Letters to Aunt Patsy in the Advocate newspaper

The Advocate was Catholic newspaper which reported on and promoted Catholic interests. It was published from 1868 until 1990. The paper had a children’s column run by Aunt Patsy, which published letters and poems from school children. They had a club called the Magic Fairy Boat Club which the children could join. Aunt Patsy referred to all the children as her nieces and nephews, they called her aunty and referred to all the other children in the Club as their cousins.  The children were also encouraged to collect money for the Fund for Destitute Children, Surrey Hills, an orphanage. Many letters included donations and best wishes to the little orphans. There was also a library that the children could subscribe to. The library stocked Catholic books and magazines.

The start of the Aunt Patsy column.

The Advocate January 6, 1900 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article169863947

Here are some local letters to Aunty Patsy which describe life in Garfield, other local towns and what it was like being a child 100 or so years ago.

This is from 12 year old Mary Goulding, published June 2, 1906.  I live near Garfield, a railway station on the main line from Melbourne to Bairnsdale. The township consists of two grocers' shops, two blacksmiths' shops, one bootmaker's shop, one baker's shop, one coffee palace, one bank, two butchers' shops, and a hotel. We live a mile from St. Joseph's Catholic Church. The Rev. Fr. Byrne is our parish priest. He lives in the presbytery…. My little brother, aged ten, can milk for the last four years. We have fourteen cows, and one horse.

Catholic Church, Hall and Presbytery at Iona.

 Image from 100 years of a faith community: St Joseph’s Iona 1905 -2005 by Damian Smith (The Author, 2005)

Mary Goulding was published a few times and on July 14, 1906, she talked about her school. She attended Garfield State School where Mr. Daly is our head teacher. He is very kind to us. She also had an interesting description of a family trip to Ballarat. On September 8, 1906, Mary had another letter published the weather is becoming gradually milder now and the farmers up here are very busy ploughing their land, and getting ready to sow their crops This land is becoming more valuable lately. Some of it had attained the high price of £40 per acre, and some building allotments were sold at £150 per acre. I saw a motor car passing by a few days ago. It belongs to Captain A'Beckett of Bunyip. We have got some nice sand roads here now, heading to Garfield and Bunyip. On November 17, 1906, Mary wrote I have another little brother, three years old, and he is always watching an opportunity to kill the young turkeys and chickens. This sounds a bit alarming, but perhaps that was normal behaviour for young children in those days!

Mary’s brother Cornelius also wrote to Aunt Patsy, he had an interesting description of the Iona Catholic Church - We have a very nice altar in our church. The statue of the Blessed Virgin is in a little altar at the left-hand side, and all around the church are the Stations of the Cross. Cornelius then goes on to say I had nice little curls when I started to go to school, however he was only six and half so we can forgive him this non sequitur. 

On October 6, 1906, Ellen May Elizabeth Fitzpatrick wrote to Aunt Patsy and described Iona I am going to tell you about Iona. There are three stores, one Catholic church and presbytery; a new Hibernian Hall is getting built, one school (there's a new school nearly finished), one mechanics' institute, a new bank, a cream depot, and a post-office. Ellen wrote again on October 5, 1907, this time about Cora Lynn - There will be a township at Cora Lynn soon. Mr Murdoch is building a store there, and there are a lot of houses going up, too. On September 26, 1908, Ellen wrote about additions to the Church - We have a new organ and two statues, one of Jesus and Joseph, and one of our Blessed Lady. Ellen also wrote on December 19,1908 -   We saw a hawk take lizards and little birds into a hollow tree, so I climbed to see what was in it. When I got up to it there were five young ones in it. We brought them home, but mother would not let me keep them; she said the old hawks would kill the chickens.  In reply Aunt Patsy said I hope you put the young birds back in the nest. Even a mother hawk has feelings, Ellen!

Bridget Quigley of Cora Lynn wrote October 27, 1907, I go to a State school, and am in the fourth class. Our teacher's name is Mr. M'Gibbon. We are milking five cows, and have five little calves. We have about two and a half miles to walk to school.

This letter is from Elsie McKendry of Bunyip and shows the reality of farm life - I had a pet Iamb, but dadda sold it to the butcher; he came and took it away one day I was at school. I called it Daisy. Aunt Patsy wrote - Am sorry you lost your pet lamb. They grow to be sheep too soon (May 22, 1909).

More girls than boys wrote to Aunt Pasty, but here is another from one of her ‘nephews’, nine year old Robert Stanley Jeffers, who had this short description of the Swamp - It is a reclaimed swamp, and farmers all over it grow potatoes, onions, and oats. (July 31, 1909)

Katie Negus wrote from Garfield and enclosed a poem for publication. One of Katie’s poems had been published before, but Aunt Patsy did not like this one and told her You ought to make up your mind to study the best poetry, and it would help you to do better work (January 29, 1910). However, Katie was not deterred by this and wrote a few times more to Aunt Patsy telling about the recent confirmation of herself and her sister Eileen. Katie took the name Agnes as her confirmation name and Eileen that of Anne and then she added I hope with God's help, that we will imitate their lives. Katie also wrote that she successfully passed her exams and was awarded the Merit certificate and Katie praised her teacher, Mr Daly, of the Garfield State School but I think most praise is due to our good teacher, Mr. Daly, who tries very hard for our welfare. (December 17, 1910)

January 20, 1912, Joseph Finnigan from Cora Lynn wrote to Aunt Patsy I have lately taken an interest in reading books, as I am now eleven year of age. We have a children's library at the State school, but I do not care for them very much. Will you kindly send me "How They Made a Man of Johnny," or another suitable book. Aunt Patsy replied Have sent you two boys books. Yes, stick to your own Catholic library.

We will end with this letter from Mary Scanlon which was published on August 22, 1914 - I am learning music, and I go to my lesson every Saturday with my aunty. We have to drive about three miles, and the drive is lovely now, as all the wattles are in bloom; so, if you will let me know where to send some blossom for Wattle Day, aunty and I will send along some. My aunty (N. Cunningham) used to be one of your nieces one time…..Cora Lynn is, a small town ship. It consists of one store, hall, bank, school, factory, and several dwellings, also a very big canal, which sometimes overflows, and does a lot of harm to the residents.

All the letters quoted here are on this Trove list which I compiled, see it here.