Malmesbury, Yom Alef Shiftem (about one month before Rosh Hashanah), 29 August , 1902

My dear wife – I have received your letter of 18 July and I have read it several times. Although it is written clear and explicit, it is sharp and pointed, pleasant and modest on your side – and you are right and I am wrong. I have not written during week business – no parnasse (earnings) and no business and nothing to do, so what could I do?

Malmesbury, 8 September, 1902

My dear wife, I have not yet received your letter this week because the post has not arrived yet, but I must finish my letter and send it in time so that it will not be delayed… and that such things should not happen. I hope the times will improve and that we will forget all our tsoris. I sent you a check last week for £5.

Malmesbury, a few weeks before Rosh Hashanah, September 1902

According to my reckoning, you owe me a letter – my letters are different because I have to enclose money, and sometimes when I can’t send money, I find it hard to send an empty letter, and so I don’t send at all. This is a bitter plan, but I can’t help it. May God have mercy and grant us prosperity so that such things should not happen, and that everything should be full of blessings and good luck.

Malmesbury, 8 September, 1902

My dear wife, I duly received your letter of the 24th of July and was glad to read that God in His mercy is granting you all good health. And so hopefully He will also grant us everything that is necessary for life. On my side, I can tell you that I am in good health and in good spirits, and I hope that this letter will find you in a similar condition.

Malmesbury, 26 October, 1902

My dear wife, I have already waited more than a week for your letter, but alas it has not arrived. I should have had a letter about the £5 which I sent you with Meish Rubin, but I have heard that Moishe has received an answer, and he has received all together £11: £5 from me, and £6 for himself. I assume that you have received it all, and still I should have had a reply from you that you have received it.

Cape Town, November 23, 1902

Dearest wife, I can tell you that TG I am well. May God grant that I may hear the same from you. Your letter of Chol Hamoed Succot I have received this week. I thank you very much for it.
I am writing this letter to you from Cape Town. I arrived in Cape Town with goods, and I stayed over in the city for Shabbat at Rubin’s.

Malmesbury, 15 December, 1902

My dear wife, I have not written to you for several weeks, but you must not worry. I was busier than ever before and I had no time to write. I expect to send you some money shortly. Perhaps next week – as much as possible. I can inform you that I am TG in good health. May God grant that you should receive this letter in a similar condition.

Malmesbury, 3 January, 1903

I can write this letter in the shop. I have received goods and I have made some sales. TG it was a Christmas holiday and New Year and I have done quite well. It looks as if the site will be all right. It is only three weeks since I have opened – in future I will write you more details. What I have and what I sell, so that you will be able to see how I am getting on. I am enclosing £5. I hope you use it in good health.

Malmesbury, 18 January, 1903

My dear wife, last week I did not receive a letter from you. I am very sorry about it, although I myself missed out to write to you. Nevertheless I think that I have better excuses than you. It often happens that there is no time – one can be busy over a very small thing, but when you are alone you have to attend to it. I have no one else to depend on, or to delegate my work.

Malmesbury, 2 February, 1903

My dear wife, last week I received no letter from you – apparently because you have not written. I am sorry about it. You should see to it that you write every week and then I will get your letter every week. When I get no reply, I am very upset. I hope you will arrange to write in time. I can inform you that I am in good health TG, and I hope that my letter should find you in the same condition.

Malmesbury, 10 February, 1903

My dear wife, I want to inform you that I am TG in good health and that my letter should find you in the same condition. At the moment, I have no news to write, but I am busy and write either on Saturday night or Sunday when the shop is closed and then one can write more. And now it is Tuesday midday. I must go to get sales, and this is not the time to write.

Loose page, no date

… but then she was with me like a person who had fainted. One tells him a commentary from the Talmud and he takes no notice. Further, about the parcel, I must tell you the truth that I have not yet received it.

Malmesbury, 17 February, 1903

My dear wife, I have received your letter of the third of January. I am very glad that you are all well. May God grant that we always should get such good news from each other as long as we are to be separated, in the hope that one day we will be all together again. I, on my side, can tell you that I am TG in good health. May God grant that my letters should find you in the best of health.

Malmesbury, 20 February, 1903

My dear wife, last week I received no letter from you. I can tell you that I have verrrible – I am offended – but I can’t be cross with you. It happens sometimes that one misses a letter, because I’ve had the same experience, and so I’m not cross. I can tell you that I am enclosing in this letter £5, as we have already been introduced to Rosh Chodesh of Adar.

Letter from Mendel Wolfson

As it happens, now in Malmesbury I am with my relation Kretzmar. He writes a letter home, so I will make use of the opportunity to greet my dear landsleit, to inform you that I am very well. I have my own business in Cape Town. Please give my regards to my dear parents and family.