Beale, an Irish Quaker, emigrated to Australia with two of his sons during the great potato famine . He wrote these letters to his wife, who stayed in Ireland until their reunion.

This is a warm, human story of courage in adversity, faith, sadness, and a quiet success up to Joseph's untimely death and the admirable Margaret's struggle alone. Moreover, Joseph's shrewd observations reflect life in Ireland as well as in the colonies, with annotated side-lights on such diverse things as prices of goods and services, the goldfields, medical practice, business, social and economic conditions and the growing community of Quakers. Facsimile on end papers.
Bibliography: p.123-125.