Dear Mrs Smyth November 22 1965

This is the most terrible thing I’ve yet had to do.
I have many things to explain to you and I hope you will not think too harshly of me for it.

While Henry was on this earth I always did as he wished
and that is why you do not know anything of the following.

Henry and I were married on August 10th at Queenstown this year
and because he thought you wouldn’t approve him marrying an Australian girl he did not tell you.

Our marriage was the happiest in the world and to top it off,
Henry and I have a baby daughter on November 12th.

We had everything — our own little home, all we needed in it, our baby and of course our love for each other.
Honestly, there could not have been a happier couple to be found in this world.

Henry was working as a barman at the Four Seasons hotel in Queenstown.
He left that job and went to working the mines.

He had done this work before with his uncles
at Mount Isa in Queensland two years before.

Then on November 15th, three days after the arrival of his daughter,
he was killed in an accident while at work.

You have lost your son and I have lost my husband
and our little daughter has lost her daddy.

I know how you feel and I’m afraid I will never get over this.
Henry was a wonderful husband and was well loved by everyone he’s met.

I sent for Henry’s uncle — John Ross who was in Queensland.
He came straight down and fixed everything for me and also attended his funeral.

John Ross is such a wonderful person and was a great comfort to me while he was in Queenstown.
He went back to Queensland on Saturday November 20th.

I will send photos of the baby in my next letter and
will keep you up with the news of how she is growing.

I’m very sorry to have to have told you everything together like this
but I feel I know you even though we’ve never met you.

You must write again.