This very detailed letter recounts a rail journey from Perth to Liverpool and preparations for embarkation on an unidentified ship sailing to Australia. The letter is written by Betsy (presumably Elizabeth in passenger records) Stewart to her married sister Mrs Margaret Anderson in Perth, Scotland; she is travelling with Jean and Kate and Donald – the latter two may be a married couple. The financial details given in the letter indicate that she was not travelling by Assisted Passage. Australian arrival records should allow identification of the ship which sailed from Liverpool on or about the 12 May 1853 and the names of those who accompanied Betsy. It might then be possible to track their future lives
Transcription
Addressed
to: Mrs Henderson Annat Bank New Scone
Perth
Datelined:
Ramesys Hotell Liverpool Thursday evening
Despatch
postmark LIVERPOOL MY 9 53
My
dear Margret
Here
we are all safe after Eating a good Breakfast not the bit the worse of our long
journey of 200 & 70 miles Jean is briskest of us to day and
her Cough much better we got the Carriage we started from Perth in all to
ourselves till we came to Carlyle we had to shift Carraiges there (Luggage and
all) and was put in to a common third Class where we had no so such room
we were shifted a Second time within 16 miles of Liverpool and had to
wait half an hour for the train that took us here it was a very long and heavy
one so that it was 12 o’clock before we arrived late as it was Mr Duncan
Robertson was the first person we saw for to hand us out of the Carriage. We
had such Luggage that we saw no common horse could hold it and it was locked up
at the Station until it goes on Board.
Duncan
put us all in a Noddy and came down with us here (and payed the Cab of
course) it was one o’clock before he left us and he is to be here to day about
12 o’clock and arrange about the heavy Luggage and everything that has
not been put on Board yet but is to be to day. Kates Trunk is also safe
at the Station Donald and her are away just now with Ramesy to see about it. We
got nothing to eat all day yesterday but what we took with us for we stopt no
time at any of the stations, we had 15 minutes at Carlyle changing but it took
it all to see the Luggage right and at the other place we stopt at as it was so
late that nothing could be got. There was a large room with a good fire for the
Passengers we took Tea here although it was late and was in Bed about two
in the morning and realy slept wonderfully well better than we expected. There
is a nice young woman here with a Child that is going out to her Husband in
Melbourn she is to be in the Second Cabin with us she is from Glasgow
she intends going on Board tomorrow afternoon so if she goes we will go
also we have to pay 2 / [two shillings] for our Beds here every night there are
many going aboard even to day.
Thursday
afternoon. Duncan has been here I went with him to Bains &
Cos office to pay the rest of our Passage Money. Duncan tried to get our heavy
luggage as reasonable as possible payed for I showed the Clark the measurement
Mr Easson made out he said we should put the three largest Boxes on Board as
Ships Cargo and that we would get it much chaper than by the feet
measurement & give us a Card to that effect & when the Luggage is
put on Board, we will get all the rest on as our due so that we
think that it will not be so expensive as we thought. Kate has got her Trunk
and after Packing the Crockery Box in it they have bought also all the Tin
articules they required they got it and the mattress for 10/ [ten shillings] we
payed 4/6 for the tin things we got also bought 2/ worth of nice soft Biscuite
for Jean. Duncan is coming tomorrow to see all our Luggage on Board and then
ourselves we cannot be grateful enough tot him for all his attention what could
we do without him here. There are to be about 36 to 40 Passengers in the Second
Cabin which will make it quite chearfull. There is only 4 or 5 first Cabin
Passengers (no wonder tho they were anxious to get us) the most on Board are
Steerage Passengers they think there will be very near 400 Passengers all
together as we are going on Board tomorrow and the Ship is not to sail till
Sunday morning perhaps I may write a few lines on Saturday after being a night
on Board Donald says he will write home from the ship also. I hope you
get home safe and not worse of coming to the Station with us and that you found
the Calf better. This is a terrible town with traffick down at the wharf you
would not hear yourself speak let you roar never so much Carting going
as it is a real business town. Duncan took me through a great part of it to day
to see as much of it as I could according to Miss Betsy Naughton Ideas.
I
must now bid you good night and if I can get a letter Posted from the Ship on
Saturday I will write a few lines. Jean joins me in kind love to you &
Henderson and believe me my dear Margret your affte. Sister
Betsy
Stewart
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