Part of a Letter to Mary Armstrong from the New South Wales Agent General Charles Cowper

Author New South Wales Agent General Charles Cowper

Date1863

Object number00018293

NameLetter

MediumInk on paper

DimensionsOverall: 321 x 201 mm

ClassificationsBooks and journals

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Judy Holt

Terms

DescriptionPart of a letter sent to Mary Armstrong from the New South Wales Agent General Charles Cowper outlining the pay and conditions of her appointment as matron on the emigrant ship SEVERN to Australia. The contents outline the pay (£10) and conditions of Mary Armstrong's appointment as matron on the ship and states that her son is allowed to accompany her at no expense as she intends to reside in the Colony. The SEVERN left Plymouth on the 14th July 1863 and arrived in Sydney on the 15th October with 326 Government immigrants on board. The position requirements for Mary Armstrong's role mentioned in this letter are registered as 00018991.HistoryMary Armstrong, an Englishwoman, 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 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 SEVERN completed the voyage towards the end of 1863. The arrival of the SEVERN, its maiden voyage, was announced in the Sydney papers on 15 October, 1863 and noted that the Government immigrants consisted of 97 single women, 131 single men, 24 married couples and 51 children. During the voyage there were three deaths and one birth. Mary Armstrong 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.SignificanceThis letter and position description (00018291) for Mary Armstrong are unusual in that they show a female working in the area of medicine and in addition with her diary (00018289) provide a unique look into the shipboard lives of immigrant women.