Harriet Marshall’s travel journal, 11-12 January 1847

by Anna-Maria Hajba, Archivist

Join us on a journey from Calcutta to the Island of St Helena through the pages of a journal kept by Harriet Marshall between 9 January and 4 April 1847 on her way from Allahabad to County Tyrone. A weekly blog post series, running 10 January to 4 April 2025, presents transcriptions from her journal for the preceeding week.

 

Monday 11th Oh what a busy day this has been, I went down to Eliza’s1 Boat about 9 O.C. found them all in confusion and not dressed, this was caused by the Boat people having discovered an extraordinary quantity of water in the hold of their Pinnace,2 and having been bailing it out for hours in both the fore and after part of the vessel[.] pleasant predicament to be in[.] how very comfortable to find oneself floating away on putting themselves out of Bed some fine Morning, this has determined them to go to Spence’s Hotel, as soon as there are any vacant apartments to be had, at present every place is occupied, this will be much pleasanter for themselves and me too, as I should not have such a distance to go to them.  After Breakfast we went on board our ship to be “The Alfred”[.] what a noble glorious vessel she is[.]

 

East Indiaman The Alfred, a Blackwall frigate built by Green’s Company in 1845 for the London to Calcutta run. © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Green Blackwall Collection, RMG PY0590.

 

Mrs Colonel Gairdner3 came with us, I met Captain Watt4 coming away from the vessel as we were going to it, he recognised me at once, I was quite astonished to see him, he has been on board to see what he could do about getting Cabins on board, the ship already seeming to be full, she is deservedly a favorite [sic], her accommodations are splendid, everything of the best and neatest kind[,] the furniture of the cuddy5 of beautiful Mahogany, my 3 Cabins are below [deck], they are larger than those above, we tried how much light we should have when the Ports6 were closed and I think we shall not be inconvenienced on this account, there are so many ingenious contrivances for letting in light & air never dreamt of in the old fashioned ships, what long walks, we shall be able to take on deck, the length and breadth astonishes me, every thing looks and is so clean, no dirty hen coops, pig stys [sic], cow sheds and sheep folds to be seen, but all clear and clean, we found out where the Pantry was, the Doctor’s cabin and medicine chest, then we explored our deck and found out two or three beautiful English cows, they are larger than the Indian[.] we had no difficulty in recognising them as such, so totally different from those we see in this Country[.] I wonder what I shall think of the St Vincent My Brother John’s ship after The Alfred[.] this seems to me a regular monster of the Deep.  I am afraid I shall not have the pleasure of the Watt’s society on board, I should have liked it so much Mrs Watt7 is such a dear little body, and I should have been well cared for by them, however we shall meet in Ireland I hope.

 

A bazaar on the border between native and European parts of Calcutta. Published in Views of Calcutta and Its Environs by Sir Charles D’Oyly, (London, 1848). From the British Library archive, shelfmark X644.(24).

 

From the ship we went to several shops, I did not take children,8 as they were well amused with little Jimmy and the Baby,9 they would have been only very much fatigued, however I did not forget them, when we got to the Exchange I bought 2 of those Dissecting puzzles, one of the Sovereigns of England and the other about Dogs, I want them to conquer their fear of Dogs, they are getting over a good deal of it, poor pets[.] Habit is second nature, & they will get used to them in time.  The shops we visited were The Exchange Rooms, Bodebio’s [?], Thompsons[,] the Hardware House[,] Bright & Co. where we got some Ices and Cakes as we had had no Luncheon, then to Nesbitt’s to get myself measured for Boots, on our way to the Course, we met Dr Dane [?] taking his Evening Constitutional, I am finding a number of people I know.  Poor Mrs Dane I hear is worn out with anxiety and fatigue in attendance on their eldest child, who is so ill that they have no hopes of its recovery, poor Mrs Dane, I feel for her from my heart, a Mother’s heart can never forget the child she has borne, God grant her strength, to bear her trials for vain is the help of man.  What a deal I have talked and heard today, it was past 11 O.C. when we got back to the Cavanagh’s, we were obliged to come across the Maidan instead of the short cut through the Fort which was shut, this made it very late.  Tomorrow I am engaged to a Picnic at the Botanical Gardens, I had quite forgotten this and have made several engagements for tomorrow to go with Eliza to different places[.] this is very stupid of me, however I must make my apologies in the best way I can.

 

Tuesday 12th I made my apologies to Eliza the first thing this morning and after hearing the dear children their lessons, this duty I must never in my most hurried moments omit, dear Robert10 laid such stress on this I have only once neglected it, but only in a half kind of way, for as I had not their regular book, I took up the first I could find and made them spell easy words[.] my boy is more advanced than Eliza’s this will be something to tell Robert, and what’s more my boy is fond of his book which Jimmy is not Eliza tells me. Captain Watt and Dr Ranken called, I am so delighted that after all they are to go in the Alfred, I have always liked them and now shall have the opportunity of cultivating their acquaintance to my heart’s content. I must go and see dear little Mrs Watt tomorrow.

 

Bishop’s College, near Calcutta, 1822. British Museum, @The Trustees of the British Museum. object no. 1912,0319.125.

 

We started for the Picnic at ¼ to 12, and after much hunting and fatigue got over to the Gardens, the Bakers whose Pinnace we were to have gone in had made a mistake about the time and so we got over there in a little Dingey[.] had a long walk towards the Bishop’s College returned and sat down for some time before the rest of the party arrived which consisted of Mr & Mrs Baker of the 60th[,]11 his Mother Mrs Baker Senior12 and Miss B.[,]13  Mrs B. Junior’s Brother Mr Vincent[,] and Captain & Mrs [—] 60th[.] we went to see the big Banian [sic] Tree, sat awhile under its shade, what a magnificent tree it is, tho’ I think that it was a Traveller’s story Captain Poole of the Steamer told me about its affording shelter to 1,500 men under its branches, after this we sat down to Tiffin and all was going on very merrily when Mr Baker cuts his finger[.] this I thought was a trifle when suddenly the poor man fainted quite off[.]

 

Photograph by Samuel Bourne (1834-1912) of part of the Banyan Tree, Botanical Gardens, Calcutta. National Galleries of Scotland, PGP R 917.29.

 

the sight of Blood always effects [sic] him thus, his wife commenced crying bitterly and such a scene of confusion ensued I quite forgot how totally they were strangers to me, sympathised with the poor young wife, and bathed the temples & face of the fainting Husband, with water, after a time all was hushed up, as Mr Baker is very much mortified with himself, it is however a constitutional infirmity but what an awful one for a soldier, the very sight of Blood makes him fall down senseless, fancy the poor creature on a field of Battle he would be worse than useless, in the way completely, how stupid to have made him a soldier however I sincerely hope all may be Peace for many years to come, we have lately had enough of the horrors of War.  The poor wife I thought was most to be pitied she seemed to watch him so anxiously, they look such a young interesting couple[.] very amiable people they seem to be, Robert attended Mr Baker for a fever some years ago, he spoke of it, & said Robert was extremely kind to him, it is so pleasant to hear those we love, spoken of and remembered by strangers, we all came back in the Bakers Pinnace and enjoyed ourselves very much by all sitting on deck, the air was so cool, the scenery beautiful, and people all delightful[.] I have taken a great fancy to Mrs Baker Junior, and only hope we shall meet again & be stationed at the same place.  Tomorrow must be a busy day with me. it is near 11 O.C. now!

 

A view of the Botanic Garden House and Reach in Calcutta. The gardens were established by the East India Company in 1786. Published in Views of Calcutta and Its Environs by Sir Charles D’Oyly, (London, 1848). From the British Library archive, shelfmark X644.

 

Harriet’s journal has been digitised and is available to read in full on the UL Digital Library.

 

  1. Eliza Madelina Kennedy née Turner (1820-1890), wife of Captain James Don Kennedy (1806-1898).[↩]
  2. A light sailing ship used as a tender to large vessels.[↩]
  3. Jane Gairdner née Wishart (1822-1894), wife of Major General William John Gairdner (1789-1861) of the Bengal Infantry.[↩]
  4. Captain Edward Watt (c. 1802-1864) of the 6th Bengal Light Dragoons.[↩]
  5. A room in a large ship in which the officers and cabin passengers take their meals.[↩]
  6. Porthole, an opening in a ship’s side to admit light or load cargo.[↩]
  7. Elizabeth Watt née Worsley, wife of Captain Edward Watt.[↩]
  8. Harriet’s children, Robert and Harriett Marshall.[↩]
  9. James Edward (‘Jimmy’) Kennedy (1841-1865) and William Turner Kennedy (1846-1890), children of Captain James Don Kennedy and Eliza Madelina Kennedy née Turner.[↩]
  10. Harriet’s husband, Dr Robert George Marshall (1813-1857), an army surgeon.[↩]
  11. Lieutenant William Thurlow Baker (1824-1900), aide-de-camp to General William Vincent (1781-1859); and his wife Elizabeth Baker née Vincent (1822-1912), daughter of General William Vincent.[↩]
  12. Lydia Baker née King (1798-1875).[↩]
  13. Probably Lieutenant Baker’s eldest sister, Lydia King Baker (1821-1862).[↩]