Copies of letters written from South Chicago by Alfred Russell of Ewhurst

Alfred Russell was born at Hooe in about 1858, the son of Benjamin Russell a brickmaker and probably a collateral relative of Jesse Russell, a Wesleyan preacher who lived in Ninfield until his death in the late 1920s aged 88

This group consists of copies of twenty-six letters written by Russell to his relatives, a brother and sister at Hollington and his parents at Staplecross in Ewhurst. It is clear from the letters that Russell had decided to emigrate to New Zealand but at the last minute changed his mind and opted for north America. It was not his intention to stay permanently unless others from the locality came out to join him, as in the first year after his arrival he encouraged them to do

Russell left Liverpool on the Brittanic on 30 Mar 1881 and arrived at Chicago, by train from New York, on 19 April. He settled at Colehouse in South Chicago, twelve miles from the town, in a predominantly German settlement

The letters comment on the life and habits of the Americans and of other emigrants with good descriptions of meal-times, the pride and laziness of the girls and the climate of Chicago. Russell worked initially for a railway company but by 21 Aug was working at the Chicago rolling mill. In Dec 1881 Samuel Cramp from Ewhurst, a carpenter, had joined him and by Feb 1882 Russell was working for him as a labourer

Of particular interest is Russell's reaction to American society and his growing awareness that the new country had not lived up to its initial promise. 'I don't go about now with my eyes shut as I used to in the old country ..... I don't suppose I could work for a farmer now in the old country if I was to try to'. By Jun 1882, although everying in South Chicago was quiet because there was no union, the area was gripped by strikes and unemployment was high. Russell, in a detailed description of the carriage-works at the town of Pulman, comments on the ability of machinery to do away with labour. By Mar 1883, in the last surviving letter, Russell advises his correspondent to discourage others from emigration unless they already had friends in America; unemployment was growing and 'if I should by any mischance happen to get out of work ..... why here's a boy will soon set sail and skip while I have got the money"

Documents given 9 March 1987 (ACC 4799)