Other Primary Sources

 

Letters were an important form of communication and the only way for families back in Europe or other countries to appreciate what the writer was experiencing. They're also very helpful for historians to understand everyday thoughts and events of a person of the time.

The letters below from 'a stranger' in Melbourne newspaper The Argus, and from English immigrant George Morton give us some insights - read them and then follow up with the challenges listed.

“THE STRANGER." The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 26 January 1853
sourced from TROVE

Argus Editor's Note: (The below letter, written evidently by one who has received the education of a lady, affords a melancholy example of the possibility of severe misery being found in most intimate connexion with extreme general prosperity. The certainty of that fact ought surely to teach us to soften our hearts a little towards the newcomer.)

A letter from a stranger
read the following 
Sir,- As one of the family of a vast number, who have been induced by misrepresentation to leave their native land and ALL the comforts of home to endure the miseries of a long voyage, only to find at the end an inhospitable country, that does not even afford the shelter of a house, may I beg permission to trouble you with a plain statement of what we consider great miseries.   

Five weeks since I landed with my husband and seven children (the eldest not 14) and hired a tent at the weekly rent of £1, and even up to the present time find it impossible to procure a house, in Melbourne. When it rains, we are saturated; at other times the sand and dust is intolerable.

We sought employment in Melbourne, paid at a registry Office to find a situation in the Bush, but the family was so large we were rejected. Then my husband tried the roads but had not bodily strength for the work; on his return he was robbed and came back penniless.

As a last resource and driven by despair, we commenced selling some of our things on the place called "Rag Fair", from there we were driven by the authorities. I then tried the streets, (for there were seven children to feed, and at any rate the ground rent must be paid) but was driven like a dog from place to place.

Now we are told we may hire a place in the market by paying £1 per week. But how is such an enormous rent to be procured? We can, in common with hundreds, see nothing before us but absolute starvation. With a large family the want of a house is a serious evil, the children's health and morals equally suffer, it is impossible to shield them from contamination when the parents are obliged by sheer necessity to be absent from morning till night, and the canvass walls are in- sufficient to keep from their ears the dreadful language which is always heard in so mixed multitude.

Could houses be procured in the town in which a business could be carried on, there are not many who would desire a thing so repulsive to all delicacy of feeling as standing in the streets or marketplace. But as it is, is it not cruelty that the ground allotted is let at such an enormous rent as to render it impossible for the poor immigrant to be in any way advantaged? If the allotments were only a fourth of what they are, four times the number could be accommodated at a moderate rent, and not be, as it now is, monopolized chiefly by dealers.

I am afraid I have encroached too long upon your valuable time, but your paper shows you the friend of a people who feel themselves oppressed strangers.
  
I am Sir, your humble servant,
 
AN IMMIGRANT.

GEORGE MORTON LETTERS

Letters of George Morton (1828-1867) to his mother and his sisters 1852 during a voyage from Plymouth to Melbourne on the Ship Blackwall and after his arrival in Victoria.

27. 9 1852
Dear Mother and Sisters

I write this letter with the hope of being able to post it at St. Jago, as we are now sailing towards it and expect to reach it sometime today. We are all in full hopes of landing particularly to get some fruit. I hope you are all well, happy and prosperous. Mr. Greig one of the midshipmen has been calling out “land ho” from the masthead. I think of you all every day and wish I could come every Sunday by Electric Telegraph to spend the day with you. I am well and happy and have been so every day since I left, except for a touch of dysentery. We all jog along together and agree very well, the six in our cabin. We mess there and have no connection with those outside.

Our table consists of the long lathe we brought for our hammocks, but for which we could not use them. They make a convenient table. Our mess is divided into three “twos” Rivers and self, William and George Lynch, Squires and Lee. So our turn as messmen comes every three weeks. The first thing every morning we go to the bowsprit and have a bath under the pump. We take it turns to pump on each other. It quite refreshes and invigorates us after sleeping down in the hot cabins. We then get our water for the day which is about the colour of tea and the taste I leave to your imagination. The sediment is black as ink, with plenty of insects. I advise all who come to sea to bring a filter with them. I am thankful we have one. We next get our breakfast biscuits, we have no bread unless we pay for it, take our coffee to the cook who pours boiling water over it. There is no such thing as getting it boiled. We wash up and then prepare for dinner, which consists of either salt pork, beef, preserved beef, mutton, salmon, soup, boiled pudding, rice or plum or current duff. All of these we get off the steward or butcher and are served out weekly, except salt pork and beef.

We have nothing to complain about since we left Plymouth. I wondered for their own sakes they gave us old stores in the channel, which made us grumble but when the Captain came on board we had our retainer served out according to the list. Our tea we manage the same as breakfast. We scrub out our cabin twice a week, Wednesday and Saturdays and we wash on Fridays. On that morning we get all our things together and either dance on them under the pump or tow them overboard, then lay them on the deck soak and re-rub them with a brush, rinse and then hang them in the rigging.

I am writing this now in the long boat, not a very comfortable seat or desk. I can just see the outline of the Island, St. Jago is one of the Cape Verde Islands West of Africa. The sun comes down on us as if under a burning glass. I am on good terms with the officers and passengers on board. Give my love to Ann when you write and tell her Mr. Roberts the 2nd mate often speaks of her and asks me when I write to be kindly remembered to her. I like him very much and so do all on board. He is 2nd Officer; they are called mates in the merchant service. 

I am very glad I brought the Brandy with me Captain would not allow the steward to sell any which caused a great deal of murmuring, but in some respects, I was not sorry for it. I have several friends among second class, and I do not come badly off.  The doctor on board is not liked ….. Doctors who come to sea are never worth much. If you have a cold, he gives salts, if a toothaches salts for everything salts in fact he goes by the name of salts as to medical complaints they are all humm!


Port Philip,
Dec. 9th 1852.
Dearest Mother and Sisters
I thank God we have arrived safe and well and in good spirits. We entered the port about 12 0'clock today. I did not intend writing before I went on shore as I could have sent you a more detailed account of our voyage but I have just heard that the Mail Steamer, "Sydney" starts tomorrow for London and that a man will be on, board to receive our letters. The pilot boarded us at the entrance of the Bay. He was quite a specimen of "Colonial" he did not bring us good news, the first thing we heard was that bread was 5/- per loaf, a room without furniture 2 pound 10 shillings per week and that the Duke of Wellington was dead, but we put no faith in any reports we hear on board ship because the sailors and passengers are very fond of "stuffing” all who can take it in. 

I had the most splendid sight I ever saw this morning on entering the bay. We were up at 4 o’clock. We could just see the two heads of the bay sailing along by Cape Otway and gradually getting nearer and nearer till we arrived at the entrance. You should have seen the anxiety of the Captain as he watched our crossing the bar, the sea was rolling tremendously, but in a few hundred yards it was as calm as a mill pond. It was not very pleasant to see the wreck of the "Ann Watson" lying on shore at the heads, if you remembered it was that ship which was wrecked just before I left England and after getting in the bay we saw the masts of two other ships which had been wrecked on the sands, the parts of the masts we could see were quite upright. I have not heard their names. The scenery is magnificent the hills rising one above the other and thickly studded with trees. 

This Bay, I should say was one of the finest in the world, there is great danger in entering it owing to the sand banks which leave only a narrow channel for ships to pass.

I have just been on deck; it is a beautiful sight; to view hundreds of ships lying at anchor. We exchanged cheers with the "Prince Alfred”, and the “Eliza” and several other; Liverpool ships. The Anglesea" which was to start 14 days after us, has been in 10 days and went off again last Saturday. It is vexing to have been beaten like this! We have had a splendid run from the line, bad as it was before.

Dec. 11th.1852
I left off writing the above to see the anchor dropped and am writing this on shore at Miss Rodgers a friend of Lynches. We have been walking about the town all the morning in search of lodgings but cannot find any. They asked £,2-0-0. and £2-10-0 for an empty room, £6-0-0 a week for two empty rooms. We have arranged for Mrs. Bell and her child to stay a little time with Miss Rodgers and we must pitch our tent and do the best we can! 

Bread is now 1/6 the loaf it has been 3/-. Cheese 2/11 and butter 3/-lb. Porter 2/- the quart. We shall be ruined if we stop in town. We must ‘go up’ to the diggings direct. We shall have plenty of dust and heat. Tents are pitched in all parts; you would laugh to see the different characters. There are men of all nations and of all classes in serges with moustache and beard. 

Houses of all sorts from mere sheds to the large brick. We shall remain on board as long as we can. I must conclude as our party wishes to return on board, hoping you will remember me to all friends.

Believe me to remain',
Your affectionate Son and Brother,
George Morton

I have posted a newspaper the Argus at the same time as this, it is only a half but they had no more in print and we must take …..

Sat, Jan. 2nd. 1853.
Collingwood, near Melbourne
Dear Mother and Sisters
In the letter I sent you by the Sydney Mail Steamer, I said I would send you a detailed account of our proceedings, but three weeks have passed without finding the opportunity. 

We struck our tent last night and came to sleep here till Monday morning, then we shall be off to the "diggins". Mrs. Bell has taken a cottage and Mrs. B, Mrs. Lynch and Amelia are to live together till we come back. We have been living in the tent since we arrived and have been as comfortable as circumstances admit. The cheapest board and lodging to be had is 30/- per week with 5 or 6 in a room together, giving up all idea of comfort.

After dropping anchor on the 9th Dec. George Lynch and I went on shore and walked to Melbourne and called on Miss Rodgers to get all the information we could, and then to the Post Office, but there were no letters. I have been here twice a week but without success: this establishment is badly managed they may have a dozen letters 'for you’ but they just carelessly look at a parcel of them and then say there are none. They will deliver letters to anyone of the same name without enquiries. I went the other day for myself and with written orders from the rest. I received three for George Lee, but neither were for him, one of which contained a Post Bill from the Bank for £200 so I leave, you to guess why not it is safe to send money by that means. I am very glad I brought some out in gold as they charge 20 per cent for changing Bank of England notes. I must return to my first day. When we saw the state of things in town, we took some bread and remained on board till Monday. In the meantime we got permission to take the tent out of our case and came by the steamboat to Melbourne and pitched our tent in Canvas Town where there were between four and five thousand people, some residents, others coming and going to the diggings or to work in the town. We paid five shillings a week for ground rent and our board did not cost us more than ten shillings per week each, so that a man can live in this way and earn his five, six or seven pounds a week, as Carpenters, Builders, Bricklayers and Masons or any Mechanics. Most of our fellow passengers have been and are now paying their 2 or three pounds a week for board and lodgings.        

I have had a slight attack of dysentery but soon got over it. I had it but two days and am as well now as well as brown as ever and in good spirits, except with regards to money affairs, for all is going out but none coming in. We have hired a dray which will take us up to Forest Creek for £1-0-0 per cwt*.We shall walk  by its side, it takes rather more than three days to walk (the distance is about 80 miles) and then we shall require a day or two’s rest before we begin to work. This letter will either be delivered or posted in England by Mr Carter, one of our passengers you saw him on board with his wife, they had not been married long before he came out, he returned to England by the “Gt Britain” leaving his wife and brother here, he will look out for goods which he thinks will sell in the colonies and return again. He came to our tent last night with some of the other first-class passengers and offered to take our letters which we accepted. I wish I had known of it sooner I should have written to you all. Goods are fetching an enormous price to the retailer they think nothing of cent per cent. Bread at the tents is 1/-   per loaf of four pounds, in town it is 1/6. Mutton is 4d. or 5.lb. Butter2/6, ………………water 6/ a load, Wood 30/- to 60/-… ………… ……………………at 33/- now he gets £2-0-0 and seems well satisfied he is looking very well. 

I advise no one to bring much clothing unless he is going to stay in the town for what with lighterage days warehouse room, it runs away with a great deal of money. I have stored my goods away with Mrs Lynch and pay 1/6 per week.

Boots and shoes are still a long price, common clothing pretty cheap - cloth clothing is of little use. Alpaca best. We have had hot winds and land storms which must be seen and felt to be believed and the weather just as changeable as in England. The flys are a perfect nuisance, they attack one’s face and there’s no driving them off. I have had a little shooting hut in fact more on the road. I generally go to lagoon about 4 or 5 miles from the tents at 4-30 a.m. The wild ducks are very shy. I shot a heron on Friday morning.

Remember me to old friends. Give my love to John, Jane and Children, Mr. and Mrs. Rodick and children. I hope and trust you are well and getting on well. Next time I write I hope I shall be worth something and able to send you £50 or £100 notes to you. 

Mrs. Lynch and Amelia arrived on the 21.st, quite well. Thanks for the present and letters.
And now, dear Mother and Sisters, hoping you are all well and happy, I remain,
Your affectionate Son and Brother
George Morton,
Love to Freddy.
I advertised fot Messers, Francis and Biers, heard from the latter and we called and saw him and he's doing well but not very communicative. Mr Francis is at Adelaide doing well. I have sent you a chart of our voyage copied from the Capt. the distance we came each day is dotted. Remember me to Galpine and Francis. 

*historical cwt unit of measurement 

Collingwood near Melbourne, Mar. 25th, 1853,
Dearest Mother and Sisters,
My thoughts are always at home, how much I should like to spend this day in your society. We may well say " There’s no place like home for there is but little comfort here.” To make money and then return to dear old England is the business or our lives. I received your letters dated Sept. 28th 52 on the 10th March 53. The Mail Steamers have disappointed all.

Mr. Carter’s brother has just visited and brought me a letter of recommendation to a Commercial house. What a sad change Mr. Carter will find on his arrival, his poor wife died about a fortnight ago, she was attacked with Dysentery, had a premature confinement and both Mother and child died.
We made our start to the Diggings (Mt. Alexander ) on the 3rd Jan at 4am walked 12 miles, our dray was well loaded.( 1160 lbs.) having two horses in the shafts, one of which was worse than useless so we had to push as well as walk the whole journey. To begin our hardships G. Lee and I had our hammocks stolen from the dray with their contents; the consequence was that for nearly a month I slept without taking off my clothes and with no other covering. The nights were bitterly cold, and the days extremely hot. The scenery was very good but walking 20 to 25 miles a day after being cramped up in a ship for four months prevented our enjoying it. -We……I was offered £6 for my pistols but did not care to part with them, we always slept with them. we always slept with them loaded under our heads. I took a gun with me which I bought of a shipmate for a £1 but finding nothing worth shooting I sold it soon after for £3. The view of the mount is splendid from the forest, it is covered with trees and can be seen from Melbourne sixty miles distant.  We reached Pennyweight Flat, Forest Creek on Friday at 4pm. Rested Saturday and Sunday and procured our licenses and began work under the direction of Capt.  Rogers and his mates. We pitched our tent near his. 

We all worked hard the month of January and did not get enough to pay for our food. It was quite a break to get a dry hole, we were sometimes for two- or three-hours pulling water up and perhaps when near the top the bucket would upset, and we should be wet for the rest of the day. Mr. Bell soon got tired of the work and returned at the end of the month. We were not sorry he went as he was quite a coward, not fond of work but a good cook, after he left, we cooked our food overnight and took it with us to the holes leaving the tent altogether. The first part of the month G Lee and I worked together, and the two Lynches, but our hole had water constantly coming in, so that we were obliged to give it up and then we all worked together at the same hole thirty feet deep. The bottom of it was as if it had been burnt and cemented together through some volcanic agency and I believe it has been. This month we took out about half a pound of gold from the holes which cover¬ed our expenses at the Diggings. We then sold our tent and tools and returned to Melbourne to see whether we could do better at business than the Diggings.

We found great difficulty in getting berths, in consequence of the numbers that arrive. The masters are growing independent and will only take on those who thoroughly know their trade, most of the young men who do not go to the Diggings, work on the roads, it sounds hard but they get from 8/- to 10/¬a day, tent, firewood and water from them and they take care not to work too hard. Carpenters, Bricklayers, Blacksmiths get £1 per day easily. I helped Mr. Biers for a few days. At present I am lodging with Mr. Rolf of Southampton. He arrived here soon after we did, he has turned grocer and is doing well. I shall be obliged to leave as he has taken a cottage and they only let on condition that he took no lodgers. His brother-in-law was at a wine merchants in Collins St. Melbourne, has given up his situation to take another as store man at the Bendigo Diggings.

He is to have £6 per week board and lodgings with a promised advance. I was waiting for him and talking with a fellow passenger when they called me in and asked me if I would like to take his situation, they offered me £3 a week, but he advised me to go in and sell by commission as he made 25/- per day; if I can get up a good connection I expect to make from £2 to £3 per day. I am going to lodge with a Mr. and Mrs. Wingrove at 30/- per week which is very cheap here, they are very nice people and were fellow passengers. Mr. W. is a painter and glazier. I shall learn to mix colours and try to help him. I can work with him from 6 till 12 and call on my customers in the afternoon, they are easier persuaded to order wine after dinner than before. I am charged 26/- per dozen for ports.