Object numberM2012/030:071
DescriptionThis is a letter received by the Phillips Family upon the death of Barnett Phillips on the 22nd of August 1917. The letter is hand written in black pen on one side of a lined page. It was sent by Samuel Eaton from the Hawkesbury Agricultural College in Richmond, New South Wales on the 27th of August 1917. It reads: 'My dear friends, I received a letter from Eliza on Saturday night (written on Thursday) informing me of the passing away of your dear father on Wednesday last. I need hardly say how very sorry I feel for you all in your sad bereavement, I know you will miss him very much. Knowing of the strong bond of unity existing between you it must have been a consolation to know that you were all with him in his last moments. The parting is but for a little while, by and by we will all meet again around the throne of our Heavenly Father, and there is joy in looking forward to that great reunion. I cannot express as I would like my deep sympathy to your dear mother and of you, but I think you can all understand what I cannot express, and I can only commend you to the loving care of Him who will watch and guard the widow and the fatherless, and is ever present with them in their sorrows to be to them a Comforter. Believe me to be your sincere friend, Samuel Eaton.
The envelope is addressed to Mrs Phillips of 300 Moore Park Road, Sydney. A one penny Australian postage stamp has been attached in the top right hand corner of the envelope. Two postmaster's stamps show it was processed on the 28th of August 1917.
Part of a large collection of photographs and documents belonging to the Phillips Family, an old Australian Jewish family that resided in New South Wales from the 1850s.
Barnett Phillips was born in 1833 in England. A devout Jew, he attended the Jewish Free School in Spittalfields, London from 1838 to 1843. He later immigrated to New South Wales, Australia. In c.1858 he married Caroline Cohen in Young, New South Wales. Caroline, also born in England, had immigrated to Goulburn along with her sister Dinah Cohen.
Barnett earned his livelihood in several ways over the course of his life. He spent time as a theatrical producer, builder, and furniture merchant. Newspaper clippings from publications of the Burrangong Courier in 1862 record Barnett as the sole proprietor of the Diggers' Theatre in Burrangong. The collection also holds a licence granted on the 3rd of June 1867 allowing Barnett to give 'Public Exhibitions and Entertainments' within the colony of New South Wales, except for within the city of Sydney.
From 1868 Barnett and Caroline were living in Sydney, within the Surrey Hills and Paddington area. By c.1909 they had moved to 300 Moore Park Road, Paddington, where they lived for the rest of their lives.
Between 1860 and 1881 Barnett and Caroline had ten children: Ann (who died before her second birthday); Moses (George) Barnett; Elizabeth (Lilly); Rosetta (Rose); Zelig "Phillip"; Deborah; Clara Eve; Sarah Ann; Joel Lewis; Esther (Etty). Of all the children, George was the only one to marry, wedding Sarah Jane Dowling in 1887. He was subsequently disowned by his parents for having married outside of the faith.
The envelope is addressed to Mrs Phillips of 300 Moore Park Road, Sydney. A one penny Australian postage stamp has been attached in the top right hand corner of the envelope. Two postmaster's stamps show it was processed on the 28th of August 1917.
Part of a large collection of photographs and documents belonging to the Phillips Family, an old Australian Jewish family that resided in New South Wales from the 1850s.
Barnett Phillips was born in 1833 in England. A devout Jew, he attended the Jewish Free School in Spittalfields, London from 1838 to 1843. He later immigrated to New South Wales, Australia. In c.1858 he married Caroline Cohen in Young, New South Wales. Caroline, also born in England, had immigrated to Goulburn along with her sister Dinah Cohen.
Barnett earned his livelihood in several ways over the course of his life. He spent time as a theatrical producer, builder, and furniture merchant. Newspaper clippings from publications of the Burrangong Courier in 1862 record Barnett as the sole proprietor of the Diggers' Theatre in Burrangong. The collection also holds a licence granted on the 3rd of June 1867 allowing Barnett to give 'Public Exhibitions and Entertainments' within the colony of New South Wales, except for within the city of Sydney.
From 1868 Barnett and Caroline were living in Sydney, within the Surrey Hills and Paddington area. By c.1909 they had moved to 300 Moore Park Road, Paddington, where they lived for the rest of their lives.
Between 1860 and 1881 Barnett and Caroline had ten children: Ann (who died before her second birthday); Moses (George) Barnett; Elizabeth (Lilly); Rosetta (Rose); Zelig "Phillip"; Deborah; Clara Eve; Sarah Ann; Joel Lewis; Esther (Etty). Of all the children, George was the only one to marry, wedding Sarah Jane Dowling in 1887. He was subsequently disowned by his parents for having married outside of the faith.
Production placeRichmond, New South Wales, Australia
Production date 1917-08-27
Subjectpostal services, death, fathers, husbands
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- Letter length: 254.00 mm
width: 203.00 mm
Envelope length: 90.00 mm
width: 148.00 mm
Language
- English
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Liz Pozniak