My Granddads 1900 Diary

[Trevor Bury]

have a diary written by by Granddad in 1900. At the start of January he is an Engineer living in Manchester but working in Grimsby on the SS Ashton's engines.

On 5th January he receives orders to join SS Plympton in Cardiff and actually signs on 12th January, sailing for Cape Town on the 19th.

I don't know what ranking he had but he kept the 12- 4 watch if that gives a clue. He records daily positions, distances and speeds, generally about 200 miles a day.

Arriving at Cape Town on February 23rd. at the time of the Boer War he reports, troop ships arriving, prisoner ships leaving and “great excitement on shore” to celebrate Cronje's surrender and the Relief of Ladysmith. There were as many as 100 ships at anchor awaiting berths.

They depart Cape Town sailing for Bahia Blanca (Argentina), arriving there to load grain for Barcelona. Receives news of the Relief of Mafakin.

Leaves BB for Barcelona via Montevideo . Loads coal at Montevideo During this passage he mentions seeing sailing ships destined for UK, killing a sheep on board for food and the fact that the cargo of wheat was worth 28/6d. (£1.42) per ton. Arrives Barcelona then sails to Constantinople to load grain for Bombay via Suez. Loads 260 tons of coal at Suez and reports the death of the King of Italy. He makes some mention of passengers (only once) and the use of sails so these must also have been carried. They arrive at Bombay August 17th , three weeks after leaving Constantinople.

They then sail (light) for Calcutta and then Madras. Whilst in Madras he is taken to hospital ill and has to be discharged from SS Plympton. After a short stay he gets a position as 3 rd. Engineer on Clan Grahem at the rate of £7 per month. He then spends about a month at various Indian ports before sailing for the London on December 4th, they arrive back to London on 3rd January 1901 having been away a full year almost to the day.

Throughout the trip he gets regular mail from home at nearly every port so there must have been faster mail ships operating. He lists the names of other ships in ports many of which have the same names as I saw in my days at sea 60 years later.

Unfortunately I inherited the diary too late to ask my mother or Grandmother anything more about his time at sea so I do not know if this was his only trip, I do know he did not go to sea after this trip because in the 1901 census he is living in Manchester working as a loco engineer and he married my Grandmother in 1902.

Hope this has been of some interest.

[Harry Nicholson]

That is fascinating, Trevor. We hear so little of the quiet days prior to the Great War. My wife's grandfather was engineer in sail and steam hybrids around 1900, and a Cape Horner. A shame that we have no journal from him.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Very interesting thanks, if you can add some details, such as full name, date of birth, place of birth etc. Pos we can find out some more ?

Regards Keith.

[Mark Keever]

Journals of a bye gone era are of great interest. THANK-YOU for sharing ! Those unique writing styles often capture personal feelings about the surrounding places and events. Is the record small enough to share in a PDF with us ? Even a hint of a page or two would be appreciated...

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Trevor .
That was a great read, conveyed a lot in a short space, showed us a different time but the same travails. I have my father first war discharge book, but it gives only the dry details.
Cheers Des

[happy daze john in oz]

We must be thankful to those who did keep journals such as this.
It gives a great insight as to how life was in those days.
It is the sort of information that should be kept for future generations to learn from.

[Trevor Bury]

Thank you Keith. Granddad was John Leyland Owen born 18 March 1875 in Gorton Manchester. Any further information would be appreciated.

Some further information re ss Plympton; Reg. No. 102766
Built 1893 by Furness Withy Sunderland. Owned by Lambert & Sons.

She was sunk after running onto rocks off Isles of Scilly 14th August 1909. The Captain was found to be responsible and was suspended.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for your interest Mark. Most of his writing is very had to read but there may be some interesting pages, I will see if there is anything suitable and of interest.

[Captain Kong]

From google/........

Jan Lettens 06/08/2007 ref. used: BSAC Brighton Hydrographic Service UK WRECK REPORT LIVE

The wrecksite has been derived in part from material obtained from the UK Hydrographic Office with the permission of the UK Hydrographic Office and Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and the following authorities. © British Crown Copyright, 2019. History Jan Lettens 14/08/2011

SS Plympton was a 2869 ton British steamer, built 1893. 314ftx40ft. 256hp triple expansion engines. 4,100 tons maize, Rosario to Dublin, via Falmouth. Sunk: 14 August, 1909, by running on to Lethegus Rocks, off St. Warner Bay, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly in thick fog. Capsized later and sank, drowning two islanders engaged in salvage. Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?168963

[Red Lead Ted]

A very interesting read Trev, Both me and my wife come from traditional seafaring family's I still have her grandfathers discharge book its the earliest I have seen, And my father had 7 brothers all seafarer's. Nothing wrong with holding onto your fore fathers past and looking back from time to time, It sometimes puts your own life in perspective. Men like your grand father where men of steel and tenacity a great tale Regards' Terry.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Possibly recorded as:

John Owens
United Kingdom, Merchant Navy Seamen Records, 1835-1941

birth:
1875
Lancashire
military service:
United Kingdom