Journal of George F. Wise, 1838-1839 [manuscript]
- Bib ID:
- 1376515
- Format:
- Manuscript
- Author:
- Wise, George F., 1814-1897
- Access Conditions:
- Available for research. Not for loan
- Description:
-
- [1838-1839]
- 0.03 m. (1 folder)
- Summary:
-
"Ship "Alfred" Capt. Flint 716 tons. Journal of voyage from England to Sydney, New South Wales 1838". Manuscript journal written by George Wise, aged 24, who was a cabin passenger on the voyage of the emigrant ship "Alfred" to Sydney in 1838-1839. The journal opens on 17 September 1838 when the "Alfred" sailed from Plymouth and finishes with the entry for 16 January 1839, one day after the termination of the voyage in Sydney. Journal entries record how Wise occupied his time at sea by "journalizing", writing letters, mapping, reading aloud to other passengers, rereading old letters, wandering on deck, and by playing backgammon and other games. Wise was an avid reader on the voyage, and his journal offers a record of the reading material taken by a migrant. The journal also details navigational data and weather conditions, and events that occurred on board including many deaths from fever and other illnesses, and a small riot.
The journal is accompanied by a manuscript chart, inscribed "Track & log account of the barque "Alfred" 716 tons, Capt. Flint - From Plymouth Sept 17, 1838 to Sydney Jan 15, 1839, 120 days". The charts plots the course of the "Alfred", showing positions along the west coast of Africa, across the southern Indian ocean and around the eastern coast of Australia. Recorded in the margins of the chart are the latitude, longitude, temperature and distance travelled for each day of the journey. The total distance as per the log account is given as 16,274 miles.
- Biography/History:
-
Immigration agent. George Foster Wise (1814-1897) emigrated to New South Wales on the "Alfred" which reached Sydney on 15 January, 1839. Wise settled in Sydney and married Frances (Fanny) Marsh (d. 1889) at Muswellbrook, New South Wales, in 1842. Fanny Marsh was the niece of Sir Francis Forbes, first Chief Justice of New South Wales. Wise became a founder-member of the Australian Club and was actively involved in a number of charitable organisations. He was agent for immigration from 1862 and acting sheriff and inspector of prisons, 1869-1870. In 1870-1873 Wise was compiler of census. Wise retired in 1891 and returned to England where he died in 1897.
- Notes:
-
- Manuscript reference no.: MS 6300.
- Notebook (hardcover), 100 pages, measuring 22.0 x 14.3 cm. Written in a cursive hand in ink. Some pages cross-written. With a hand-drawn chart measuring 43.3 x 55.8 cm., folded to 21.9 x 14.0 cm.
- Subject:
- Time Coverage:
- 1838-1839
- Occupation:
- Immigrants
- Copyright:
-
Out of Copyright
You may copy or order a copy through Copies Direct or use the online copy for research or study; for other uses Contact us for further information about copying.
- Reason for copyright status:
- Since 1967 [Creator Date of Death + 70 Years]
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Literary Dramatic Musical
- Presumed date of death of creator (latest date):
- 1897
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 1839
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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