From Paul Robins at Shebbear to [his brother] Matthew in Breage.
They are leaving this place a little after midnight, so that they can go down to Launceston by the van tomorrow morning. The book panels are to go at the same time, and Paul has asked [James] Thorne to enclose a map of England and a book or two in Matthew's panel. Brother Hooper leaves with the luggage next Monday for Padstow, whence the ship ?Voluna in which they are to sail is scheduled to depart [for Canada] on Good Friday. There has however been some indication that she may sail the preceding day. They shall be glad to receive a letter from Matthew, care of [Thomas] Tregaskis's Salt Water Mill at Padstow.
James Thorne preached a funeral sermon for [William] Buckingham at Lake Chapel, Shebbear yesterday afternoon and Paul took his farewell of his friends in the evening. They had an unusually large congregation and there was a good spirit among them. Mr ?Pyor, the new school master has come to Shebbear and the `Proprietary School' seems to be progressing a little bit better. Several additional pupils are expected this week.
Next Sunday Paul has promised to be at the anniversary celebration of St Austell Chapel. Brother Hooper was to have been married this day, but it would appear that the certificate has not yet arrived from Launceston, in which case the wedding must be put off.
Notes .
- Thomas Tregaskis (b.1785) was born at St Kew in Cornwall. He went to sea as a young man and later served in the militia. After his conversion he became a Bible Christian class leader, local preacher and a mainstay of the temperance movement. Tregaskis operated a mill at Gwennap and a salt water mill at St Issey near Padstow, where he often provided hospitality for itinerant preachers. Source: Thomas Shaw, A History of Cornish Methodism (1967), pp.92-93 and Bible Christian Magazine 1872, pp.341ff