From No. 952 Private John Worlock of H.M. 10th Royal Hussars.
Kirkee Barracks. July 16th 1847.

My dear Father.
 
I received your kind letter dated 13th March & was very glad to hear that you were all enjoying good health, which I hope our heavenly Father will still bestow you with that blessing. I have not been very well this last month. I have been troubled with the bowl complaint, but thank God I am a great deal better, but I am still afraid at times that the Dysentery will come on. We have lost about 20 men since you last heard from me with the same complaint, but the season for it will soon be over, thank God. The Regiment is going to parade for funeral service this evening. The death of Captain Townley who was gazetted to the 16th Lancers, the Regiment that has just come home from India. He was I days march from towards Bombay for England but was unable to stand it any longer & had not returned many hours before he said, “ I am going to die, my dear native Isle I shall never see more” & immediately expired.

I was not at all suprised to hear of Uncle from Rachel, that was almost the first thought that struck me when I heard of the death of Aunt. There is a little alteration since I left. C. Highnam going to Jamaica & Francis & Miss Holborrow get married. I wrote to W. Williams & answered Louisa. I should have answered yours before, but I thought it would be as well to wait for a while. I suppose you all spent a merry revel, I thought about you all & took an extra glass of wine that day. I suppose you are all very busy at present, there is never a day but I think about you all. 

I suppose Sally Walker has got a little of (the next bit was difficult to understand, hence the ‘ marks) ‘Farmer Pool merry/money/many, I suppose some old bac---ld will be sticking up there hat.’

I have received a letter from Fitz & as I have not but little news, I will answer him in this letter. I was very sorry to hear of the accident Godwin met with, but I was not at all suprised, but I should be very sorry to hear of the poor fellow meeting with his death in that sort of way. Fitz said in his letter that I had better get the Colonel to write. But he will be sure not to do that because they never do like to let a man leave the Regiment, because there will be a letter come to him stating that it is done at Horse Guards & then he will call upon me to know my reason for leaving the Regiment & I will find some excuse, but Dear Father I don’t wish for you to go to any trouble, no more than to mention it.

There was a very large Hyena shot a few miles from the Barracks. I have sent you a few of the bristles for a keepsake. The Butterflies are not very plentiful yet, or I would have sent you some, but I will send a good lot in the next letter that you receive.

It seems to be all dropped about us going up the country. As I am not much of a correspondent you will excuse this little news. When you write, please to mention how H. Godwin & Charles Houghwan are getting on. I think about writing to Mr. Hopkins again & cousin Ann. Tell Mr. Hockey to excuse me as I have not written to him. I shall be very glad ‘with’ the illustrated or ‘bells’ life if you please

I now conclude, hoping this will find you all in good health.

I remain
Dear Father
J.P.Worlock

With love to dear Grandmother & Mother, all the Mr. Godwin family & Mr. Hopkins.

I am not in such good spirits as I was but I hope I will  ‘regain’ them again. My respects to my old teacher Mr. Gibben. I dreamt of Mrs. Wills the other night, I thought I met her at Fitz as was in the highest of spirits. Dear Father as life is in action, there is a young man that was living at Mr. Hobsons. He will write to you if anything should happen to me or should the Regiment ever shift to any place & I should not have the means of writing to you. If you write to the War Office you will receive an answer wither I am dead or alive & where the Regiment is, but you must mind my Regimental Number 952. I hope you will not require it.

Direct
War Office
London.