Our Australian Cousins

[Alastair]

Having now finished Our New Zealand Cousins it's now time to start on Our Australian Cousins. Here is the Preface...

Why was this book written? Principally to satisfy the questionings of many friends in India and the old country, who continually write me such queries as these:—How do you like Australia? "Would you advise me to come out? Is it healthy? Is there any sport to be had? Are the people really nice? Could a man, with a small income and a large family do any*thing out there? and so on. I have honestly tried to detail my own experiences in such a way, that they shall be usefully suggestive to my friendly catechists and others like them, and yet be sufficiently interesting to command the suffrages of the general reader.

I do not profess to be a polished writer. The graces of my style are perhaps conspicuous by absence, yet I would have the critic know, that I have no opportunity of correcting proofs. Add to this that my book has .been written mostly on holidays, and late into the night, after an active day's duty in the city, when both hand and brain are somewhat jaded. It has required no slight sense of duty, and a desire to do some public good to keep me up to my self-appointed task.

I have incorporated letters that I wrote to The Pioneer when acting as special correspondent for that paper, and I have tried to write naturally, truthfully, and as I felt; where I have made extracts from news*papers and books, I have acknowledged the obligation, and here again thankfully do so to my unknown friends in council.

It may be asked what acquaintance I have with my text, and whether I am competent to speak as a critic, when I refer to colonial social manners and customs, politics, institutions and peoples. I can only say that I have been a colonist since I was about eighteen years of age. In New Zealand, I was by turns cadet on a sheep-run, gold-digger, travelling agent and general utility-man, turning my hand to what first presented itself, for I was young and ardent, and willing to work and did work hard. In India I was for twelve years Indigo planter and manager of large estates. Since I returned to the antipodes, I have been journalist, traveller, special correspondent, newspaper manager, and am now secretary of an insurance company. I claim therefore as a traveller, and an observant man, to know something about the colonies. The success of a former book, and the very favourable criticisms it received, has emboldened me to commit this present volume to the winds and waves of public opinion.
I honestly love Australia. It has become a healthy, happy home to me, after I had been given up by my medical friends as almost a hopeless case. I like the Australian people—the young people especially— and I want my book, if they read it, to do more than merely amuse, I want it to awaken thought. They will find here, written by no unfriendly hand, with no bias or prejudice, the opinions of a cosmopolitan. I have spoken strongly on colonial public life, and public men, and public measures, but not more so than the subject deserves.

The future of Australia lies in the hands of her young men. If they use the mighty power they possess, and send the right men to their parliaments and councils, and purge them of corrupt government, and look on things with a wider and more compre*hensive vision; say less, and act more, in fact: act righteously and honestly and loyally, and if my pages of sporting recollection, scenic description, and straightforward criticism, shall conduce in the least degree to this result, I shall think my night oil has burned to good purpose.

I am under great obligations to Mr. R. Scott of Newcastle, for fishing and shooting notes, and to Dr. S. T. Knaggs of the same city for much kind assistance, and to Mr. Gr. Ranken, "Capricornus," for much counsel and kindly help.

JAS. INGLIS.
Strathfield, Sydney, N.S.W.,
August, 1879.

You can read this book as we get it up at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/auscousins

Alastair

[1938 Observer]

Re: Our Australian Cousins

A little item of my family history beginning in Australia from about the period this book was written.

The lady in question was my Great Grandmother.......the letter I posted in the "Rib Tickler" thread [ I think it was the 'green thing'] was written by her son after he arrived in Australia [he was originally left behind in England with a brother and sister when his mother emigrated with two younger sisters and a baby brother]

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These are the letters, transcribed, which were received from Australian based Beckwiths, starting with the arrival of Hannah Louisa Argyle Beckwith in 1883

August 22nd 1883


My Dear Husband


I arrived in Melbourne on the 10th of July but no letter or anybody was sent to meet me some had letters, addressed Eaton Hall on arrival others telegrams and some friends to meet them, but I had neither, and all the money I had was the 1 shilling you gave me, when you left the vessel and, 13 shillings bonus from the Company for being kept, from the Seventh till the 13 of April so I did not know what to do thought Mother must be ill or dead as she did not write or come, so I went to the Captain and explained matters to him and, he headed a Subscription for me among the passenger, got 22 shillings Mr Virgoe the Steamers agent, took me and the Children to Sydney for a fare and half being 37/6d but he made it up out his own pocket and gave me 5 shillings besides for myself, getting the Captain to give me the trip to Newcastle for nothing, the journey from Melbourne to Sydney takes 48 hours, sent a telegram to Mother from Sydney for 1 shilling 12 words with addresses free telling her I should be there by next morning 7 oclock but I never see her, or had an answer so paid 1-6d to go to Wallsend by bus found out where Dronsfield lived through him belonging to the Miners (?) Union he was at work but Froomes next door told me that Mother was in Wickham, so went there and found her, they was very distant and told


Me that I ought to have left the baby as it was I should have to look after a room for she could not accodate me saying she had no money to give me, and she would not nominate the others. Went about all day carrying baby Saturday and Monday could have got a days work washing but she would not let me leave the baby, so took Harriet with me to nurse it when I got there they would not let me stop with the baby, went to the only boot factory in the place, he would have given me work if had not the baby under the circumstances he advised me to go to Sydney and apply to a society there at night I asked Mother for 5 shillings to take me to Sydney she said she could not see what I could do there, without I went to the destitute Asylum so she see me off on Friday night offered to take Harriet, but I would not leave her. so I was just one week in Newcastle, and never wish to go back again, went to see my luggage was safe and the Stevedore offered me a home till I heard about something went to the Dean of Sydney Cathedral asked his advice and he gave me a letter of Recommendation to take before the Committee on Tuesday they admitted me and the Children in, and we are living there now, have lost my baby, he died on the 8th of August and was buried on the 12th, if he had lived till 20th, he would have been 1 year and 5 months old you hit him on the head nex morning he was very ill in Grandmother’s room, I went to Dr Barnes in the Evening he told me that he had got a blow and I was to be careful of him, for it might cause disease of the brain, I took great care of him, but he seemed restless on the Voyage at night time but I thought it was his teeth he cut all his teeth with dirraharea since on the 3rd of August he vomited and would not take the breast could not keep anything but weak brandy and watersat up three whole nights with him but it turned inward Convulsions and he died very hard from congestion of the brain they say



He could not have been well when I started the Voyage, and the change of climate did not do him any good, he lays in Aslam Creek Cemetry Church of England ground Rookwood they kindly gave me a pass by railway to see him buried a very good job I was in a place where I could have medical advice he was very patient through it all nobody but himself knew what he suffered, but after all it is best for him to die young there is more hope of him going to the right place. he is, not lost but gone before. I feel it very hard for he could just toddle about nicely, Hannah Maria as got the mumps hope she will get better soon Harriet is quite well excepting a cold, don’t know what I should do if anything happens to either of them i feel miserable as it is we are all in different wards but can see each other now and then part of the Voyage was very rough the waves rushed over and knocked a sailor down and broke his leg if you could get the Melbourne Age of 18th of July you would see the account of the Voyage in it, we were all very sick but got better after we passed the bay of Biscay but you go through such a many changes that it’s very trying to the Constitution. do write back and let me know how you and the Children are getting on and whether you intend coming or not im always thinking about the Children hope you keep them to School and do your duty by them then if anything happens to them you have nothing to regret about Annie could work with me or get 6 shillings a week as Nurse girl Sydney is a fine place, we see old Exhibition from the windows. George Street has got fine buildings not unlike Oxford Street, house rent is dear but plenty of work for labourers and carpenters from 10 to 14 shillings a day, but you ought to bring all the recommendations you can with you and money for clothes are very cheap here, get me a copy of our Marriage lines from Leytonstone it would cost about 2/6 and send it me for I don’t want the children to be thought illegitimate i cant show them for i have not got them with me it was 12th of April 1868 don’t forget send me an answer and kiss the Children for me perhaps I shall never see the Goodbye to you all the manager will pay postage for me address the letter Mrs Beckwith Benevolent society Pitt Street Sydney N S Wales it will be best to register the letter then it will come safe anxiously waiting an answer Goodbye all remember me kindly to anyone who enquires for me how I am getting on
we have the steam Tramways here same as America to different places a Railway Station and the Old Exhibition in front of us, we can see the people going in and out of the Station so we are not very dull there is plenty of work for you to do here if you only wish to come if you went to Emigration office and told them you would like to work your passage over and pay for the Children you could come cheap for Annie Louisa could come free if you came with her there is plenty they could find for you to do besides Carpentering if you do come bring plenty of cheese and bacon it will keep and you will get tired of salt meet also Sherbert to drink with the water in hot weather, have not tasted cheese or bacon since I left England, the baby could get up the stairs before I left the Ship and chat away so nicely I used to say he was too knowing to live but, I trust he has gone to a better land, and that we shall be as fit to die as he was, be sure to answer this and bid Grandmother goodbye I wonder how she is getting on

From your affectionate wife and Mother HLAB



After this letter life went downhill for quite some time, she was eventuall reunited with her son--my grandfather in 1911..she herself lived till 1918.

[Glesgalass]

Re: Our Australian Cousins

That's so sad. They had a hard life didn't they?

Elda