Diary kept by George Pearson on a voyage from London to Auckland on the Lady Jocelyn, and on the return voyage from Sydney to London on the Chimborazo, 22 September 1880 – 7 January 1881, and 11 June – 31 July 1881

 
Component identifier:
File 1
Content Summary:

This exceptionally detailed diary begins in Bristol with Pearson's departure from his home and family, his journey to London, and his impressions of the sailing ship Lady Jocelyn (captain: George Jenkins). He includes a list of the clothes, utensils and books that he took aboard. The diary refers to the departure from London (27 September 1880), fellow-passengers, Pearson's sea-sickness, chores, shipboard entertainment such as concerts, plays, music and dances, church services, sunrises and sunsets, meals, the quantity of provisions given to each passenger, sightings of dolphins, albatrosses and other sea birds, the slow progress of the ship in the Doldrums, crossing the Equator ceremonies, the sightings of other ships, the first sighting of the Southern Cross, climbing the riggings, Christmas celebrations, rough seas in the Southern Ocean, the first sighting of New Zealand (31 December 1880), landing at Tauranga, encounters with Maoris, disembarkation at Auckland (7 January 1881) and the search for lodgings. At the end, Pearson gives details of the ship, her crew and the passengers and a summary of the voyage, showing their daily position, the distance covered, and remarks.

The second part of the diary begins with the embarkation on the steamship Chimborazo at Sydney (11 June 1881), brief visits to Melbourne and Adelaide, reading, church services, the deaths of passengers, Pearson's work in the galley, sighting of the Arabian coastline, the Suez Canal, impressions of Port Said and Naples, and the arrival at Plymouth (29 July 1881). The diary ends when the ship was at the Downs, near the entrance to the River Thames. Pearson again gives details of the ship and the crew and a summary of the voyage.

The writing is faint, but generally legible.

(430pp)

Processing information:
M979

Online content

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Parent Restrictions:
Available for access.
Parent Terms of Access:
Many of the records digitised as part of the AJCP are still in copyright. Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the owner of the original material.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
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