Object numberM2012/030:095
DescriptionThis is a handwritten letter from George and Sarah Barnett (George was the brother of Barnett Phillips) to George (Moses) Barnett Phillips, son of Barnett and Caroline Phillips. It is dated the 1st of November 1884. George and Sarah give their address as 10 Phillmore Place, Brooklyn E.D. They congratulate George on having turned 21 and becoming a member of the Masonic Fraternity.
A transcript of the letter reads:
'My dear Nephew George,
We duly acknowledge the receipt of your ever welcome letter also those of your dear parents of June last in reference to the letter you mention you wrote to us in Oct last. I never received it so that accounts for the mystery this side. Now to the question it now affords us all great pleasure being in receipt of such good news from you we therefore congratulate you having attained your 21st year of age. May you live long to enjoy the same. Thanks for the enclosed Masonic Chronicle, Bro. George Barnett Phillips of Lodge Woolloomooloo SC having perused the small script with very much pleasure I therefore congratulate you of your honourable advancement and becoming one of the Masonic Fraternity and shall be glad to hear of your future progress, and any Masonic Correspondence you will favour me with. I have herewith enclosed the name of my lodge where I was initiated as an E.A. also Fellow Crafts and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason. I also wish to add your cousin John, my eldest son is also a Free Mason was made down South Richmond Va. Trusting you will wear the badge of a Mason with pleasure to yourself and honour to the fraternity. I also received your kind invitation card, and regret I was unable to be present on that joyous occasion, still you have my blessing and all our good wishes, sorry to learn through you your dear Ma has such poor health, your dear Aunt Sarah is much the same she is suffering from rheumatism in the muscles and is seldom free of pain. I am likewise troubled for some years past and I feel old age creeping on slowly if I live to the 6th of Feb next I shall be 50 and unable to do any labour for some time. Trade in these states is also as you describe. Now in reference to our nephew Josh strange you have not heard anything of him for so long hope you have had tidings of him before now, we never hear anything concerning him direct should like very much. I had carried out your wishes in handing around your letters to Ma's relation so if they fail to write there is no fault of mine, this time trusting you will find you also dear Ma, Pa and all our dear nieces and nephews quite well all your dear cousins unite with me by sending love to all also kisses
From our ever affectionate Aunt and Uncle, Sarah and George Barnett
P.S. Trusting you will write to us at every opportunity and I shall always appreciate your kindness. Enclosed please find a report that I have sent to N. Y. Herald the Copy of Prayers to be read in all synagogues in the United States in Honour to Sir Moses Montefiore who has attained his 100th year of age.
There is a pencilled annotation on the last page of the letter that reads: 'from George Barnett N.Y., brother of Barnett Phillips.
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.
A transcript of the letter reads:
'My dear Nephew George,
We duly acknowledge the receipt of your ever welcome letter also those of your dear parents of June last in reference to the letter you mention you wrote to us in Oct last. I never received it so that accounts for the mystery this side. Now to the question it now affords us all great pleasure being in receipt of such good news from you we therefore congratulate you having attained your 21st year of age. May you live long to enjoy the same. Thanks for the enclosed Masonic Chronicle, Bro. George Barnett Phillips of Lodge Woolloomooloo SC having perused the small script with very much pleasure I therefore congratulate you of your honourable advancement and becoming one of the Masonic Fraternity and shall be glad to hear of your future progress, and any Masonic Correspondence you will favour me with. I have herewith enclosed the name of my lodge where I was initiated as an E.A. also Fellow Crafts and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason. I also wish to add your cousin John, my eldest son is also a Free Mason was made down South Richmond Va. Trusting you will wear the badge of a Mason with pleasure to yourself and honour to the fraternity. I also received your kind invitation card, and regret I was unable to be present on that joyous occasion, still you have my blessing and all our good wishes, sorry to learn through you your dear Ma has such poor health, your dear Aunt Sarah is much the same she is suffering from rheumatism in the muscles and is seldom free of pain. I am likewise troubled for some years past and I feel old age creeping on slowly if I live to the 6th of Feb next I shall be 50 and unable to do any labour for some time. Trade in these states is also as you describe. Now in reference to our nephew Josh strange you have not heard anything of him for so long hope you have had tidings of him before now, we never hear anything concerning him direct should like very much. I had carried out your wishes in handing around your letters to Ma's relation so if they fail to write there is no fault of mine, this time trusting you will find you also dear Ma, Pa and all our dear nieces and nephews quite well all your dear cousins unite with me by sending love to all also kisses
From our ever affectionate Aunt and Uncle, Sarah and George Barnett
P.S. Trusting you will write to us at every opportunity and I shall always appreciate your kindness. Enclosed please find a report that I have sent to N. Y. Herald the Copy of Prayers to be read in all synagogues in the United States in Honour to Sir Moses Montefiore who has attained his 100th year of age.
There is a pencilled annotation on the last page of the letter that reads: 'from George Barnett N.Y., brother of Barnett Phillips.
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 placeBrooklyn, New York, United States
Production date 1884-11-01
Subjectnephews, family members, uncles, masons, Freemasons
Object nameletters
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- length: 205.00 mm
width: 251.00 mm
Language
- English
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Liz Pozniak