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Australia / Re: Ship: Donald McKay 1867
« on: Monday 31 October 11 23:40 GMT (UK) »
The following is an part of an account by an ancestor of mine, Richard Hughes of Beaumaris, Anglesea, Wales. He served as an able seaman on the outward voyage of the Donald Mackay to Melbourne in 1867. He wrote this account in about 1930.
Donald Mackay, Captain Richards, departed Liverpool, 23rd August 1867. 2004 tons
Donald Mackay, Captain Richards, arrived Williamstown on Tuesday, 19th November, 1867
Immigrant Ship to Melbourne
In the summer of 1867 I left the Alfred Dock, Birkenhead in the sailing ship Donald Mackay of the Black Ball Line . We had on board 600 emigrants and a crew of fifty A.B.s and four O.S.s, cooks and stewards, carpenter and joiner. The officers were Captain Richards, 1st Mate Jenkins, 2nd Morris, 3rd Pearce, Boatswain W. Jones (nickname 'Black Ball Bill') and Purser W. Williams.
We left the Mersey on a fine Sunday about 6 a.m. in tow of the tug Brother Jonathan (I think one of the noted tugs of them days) who towed us as far as Tuscar. The Donald was then the largest sailing ship out of Liverpool (2,006 tons) and heavily rigged; plenty of 'shanting' on all the topsail haulers etc. Pumping ship night and morn, along with good singing, the passengers being delighted with the sailors' shanties.
We had a nice passage and all went well. We arrived at Williamstown, near Melbourne, in 84 days . Parting with the passengers was like a 'family parting' for there were 250 single young women on board and each of us old salts had a sweetheart among them. We were very sorry for the voyage to end.
The next day we went alongside the wharf and that night thirty of us took French leave. We tramped to Melbourne, had a parting glass together, and separated, going in twos and threes in different directions.
We left Melbourne at midnight and walked past a big prison called, as well as I can remember, 'Pentrage' ; it being the place where Ned Kelly the bushranger was executed. Then we rested a little off the road for the weather was very warm.
When we had walked 160 miles from Melbourne we got into a good farming country and met an old farmer who employed us at fifteen shillings a week for a start, but when we got used to farm work he said he would give us more.
I forgot to say at the beginning that when we left Melbourne the Galatea with the Duke of Edinburgh on board was due there the next day . The roads were crowded with people on their way to Melbourne to see the grand frigate and the Sailor Prince. The people made a lot of him. He went to Hobart Town and then to Sydney. One day he went on a pleasure boat to Manley Beach and as he was walking up the beach a man named O'Farrell fired two shots from a pistol into the Duke's back. The Fenian was soon caught and was taken back to Sydney on the same boat as the Duke.
It was on March 12th, 1868 that O'Farrell, at a place named Clontarf, near Sydney, fired at and wounded the Duke of Edinburgh. A great fete and picnic had been organised there. O'Farrell was tried, found guilty, and executed on April 21st, 1868. He said he had nothing against the Duke but that he was 'one of a band of Fenians who had by drawing lots been told off to kill him'.
Donald Mackay, Captain Richards, departed Liverpool, 23rd August 1867. 2004 tons
Donald Mackay, Captain Richards, arrived Williamstown on Tuesday, 19th November, 1867
Immigrant Ship to Melbourne
In the summer of 1867 I left the Alfred Dock, Birkenhead in the sailing ship Donald Mackay of the Black Ball Line . We had on board 600 emigrants and a crew of fifty A.B.s and four O.S.s, cooks and stewards, carpenter and joiner. The officers were Captain Richards, 1st Mate Jenkins, 2nd Morris, 3rd Pearce, Boatswain W. Jones (nickname 'Black Ball Bill') and Purser W. Williams.
We left the Mersey on a fine Sunday about 6 a.m. in tow of the tug Brother Jonathan (I think one of the noted tugs of them days) who towed us as far as Tuscar. The Donald was then the largest sailing ship out of Liverpool (2,006 tons) and heavily rigged; plenty of 'shanting' on all the topsail haulers etc. Pumping ship night and morn, along with good singing, the passengers being delighted with the sailors' shanties.
We had a nice passage and all went well. We arrived at Williamstown, near Melbourne, in 84 days . Parting with the passengers was like a 'family parting' for there were 250 single young women on board and each of us old salts had a sweetheart among them. We were very sorry for the voyage to end.
The next day we went alongside the wharf and that night thirty of us took French leave. We tramped to Melbourne, had a parting glass together, and separated, going in twos and threes in different directions.
We left Melbourne at midnight and walked past a big prison called, as well as I can remember, 'Pentrage' ; it being the place where Ned Kelly the bushranger was executed. Then we rested a little off the road for the weather was very warm.
When we had walked 160 miles from Melbourne we got into a good farming country and met an old farmer who employed us at fifteen shillings a week for a start, but when we got used to farm work he said he would give us more.
I forgot to say at the beginning that when we left Melbourne the Galatea with the Duke of Edinburgh on board was due there the next day . The roads were crowded with people on their way to Melbourne to see the grand frigate and the Sailor Prince. The people made a lot of him. He went to Hobart Town and then to Sydney. One day he went on a pleasure boat to Manley Beach and as he was walking up the beach a man named O'Farrell fired two shots from a pistol into the Duke's back. The Fenian was soon caught and was taken back to Sydney on the same boat as the Duke.
It was on March 12th, 1868 that O'Farrell, at a place named Clontarf, near Sydney, fired at and wounded the Duke of Edinburgh. A great fete and picnic had been organised there. O'Farrell was tried, found guilty, and executed on April 21st, 1868. He said he had nothing against the Duke but that he was 'one of a band of Fenians who had by drawing lots been told off to kill him'.