Religious texts and prayers collected by Mary Armstrong, matron on the emigrant ship SEVERN

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Religious texts and prayers collected by Mary Armstrong, matron on the emigrant ship SEVERN

Author Mary Armstrong

Date1856 - 1857

Object number00018290

NameManuscript

MediumInk on paper

DimensionsOverall: 225 x 193 x 10 mm, 0.25 kg

ClassificationsBooks and journals

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Judy Holt

Terms

DescriptionPrayers and extracts from sermons written down by Mary Armstrong and possibly used for religious instruction of female migrants on board the SEVERN in 1863 as part of her duties as matron. Many of the sermons are by Mr Watson and are dated 1856 and 1857. Other works are titled 'The Sailors Bible', 'On Marriage by Miss Marshall', 'The Dying Infant'' and 'The Christian Wants 20 July 1857'. The end of one of the prayers is signed 'Mary Armstrong Kir[...] House, Kirknewton near Edinburgh, January 1857'.HistoryThis is one of two manuscripts (00018289) donated by Mrs Holt, the great-granddaughter of Mary Armstrong who was Matron on the ALFRED in 1863 and SEVERN in 1864. According to family lore, Mary had been a member of a wealthy English family but had been disinherited when she ran away with a ship's captain. This book contains favourite prayers and sermons collected by Mary Armstrong and used on her voyages. She had been instructed by the Emigration Board to be the religious instructor in the event of no other being on board. Mary Armstrong entered a contract with the New South Wales Government in 1863 to occupy the position as Matron on the emigrant ship SEVERN in return for a salary and free passage to New South Wales for her son. She kept a detailed diary of this voyage (00018289) recording most useful information about daily life on an emigrant transport. The diary touches on the hardship and grief associated with the death of emigrants and their children. She was also involved with the emigrants' spiritual care and notes in detail the various services and prayers practised en route. The SEVREN completed the voyage towards the end of 1863. Mary did not, however, remain long in New South Wales for the diary continues with a return voyage to England on January 1864 on the ALFRED, this part of the diary follows the fate of settlers returning home. The dangerous nature of these long sea voyages is evidenced by the death of a baby one day from port. The diary and prayer books are accompanied by Mary Armstrong's Emigration Board Contract (00018291), completed in ink, dated July 1863, setting out the instructions and duties of Matron on emigrant ships. A manuscript addition is attached to the contract. It is signed by the New South Wales Agent General and details Mary's salary.SignificanceThis prayer book, along with Mary Armstrong's diary and letter of contract, record the life of a female working in the area of ship board medicine, a story not often told and an important surviving record for this part of Australia's maritime history.