Hanson-Allen Family

George Frederic Allen's letters

1.    Letter dated April 1904, with his postal address given as "c/- Mr Charles Allen, Pukeroa, Hunterville," and sent to his son and daughter-in-law, Fred and Ethel Allen of Wanganui.

My dear Fred and Ethel,

I have a job here as Inspector of the Upper Turakina Bridge and may be detailed indefinitely. The work is only on odd days - sometimes only part of a day. I am to get 12/- a day for days on wh(ich) I am required. The bridge is about a mile from Charlie's, so letters for me had better be sent here in the meanwhile. 

If at any time I have two or three consecutive days clear I can go to Frank's to continue his cottage. Most of the floor-boards are planed & grooved and tongues cut. Doors are all cut out and planed & grooved, and two of the four are put together. Of the seven windows three frames are complete and four cut-out, planed & grooved; so there is not much now to do except fixing work and it is a pity I am taken off it. However 12/- a day is not to be despised.

With love to you all, I remain,

Your affectionate Father - Geo. Fred. Allen.

2.    Letter dated 13 October 1920, with his postal address given as "2 Latham Street, Napier." It was sent to his son Ralph and daughter-in-law Ida shortly after their 29 September 1920 wedding, at 'Merlewood,' Ngamatapuri, the home of Ida's sister, Vi Chesswas and family. As Ralph was divorced, possibly the wedding was a bit low key, however, the relationship had endured through Ralph's overseas service during World War One. G.F. Allen was then aged 83.

My Dear Ralph and Ida,

I received your letter of Oct. 10, (written at Brent's Rotorua) this morning; and I hasten to offer you both out congratulations, and to repeat our good wishes for your future happiness and prosperity. I could not do so sooner; for till receipt of your letter at 10 A.M. today, I did not know that you were married, tho' just a half a month had elapsed since the happy event.

The Proverbs say: "What is everybody's business is nobody's business," and "Between two stools, he fell to the ground," and "Between two stacks, the poor donkey starved."

I suppose that everybody who was at the wedding thought everybody else would write to tell me. But nobody did write. I waited till the Wednesday after the Marriage intending then to write, but the absurdity of the long delay struck me suddenly at to (too?) funny, that I then decided, for the fun of the thing, to "wait and see," as Mr Asquith used to say, till his long continued "wait and see" without any good results being "seen (illegible) him out of his office, as Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Well I "waited" fifteen days; and, then this morning came your letter, which was very welcome indeed.

I think you were wise to go to Rotorua. I was there ten days in 1895 when I was writing Willis's Guide Book; and again for a week with Frank in January 1903, just after your dear Mother's death.

My wife says I am to give you both her kind love, and she hopes to see you in the Summer.

I am sorry to say that, though Nellie is physically well, her nerves are still very shaky, and give us much anxiety.

Now, for the present, Goodbye, and God bless you, my dear Children.

Ever your loving Father, - George Fred. Allen.

(PS) I received the invitation to the Wedding, at 10 o'clock of the day on which it occurred.

Thanks, Ralph, for the M.O. (i.e. Money Order) which you enclosed. My wife is still ill from two falls, and pleurisy.