Malmesbury, (first day Shlichot), Sunday, 8 September, 1901

To my dear wife, Taube Kretzmar, may she live happily, and to my dear children, my sons David and Noah, and my daughters, Leah and Freda, may they live and grow up in wealth and comfort.

My dearest wife, it is already three weeks since I received your last letter – apparently you have not written and you have not sent any, and that is why they have not arrived. I don’t want to occupy myself by talking too much about it, it is not necessary because I am the first culprit. If I had sent money in time, and the usual letters in time, I would have received an answer.

It is a pleasure to do business and to save a few pounds and to send it home, and so the wife is not cross with me. Secondly, it is a lively world, but unfortunately I cannot demand anything. My wife is cross. My father – may he be well – is also annoyed. My mother-in-law and friends are also. It is neither here nor there. I myself am here without a relative or a friend, for whom can I hope to wait? I hope for nobody except to God alone, and to Him I am sure in the hope that He will help us. With Him it doesn’t take long if he wants to. I have seen many examples of it, how things change, friends can be found, new ones and good ones who will write to wife who will be reminded to write a letter.

A new year is in sight. May God prescribe us a good year, and may there be an end to the old bad year and a beginning of a new and blessed year, in which we will all live happily. In the new week, I hope to send as much money as possible. May God grant us good luck that we should be satisfied, and that we should also be able to satisfy everybody else who is dependent on us. I have no news to write, but I hope that with God’s help things will improve. I will certainly write to you everything in detail. I am in good health. May God grant us a good and happy year, and don’t worry, there is a time for evreything, and when the good times come one forgets all the pain and suffering one has before. And when God will answer our prayers and we will forget our tsoris. Keep well and in good spirits, as is the wish of your ever faithful husband, Tuvye Kretzmar

I greet cordially my dear parents – my sisters and brothers, my mother-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law and all relatives and friends who have asked about me, I wish you all the best of luck and good business. May you live a better and prosperous life as is the wish of your true son, brother, son-in-law, brother-in-law, Tuvye Kretzmar