Skip to main content
Advanced Search
Image Not Available for Journal of the voyage of the ship CONCORDIA from Boston to Melbourne
Journal of the voyage of the ship CONCORDIA from Boston to Melbourne
Image Not Available for Journal of the voyage of the ship CONCORDIA from Boston to Melbourne

Journal of the voyage of the ship CONCORDIA from Boston to Melbourne

Author (British, 1833 - 1908)
Date1852-1853
Object number00032035
NameJournal
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 207 x 176 x 18 mm
ClassificationsBooks and journals
Credit LineANMM Collection Jointly acquired by the La Trobe Collection, State Library of Victoria and the USA Bicentennial Gift funds
DescriptionThis journal written by Edward Roper documents his voyage to Australia from the United States and his experiences on Australian gold fields. Between 8 September 1852 and 8 August 1853, Roper describes life on board the CONCORDIA during the voyage from Boston, United States to Melbourne, Australia, and his subsequent experiences on the gold fields of the Lodden District and Campbell’s Creek. Between 6 April 1855 and 26 April 1855, Roper describes his visit to the diggings in Adelaide Lead, Daisy Hill and a brief account of his earnings on the diggings. Roper describes in depth the details of voyage: passenger's names, weather, vessels, fish and birds seen, speeds, sails used, position, pastimes, Christmas festivities, approaching Cape Otway and arriving in Melbourne. His account of his time in the goldfields describes the diggings, people living in tents beside the Yarra River, price of goods, digging for gold, applying for licences, Mount Macedon, Loddon River and Campbell's Creek. The journal is illustrated with numerous sketches, including the land seen during the voyage, and the diggings, machinery and tents pitched en route. The journal was jointly acquired by the La Trobe Collection, State Library of Victoria and the USA Gallery, Australian National Maritime Museum.HistoryEdward Roper's journal commences with his arrival in Boston and his enthusiastic preparations of his voyage on the CONCORDIA to Melbourne and the goldfields. The voyage commenced 10 days later on 18 September 1852 and Roper's detailed account of shipboard events even include the murder and burial at sea of one of the crew. Roper's occupation as an artist becomes apparent and he describes completing 'a large drawing of the CONCORDIA for the Captain' and 'employed nearly all days painting initials on trunks etc for the Captain and passengers'. They arrive at Melbourne on Friday 7 January 1853, and 'in the morning took a walk amongst the tents on the opposite side of the Yarra... there appears to be about 8,000 people living there.... I should think the town is calculated to contain about 30,000 inhabitants, but there are now more than 100,000 inhabitants in it and there are more coming every day...' Five days after their arrival they set off for the diggings through 'the Black Forest [which] is reported to be infested with Bush Rangers'. They decided to mine at the junction of the River London and Friars Creek. There are details descriptions of the campsites and conditions and mining techniques, however they were unable to strike much gold and eventually ran out of provisions. Roper fell ill and was unable to pay the doctors fees. His gold license lapsed in March 'I feel cannot walk out much for fear of being taken by the police as I have no license. On 16 April 1853 Roper returned to Melbourne and had much difficulty in finding employment. He worked occasionally in a friend's store and took a job in Prahran cutting wood, and he 'put an advertisement in The Argus for employment at tracing or copying Mechanical Drawing,' but became depressed on hearing about the death of a friend at the diggings...'I feel very much dissatisfied with the Colony, could I get employment I might feel different...' Roper then prepares to go to the McIvar diggings on 8 August 1853, and is illustrated with three sketches 'going to the diggings', 'encamped for the night', and 'a cradle for gold washing'. Roper's journal commences again after a gap of almost two years, when he records his activity at Adelaide Leads, Daisy Hill on Friday 6 April 1855, in the depths of despair... 'what has happened to me? Nothing. One dark monotonous life. Every day like today... my whole thoughts are of home'. However Roper's tune changes on 10 April when in the 'morning Walker broke into the gutter. There is gold!' At the end of the journal is Roper's 'Gold Account' which records the sale of gold on 31 January as '£5/5/6p 1½ @ £3.10.6'. SignificanceEdward Roper's journal provides unique and valuable insight into the experiences of the tens of thousands of men and women who crossed the Pacific Ocean between Australia and America in hopes of striking it rich in the Australian gold fields.