Family History 4.06

Robinson story

Joshua Robinson's diary

 

 

Why I came to Emigrate - continued

A London street fight 1818

 



As I heard and read I thought how I would like to begin life under such circumstances, but the way was not yet open to me to plan or purpose such a life, and other circumstances prevented me from coming to any conclusion.

 

My surroundings did not favour that direction. As a working man I was free from any pressing care, pretty good general health, a circle of friends and associates superior to the general run of British workmen.

 

Here let me say in my young days there were very few Mechanic Institutions and societies of that kind that now abound. A youth in my day, the greater part of his time, was under the influence of men whose morals and example as a rule was very low indeed.

 

I had from my boyhood been connected with Sunday Schools and that with other Church work occupied my spare time and thoughts, and so preserved me from falling into gross sins and follies.

 

The devotion to amusements was not so prevalent as is now in this country. I am not disposed to condemn all entertainments, especially if they afford healthy exercise, and in the daytime, but in my early manhood, long hours of work and very few holidays rendered out of door exercise a rare thing.

 

The principal amusement in my day was theatre-going, not always helpful to good morals or religious thought. Happily I never was more than twice in a theatre in my life.

 

A circumstance about this time caused me to set aside the desire to emigrate. I was thinking about taking a wife. The young person to whom I was engaged was altogether opposed to leaving friends and the country of her birth, so it was not likely I would entertain a project that would interfere, delay or peril the hopes my heart was set upon. So I set aside the subject of emigration till a more convenient season.

 

I was now nearing my twenty-second year and so on the 20th August 1832 Elizabeth Jones and Joshua Robinson became man and wife and on the authority of Him who cannot lie they two became one. My wife was a woman of some spirit, a descendant of the Ancient Briton, a true woman ready to enter upon all the duties and responsibilities of the married state, a real helpmete, just the wife I needed, and as a good wife is from the Lord, I thankfully accepted the gift, and by lifelong experience proved the truth of the giver.

 

I believe in more senses than one she was my Salvation, for that purpose God gave her to me. The first two or three years of our married life was uneventful to anyone but ourselves, saving my wife presented me with a dear little daughter. The next six or seven years was marked by some changes as to both place and circumstances, but not in the character of our associations.

A street in old Manchester

 

Some time after the birth of our first child, my wife having a longing desire to see her parents from whom she had been separated for several years, who had removed from Wales to the town of Manchester. I could not accompany her then, but ultimately led me to that city, where we resided for three years.