The Times Australia
The Times World News

.
Times Media

.

reading the 19th century diaries of girls migrating to Australia

  • Written by Catherine Gay, PhD Candidate in History, The University of Melbourne
reading the 19th century diaries of girls migrating to Australia

In the digital age our lives are constantly being recorded. Yet, the deliberate act of recording – what we want to remember and how we want to remember – remains popular. Diaries allow us to journal our thoughts and feelings, to work through the challenges we face every day.

This practice is older than you may think. As I write in my recent journal article[1], some British and Irish girls and young women who migrated to Australia in the mid-1800s used diaries to record their day-to-day lives, document their travel experiences and navigate their emotions.

In the 19th century, around 1.5 million people[2] migrated to Australia, including large numbers of girls[3] who were defined as under the age of 15, and young women in their late teens and early 20s.

Unless she was married, a girl had little other option than to accompany her family to the colonies.

Though few diaries from this demographic survive (I examine only 13 extant sources of about 850 known to survive), they divulge the intricate emotions of migration.

Today, a 24-hour flight from Britain to Australia feels like an eternity, but in the 19th century it took around three months to sail to the continent. Removed from the demands of everyday life, passengers had a lot of time on their hands. Some wrote journals to while away the long days.

An emigrant’s thoughts of home, 1859, Marshall Claxton. National Gallery of Victoria

Read more: Young women's memoirs of migration, dispossession and Australian 'unbelonging' demand to be heard[4]

A difficult experience

Migration could be a difficult experience. Passengers endured months at sea in cramped conditions, often fearing for their safety and health, missed those left behind and worried about their futures in a new land.

It is such thoughts and emotions that can be found in surviving migrant girls’ diaries.

Aboard the Great Victoria in 1864, 22-year-old Isabella Adcock[5] had to share cramped cabins with strangers and complained about it in her journal. She had “feelings repugnance to the sleeping accommodations and indeed almost everything in the ship”.

A cabin on board the barque Mary Harrison and ashore in Australia, 1852-54, sketched by T. Warre Harriott. State Library of New South Wales

Diaries were sometimes a mechanism to cope with boredom and frustration. Jane Swan[6], 13, was impatient to reach Australia in 1853. She was sick of the “very long voyage” and felt “to see the same things, and the same faces, becomes very tiresome”.

Working-class girls were subject to strict conditions. On her voyage to Brisbane in 1863, 14-year-old Welsh girl Maria Steley[7] noted in her diary the “young women are put Down every night at six O clock” and “are not Allowed to speak to the young men”.

Diary of Maria Steley. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland

As a working-class teenager, Maria was separated from her family and housed with the single women. Wealthier girls would stay with their families in private cabins.

Among such shared conditions, girls could also make friends. Maria wrote she and her new pals “have many bits of fun more than i thought we would” by “singing and Dancing and playing eney thing we like untill 10 O clock then we go to bed we Play four howrs after we are Loch Down”.

But shipboard travel generated loneliness for many girls. Working-class Scottish woman Mary Maclean[8], who was 22 when she voyaged to Sydney in 1865, experienced homesickness, often “Sheding a tear and often Wonder if thay miss one at Home”.

Joy and sadness

Girls also used diaries to record their fears. Illness[9] could tear through the close confines of a ship.

Sarah Raws[10], 15 when she sailed to Melbourne in 1854, was preoccupied with the proximity of death, including that of two infant boys and the “very sudden” death of a lady in Sarah’s own cabin.

Emily Braine[11], ten years old when she embarked in 1854, was “frightened” by large waves and rough seas. The risk of shipwreck was low[12], but the possibility played on Emily’s mind.

Towards the end of their journey, some girls were excited to disembark. Sarah Raws rejoiced “"when we first saw land” from the ship’s deck. But others experienced a resurgence of homesickness and doubt.

Ally Heathcote’s diary from aboard the, s.s. Northumberland, 1874. Museums Victoria, CC BY[13]

Nearing Melbourne in 1874, 19-year-old Ally Heathcote[14] had feelings “of a mingled character, joy and sadness”. She felt torn between her old life in England and her new life in Victoria.

Ally’s writings helped her deal with these “mingled” feelings. Her diary, she wrote,

has helped to keep me employed during the passage and many times I have turned to it when my thoughts would stray over the sea, and have written the account of the day’s proceedings when otherwise I should have begun to mope.

Most girls concluded their diaries at the end of their voyage before they started on a new life. Some made copies and sent the account “home” to Britain for family and friends to peruse.

The diary became a record and a keepsake of a life-changing journey.

Girls’ shipboard diaries reveal the complex and varied emotions of people from the past and provide insight into the human experience of migration. These sources centre girls in the migration narrative, giving a voice to an often-overlooked group.

It is a shame so few survive.

Read more: Handwritten diaries may feel old fashioned, but they offer insights that digital diaries just can’t match[15]

References

  1. ^ recent journal article (doi.org)
  2. ^ 1.5 million people (museumsvictoria.com.au)
  3. ^ large numbers of girls (museumsvictoria.com.au)
  4. ^ Young women's memoirs of migration, dispossession and Australian 'unbelonging' demand to be heard (theconversation.com)
  5. ^ Isabella Adcock (www.historyvictoria.org.au)
  6. ^ Jane Swan (find.slv.vic.gov.au)
  7. ^ Maria Steley (onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au)
  8. ^ Mary Maclean (nla.gov.au)
  9. ^ Illness (nla.gov.au)
  10. ^ Sarah Raws (find.slv.vic.gov.au)
  11. ^ Emily Braine (nla.gov.au)
  12. ^ was low (openjournals.library.sydney.edu.au)
  13. ^ CC BY (creativecommons.org)
  14. ^ Ally Heathcote (collections.museumsvictoria.com.au)
  15. ^ Handwritten diaries may feel old fashioned, but they offer insights that digital diaries just can’t match (theconversation.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/when-my-thoughts-would-stray-over-the-sea-reading-the-19th-century-diaries-of-girls-migrating-to-australia-205297

The Times Features

Amazon Australia and DoorDash announce two-year DashPass offer only for Prime members

New and existing Prime members in Australia can enjoy a two-year membership to DashPass for free, and gain access to AU$0 delivery fees on eligible DoorDash orders New offer co...

6 things to do if your child’s weight is beyond the ideal range – and 1 thing to avoid

One of the more significant challenges we face as parents is making sure our kids are growing at a healthy rate. To manage this, we take them for regular check-ups with our GP...

Joykids Australia Presents the Joykids Family Rave: A Weekend Adventure Like No Other

Get ready to kick off the first day of summer and the festive season with an unforgettable family adventure! Joykids Australia is excited to announce the Joykids Family Rave—an...

New study suggests weight loss drugs like Ozempic could help with knee pain. Here’s why there may be a link

The drug semaglutide, commonly known by the brand names Ozempic or Wegovy, was originally developed[1] to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. How...

Maintaining Your Pool After a Marble Interior Upgrade

After upgrading your pool with a marble interior, it’s crucial to understand that maintenance is key to preserving its elegance and longevity. You’ll want to regularly skim for d...

Labor using explanatory document to hide true powers of Misinformation Bill

The opinions and commentary of individuals could be deemed misinformation under Labor’s proposed legislation changes, according to James McComish of Victorian Bar. Appearing in...

Times Magazine

How to Choose the Right Collar for Your Cat

It's easy to buy any old collar for your cat to wear, but how do you find one that provides you with peace of mind knowing your cat is comfortable and secure? Here's a handy guide to choosing a cat collar that caters for your cat's specific needs...

Abstract blues and cute otters – the unlikely art of Aussie love

Online dating site eharmony asked 12 regular Australians to paint what love and compatibility looked like, with a view to understanding if stereotypical symbols of love were still relevant, or if they varied greatly across ages and walks of life. ...

5 Myths about Retirement Village

Retiring from your job doesn't mean the end of your active lifestyle. If you're retiring soon, you can opt for a retirement village where you get to live with people at the same stage of life as you. Retirement villages are for senior citizens s...

Unlocking Your Business Potential with The Power of Custom Software Development Services

Businesses are constantly looking for new and inventive ways of gaining an advantage by using the latest innovations in technology. Engaging with custom software development service providers is one of the best approaches to accomplishing this. O...

Considerations When Deciding on JC Tuition

As a crucial aspect of the academic journey of many students in Singapore, JC tuition plays a vital role in helping them achieve their educational goals and fulfil their academic interests. Junior College education is a financial investment that pr...

The Ultimate Pet Handbook

An essential guide for young people with a passion for pets  “As you read this book it will soon be obvious that Ben Dessen is no ordinary individual. From a very young age Ben has had a fascination with animals of all kinds. He has the greatest e...