Letters by the Packet edited with an introduction and notes by Marion Campbell

Argyll and Bute Library Service has published a fascinating collection of correspondence between members of the Campbell family in the 18th and 19th centuries. The idea of publishing the letters was conceived by the late Marion Campbell of Kilberry and is the result of painstaking research and meticulous attention to detail in reading and, in some cases, deciphering the original letters.

At the end of the 17th century, migration to the West Indies was an attractive proposition and the first part of the book reveals letters written between 1728 and 1826 from Campbell settlers in Jamaica to family members in Argyll, via the Steam Packet Company, giving a rare insight into the social issues and attitudes of that time. Part 2 moves on to another generation who followed the route of many others seeking their fortune in Canada and Australia in the 19th century, and once again portrays a glimpse of relationships and values as seen through the eyes of one family.
This book is a treasure trove of information for social historians and Campbell descendants alike. Marion Campbell has included detailed notes to accompany the letters giving the background to the writers and their relationships to other family members, as well as providing historical information to put the personal correspondence into context.

Available at all branch libraries or by post from Library Headquarters
Price £8.50 (+ p&p) ISBN 1 903041 07 4