William Marshall Correspondence
William Marshall was the second son of John Marshall and
Sarah Lawrence, born at Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, in October 1830. The
following letters were kept by his niece, my Great Grandmother Helen Urquhart
(ms Marshall). According to Jessie Urquhart, her daughter, William was a whaler
who returned to the Arctic and married an Eskimo. Auntie Sissie (Sarah
Urquhart) met him on a visit to Peterhead and said that in his hand knitted
vest and long pants, he looked to her like a polar bear. – Ruairidh Greig
Letter 1
Dear John
I have to inform you that I have left the Vivid[1]
this Day Please Call on
Mrs Stuart and get my Descharge and Character and Send them up as soon
as you can I hope this will find you all well as this leaves me at Present I
have not got a Ship But will let you know as soon as I get one you will
Please Pay all the money that I am due Peterhead and if there is any Left
you will Please remit the Balance when you write Direct the Letter To Be
Left at the Post office Wapping until Called for Give my kind Love
Margaret and the rest of my Brothers I will write you further Particulars
when I get a ship In the Mene time I Remain your affectionate
Brother
William Marshall
Be Sure to write Per Return of Post and send the Descharge
and Character with the Letter
[1]
The Vivid, 101 tons, was built at Peterhead in 1848 by Lunnan and
Robertson (A Peterhead Portrait, J Buchan, Peterhead 1997, p.81)
