive is well Dear Father Meself and Mary send our kind love to you and also to her aunt Honora but for her reverses she would not have forgotten her She will Soon write her a letter Honora and Michael is Maried we have not heard of her the 5 years No more at Present Your Affectionate Son Michael Guinane

Mich. Guinane

Dear Brother I hope these lines you well Since I received your letter last month I was gold to hear from you and that and that you were well I wrote you a few hurried lines some time ago Frank Father arived here he said one of me brothers died at sea and ther ther was drowned I am glad it is false I am at Present in the navy I can leave when I like were sworn in every 12 months our pay is 5 shillings a day we have to find our own clothes Why I joined the Navy was to be near me Poor Deceased Wife I could not better meself at that time this Country is not what you think I did not leave of Mining until I had in dept and could not get a living at it Ballarat and the surrounding districts was very bad I went to the Queensland Diggins and failed Came Back to Sydney and joined a steamer I have got on better than Mining the Death of me Poor Wifecost me all had and left me det I wish you to let me know the name of the vessel Brothe James was in when he died where she was bound for was he long sick what he died of and his treatment in general als Me Father if he diedin Liverpool where he is burried how he was situated at the time of his death what happened to his wife I am sorry to have to ask for such aperson it made me sorry to think he should Marry again what he sold the Place for Thomas Guinane Died at Ballarat some time ago I went to Bring the remains of me too Children to Melbourne tohave them placed with their Mother He was buried the day I got to Ballarat I was sorry to hear of Patt Barton's death I heard of Mary and James death when I was in the Sydney side years ago also Aunt Winiford and Uncle Send me kind remembrance to John at New York also to Michael and their Familys I often of late sit and think of the Past. I wonder I never received a letter from Dennis since he left Australia If I was at Sea at the time he was here I would not let him go back I stopped at Mining to long Many men was killed in the mine I was working in after he left I will send you a caple of Paper of St Patrick Day I would wish to hear from you again as soom as you receive this I was Disapointed in getting me likeness taken to send and als of me Deceased Wife this time any likeness you wish to send me I will be glad of them The Cooney are all well John Wife Died years ago he is single Michael turned out a very low caracther through drink I would like to know if the likeness of me Brother James that Dan Cooney brought out with him is a correct one of him Give me Kind love to Brother Dennis also kind respects to his wife and children is her Father and Mother alive Tell James Child her uncle send his Kind love to her I would like her likeness her mother did not stop long single would very much wish she would stop the 12 months I hope young Matthew is a growing a good young man that he is Joined the Catholic young men Society of Liverpool I have no more to say My kind respect to your wife Mrs. Guinane also to John Matthew Your Affectionate Brother Michael Guinane HMSS Cerberus Williamstown