Harry in print

Back in March 2008, I was inspired by the blog WWII: the experiences of an English soldier.
The blog is made up of transcripts of Harry Lamin's letters from the first World War. The letters were posted exactly 90 years after they were written. It was the brainchild of Harry's grandson Bill Lamin. Here's the link to Harry's blog
It led me to post my own historical material in real time, especially as it was 125 years since the diary was written. The diary is a ship-board journal of Emily Ann Foster sailing from Glasgow to Bundaberg in 1883. Emily was my Great-great-grandmother, and I just added photos, maps and some explanatory comments to her story.
Now the popularity of Harry's story has moved from an internationally acclaimed blog, through media interviews, a world tour, a commemorative stamp issue, to now a book.

I'm endeavouring to obtain a copy, but it is only released in the UK and US, not Australia at this stage, may have to resort to the Internet to secure a copy.

The last post for the Diary

A cousin, and a reader of the diary, sent me copy of this photo which is on the Picture Australia database, and part of the collections of the State Libraries of Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. The South Australian entry's description has - The iron barque 'Nairnshire', 1027 tons, at anchor. One of the ships owned by The Shire Line / Thomas Law and Co., Glasgow. The negative was taken in 1895.

Diary 9.7.1883

Monday July 9

Up at 5:30 this morning, we are going in a steamer (the A.S.N. James Paterson) to Bundaberg so we are busy getting ready. We arrived there about 3 o’clock.

The Diary finishes with the arrival in Australia.
Emily Ann and John Edwin with Ruth Emmeline moved from Bundaberg to Brisbane, then to Melbourne where they settled. Mary Ellen was born on 1st October 1883 nearly 3 months after the family arrived in Australia. In total they had seven children.

Diary 8.7.1883

Sunday July 8

Nice morning, we have had mutton chops for breakfast and roast beef and potatoes for dinner, it has been a great treat for us. We have had plenty of people on board today, they have come from Bundaberg in small boats, some have their husbands coming for them. It is a very pleasant sight to see them coming.

Diary 7.7.1883

Saturday July 7

We have cast anchor at 20 minutes to 8 this morning, they signalled for the Pilot but there was some mistake, (the river level was too low at Rocky Reach for boats to cross the bar) he did not come on until 4 o’clock in the afternoon so we have to stop on until Monday about 7 o’clock. The Mayor (Mr Adams) and the inspector came on board and brought some sweets for the children but they call them lollies out here, and they bought us fresh beef and mutton for Sunday.

Diary 6.7.1883

Friday July 6

We are driven out into the sea again and we were only fifteen miles from land, we have been going backwards and forwards all night.

Diary 5.7.1883

Thursday July 5

Fine morning but we are not going much, it is fifteen weeks today since we sailed, it is a long time to be on the water, I did not think we should be so long in coming. A fine wind is getting up, it changed into our favour during the night.

We have got a sight of the great sandy island, it is a pleasant sight after we have been so long at sea, there is a lighthouse (Sandy Cape a pre-fabricated cast-iron tower, the tallest in Queensland) and a beacon light (probably the buoy on Breaksea Spit) on it, we have to go round the most northern point of the island. The log today Lat. 25.48S Long. 153.48E Break Sea Spit distance 91 miles.

Sandy Cape Lighthouse on Fraser Island

Diary 4.7.1883

Wednesday July 4

Fine morning, we have been very busy we have had the boxes up today, it has passed the morning over for us. In the afternoon I was cleaning every thing up for landing, when I got my jacket out of the box it was mouldy, I have been sponging it. John Edwin has not been so well, last night I thought he was going to have one of his old attacks. I made him some ginger and tea and got a woollen handkerchief made hot and put it across his back, it gave him ease. I told Emmeline her Daddy was poorly so she said to him, he will have a powder Dadda make better, that is because the Doctor sent her some powder, she can say anything.

Diary 3.7.1883

Tuesday July 3

Fine morning but we have had a dreadful night, it has thundered and lightened awful, the hail stones were as large as beans, we could not sleep. There is nothing of any account taken place today.

Diary 2.7.1883

Monday July 2

Fine morning but we are not going, We have been cleaning all our tins ready for the Doctor to inspect to see if they are clean. I am tired out of being here they told us this morning we might be a fortnight yet, we have only gone 37 miles since 12 o’clock yesterday, it is very slow progress. We could walk as fast as that in twenty-four hours, you will be very uneasy about us. The wind is a head wind that is to say it is blowing dead against us, out of 77 miles run since 1 o’clock yesterday only got seventeen nearer Bundaberg.

Diary 1.7.1883

Sunday July 1

Fine morning to begin with but we had a very bad shower about 1 o’clock but it has taken up again. We have been on deck all the afternoon John Edwin went to Church on the poop. We have sighted Solitary Island, we could see the lighthouse when it got dark.
(The original construction of the lightstation began on 11 July 1878 and took thirty workers more than 2 years to complete).

The Light from South Solitary Station

Diary 30.6.1883

Saturday June 30

Fine morning, we had to turn out until 4 o’clock because they have been cleaning extra ready for landing. We had to have dinner on the deck. It is very warm again. Emmeline has cut two more teeth, corner ones on the top of her mouth, she has had a deal of pain with them. They have got the canvas swung over the side so surely we shall not be very long now.

Diary 29.6.1883

Friday June 29

Fine morning but we are not going much, I am beginning to think we shall never get there. We have been on the deck nearly all day, Emmeline cries when we want to take her down.

Diary 28.6.1883

Thursday June 28

Fine morning but we are standing still. There was a concert last night for the benefit of Mrs Hutton that lost her husband, and coffee was given out at 10 o’clock. The captain is giving us a treat this morning by taking us out for a row in the boats, it is dead calm the sea is as smooth as a table top hardly a ripple to be seen.

Diary 27.6.1883

Wednesday June 27

Very fine morning but we are not going any. There is a treat for all the children today in the cabin, they have all to take a tin with them for their tea. Emmeline went and they had tarts and jam and bread and a packet of sweets and nuts to come out with. It looked a bit like Whitsuntide to see them all standing round the cabin door until the bell rang for them to walk in. The Captain was dancing for them, he is very fond of children, it pleased the children very much.

Diary 26.6.1883

Tuesday June 26

Fine morning, plenty of washing going this week, they are giving fresh water for us to wash all up this week for landing, but I am very poorly. I cannot wash I do not feel as if I had any strength left in me, I think it is in the poor food that we get, it does not seem to support us at all like we got at home, I live mostly on sea biscuits, I cannot eat the bread and the meat makes me have diarrhoea.

Diary 25.6.1883

Monday June 25

A very fine morning, the wind has almost gone. Yesterday was the roughest day we have had, we shipped some terrible seas, they came thundering on deck and made the ship fair tremble again.

Lat. 35.8S Long. 155E.

Bundaberg 797 miles away.

Diary 24.6.1883

Sunday June 24

A wet morning with plenty of wind to knock us up and down, the sea is against us and it is washing the deck every now and then and makes her give some most unpleasant rolls. Lat. 38.2S Long. 155.32E distance 190 miles. Bundaberg 850 miles off, we went forty miles out of our way yesterday, I suppose you will be having some fine summer weather at home now.

Diary 23.6.1883

Saturday June 23

Wet morning, very windy, but we are glad to say we have got into the right track again, the Captain says he will land us next Thursday that will be fourteen weeks that we have been on the water. You will have looked into the newspaper many times to see if we have landed, we often talk about you and say Harry Fieldmouse will have been to ask Barron the agent if he has heard anything of the Nairnshire. We have not such a good log, 110 miles, Lat. 40.53S Long. 152.56E, distance from Sydney 430 miles, distance from Bundaberg 1006 miles.

Diary 22.6.1883

Friday June 22

Very rough day it is making the tins fly about, today we cannot sit without having hold of something, it is rocking from one side to the other, it makes it very inconvenient for us. I am very sick today again but am glad to say John Edwin keeps up very well on the whole. We are still going in the wrong direction. No log today, a very strong head wind.