Robert Craig of Edinburgh circa 1855 - Is he yours?

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:06 pm

Hi everybody

Amongst my Mother's possessions were several letters from the above individual to his wife and grandchild.

Robert Craig was on a voyage from the river Clyde via the Cape of Good Hope to Australia in 1855.
He was the ship's Medical Officer and first officer.
He was from Edinburgh and his wife was at home in Edinburgh.

There is not a huge amount of information in the letters but they would be very helpful to anyone researching the family as several names and places are mentioned.
They are concerned mostly with details of the voyage, the daily menu, other first cabin passengers, storms encountered although there is more about the folk he met in Melbourne and what he did there.

If anyone out there thinks that he may be part of their tree PM me with some additional detail like : his granddaughter's name.
The date of his marriage or the street he lived in, in 1855 and I will post them on to you.

Russell

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:21 pm

Hi Russell
What a wonderful find and a very generous offer for someone out there - just wish he was one of my lot!

Best wishes
Lesley

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:39 am

Lesley

you have no idea (or maybe you do

) how I felt when I saw an old envelope entitled Grandfather's letters 1853, with four or five close written screeds on the thinnest of papers.
Then I realised that I had seen it 50 years ago when my father bought the contents of a cupboard in a sale of contents from a big mansion house.

I hope that someone will prove they have a right to them. They would find their real home.

Russell

Post by **SarahND** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 2:01 am

Oh Russell

When I cleaned out my parents' house I found a fat envelope with about 100 letters in minuscule writing from a woman who was a missionary in India in 1906 or thereabouts-- no relation! And she died very young, unmarried. What to do???? They are still in that fat envelope waiting... but no way can I throw them out!

I've been tracking her family down and hoping I'll find some living relatives one day...

Courage!
Sarah

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:05 am

Hi Russell
Just a thought: If no one can be found, perhaps the next best thing might be to offer the letters to an archive where they will be looked after and catalogued and so the letters would be available to people, including possible relatives, in time to come.

For an Edinburgh man, probably NAS www.nas.gov.uk or Edinburgh City Archives would be a suitable repository. At present I reckon NAS is probably the more accessible to the public, just because it is more obviously central and there always seem to be a good number of folk there, but the City Archives seem to have recently expanded their opening days (it used to be just one day a week I think!) which is good news. City of Edinburgh Council Archives

Best wishes
Lesley

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 12:09 pm

Hi Lesley and Sarah
Before I go down the formal archives route I think I would broaden my offer. He mentions several other passengers by name including a lady with children. The children's governess is unwell and he takes on some of their education - on a voyage lasting nearly 5 months by sailing ship. There obviously was not a great call for medical services during the voyage.
Later, in Melbourne he also gives care to a lady staying there; so there are other possible family lines who may have a claim on the letters.

If there are no takers initially I will post more details of the contents.

My fingers are crossed now (that might explain why I'm using the delete button so frequently

)

Russell

trish1 · Post by **trish1** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 2:19 pm

Hi Russell

The names of other passengers could be very worthwhile to folks now living in Australia. Victoria has BDM records very similar to the 1855 Scotland version, so it may be quite possible to trace a family tree of these passengers & perhaps find living descendants. The ship and passengers may be listed here
http://proarchives.imagineering.com.au/ ... earchid=23
or here
http://proarchives.imagineering.com.au/ ... earchid=24

First class passengers were probably "unassisted".

I have access to the Vic BDMS - births to 1920, marriages to 1942 and deaths to 1985 if you would like me to check any names. I had some Boyds came out from Scotland at around that time - but I doubt they would have travelled first class and most came in 1857. Supposedly a couple of brothers came earlier, but to date I think that is folklore!

Trish

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 3:21 pm

Hi Trish

That's an avenue I never thought of. (I'm obviously too parochial since virtually all of mine stayed in Scotland).
It would be my choice to wait until a possible relative of Robert Craig shows up to give the letters to but I had forgotten that some of the other passengers, and folk he visited in Melbourne would have a direct interest too.
I must sit down and transcribe them fully although I will have to be careful as, after this length of time they are a bit fragile. One letter is 15 pages long, although I doubt anyone wants a blow by blow description of the shark they caught, killed and ate for Christmas lunch.
He only mentions the first class passengers by name since they ate at the same table.
You have certainly got me thinking of other avenues where they will be useful.

Thanks

Russell

Kathy · Post by **Kathy** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:21 am

Hi Russell

I have two Robert Craig's 1772c & 1865c, but try as I may, I cant get them out of the Greenock area.

Those letters will be a treasure to the right person.

Kathy

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:49 am

Hi Kathy

When you posted on this topic my heart leapt 'Oh Goody, a taker'

Can you not transpose your Craig relatives to Peebles then Edinburgh

The family moved away from Peebles between 1851 and 1855 although I have no idea why an elderly country Surgeon and General Practitioner would want to make a voyage to Australia and back leaving his family at home

I now find I am almost as interested in this family as in my own nearest and dearest (three generations removed).

Russell