Letter from Mary Jones to her parents, 13 November 185[5?] [image 1 of 4]

Description

Letter sent from Mary Jones, a native of Llanfihangel-y-Pennant, to her parents from Ballarat, Australia, shortly before her arrival, c. 1855.

In this letter, her first from Ballarat, Mary describes the seventy-two day voyage from Liverpool on the clipper 'White Star'. One evening, the sea became so rough that she feared the ship would sink. She saw 'four buried and four born'. She was taken ill, and treated with kindness by the surgeon and by the Captain. The surgeon is referred to as 'Palmer, brother of the doctor who killed so many in London' (possibly William Palmer, who was hanged in 1856 and known as 'The Rugeley Poisoner'). Mary says that she was nursed by a Mrs. Jones from Caernarfon who was travelling to Australia to see her husband.

Having reached Australia, Mary Jones finds herself in better health than she has been for years. She considers Australia to be a beautiful country with a healthy climate. There are numerous acquaintances from Merioneth living nearby and she names some of them. She regrets leaving her family but tells her mother not to worry as she will be home before long. No one could have found a kinder husband than William. She went to Australia expecting to be living in a tent, but finds herself in a beautiful house. She is surprised to discover that there are so few Welsh boys in Ballarat and is of the opinion that it is unwise for Welsh girls to come to Australia alone, without anyone to care for them.