John and Emma

We are filming probate records and so usually we have a will, affidavits, motions and then a probate.  They are usually quite normal but today instead of the usual the packet was full of letters.  We all stopped working to listen to some of the letters.  The letters were from the early 1900's.  What do you think those people would have thought if they knew we were reading their letters.

The letters were about a man leaving New Zealand to find work in Africa.  The wife Emma receives a letter when he reaches Africa but then when her husband John is suppose to return she doesn't receive any more letters.  She now is left with 12 children and doesn't know where John is so to receive any money she has to prove he is dead.  She proceeds to write letters to every ship line to see if he was a passenger on the ship.  She writes many letters which will be filmed.  They never found him and after a period of time they declared him dead and a probate was issued.  It also had (love) letters written from John to Emma before he disappeared.  I think she had to prove that he didn't just leave but that he loved her.  Poor Emma!!

The world cup rugby game is tonight at 8:30 p.m.  A lot of people are in town for it.  It is in the stadium across the street from where we work.

Tonight we are doing laundry.  They put a washer and dryer in the bathroom but to vent the dryer they hung it upside down.  We have to stand on our heads to see the knobs.

September 9, 2011