Ian, our ‘Butterfield Volunteer’ has been continuing his work transcribing correspondence and documents once belonging to the family. He came across a fascinating set of travel diaries, which we both thought would be a perfect story to share during Women’s History month. What better than to let the story be told mostly in her own words?
Warning We would like to make you aware that there a number of references to the deaths of children in the entries Mrs Smith wrote.
Ian writes:
(Although this book has the inked stamp of H.I. Butterfield Cliffe Castle it also has the name of Mrs Smith with the date of 1848 on the front free end paper)
Mrs Smith is by birth a Holt who were relatives of the Butterfields and there are letters in the Cliffe Castle Archive from a number of them, including the Frank who is referred to in the 2nd section of the travel diary. Mrs Smith copied the birthdates of her brothers and sisters into the rear of the notebook and they were contemporaries. The family home was Prospect House, Keighley.
Pt 1 -the voyage to Calcutta
On the 16th of April 1842 I sailed from Gravesend and landed at Calcutta East India on the 11th of September in the same year after undergoing all the hardships attending a long sea voyage; with crazy vessel, an inexperienced commander1* , rotten water and a scarcity of provisions.
Perhaps happily for myself I was ill all the voyage, and only remember the outlines of our sufferings- such as the mutiny of our sailors about 500 miles from Rio De Janeiro in South America, which place they were obliged to make in order to get their sailors to work the ship – being fastened down with closely battened hatches2 for 26 hrs in the Bay of Biscay & kept in torturing suspense low worse than death all the time.
I never shall forget the time! The dreadful creaking of the old ship which laboured hard with the powerful elements, the frequent heavy shipments of water3 which appeared to sink us into the abyss below. The hoarse voice of the cowardly captain giving fearful orders through his speaking trumpet, the united screams and prayers of the poor women and children.
The useless lamentations of a few of the men, was enough to strike terror into any heart, that part of my philosophy “make the best of the bad” was severely tested. Thus I had a bright example of Christian fortitude and manly courage at my elbow in the loved form of my lord and master Smith who lost to every feeling of self tried to instill comfort and courage into me and all around him in such a state as continued about 9 hours , when every breath was suppressed by a dreadful shipment of water which shook every one of our timbers , an awful crash (crash repeated) on deck as our bulwarks4 crashed in and our longboat gave way, a half suppressed scream on deck , a frantic one in the steerage and down , down we went – each clung to the other instinctively? poor Smith flung his arms around me exclaiming “do not be alarmed love” and immediately after added “Heaven thus will receive us together” all was again silent and these few sounds seemed an eternity , however another bang and up we were sent as if the sea refused to receive us and was sending seas us up to hold communion with the Heavens but now all guidance of the ship was lost .
The mizzen yard arm5 broke, the bulwarks washed in , the baggage broke loose and all had to conceal themselves as “well they could “ from the fury of the storm till day light appeared ; A sad scene it presented to us , all was dark, dismal and cheerless ,the ship looked like a skeleton , however with daylight the storm abated a little and in a few days with the assistance of all hands this wreck was repaired tho(ugh) by no means fit for sea.
We encountered very heavy weather in the Cape seas but in due time reached the Madras coast, here we got on some rocks off Musulipatam and were with some difficulty extricated.
Our next mishap was in the sandbanks near the mouth of the River Hoogley. The unfortunate dunce of a captain saw us right into them and here we stuck for 3 days with as little hope as in the Bay of Biscay and much less to reconcile us with death. The sun shone with all its Eastern splendour, the beautiful blue sea was like a mirror.
The ship was steady as the earth, for we were quite hemmed? in the sand – but these contrasted strongly with the woe worn looks of those on board, for all mourned as those “without hope” as the least squall would have mixed us with the sands below as it had done many finer vessels than ours. A twelve pounder which fired every 5 minutes sounded like death knells, scarcity of provisions with rotten water & other equally unpleasant circumstances made our situation, to say the least of it , far from enviable, however we were again ( we were deleted) under our heavenly Father released by our own brave commander who in spite of the captains wishes had the anchors taken up, the sails spread and bore us gallantly through the danger.
The day following this we spoke a vessel bound for Liverpool and (they) told us that a report was spread and generally believed that our vessel “the Royal Consort” was lost in the sands., that the pilot had been out several days seeking us but had again got to Calcutta , four days from this we were once more on Terra Firma embracing our friends who had mourned us as lost. And never had beings more reason to be truly grateful than those who reached Calcutta in the “Royal Consort”
Fort William
Calcutta
East India
Nov 1842
(Remainder of page blank)
On the 19th January 1843 at the urgent request of one whose every wish ought to be law with me for his constant kindness and attention besides being by law my lord and master I agreed to return to England with Miss Wrothesley for the sum of 400 rupees or £40.
On Sunday 21st I bid adieu to my much beloved Smith about 4 o’clock pm, I have at least made one great sacrifice against his mercy (ie Gods) , it is indeed a severe trial thus to leave him but I must again try to make “the best of the bad “ .
God speed the 4 or perhaps 5 long months which has to pass before I see him again – the same night about 9 o’clock I went aboard the “Maidstone” bidding a melancholy adieu to my many and justly loved friends on the beach and accompanied on board by my well tried friends Mrs Berman , Serg(ean)ts Cummerford, (&) O’Donnell and Mrs Mc Lewey , Mrs Berman and Mrs Mc Lewey left me directly but Cummerford & O’ Donnell remained until about 2 o’clock in the morning .This time we spent on deck, pacing ? to and fro, talking pf past times, anticipating the future and enjoying such a night as my own dear native land , with all its beauties cannot boast of.
On Monday the 22nd we weighed anchor at 4am and sailed down the River Hoogley. The weather beautiful, the land? most splendid and the wind favourable and nought is wanted to complete my happiness but my own dear Smith, alas human happiness is seldom complete.
25th At 3 o’clock pm the steamer and pilot left us. Sent 2 letters by them. One for my own good Smith and another for my kind friend Mrs Mc Lewey.
4th Feb put in at Masulipatam for the purpose of getting passengers but was disappointed.
6th Left Masulipatam
7th Feb Put into Madras, it lay quite level with the sea & looks very beautiful.
Tomorrow I hope to visit it and have a nearer view.
10th Left Madras about 5 o’clock in the evening. Quite disappointed at not having had an opportunity of going ashore. Send off letters, one to my own dear Father, 1 to my mother in law , 1 to Mrs Wrothsley,1 to Mrs Lewey , 1 to Sergeant O’Donnel and one to my own dear Smith .I wish I were going with it!
13th Now beginning to feel ourselves at sea, in good earnest beginning to feel sea sick. Miss W been suffering for some days.
16th Feb. My sea sickness is now over but still feel quite weak and feverish, crossed the line about 3 o’clock pm. This is the third time I have crossed it: once more, 2 I have done (previously), dreadfully hot and great preparations making on deck (ready ) for squally weather.
18th Since the 16th continues squally and (Blank) Now the old saying “after a storm comes a calm “ is about to be verified but the calm in our case happens to be the worse of the two. Thermometer 88 in the shade.
1st March. Thank heaven! A breeze is stirring. Almost a dead calm since the 15th ult(imo) Thermometer from 86 to 92 degrees in the shade Miss Wrothsley and myself both nearly suffocated with the heat and my spirits at a very low ebb. Hopefully (they) will rise with the wind. Oh I wish I had rebelled & remained with my own good Smith however I must only bear up until we meet again.
9th Passed a fearfully stormy night. Many of our passengers up all night visiting each other’s cabins seeking consolation in their efforts to give it. Had our mizzen yard arm broken & mizzen mast slightly injured about 8am. Quite a grand rush! from the midshipmens’ cabin at the time which together with the great noise and our breakfast things dancing off of the table quite alarmed me.
10th A little calmer and all hands on deck to replace the yard arms, feel the truth of the old saying “It’s an ill wind that blows— nobody good” the past winds have at least roused me to some activity of mind as well as body! For our poor frames have been tossed about not a little!
19th March Was reminded of the date by Mrs B– who came early this morning to my cabin for a glass of brandy to drink to St Patrick, poor woman she seemed “all in her glory” on the occasion but the circumstance has cast an additional gloom over my spirt. Last Patrick’s day my poor little Johnny was on the eve of his departure to another and a better world.
Poor dear Smith was then struggling to subdue his parental feeling in order that mine might suffer the less. This day was seen a dead body floating by our ship, somebody’s poor child. May his soul be with God–.
19th March Torn but how reluctantly all my old letters, they were quite precious relics but I do not wish they should be handled in the Customs House at home. Dear Smith in some of them, he promised much but not more than has been well performed.
22nd Did not summon courage till today to throw overboard my torn letters, they are now gone “so will all earthly things pass away”—
26th Weather fine, now close to land which looks most beautiful, expect to make Table Bay to night or early in the morning.
27th Cast anchor at 3 am. Much pleased with the appearance of Cape Town, though it does seem rather lost below the high mountain land but at present I feel more interested about a vessel lying at anchor which brings invalids from Calcutta, it must have left since we did and I am all anxiety, does it bring my own good Smith or any tidings from him?
28th March Blessed day, joyful tidings. Received a letter from Smith brought by one of our invalids who goes home in the “Earl of Hardwick”, feel almost happy and will really try to be resigned and grateful.
29th March went aboard the “Earl of Hardwick” to see Whittle who brought me the 10,000 times welcome letter. Gave me excellent accounts of dear Smiths welfare. Saw Mrs Whittle and Mrs Wright ashore who are staying at the Phoenix Hotel, spent a short time with them very pleasantly & returned on board half past 5 o’clock.
1 st April /April Fool’s Day by the bye. Came on board Sir George6 and Lady Napier with their suite at 3 pm. A salute of 17 guns was fired from one ship and a similar one from the fort opposite – a great number of persons accompanied them (10 inserted below), boats with flags and music, it was indeed a beautiful sight and created a fresh bustle aboard. Weighed anchor about 4 pm, passed close to Robin (Robben) Island about 6 from whence a salute was fired for Sir George.
11 th Anchored off St Helena, had a splendid run over from Table Bay. Quite disappointed with the appearance of St Helena, it looks somewhat like an old gloomy castle rising out of the sea, with guns staring out at every corner. Poor Napoleon! it seems a fitting place to confine such an ambitious spirit. Have got a piece of willow from his grave, put in a bottle of water by which means I hope to keep it alive till I reach England. Wrote 2 letters, one of my dear Smith and one to Mrs Wrothesley.
12th Sailed from St Helena about 5pm wind and weather most beautiful.
16th This day I have seen and worn the dress, worn by Mrs Sturt, Sir Robert Sales7 daughter during her imprisonment at Cabul, also the one she wore when rescued from imprisonment, was presented with 5 handsome stones , for broaches by Mrs Brewer (Sir Robert Sales eldest daughter )
lithograph, mid 19th century NPG D42115 © National Portrait Gallery, London
18 th April -passed by the Island of “Ascension”, it looks very barren and thinly populated.
19th Heavy rain and fearfully hot. Thermometer 90 degrees in the shade .
23rd Just on the eve of being smothered crossed the line about 3 am.
26th Wind stirring, been becalmed8 since the 23rd.
31th Been sea sick for these last 3 days, still feel very feverish and low spirited, wish I was at home with poor Smith.
5th May Quite calm, the sea covered almost as far as we can see, with most beautiful sea weed9* , have got some just in a glass jar which I intend to take home. The weed comes, I am told from the Gulf of Florida.
18th May Becalmed since the 5th inst. I am dead sick! and really begin to think I shall never see home and dear Smith again.
22nd May Great excitement probably the consequence of the loss of the steward supposed to have fallen overboard, being last seen in the forecastle10.
He was a very worthy persevering young man and all on board seems to feel deeply the melancholy loss. Wind quite ahead.
23rd Wonderful to state, after all our searching yesterday the steward was onboard. We were all surprised indeed. Alarmed to see him come out of one of the store cabins this morning looking quite Haggard and wild, according to his own account he went into the cabin yesterday just before dinner for a case of beer, in leaning forward to search for one a heavy roll of the ship sent him headlong into the cargo so he was quite covered with cargo and senseless when the grand search was made yesterday, thank heaven it is so well .Wind still ahead , with a high sea. Feel more than a little inclined to be sea sick again.
29th Wind a little more favourable, some attempts made at “tacking11”
4th June Happy thought. Got our pilot about 3 o’clock pm and what is still better a fair wind, had high contrary winds since the 19th instant.
5th Wind and weather beautiful, sailed by the “Isle of Wight”, dashed right through “the needles”, a very rare thing to do for so large a ship as the “Maidstone” .
Left Sir George Napier, and his suite, our captain and a few other passengers at Southampton .
7th June Got the steamer about 2 am. Saw the invalids disembark off Gravesend from the “Earl of Hardwick”. God bless them and bring my poor dear Smith home in safety. Even the great blessing of home will not yield? me pleasure until he join them but may God give me a grateful heart.
Sailed into dock about 6 pm.
Was visited by Miss Wrothesley’s friends but did not lunch, no light allowed in the ship in consequence of being in dock but determined to enjoy ourselves even in the dark sent ashore for supper and groped to bed about 12 o’clock.
8th A most lovely morning if Smith was here I should I am sure be one of the happiest beings in existence. No fire so no breakfast on board but we sent ashore for one with strict orders that it should be purely English, when it? came for 10 of us sufficient hot rolls, sufficient eggs etc etc for at least 30. They must truly think we have been fasting since we left Calcutta. Came ashore about 11 am with Miss Wrothesley, Major Suwer and Mr Appleton.
Was taken by Mr Appleton to Doctor Williams at Hackney , where I intend to remain with Miss W till the arrival of my own good Smith.
29th June Blessed news. The safe arrival of the “Queen” announced.
30th Went to Gravesend where I went in hopes of meeting my own dear Smith but the “Queen” was not yet arrived, nor expected till tomorrow. I wish tomorrow was here for I feel dreadfully low spirited.
(Added in a smaller hand )
Pembroke House,
Hackney,
Nr London
8th September (Crossed out) another month added above but also obliterated 1844.
Received the fatal, the heart wrenching news of the death of my dearly and justly beloved Smith on the 3rd of July 1844 communicated by Samuel Revill and went to Chatham after his effects on the 5th, returned to London,
On the 7th I started with saddened prospects and martyred? hopes for the home of my childhood.
On the 9th was met by my father at Leeds remaining there for the night and reached home about 2 o’clock pm with my being all left prostrate and every hope and expectation martyred.
Tis said “there is a wise tho(ugh) mysterious arrangement in the whole of Gods Providence which our comparatively feeble discernment cannot discern” let me then try without inquiry and distrust to bow to his decrees and lonely and cheerless as my future path thro(ugh) life seems say” Righteous art thou O Lord and upright thy judgement”
Prospect House
Keighley
15 Nov 1844
Ian notes
Regarding the rapid return. It seems strange that mere months after her arrival in Calcutta Mrs Smith was on her way back to England, possibly Smith had learned whilst in India how dangerous the climate was for Europeans, his own fate and that of the returning invalids on the Earl of Hardwick suggests that this may well have been the case. Although the phrases “dearly and justly loved and well tried friends” suggests that she knew these people previously or perhaps they had travelled out with her and been bonded by adversity.
I have tried to keep the explanation of nautical terms to a minimum but hopefully these will serve to explain what is happening on board ship and the dangers Mrs Smith faced so stoically .
Pt 2 -the voyage to South Africa
“Time must show the result of my daring undertaking”
On Sunday the 12th of December 1847 5 o’clock Pm I left home accompanied by Brother Frank , reached London about 4 o’clock Am Monday 13th remained at “Andersons Hotel” (Query – possibly Andertons) in Fleet St till Wednesday when I bid farewell to my good Brother (not, without strong hopes of seeing him again) and entered on my duties on Board the ship “Scotia” as attendant upon Mrs Bonwich 12 during our voyage out to the Cape of Good Hope .
Thursday 16th Sailed out of dock ran foul of a large vessel in the river. Great confusion and alarm on board. Bulwarks broken in and forecastle damaged, obliged to put into Gravesend for repairs.
Sunday 19th Already begin to regret having left home, dreadfully cold and comfortless , still going on with repairs , how little like the sabbath.
21th Sailed from Gravesend about 1 o’clock Am. Fair wind but excessively cold.
24th Anchored off Plymouth about 3 o’clock Pm.
28th Embarked about 100 Irish emigrants looking very cold and wretched. Frightful confusion on board. If I could with any honour to myself leave Mrs Bonwich I would precious soon be away from this sailing Bedlam and back to my own quiet home again.
29th About 3 o’clock Pm sailed from Plymouth – Now fairly on our way to South Africa I suppose. Feel wretchedly low spirited and wish with all my heart I had not taken the mad step. Wind blowing fiercely and cold as it possibly can be.
1 st Jan 1848 What a wretched opening of the New Year. May Heaven throw a gleam of sunshine around us ! Heavy sea . Great symptoms of distress in the way of sea sickness , myself one of the sufferers , greatest part of the day in bed. In the evening blowing still harder, no doubt a gale before morning , great preparations for one on deck.
2nd, 3rd, 4th January almost all on board dreadfully sea sick and in a most terrific gale , still” laying to” with close reefed13 top sails , hatches fastened down and helm lashed , had our chipstone and compass14 washed off the poop . what other damage I have not yet heard, dreadful howling and screams from the poor women and children below. A rough way to commence the new year most truly. Wind and sea rather abated for the afternoon, in the evening blew harder with a heavy sea all night.
5th Wind still high but more favourable weather more moderate . Dr Bonwich and family together with his medical assistant and myself still nautically speaking on our beam ends .
6th The weather a little better but still boisterous, got up with great difficulty but felt wretchedly sick .Mrs Bonwich in a frightful state of excitement .
7th The wind still high but weather finer. The old ship still rolls and labours very hard but thing(s) begin to look a little more comfortable. Eat a mashed potato. I am in hopes that my share of sea sickness is passing away.
8th Finer weather but still sick. Mrs Bonwich still sick and screaming like a child.
9th Weather still improving but very cold. Divine service performed by the Capt(ain) and Doctor Few hearers in consequence of sea sickness.
10th Sun rose with splendour, a beautiful day . resumed my duties in the Doctors Cabin, found all in a topsy turvey state , Mrs Bonwich still very bad.
11th A child died in the night , death Occasioned by Fright on the 2nd inst(ance) .Below (decks) playing, dancing and singing on deck for the first time since leaving Plymouth.
12th A fresh breeze, funeral service performed at 9 Am. Several other children very ill .The effects of the late storm.
13th Passed Madeira during the night. Our course reported wrong, very nearly run aground , backed in great confusion and were soon out of danger. All on board fast recovering from sea sickness.
14th Beautifully bright morning. Peak of Tenerife seen at a great distance. Splendid night, making about 6 knots.
15th January A warm day , another child died at 11 Am .An appearance of disease on board, supposed to be the small pox, causing great alarm on board, particularly amongst those who possess any personal attractions . Although not in possession of any myself feel rather afraid of the frightful disease.
16th A wet day. Child thrown over board. Funeral service performed by a catholic. A cornett caught the first fish caught.
17th Beautiful throughout the day. Very hot and close below. Making about 5 knots.
18th Nearly calm all day. A petrel seen several times. 2 vessels (sighted) but not signalised.
19th Light breeze. The sky most brilliant at sunset .Splendid moonlight. Now within the Tropics.
20th Splendid weather. Was on deck early and saw a most magnificent sun rise .The sun set and moon rose at the same time, making about 8 knots.
21st A fresh breeze and the Trades winds . Saw flying fish for the first time. Making about 10 knots.
23rd Breeze continues and weather fine. Making 8 knots.
January 23rd. Divine Service at 11 o’clock. weather much warmer. plenty of fish seen. Expect to cross the line in about 4 days.
24th Not so much wind. Plenty of flying fish and nautilus seen. Weather warm and sultry.
25th Hot, sultry weather and no wind, evidently the trades (winds) have left us.
26th Weather still hot and sultry. A barque bore down toward (us) which we signalised, the “Merton” from London. Comes from the Isle of France. Cargo sugar. Latitude 5 degrees, a difference of 3 minutes in the 2 logs.
27th Quite calm, plenty of Dolphins seen. The sea most beautiful at night, literally all on fire, remained at the stern, enjoying the scene until 11o’clock.
28th Still calm. Very hot and sultry only 2 degrees from the line. A shark caught and cooked in the forecastle. H.M. Brig “Ranger” came alongside, lowered a boat and the commander came on board our vessel. “The Ranger” has been out three years and is now on the way to Sierra Leone and from thence to England.
29th Perfect calm , Ann King aged 22 died, has been delirious since the night of the 2nd inst(ance) caused by fright. Some fighting and disturbance on deck in consequence of a child being painted also great difficulty getting hands on deck in consequence of being drunk supposed to have got the grog from the Emigrants. Weather sultry with lightening.
30th Jan’ry Calm still continues . Divine Service at 6 bells given in the forenoon, a light breeze.at 4 Pm. Expect to cross the line tonight if it continues, some sailors with genius trying to catch dolphins but without success.
31st From 4 to 6 bells this morning very heavy rain with thunder and lightening, brought a moderate breeze making about 6 knots. Now close to the line but more than 5 points out of our course.
February 1st still a nice breeze and a beautiful day. Quite refreshing to be on deck but very close in the cabins. All on board in tolerable health, the birth of a boy announced at 9 Pm.
2nd. Nice light breeze, course a little more south , crossed the line about noon. Splendid day with every prospect of the breeze continuing. Some attempts made to harpoon Porpoise but to no success.
3rd Breeze continues & weather fine. Somewhat nearer our course and making between 6 and 7 knots. Some fish caught,
4th Feb Breeze fine and cooler. Making good progress. Several birds seen. One vessel about 10 miles distance at 4 Pm.
5 th Making about 7 knots, expect to meet the South East Trades Lat(itude) 3 degrees 2 minutes South, Long(titude) 22 degrees west.
6th Service as usual . Good breeze and cool on deck.
7th Making about 6 knots. Cool and refreshing on deck. The Magellan Cloud 15 seen lat 6 degrees 21 minutes south.
8th A very hot sultry day but have made upwards of 200 miles from 12 o’clock yesterday to 12 today. A report of land being seen , though breeze at night with rather a heavy sea.(Pg 39) Lat 8 degrees 30 Thermometer 88 in the shade.
9th Rather a rough night , making good progress & course nearly right .Lat 11 degrees 8 “South Thermometer 77.
10th Heavy sea. Spray washing over our decks. Mrs Bonwich frightfully nervous. A vessel in sight , supposed to be a slaver. Lat 14 degrees 3 “.Sun vertical Thermometer still 77 in the shade.
11th The sun rose with great splendour – rather warmer weather. A squall about 11 am Women as usual screaming most piteously. Mrs (Blank) fainting and more favourable about 12 o’clock. A schooner is in sight. A disturbance (Pg 40) between Captain and crew about 10 pm. Lat 16 degrees 5” South.
12th Feb(ruary) A rather heavy squall about 4 pm but fine again at sunrise. The Island of Trinidad seen Lat 18 Degrees 10 “ Course S.S.W. Thermometer 77 in the shade.
14 th Feb Not much variation in breeze but warmer. Thermometer 84 A squall in the afternoon but did not last more than 15 minutes Lat 22 Degrees.
15th Fine day . Shall pass the Tropic of Capricorn today. Prepared for a squall in the afternoon but it passed off with rain. Lat 23 degrees 6 “ Thermometer 84 in the shade.
16 th A squall early in the morning breeze strong at times. Very pleasant on Deck. Vessel seen at 6 pm. Another squall at 11pm with a fresh breeze all night. Lat 24 Degrees 32 minutes Thermometer 80 in the shade.
17th Breeze very fresh making 10 knots heavy sea. Very sea sick all the day. Another child gone? Lat 26 Degrees 46” Thermometer 75 in the shade.
18th Breeze not quite so strong. A squall about 10 pm but soon passed over tho(ough) not without the usual quoutain ? of screams, prayers, prayers, curses etc Lat 29 Degrees 4 2 South. Long 27 West Thermometer 70 (Pg 42)
19th Feb. Beautiful day but making very little progress, sailing rather better towards night. Lat 30 Degrees 36” Thermometer 75.
20th Fine Day. Divine service as usual , very light breeze but the ship beautifully crowded with sail .Lat 30 degrees 11”South .Thermometer 78.
21th Beautifully fine. Course right but unfortunately nearly calm. A child died suddenly at 6Am. Lat 33 Degrees South Long 25 West. Thermometer 76.
22nd Still calm but great underswell. Square yards and all sail set . Some birds seen but no fish. Another child died at 5pm. Lat 33 degrees 16”
23rd Calm still continues , heavy underswell all night .Several albatross seen close to the ship Lat (itude) and Long(titude) much the same, Thermometer 75 in the shade.
24th Calm as yesterday and exceedingly hot. Feel quite tired of calm weather & wretchedly low spirited Lat and Long much the same. Thermometer I don’t know what ; for I’m too lazy to go and see.
25th A light breeze throughout the night , increased during the day .2 vessels in sight. Spoke (to ) one the ” Count Carroll” from Rio De Janeiro to the Cape in? Lat 30 degrees Long 19 degrees 24” difference in logs 4 minutes.
26th Left the ship we spoke (to) last night astern. Fine day and night. Making good distance.
27th A heavy sea . Very squally but not much rain. Making about 10 knots Lat 35. Much cooler.
28th Still a heavy sea , can scarcely keep (on inserted) our feet , everything flying about in glorious confusion .Feel rather sea sick again , increasing sea towards night Lat 36 degrees 6”.
29th So thoroughly disgusted with Mrs Bonwich that I have left her cabin and taken my chance in steerage . Feel wretchedly low spirited and sincerely sorry that I have left home. Heaven in his mercy now direct me . Much calmer today .Many birds seen. Passed the island of Inishain? -SW of the Cape in Lat 37 degrees South. Very high land.
March 1st A barque spoken (to) , the “Sovereign” from Ceylon with letters and despatches for (the) Government . Soon left her behind .Splendid clear day .Carrying all possible sail & making about 10 1/2 knot. Lat 36 degrees 3.
2nd Wind now aft but not so strong. All going pretty well. Was taken ill about 9pm. Was bled & obliged to go into the hospital.
6 th Been confined to my berth since the 2nd inst (with crossed out) the Doctor says with inflammation of the lungs. Got up today but feel far from well. Fine morning and making about 10 knots.
7th Great pain in my chest this morning with some difficulty in breathing. Have not told ? the Doctor for fear of stronger treatment .Went on deck for a little while, great preparation making for port in the shape of painting, repairing rigging &. Some talk of “heaving the cable16” which betokens the near approach to land . Have not heard Lat or Long for some time.
8th Confined to bed in consequence of cold caught yesterday . Feel very poorly and very peculiary?
9th March Feel somewhat better and got up in the afternoon . Spoke (to) the schooner “Rosebud” , (which) left Table Bay on Sunday last , the 5th inst(ant). Fine day but making little progress.
10th Sighted the long looked for land about 4 am. Expected to cast anchor during the day but was disappointed in consequence of the heavy fog .Put out to sea about 6 pm & remained tacking about all night with “all hands” on deck. Great noise and confusion on board . Weather exceedingly damp and foggy.
11th Fine morning but still foggy. Very near land and trying to make the Bay .Cast (Pg 48) anchor precisely at 12 o’clock thus completing a long but on the whole not an unfavourable voyage of 71 days from Plymouth to Table Bay. Cape of Good Hope.
12th Still on board in consequence of today being the sabbath.
13th Went ashore , did not see many improvements .Nothing talked about but “the Great and Good” Sir Harry Smith 17.
14th Engaged with Mrs Jones in preference to others who made perhaps more eligible offers merely because I liked her appearance .I trust I shall like my situation with her, feel rather strange when I think (Pg 49) about filling a situation ! but am determined not to repine yet at least.
15th March Went on board the “Scotia” & left with all my goods and chattels about 4pm with my kind friend Mrs Spence one of the intermediate passengers. Passed the Custom House with very little trouble. No box being searched but one containing five dresses belonging to Mrs Spence. Arrived at my lodgings about 6pm where I propose to remain until Monday (for the deleted) in order to arrange my wardrobe and write home. Feel in wretched low spirits but hope in a short time that they will improve . Time must show the result of my daring undertaking .May God add his blessing.
Mrs Bonwich. This name was particularly difficult to decipher despite Mrs Smiths usually excellent handwriting, the relationship between the two was troubled to say the least.
Addendum-newspaper cutting pasted into reverse end paper of note book
Return of the immigrants introduced into the colony of the Cape of Good Hope , per “Scotia” with a statement of the Expenses incurred on their account –
Number of Immigrants arrived -Adults , married , 43 males, 43 females ; single males 63, females 35, Children between 1 and 14 , males 25, females 23.Children under 1 year, males 4, females 6 – Equal to 208 Statute Adults.
Note there were 3 adults (2 males and 1 female ) landed in addition to the above , in respect of whom the Bounty was disallowed.
Description of Immigrants -9 coachmen and grooms , 2 butlers and footmen, 16 farm labourers , 3 shepherds, 7 gardeners, 9 smiths,14 carpenters ,3 wheelwrights, 10 bricklayers, 1 tilemaker, 2 masons, 20 female house servants, 3 nursery and childrens maids, 2 dressmakers, 20 dairymaids and female farm servants, 18 married women, 58 children (1 to 14) Total 242.
Amount of bounties, gratuities to the Superintendent Surgeon and officers of the ship , and expenses occurred after arrival ;- Bounty money £2,366,gratuities £137 .Expenses at Cape Town £51. 7 (shillings) do.(ditto) at Port Elizabeth £184 10(shillings) .8 )pence). Average expense per Statute Adult £13.3.41/4(3 shillings and fourpence and a farthing.)
Remarks -127 of the above immigrants were provided for at Cape Town, between the 13th and 24th of March 1848 , and the remaining 115 were forwarded by the steamer “Phoenix” to Port Elizabeth(at the expense of the contractors) and landed there on the 19th March , between which date and the 23rd May they were provided for at that port , with the exception of three families , who are yet prevented by illness from obtaining employment.
Signed, John Montague , Sec to the Gov.
Colonial Office , 12th June , 1848
The dry official legalese of the above return is in stark contrast to the humanity of Mrs Smiths narrative and serves to stress the commodification of the immigrants as “cargo” and could have been taken straight from the pages of Charles Dickens satirical novel “Hard Times” which is roughly contemporaneous (1854) initially being published in instalments in “Household Words” .
The Irish emigrants loaded at Plymouth were probably fleeing the Irish Potato Famine of 1845 -1852 .It is reliably estimated that it cost the lives of one million people and that a further million emigrated, reducing the population of Ireland by 20-25%.
Some thoughts on Mrs Smith .
Mrs Smith is a woman of considerable courage-firstly in making the trip at all and particularly in leaving the comparative security of Mrs Bonwich’s cabin in disgust and moving into steerage, where she lost status and probably had to share the privations of the emigrants. It isn’t altogether surprising that she developed her congestion of the lungs in the more crowded and less well ventilated surroundings lower down in the ship, nearer the bilges. She is not afraid to question those in authority- eg our cowardly captain, Dr Bonwich’s medical diagnosis , the heavily ironic reference to Great and Good Sir Harry Smith .She also has intellectual curiosity , about what she sees on board , the various islands and natural features she passes.
I have included in full the digest of the Scotia’s passengers as it would be interesting to know how she is recorded, her position as attendant upon Mrs Bonwich is rather ambiguous – is she one of the intermediate emigrants like Mrs Spence or is she one of the women registered as female house servant , nursery or children’s maids , 2 dress makers , 20 dairy maids and female farm servants , 35 single females in total. It is obvious from her interactions with Mrs Bonwich and later with Mrs Jones in South Africa that Mrs Smith is unused to the role of domestic servant in a “position”. She is obviously well educated and is articulate with an extensive vocabulary. Reflecting that the Bronte sisters went out as governesses with varying degrees of success it is just possible to see her in such a role. She obviously acted as wife and mother during her marriage to Mr Smith but despite her relative youth she appears not to have remarried prior to her “rash” decision to travel to South Africa .Whether the position of attendant to Mrs Bonwich was intended to be longer term is unclear but it was obviously not to her liking and it is to be hoped that her “daring undertaking” resulted in personal happiness and fulfilment.
How did the notebook containing Mrs Holts travel diary end up in H.I’s possession?
Even on a first reading of the notebook a reader is struck by the deeply personal nature of the recollections and thoughts contained within it . On her return journey the thought of the Customs House workers reading her precious letters is sufficient for Mrs Smith to destroy them although it takes a further day before she throws them overboard.
The other aspect which strikes the reader strongly is that Mrs Smith is a deeply and sincerely religious woman which leads me to speculate that the notebook was at some stage in the possession of the equally religious Sarah Anna Butterfield and that on her death in Palermo in 1871 it was passed to H.I. who was with her there. It seems likely that the book was entrusted to her as a keepsake if Mrs Smith predeceased her.
Unlike Sarah Anna H.I. was not a great reader but he made several attempts to set up a library at Cliffe Castle, his son Fred writes of finding a room stacked with books when he inherited the estate in 1910, the books were probably mainly Sarah Anna’s.
The Holt family connections.
Within the Cliffe Castle archive there are letters from Francis (Frank) Born 1826 and Richard Holt Born 1836 and also an undated later one from Florrie Holt regretting that they had not heard from H.I. so they assumed that he would be unable to invite Genevive, Annie and the baby to the castle during his summer vacation there as they were looking forward to it.
The letter from Richard Holt is particularly revealing as he writes to H.I. in January 1884 mentioning that he has a large family and is awaiting advances from the Court of Chancery. He points out that Fred Butterfield had previously advanced him £50 against which he hypothecated 25% of his commission with John Swire London and asking if H.I. could do the same. Fred Butterfield had died in 1883 and his will made annuities to some members of his extended family. Significantly the Swire Company was one in which H.I. had invested substantially and so with less success had Fred. This together with the need for Mrs Smith to return to England as a chaperone in return for £40 and later enter service in South Africa suggests that the Holts were not wealthy.
Mrs Smith had noted down the birthdates of her brothers and sisters in the end of the note book, there are 8 of them born over a 14 year period, of whom 7 survived. The oldest John survived infancy and died in 1841 in his late teens. This and Mrs Holts own vigour in surviving both her pregnancy and sea voyages suggest that they had strong constitutions. Frank was still alive in October 1875 when he wrote that he was travelling in Paris with his wife . It would be very interesting to know what happened to the intrepid Mrs Smith but for now the trail has gone cold and we are left her own record of her travels and travails in the 1840’s. Her candid journals are a worthy contribution to Women’s History Month.
Footnotes
I have tried to keep the explanation of nautical terms to a minimum but hopefully these will serve to explain what is happening on board ship and the dangers Mrs Smith faced so stoically .
- Why does the ship have both a captain and a commander? Commander is the naval rank immediately below captain in the Royal Navy and a courtesy title for the Master in the merchant navy. This individual may well have more experience of operating a particular vessel than the captain. The “Royal Consort” does not sound to have been a royal navy vessel and may well have belonged to the East India Company which had the monopoly of carrying freight to India and Ceylon. ↩︎
- Hatch battens are lengths of timber or metal which fit into brackets on the outside of the hatch covers and can be secured by wooden wedges to hold tarpaulins in place and prevent ingress of sea water in rough weather. ↩︎
- Frequent heavy shipment of water” The decks of a ship are awash when the seas break over the bulwarks onto them and the water washes from side to side. Decks are cambered to allow water to run to the sides where channels (scuppers) lie next to the bulwarks which have openings to allow the water to flow overboard. ↩︎
- A rail of solid plate or wood planking at waist height or higher which effectively raises the freeboard (is the measurement of the part of the ships hull which is out of the water , taken from the water level to the upper deck of a ship) and helps keep water off of the main deck and prevents passengers or crew from falling overboard ↩︎
- The third mast from the bow in a sailing ship, the yard is a wooden spar with tapering ends fitted horizontally across a mast to carry square sails and the yard arm is the two ends of the yard . ↩︎
- Sir George Napier 30.6.1784 – 16.9. 1855. A distinguished soldier who served under Wellington in the Napoleonic War and rose to be Governor and Commander in Chief of the Army of the Cape Colony 1839-1843, hence the salutes. ↩︎
- Sir Robert Sale 19.9.1782 – 21.12.1845 the Major General commanding and defending the garrison of Jalabad under siege conditions during the 1st Afghan War during which his wife Florantia and one of his daughters were captured and held by Akbar Khan in Kabul . A relieving force was sent to rescue them but they were rescued by Sir Robert himself leading an attack on Khan’s lines. He had 3 sons and 7 daughters and was killed in action during the 1st Sikh war. Lady Sales died in 1845 also. ↩︎
- no wind and therefore the ship is unable to move. ↩︎
- Gulf weed. Found in the Sargasso Sea, an area of the North Atlantic where the surface is covered by the weed. The weed has brown leaves and small berries on it and was collected and hermetically sealed in bottles by apprentices. ↩︎
- Forecastle Structure in the bow of a ship where historically ratings or sailors lived , hence the phrase “before the mast”. ↩︎
- Changing the direction or course of a ship by turning her head into the wind and continuing her swing until the wind comes from the same number of points on the other bow. A square rigged sailing ship can’t sail against the prevailing wind direction but can make some slight headway by following a zig zag course through tacking, but it is very labour intensive. ↩︎
- This name was particularly difficult to decipher despite Mrs Smiths usually excellent handwriting, the relationship between the two was troubled to say the least. ↩︎
- Reefing is reducing the area of a sail by rolling up a portion of it and securing it with reef points ie ropes sewed into the sail. The sail is set in a smaller size and is more suitable for gale force winds as the ship will move less and the reduced sails are less likely to be blown away. .The sails mostly reefed in the last period of square – rigged ships were the upper topsails and the foresail. ↩︎
- Chip stone, this word is unclear but may well be a devise for measuring the speed of the vessel through use of a length of knotted rope -the chip log. The compass would have been kept in a lighted brass container, the binnacle, for the use of the helmsman steering the vessel who was positioned towards the stern of the ship. It rather sounds as if something called “pooping” has taken place where a wave has swept onto the ship from the stern in heavy seas and it has washed over the helmsman and carried away the compass and other instruments. Holding onto the ships wheel may have prevented the helmsman from following them ↩︎
- They are not clouds but purply pink constellations which would have been visible through a telescope in the southern hemisphere. Named after their supposed discoverer. ↩︎
- a length of rope usually ending in a lead weight with a depression in the base with fat in it to trap elements of the ocean floor to establish if it was sandy or not which would suggest that land is near ↩︎
- Sir Henry George Wakelyn Smith 28.6.1787 – 12.10.1860. Veteran of the Napoleonic War and the colonial wars in India and Africa during which he served latterly as Governor of the Province of Queen Adelade before his recall to India in 1840, He returned as Governor of the Cape Colony and High Commissioner 1847-1853 . His wife Juana gave her name to Ladysmith. ↩︎
