A Girl's Diary
Young Lucy Howard wrote a diary when she sailed aboard the Charlotte Jane.
Through her words, including her spelling and grammar, we get a sense of her age, the kind of person she was, and that she was a ‘colonist’. As a girl from the upper classes she would have been privileged to receive an education teaching her to read and write.
Keeping a diary helped many ‘colonists’ to keep busy during their long sea voyage. Her diary helps make the journey real for us.
I was frightened…
“Wedd 9th …when I did get there I found that our cabins were flowing with water I was dredfully freighten but as I was wetted with salt warter I did not take cold I would advise any one going on the line not to come up from below on any account after dinner.”
Dances…
“Wedd 16th The emirgants had a dance…”
“Frid 1st Nov…The two Miss Bishops Miss Mountfrit myselfe where x2 the only ladies on the poop…"
…and death.
Through her words, including her spelling and grammar, we get a sense of her age, the kind of person she was, and that she was a ‘colonist’. As a girl from the upper classes she would have been privileged to receive an education teaching her to read and write.
Keeping a diary helped many ‘colonists’ to keep busy during their long sea voyage. Her diary helps make the journey real for us.
I was frightened…
“Wedd 9th …when I did get there I found that our cabins were flowing with water I was dredfully freighten but as I was wetted with salt warter I did not take cold I would advise any one going on the line not to come up from below on any account after dinner.”
Dances…
“Wedd 16th The emirgants had a dance…”
“Frid 1st Nov…The two Miss Bishops Miss Mountfrit myselfe where x2 the only ladies on the poop…"
…and death.
We learn about the sad times on board the ship, including the death of a child – not the first that she had noted in her diary. Burial at sea was an inevitable fact of life on emigrant ships.
“Friday 18th
A little baby died last night and was burried today it was a poor little object.”
Storms!
Lucy helps us to imagine what it felt like to heave-to-and-fro during bad stormy weather.
“Saturday 19th It is not so warm now”
“Sunday 20th. It is very windy we are expecting some bad Wheather for they are preparing for it we have had as yet a splendid voyage”
“Friday 18th
A little baby died last night and was burried today it was a poor little object.”
Storms!
Lucy helps us to imagine what it felt like to heave-to-and-fro during bad stormy weather.
“Saturday 19th It is not so warm now”
“Sunday 20th. It is very windy we are expecting some bad Wheather for they are preparing for it we have had as yet a splendid voyage”
Monday 21st. Had a heavey gust of wind early this morning that nearly tok our top mast away I awoake out of a sleep by a great noise and found that it was the men singing while pooling the ropes I soon went to sleep one of Mr Wards women ran into his cabin & said that she believed we were all going to the bottom and that the ship was going overboard she was an Irishwoman. 4 Dogs born.”
“Tuesday 22 It is beginning to get very cold now we are very glad to have a walk up & down the deck not much work don by the ladies on the poop…”
“Saturday 26th Very rough down all day did not go up al day had some salt water gravy for dinner a wave came down the middle Hatchway while at dinner”
Source: Diary of Lucy Howard on board the Charlotte Jane to Lyttelton,
15 September 1850 – 9 January 1851, by Lucy Howard
Canterbury Museum Documentary Research Centre
See also >>
Our Journey | What would you take? | Rich and poor | Are you hungry? |Cockroaches & seasickness | From deck to cabin | A girl’s diary
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Haere Mai, Welcome / Solving History’s Mysteries / Will you join us? / Our Journey / Our New Land / Resources / About this site / Links / Sitemap
“Tuesday 22 It is beginning to get very cold now we are very glad to have a walk up & down the deck not much work don by the ladies on the poop…”
“Saturday 26th Very rough down all day did not go up al day had some salt water gravy for dinner a wave came down the middle Hatchway while at dinner”
Source: Diary of Lucy Howard on board the Charlotte Jane to Lyttelton,
15 September 1850 – 9 January 1851, by Lucy Howard
Canterbury Museum Documentary Research Centre
See also >>
Our Journey | What would you take? | Rich and poor | Are you hungry? |Cockroaches & seasickness | From deck to cabin | A girl’s diary
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Haere Mai, Welcome / Solving History’s Mysteries / Will you join us? / Our Journey / Our New Land / Resources / About this site / Links / Sitemap