Cimarron 1872

Episode 62 - “So now to close the last letter, I believe, I shall ever write to you from New Mexico” 24.09.2024 9:17 ↓

Henry is preparing to leave Cimarron, and New Mexico, to return home to his family.

Episode 61 - “I couldn’t get my money yesterday - Morley kept away on purpose” 21.09.2024 9:30 ↓

In another letter to Charlotte, Henry tells of his difficulty in winding up his affairs in New Mexico.

Episode 60 - “Another prisoner escaped from the jail yesterday - no, the day before!” 17.09.2024 10:19 ↓

In this letter to his wife, Charlotte, Henry is counting down the days until he goes home to England.

Episode 59 - “Your mother and the family will leave for England earlier than we had thought” 14.09.2024 2:31 ↓

This is a very brief note to Harold letting him know when to expect his mother and family to arrive in England.

Episode 58 - “Maxwell House is to be turned into offices, and I believe Mr Morley will have Java House” 10.09.2024 8:48 ↓

Henry is preparing Harold for Charlotte and the family's return to England.

Episode 57 - “I have told Mr Collison that I intend to resign” 07.09.2024 5:18 ↓

The die is cast, the family will go home shortly and Henry will follow next year.

Episode 56 - “Mr Collison is expected in tonight” 03.09.2024 6:18 ↓

Henry, (and I), have waited so long for Collison’s arrival, but will he actually show up?

Episode 55 - “There appears to be an impression that the railway will begin directly” 31.08.2024 5:09 ↓

It seems that the long awaited Mr Collison may arrive in a week! The last letter had no signature, and this one has no salutation so this may be the end of the previous letter.

Episode 54 - “We have had the east wind for about a week” 24.08.2024 5:58 ↓

Yet more of the English are leaving Cimarron and going home.

Episode 53 - “It is expected there will be a ‘big fight” 17.08.2024 8:28 ↓

The residents of Cimarron are anticipating a war between the Cheyennes and Comanches on one side and the Utes and Apaches on the other.

Episode 52 - “The sheriff seized this morning all Pritchard’s stock at the corral” 10.08.2024 8:39 ↓

Mr Morley has left to meet Mr Collison, so will Collison finally get to Cimarron?

Episode 51 - “The days are calm and very beautiful” 03.08.2024 8:46 ↓

Henry is still waiting for Collison to arrive, and displays his sense of humour.

Episode 50 - “We are, perhaps, the most economical people in Cimarron” 28.07.2024 8:18 ↓

Henry writes that Mr Collison’s arrival in Cimarron is keenly awaited.

Episode 49 - “I was a mucho bueno hombre Ingles” 20.07.2024 8:05 ↓

This is a very chatty letter to Gilbert who was sent back to England from Cimarron to go to school.

Episode 48 - “I believe there are diamonds in the neighbourhood of Cimarron” 17.07.2024 8:05 ↓

Henry waxes lyrical about the beauty of New Mexico, and laments yet another brewing failure.

Episode 47 - “I don’t think we can complain much of Cimarron” 13.07.2024 9:31 ↓

Henry goes out and about the countryside in wagons.

Episode 46 - “A lighted candle in one hand, and a cocked revolver in the other” 09.07.2024 7:36 ↓

Henry complains about the expense of living in Cimarron, and hunts down strange noises in the night.

Episode 45 - “I haven’t done an hour’s work in the office for a week” 06.07.2024 7:27 ↓

This letter is mainly concerned with family and business in England.

Episode 44 - “I should think there were about 2,000 flashes an hour” 02.07.2024 7:28 ↓

This letter has yet more of one of Henry’s favourite topics - the weather.

Episode 43 - “I wish I had known there would have been no schools here” 29.06.2024 4:21 ↓

This letter was written later on the same day as the previous episode after Henry has thought some more about Gilbert’s future.

Episode 42 - “There was a saloon opened at the back of our house on Saturday” 25.06.2024 3:13 ↓

This is a very special episode because I am in Cimarron, not just that but I am in the house where Henry and his family lived and where he wrote many of these letters. This letter dated the 5th February 1872 that I missed reading earlier in the series because I mis-read the date. So I am sitting in what Henry called Java House but which is now known as the Grand National B & B, I have Henry’s...

Episode 41 - “The ground sticks to you like newly toasted cheese” 23.06.2024 8:37 ↓

And we’re back after our short break, a break that, for me, was very exciting. Over the last couple of weeks I have been to Cimarron in New Mexico, with my younger daughter, to visit many of the places that Henry mentions in his letters. We stayed in the actual house that Henry and his family lived in and where many of the letters were written. I also recorded an episode of the podcast in the hous...

Episode 40 - “All our best beer has leaked out of the cask” 04.06.2024 5:16 ↓

This is, for Henry, quite a short letter tidying up some of his affairs.

Episode 39 - “A large proportion of the few residents of Cimarron will leave next week” 01.06.2024 9:10 ↓

Written over the course of 3 days this letter describes some of the rifts in Cimarron society.

Episode 38 - “Mr Morley fastened a large rope around his chest and the other to the telegraph pole” 28.05.2024 6:32 ↓

This letter was written on the same day as the previous episode, and the first half is written by Henry’s wife Charlotte and the remainder by Henry.