Descendants of Frederick and Mary Paulin gather here
Ernest Alfred Paulin worked for the Oliver Typewriting Company in Birmingham in 1899 as a commission salesman.
For more about the company look here: Wikipedia
or here: oliver typewriters
In trying to find out what the typewriter Ernest used, I think it was this one…..
which dates from 1896, and was manufactured in the US. They didn’t start making them in the UK until the 1920s.
Next home in the google mapping of the family of Ernest and Emma Paulin is 129 Ilford Lane, Ilford. From the letter written in February, where I got this address, the family had moved here from their home in Leigh on Sea. The neighbourhood has changed a bit since they lived there, and now has a bunch of shops attached to the fronts of all the buildings. Were they there when Ernest lived there? Not sure, probably not. If you take away the shops on the front of the buildings, you have the same kind of housing that they had lived in before. Row houses, narrow one window on each floor.
Letter from Ernest Paulin to Frederick Pauline, 12 Feb 1912
129 Ilford Lane, Ilford
12/2/12
My Dear Fred
I received your very nice letter with contents that arrived just a I was absolutely stumped. I have not been able to go out for several weeks now. I get chill upon chill until I am reduced to a skeleton + a very bad chest. Since moving to Ilford from Leigh I have not had one single week’s comfort, my usually usefull muscles seem to cry out that I have given them their share and give way to the colds. We had a ten days very severe frost as perhaps you may have read the cough I generally suffer from burst out with such ferocity that I have not dared to go out since except for a little while yesterday + I m making up arrears of correspondence
[2]
Severely indoors to day. I did hope to make a start somewhere this week but shall have to stew for another few days I suppose.
You know it isn’t nice when they seem to come for the rent the weekly bugbear + you do not happen to have it handy.
Just fancy you having care of Mr Mesher all these years it was a surprise to me. You must feel relieved now that you have done all you could for him + he now at rest.
Your oldest son is in the motor line Eh” and doing well too, I do hope he will follow in his Father’s footsteps. I need wish him no surer road to success.
I heard that you were about to retire some time ago and as you say I am the first to shout congratulations. Hat it all you have worked hard enough for a rest and it is a blessing
[3]
You lost no precious time in taking it. I was always afraid that you would stick at it too long.
The first day up in the City I shall give Mr Sutherland of the Ocean I Co a call + I am very much obliged for your kindness in sending me his card.
I had a short note from Harold yesterday to inform me that MY SON as he calls it was safely born to them on the 18/1/12 and everything satisfactory.
“Weight at birth 9 ½ lbs. Got a chest like a bull and 1’9” long (not 21” mind you) face like its mother (just fancing only a few hours old) Harold must have become an expert) but it has a Paulin head + limbs ah” ah”
You can just imagine the way he was in when sending the glorious news. I suppose George Ernest (that’s his name) marks
[4]
The 1st step in the 4th gen of a little known but illustrious family.
Dad + Mother, whom I hope continue well in health will be a little bit proud of the “Great Grand”: Eh” I can just imagine dear old Mother’s flush of pride. God bless her and her prayer of thanksgiving to be alive to assume the new jewel to her coronet.
It is pouring with rain from the NE + bitter again today.
If I could keep warm enough a sufficient time to get rid of this wicked cough, I do not think I should take long getting into my old form again in the meantime I am doing my best.
Haven’t heard of George or Bert for years suppose no news etc.
Kindest Love Fred + best wishes, Emmie sends love to Cissie
Your affectionate Brother
Ernest
[Note that Ernest died in November 1912 of Tuberculosis]
And the moves for the family continued – I have a letter addressed 22 Britannia Road, Ilford. I knew that they lived here from at least 1906, because I had read the files for my great-aunt Hilda [Hilda Louise Paulin Curtis], who attended Cleveland Road School nearby. I did research at the Ilford public library in 2008 and the school records that they had. Grandad [Norman Frederick Paulin] also attended that school.
The house is really like all their other houses – I swear they are all cookie-cutter!!!
Letter from Ernest Paulin to Frederick Pauline, 6 Dec 1908
22 Britannia Road, Ilford
6/12/1908
I thought that I would send you just a word or two with the “Ole” fashion Xmas card.
Because sometimes the writing means more than the card. Nevertheless, when you have nine years “trying to sell typewriters and a pen in your hand about once a month.” Criticism is barred. I nearly danced a “Reel” when I read the official announcement and I am indeed thankfull that you are still better off.
I hope that Bert will prove trumps, George must + will. Of course, I got news sometimes from the Dad + Mother and there
[2]
Is generally something of interest.
It seems hard sometimes that I quite alone here; but I feel sure I could do better out of this Foggy City – It is hard work. But I am not grumbling Fred, am not actually starving + with Gods blessing and the health that is necessary (which I have made a serious study of, since starting a new life back in the old country) I hope to see some of my family once more.
Nothing pleases me better than to hear that your years of hard plodding, thoughtfull life, are an almost assured success. I wish with all my heart that I could shake hands with you, otherwise, than on paper.
[3]
Business generally is very bad. The present government seem to indulge in fractional party politics, or “Locking up suffragettes”
I don’t know whether you ever see the ½ Mirror I send to Dad every day. Would you like it?
Just one more look at your handwriting. It will only cost gone 2c. Please.
Every Xmas I miss awfully away from our Family circle
Ernest
[4]
You will be pleased to know that Harold (who is 21 next March) is doing very well in his 3 years engagement in Weir Scott + Co, Valparaison. He started at £150 a year, with an increase of £10 during the 3 years and good prospects of a continuance of advantage after.
It is a pleasure to send his thanks for getting with the firm, and a further pleasure to know that his employers here feel the same as myself.
Rene + Grace are working now, in a large general supplies stores in Ilford here, and are very proud that they can pay for their own clothes. Hilda + Norman are at School. Norman is learning draughts fine.
Letter Ernest Paulin to Frederick Pauline, 18 Oct 1899
[Typewritten]
“Hillside” Farquhar Road, Moseley
Oct’r 18th 1899
My Dear Fred
I will not attempt to express how thankfull I was to receive your kind enclosure, coming as it did unexpected and just at a time when any pecuniary assistance was more than usually valuable. I should like to have some good news from you and am looking forward to your promised next.
I wrote to George a week or two ago, which letter you might have seen, lettering you know that I have taken a Commission job on the introduction of a new typewriter, the “Oliver” on one which I am writing this short note; as there are thirteen typewriter agencies in Birm’m most of them with a ten years start or more you can imagine that there is not much in it but hard and disappointing work; when I tell you that it has taken me nine weeks to draw £4 you can fairly calculate the up the hill job it is. Nevertheless I have every confidence in the machine and eventually may be better; of course during the disastrous cycle boom here every body was in the cycle trade & every one had typewriters, so now that scores of the mushroom companies are gone, the market is glutted with typewriters of various degrees of perfection and price and these naturally very much handicap the sale anything new, and will do so for some time to come; but “Nil Desperendum”
You may tell the Dad that Red Cliffe House matter is concluded and that by to-morrow at latest I shall forward to him all the particulars of the transaction and hope he will found my stewardship of his interest satisfactory. As my letter to the Dad will be somewhat lengthy
-over-
[2]
I can embody any further items of interest in it, which no doubt the Dad will permit you to peruse. If you could have witnessed the relief that your kindness brought into our almost proverbially empty house, I feel sure that it would have amply repaid you for your kind thoughtfulness. I hope you and yours are well and that Piercy’s trip to Dawson will prove lucrative. Permit me to again express the hope that you kept on the near side of the Klondyke business and that your usual care and tactical discretion will leave your transactions well on the right side.
Emmie wishes me to convey her sincerest thanks to you and the little kiddies, who of course benefitted by your kindness have reminded me several times not to forget Uncle Fred’s present and tell him that now we have got new boots, we are going to school again and they will black their boots every morning and see how long they can make them last.
With kindest love and a hope that I shall get some news from Victoria again shortly,
Your affectionate Brother
Ernest
And so the google searches for family addresses continues. Today I present Farquhar Road in Moseley, Birmingham, where Ernest and Emma Paulin lived in October of 1899. I don’t have the house number, just the name “Hillside” which doesn’t work in google maps. So here is a street view of the road, which again features the same kind of late Victorian row housing, narrow, and two stories.
Letter from Ernest Paulin to Frederick Pauline, 9 Mar 1899
[In note form at top of first page]
Emmie sends her sincere thanks and love
257 Frederick Road
March 9th, 1899
My dear Fred
I hasten to say that I have received the two money orders of $10 each and that they came as an undisguised God-send, just at a time when we were feeling the bitterest inconvenience of poverty. You will be surprised to have not yet succeeded
[2]
Obtaining employment, openings are so very rare and so many to fill them when occurring. I cannot adequately express my gratefulness to you and Herbert for the assistance just to hand, I shall write to the latter on Sunday also to yourself more fully.
I am busy today and the rest of the week making copies of all the documents in connection
[3]
With my case against Kynoch’s + which is to be heard any day next week so that the present time is an anxious one for me.
I have a very good case against them, but juries are funny things sometimes and nothing is certain up to the finish. I am sorry you have so many calls upon your purse, but I can assure you that any
[4]
Help you can give me, is accepted as an obligation the very first I shall make a point of satisfying.
Please tell Bert I shall write to him and thank him for his kindness.
I do hope soon to be able to breathe freely once more, but in the meantime rest assured I feel very sincerely your great kindness. Will write again on Sunday
Your affectionate Brother
Ernest
I knew that Frederick had been an artist having seen a couple of examples in my travels, but I hadn’t understood the importance that it had for him, which from the fact that he exhibited his work (though humbly) suggests.
So I have decided to launch a search for more examples of his work, to digitally construct an exhibit of his paintings in order to share with his family/descendants and other interested people in his vision of the world, through his art.
Example 1
Beacon Hill Park, Victoria, from the collection of S Bunting.
Example 2
Possibly English River, dated 1909, from the collection of D Thornton.
If you have any paintings by Frederick and would be willing to share with the blog (and the family) I would be most grateful.
Frederick’s son Ernest Alfred Paulin was also a talented artist. I have two examples of his decorative painting.
Example 1
Tin Plate, repurposed Ainsley Ware and decorated with birds. Was a gift to Sidney and Kate [Smith, his in-laws] and dated Christmas 1899, from the collection of G Leitch.
Example 2
Decorated mirror, nd, from the collection of S Bunting. Thought to be a cake plate.
Any images of Ernest or Frederick’s art would be gratefully added to this virtual exhibit. If any other members of the family were visual artists, information and images would also be appreciated.
Work in Progress!
The Gallery can be seen here: https://gilliandr.wordpress.com/pauline-family-art-gallery/
Victoria Colonist, 11 September 1888, page 3
A Joyous Meeting
At the landing of the steamer Rithet last night the Messrs F and EA Pauline were on the dock to welcome the arrival of their father and mother, brother
and six sisters from Manchester, England. [Actually – Birmingham] The Messrs Pauline have been in Victoria for several years, and occupy honourable positions in a couple of mercantile houses. Having made a home for themselves, they sent for and are now joined by the remainder of their family, and last night a joyous meeting took place on board the Rithet.
The Amazing Paulin(e) Family 