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Image Not Available for Testimonials for Captain Jocelyn Fitzgerald Ruthven
Testimonials for Captain Jocelyn Fitzgerald Ruthven
Image Not Available for Testimonials for Captain Jocelyn Fitzgerald Ruthven

Testimonials for Captain Jocelyn Fitzgerald Ruthven

Date1881 - 1885
Object numberANMS0263
NameArchive series
MediumPaper
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThis archive series consists of six testimonials for Captain Jocelyn Fitzgerald Ruthven. Five of the testimonials are in the form of letters written by passengers on SS CHIMBORAZO. Two of the four London-Melbourne testimonials appear to be the work of first class saloon passengers only, while the other two show the signatures of both first and second saloon passengers. The sixth testimonial is a letter from the Orient Steam Navigation Company to the Captain, appointing him in command of SS CHIMBORAZO at an annual salary of £450.HistoryCaptain Jocelyn Fitzgerald Ruthven (1849-1943) was born in County Wicklow, Ireland, in 1849. He passed his Certificate of Competency as a Master of a steam vessel in London in 1874. Ruthven was appointed master of the SS CHIMBORAZO in April 1881. Documents in this collection cover one inbound and four outbound voyages from London to Melbourne in 1881-1885. Ruthven held the position of master of SS CHIMBORAZO for five years before being transferred to the command of SS LUSITANIA in 1886 and SS AUSTRAL in 1887.