In May 1900 a letter from eleven year old Maurice Leyden of Percydale appeared in the “Young Folks” pages of Melbourne’s Weekly Times. The Young Folks was a feature which first appeared in 1883. Originally a children’s column published alongside the newspaper’s Ladies’ Column, Young Folks offered stories and reading matter for younger readers.
A major change came in December 1892 when the newspaper announced a competition for original compositions by children under fourteen. When the competition commenced in the Christmas issue, the editors introduced a new figure, “Uncle Ben”, to receive the entries. Rather than writing to the formidable newspaper editor, children were invited to correspond with “that kind-hearted old gentleman” and to tell him about their adventures, pets, holidays, and everyday lives. Aunt Connie joined the enterprise a few months later.
The idea proved remarkably successful. Over the following decades thousands of children from farms, mining settlements, and country towns wrote to Aunt Connie and Uncle Ben. Their letters created a unique record of childhood in rural Australia.
Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic.), Saturday 12 May 1900, page 13
Fond of Shooting. — Percydale, April 18, 1900. — Dear Uncle Ben, — This is the first time I have written to you, and I hope that you will accept me as one of your nephews. I have two brothers, and their names are Phil and George. I have a foal, a ferret and a dog. We have three cows, and I have to feed them every morning and evening. I have about two miles to walk to school. I am eleven years old, and am in the sixth class. We are to be examined in May. We got 95 per cent. last year, and wish to reach the 100 this year. Our teacher is Miss Brown. Percydale is a pretty little place, being situated at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains. I have a pea rifle, and I often go out shooting. We have had some nice rains, which have made the grass spring up. All the farmers have put their crops in, and they are expecting a better harvest than last year. Would you please send me a collecting card, and I will try and help the poor little children. With love to Cousins Florrie and Connie, not forgetting yourself, I remain your affectionate nephew, — Maurice Leyden. (We are glad to add you to our large family circle, Maurice, and hope you will write again, after a time. Aunt Connie will send a card. — Uncle Ben.)
Maurice wrote again later in the year:
Weekly Times, Saturday 15 September 1900, page 8
Ferreting for Rabbits. — Percydale, 23rd August.— Dear-Aunt Connie,— I am returning my collecting card with the amount collected 15s 6d. I have kept my card to the limit of the time, three months I was out ferreting to-day and I got six rabbits. I put a net on a very old burrow, and put in the ferret, but I really never thought that a rabbit was in the burrow. After the ferret had been in for about a minute, I heard a rumbling noise in the burrow, and the next moment a black rabbit jumped into the net. I took it home to try and tame it, but it got out of its hutch and ran away. My brother Phil has a pet goat, and also a cart, which the goat draws We have three cows and three calves. I have five rabbit traps and I often set them, but I never get more than four rabbits at a time from them. When I am out ferreting and do not put a net on every opening of the burrow, my dog reminds me of that fact by barking violently up the burrow without a net. Dear Aunt Connie,— as it getting late in the afternoon, and as I have to go for the cows, I will conclude with love. I remain your affectionate nephew, Maurice Leyden.
Wikitree:
- John Maurice Leyden (1888-1966)
- Charlotte Mary (Brown) Revell (1868-1944)
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