Picture: Picture: Shawn Spencer-Smith
Allan Gilmour, his brother Matthew (Jnr) and their father Matthew, sailed on the ss Great Britain’s first voyage to Australia in 1852 as steerage (third class) passengers.
They left the rest of their family behind in Glasgow, in order to travel to Melbourne to search for gold.
On the journey from Liverpool to Australia the Gilmours made picks and shovels.
However, their search for gold ended in tragedy when Matthew, the father, died of dysentery only a few months after arriving in Australia.
In his diary he talks about the highs and lows of life on board:
Gamblers Den
“A good deal of money has changed hands today, a number of wagers having been made this morning as to the run….considerable sums have changed hands, one person having lost £500 and another £120 in this way besides innumerable smaller sums. I am however rather inclined to doubt the truth of the two sums here mentioned. A great number of things are also being raffled, among some of which are a Gold watch, … Rifle, Double Barreled gun, single barrelled gun, 1 pair pistols, knives etc etc.”
Gold-Miners
“The passengers for the most part are now busily engaged, a number making tents, hammocks, and some handles of picks, poles of tents etc. Raffling is also got up a gain, and a number of things raffled off at exorbitant profits.
….Today Mr Low has joined a party to go to the diggings, which is to be designated the Caledonian Gold Mining Association; they are furnished with a crushing Machine and other implements all of the newest invention.”
“As a number of articles are constantly being lost and stolen, there is a proclamation posted on the main mast stating that all persons having found or detained in their possession articles not belonging to them, shall (on the articles being found) be subjected to the punishment of a public shave with Neptune’s soap and a large razor.”
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