A letter by Mary Ann Beckley nee Waspe to her daughter Elizabeth Daisy Beckley shortly before her death on 30th December 1931
Draaifontein
Tuesday
My Dear Daisy,
Just a line my dear one, to wish you & all your dear children a happy & prosperous New Year. Thank you & the girls for their Christmas Cards. Tell them from old Granny. Hands shake too much to write letters now but I can still pray to the good Lord to take care of them all.
I never go anywhere now. I am too old & shaky to go anywhere now. I am just waiting for my call to come and lie beside dear old Dad [Joseph James Beckley]. Do not grieve for me when that time comes. I have no more pleasures in life, only aches & pains.
All the people here are fairly well. I am glad to say I am afraid you are feeling this hot weather. It has been so dreadful lately.
Goodbye my dear one with all love of your old mother’s heart from you and your dear children
Ever your loving old
Mom
very touching story which gets closer to home with every birthday. I attended Mrs Beckley’s Commercial College in about 1965, would this lady married into your family?
Lynette McWilliams Troughton
Hi, Three McCleland boys married three Beckley girls so our two families are inextricably linked