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Historical records matching Jane Davey
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About Jane Davey
GEDCOM Note
Having been widowed after10 years of marriage and with 6 children, she successfully raised the children until she brought them (+ 2 sons-in-law and 3 grandchildren) to Australia. The 'Quetta' sank in1890 in Torres Strait. In 1881 the family lived at the White Hart Hotel, Bridestow Devon.
<p>Jane Guscott's Quetta diary</p>
<p>compiled by</p>
<p>Margaret Greer,</p>
<p>April 1995</p>
<p></p>
<p>Jane Guscott nee Davey wrote this diary on board the Quetta in 1885.</p>
<p>The ship, 2500 tons, sailed under Captain Withers from London on 22</p>
<p>September 1885 and arrived at Brisbane on 19 November 1885. The</p>
<p>Surgeon Superintendent was Dr Usher and the Matron was Miss McGorran.</p>
<p>The route was via the Suez Canal, across the north of Australia to</p>
<p>Thursday Island and down the coast of Queensland to Brisbane. In 1890,</p>
<p>the Quetta was wrecked near Thursday Island en route for England, with</p>
<p>great loss of life.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Jane was born in 1833 in Ashwater Devon, daughter of Michael Davey and</p>
<p>Hannah 'Ann' Hill. She married John Guscott, a farmer, in 1862 and</p>
<p>they lived at Stowford, Portgate and Thrushelton, all in Devon. They</p>
<p>had 6 children by 1870, when, the story goes, John was mustering</p>
<p>sheep, felt thirsty, drank from a stream, and fell down dead. Their</p>
<p>seventh child Willie was born some months later.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Jane brought the children up alone, making a living from being a</p>
<p>grocer and keeping an inn. In 1881, they were living in Bridestowe,</p>
<p>possibly at the White Hart Inn. Richard was an apprentice sadler in</p>
<p>Tavistock. In 1885, when she boarded the Quetta, Jane was accompanied</p>
<p>by: daughter Mary Maria 'Polly' Davy Dawe aged 23, her husband Henry</p>
<p>'Harry' Dawe and their children Ernest aged 5 and May aged 3;</p>
<p>Elizabeth 'Bessie' Davy Guscott aged 21; Richard aged 20; Jane Davy</p>
<p>Alford aged 19, her husband Robert Alford and their child Olive aged</p>
<p>1; John Guscott aged 17, Laura Guscott aged 16; and Willie Guscott</p>
<p>aged 14.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The shipping list records that Elizabeth, John and Laura were in free</p>
<p>accommodation on the ship and the others were all steerage passengers.</p>
<p>It also records that the Alfords and the Dawes had measles on the</p>
<p>voyage and were quarantined on arrival.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The diary was given by Jane to her granddaughter May Russell (nee</p>
<p>Dawe) and then passed on to Ivy Hurlstone (nee McEwan), a</p>
<p>granddaughter of May Russell. In 1954, Ivy realised that the diary was</p>
<p>becoming very frail and typed it exactly as written. The John Oxley</p>
<p>Library was given the opportunity to photocopy both the original and</p>
<p>the transcript, while Ivy keeps the original and freely shares the</p>
<p>typed copy.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Margaret Greer has retyped the Ivy's typescript exactly, adding the</p>
<p>above brief summary of Jane's life as we know it in 1995.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The Diary of</p>
<p>Jane Davey Guscott</p>
<p></p>
<p>On board</p>
<p>The Quetta</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>Tuesday, 22nd September, 1885. Left London for Gravesend in a small</p>
<p>steam vessel, went on board the Quetta 12 at noon. Sea beautifully</p>
<p>calm studed hear and there with steam boats - altogeather most</p>
<p>magnificent.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Wednesday 23 Got up at six - breakfast at 8. Bessie and Laura both</p>
<p>sick. Dinner at 1 for those who care for it - sea not so calm as</p>
<p>yesterday - have received a note from Harry. Poll and Jane are both</p>
<p>sick.</p>
<p></p>
<p>24 Thursday All three of us so sick. Bessie and Laura in bed - no</p>
<p>normal meals almost everyone sick, the thing is altogeather beyond</p>
<p>discription but we have to put up with each other - our party very</p>
<p>agreeable with exception of the Irish girl the sight of which is</p>
<p>enough to turn ones inside. 24 in each birth - 12 on each side - the</p>
<p>beds are two deep ours are on the top side by side, we are separated</p>
<p>from the married ones and the boys shall not see them again until</p>
<p>Sunday. Sea very rough, nothing unusual they say we are in the bay of</p>
<p>Biskey.</p>
<p></p>
<p>25 Friday All better, the weak abel to go on deck - we were in sight</p>
<p>of the Portugese Mountains this mornimg - the waves are rolling high.</p>
<p>We are out of the Bay of Biskey - this is my almanac - I should forget</p>
<p>the day of the month if I did not keep count.</p>
<p></p>
<p>26 Saturday We have had a verry rough sea tonight. Ship rolling from</p>
<p>side to side - the Matron had the worst of it - a big wave roled in</p>
<p>over her - she was so frightened that she screamed for the Sub Matron</p>
<p>to come to her - she did not get any ones sympathy - she has been</p>
<p>preaching patience to us all - she who would prove the greatest coward</p>
<p>in time of distress. Many stayed out of bed until 3 in the morning,</p>
<p>but all in our birth went to bed quiet early and we are in the hands</p>
<p>of the Lord in him I can put my trust. I am not afraid - I feel quite</p>
<p>safe - it is a lovely morning - sea calm sun shining and we are all</p>
<p>much better. We are now in sight of the Spanish Mountains. Bessie is</p>
<p>Captain of our birth, therefore has to clean our cupboard and see that</p>
<p>the others clean the birth properly every Saturday. It is now about</p>
<p>half past 11 a.m. we have just passed a little sailing Vessel how it</p>
<p>does seem to be at the mercy of the waves. Just as tho it would turn</p>
<p>over at every move - ours is a most beautiful Vessel new and strong</p>
<p>built. 1/4 past five p.m. we are now passing the rockey coast of Spain</p>
<p>almost close to the Light House near enough to wave handkerchiefs - we</p>
<p>can also see some pretty clean white houses. Bessie says the sight of</p>
<p>land looks good already the pretty houses we can see is Cape St.</p>
<p>Vincent.</p>
<p></p>
<p>27 Sunday We have passed Giberalter today have seen the great rock -</p>
<p>it is a splendid rock but the fields look like so many
so</p>
<p>barren and poor. I have not said anything about our living, we have</p>
<p>beautiful bread much nicer than we had at home, pot butter not very</p>
<p>good Potatoes Fresh beef for Dinner two first days, very good potatoes</p>
<p>boiled peel them ourselves. Tin beef since. Tomorrow it is to be salt</p>
<p>pork - it is put in little nets tonight - little nets like bird nets</p>
<p>each one numbered - our net is No. 3 for 8 people - sometimes we get</p>
<p>cheese - twice in the past week, Plum pudding - Porrage morning and</p>
<p>tea and bread and butter after - sometimes Coffee - neither of it</p>
<p>worth much.</p>
<p></p>
<p>28 Monday 1/2 past 4 p.m. We have been sailing along near the coast</p>
<p>of Africa all day - it is hills or mountains all rough so far - we</p>
<p>have just passed the last the clouds seem to be resting on it, we</p>
<p>could see many groups of Houses along the Coast by the sea - one place</p>
<p>much larger than the others which may be the Capital - I cannot take</p>
<p>the trouble to enquire - we have been verry sick again today - I</p>
<p>should like so much to know how all we have left behind are getting on</p>
<p>we do not know how dear familiar faces have become until you are</p>
<p>separated from them.</p>
<p></p>
<p>29 Tuesday We are all three still very sick and weak but have managed</p>
<p>to get on deck this evening some swallows came to roost on our Vessel</p>
<p>welcombe sweet little birds they seem to bring a message from home</p>
<p>telling us they are driven away before their time by unseasonable</p>
<p>weather. I wonder if I am right.</p>
<p></p>
<p>30 Wednesday Morning stormy afterwards clear and calm. We are all</p>
<p>better have been writing letters today to which I can get no answer.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Oct 1 Thursday This morning when we got on deck the first sight was</p>
<p>Malta we were in Port the first place we have stoped then only until</p>
<p>12 at noon. It was a verry bussy time what we might term a Market. The</p>
<p>taking Provisions for the Ship and selling of all kinds of things such</p>
<p>as Maltees Lace, Lemonade, Gingerbeer, biscuits, bread and cheese,</p>
<p>grapes, sweets, mellons, lemons, condense milk, Tins of Salmon,</p>
<p>bloaters etc. The houses - well the best thing I can compare them to</p>
<p>is so many Churches except that it is flat roofs and small windows, it</p>
<p>is verry pretty and picturesque but I do not think I should like to</p>
<p>live there. Sisters of Mercy came on board our Vessel to beg for help,</p>
<p>but I do not [?] they had much on our side. They have a Fifed Drum</p>
<p>Band on the other side. They were playing when we left the port in</p>
<p>fact we often hear the Drum but it is to far away to hear the Music -</p>
<p>we have no amusements on this side - we are shut up like so many</p>
<p>prisoners.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Oct 2 Friday All beds brought on deck to be aired - sea beautifully</p>
<p>calm weather fine very hot - had row with the Matron.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Oct 3 Saturday Extra cleaning prizes for best. Equally devided</p>
<p>because all was done so nicely - our share 1 lb. Sugar 1 Tin Condense</p>
<p>milk.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Oct 4 Sunday Verry hot sea calm - letter writing again to which I can</p>
<p>get no answer and want to know oh. so much what they are all doing at</p>
<p>home the time seems so long. Tin beef carrots and potatoes plum</p>
<p>pudding after - have seen all the others this afternoon - they all</p>
<p>look thinner except baby.</p>
<p></p>
<p>5th Monday We are at Portsaid had a row with the Matron wants me to</p>
<p>do the scrubing and scouring and I refuse point blank. The Vessel is</p>
<p>again stoped to take in provisions. I have been called by the Doctor</p>
<p>and given to understand that notwithstanding having paid my full</p>
<p>passage am still subject to the rules of the Ship being on a</p>
<p>Government Ship for girls have to work hard on verry poor living and</p>
<p>.............. not only poor but not sufficiant.Portshead is a verry</p>
<p>pecular looking place some verry nice looking houses with balcony -</p>
<p>some roofs quite flat others nearly so. Natives some black others</p>
<p>verry dark. Their stile of dress is that of the Egipttians of old head</p>
<p>gere and all - look in the Family Bible and you can see some of the</p>
<p>lower class almost naked. We are now in the Suez Canal.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>Oct 6 Tuesday Still in the Suez Canal. The Vessel has been stoped for</p>
<p>the night on account of the many obsticals so we had a Consert last</p>
<p>night which proved verry interesting. A change from our present</p>
<p>monoteny. It is a Sandy Desert on each side the Canal tho we have</p>
<p>passed many pretty little houses and stations were Vessels are stoped.</p>
<p>I suppose it is for repair.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Oct 7 Wednesday Still in the Suez Canal we have come through verry</p>
<p>slowly - we have met several Vessels always confining this Vessel</p>
<p>while the one comming in passes on. Some of the first class passengers</p>
<p>left the Vessel at Portsaid, came on by Rail to the Town of Suez, the</p>
<p>train came in imediately on our arrival where they again came on the</p>
<p>Vessel - all the study is for the comfort of the first class</p>
<p>passengers - they pay their seventy guinies often rings out in our</p>
<p>hearing - well may it be said of the rich they receive there good</p>
<p>things in this world - we are out of the Canal.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Oct 8 Thursday We are now in the Red Sea - it is verry hot and I</p>
<p>suppose it will be to the end of our journey. Today the boxes have</p>
<p>been opened for the first time - it has been a confusion and got</p>
<p>through with much difficulty.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Oct 9 Friday Beds on deck again today for an airing - the heat most</p>
<p>intense - piresperation running down over us while we sit on deck -</p>
<p>immagine what it is to work in our birth.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Oct 10 Saturday Heat most oppressive - Vessel going very because</p>
<p>they will not get into the next port until the appointed time - it is</p>
<p>so tiresome this going in a Government Ship - their pay is going on so</p>
<p>they do not try to do it in less than 8 weeks - one of the Blacks</p>
<p>missing a fireman, he asked to go on deck to the W.C. in the night -</p>
<p>no further account of him - supposed to have jumped over board.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Oct 11th Sunday Heat almost insufferable - we have seen our party</p>
<p>again today - they seem to be suffering greatly from heat - it is</p>
<p>verry trying - together with poor living and a bad appetite.</p>
<p></p>
<p>12th Monday We have been in sight of land all day - High hills and</p>
<p>rocks but it does not seem to be inhabited neither do I know the name</p>
<p>of it. One of the girls has been ill - it would be no great wonder if</p>
<p>we all were.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>Oct 13 Tuesday We are in Eden now - it is a quere looking place</p>
<p>neither pretty or picturesque. The inhabitents so ugly and so black</p>
<p>the male sex - I have not seem any females - we are not near enough to</p>
<p>land. We see them only in boats. Why in all creation should their be</p>
<p>people so hedious - many of them have wool on their heads instead of</p>
<p>hair - just the coulour of what we term a black sheep only coaser -</p>
<p>verry few of them wear any clothes only a girdle - their arms and legs</p>
<p>are all bone and mussel - their eyes & teeth - well I cannot describe</p>
<p>them it is so ugly.</p>
<p></p>
<p>14th Wednesday I suppose we will leave this place soon as the male</p>
<p>arrrives - our Vessel takes the letters from here to Australia.</p>
<p></p>
<p>15th Thursday The male arrived in the night so we are on our journey</p>
<p>again which is a relief to everyone as we get a little breze when the</p>
<p>Vessel is moveing - the heat is verry trying.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Oct 16 Friday</p>
<p>17 Saturday</p>
<p>18 Sunday</p>
<p>19 Monday</p>
<p>20 Tuesday All this time verry unwell - still weak. The heat</p>
<p>almost enough to kill anyone - we have been in the Indian Osien for</p>
<p>several days - I hope we shall soon be out of it - I think it is more</p>
<p>trying than the Red Sea. We see a lot of flying fish - they look so</p>
<p>white & pretty.</p>
<p></p>
<p>21 Wednesday Heat not so intense - Sea rather rough - a little child</p>
<p>dead put in the sea one hour after its death.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Octr 22nd Thursday Verry heavy rain - people looking just as gloomy</p>
<p>as the weather.</p>
<p></p>
<p>23 Friday Weather changable - one hour almost unbearably hot another</p>
<p>wind & rain as if it was winter.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Octr 24 Saturday Again verry hot it is trying - people are looking</p>
<p>verry seedy - I am so weak I do not know how to walk about.</p>
<p></p>
<p>25 Sunday All looking seedy - we are getting verry tired of the</p>
<p>journey.</p>
<p></p>
<p>26 Monday Sea rough Vessel rolling about terribly - weather close and</p>
<p>sultry - everyone in the dumps - verry little attempt at conversation.</p>
<p>27 Tuesday In sight of a sailing Vessel. Some sports to go on this</p>
<p>afernoon - obstical race - running in sacks - potatoe race, racing</p>
<p>with buckets of water, jumping - the winner jumped 4ft. 6 he wore a</p>
<p>Jockey dress.</p>
<p></p>
<p>28 Wednesday I feel so ill and weak it will be hard work to hold out</p>
<p>to the end - more than a fortnight yet.</p>
<p></p>
<p>29 Octr Thursday It has been a verry stormy night with thunder &</p>
<p>lightening and it has not yet ceased.</p>
<p></p>
<p>30 Friday We are expecting to pass the firey Mountains sometime</p>
<p>today. Lava & Pomey stone are floating on the water which shows we are</p>
<p>near - night has come & we are dissapointed of seeing the Mountains.</p>
<p></p>
<p>31st Saturday We passed the Mountains this morning about 3 so of</p>
<p>course we were all in bed - would gladly have sat up all night for</p>
<p>the sight if we had been allowed - now we are in the Port of Batavia -</p>
<p>the Station is close by the sea - we can see the trains coming & going</p>
<p>- the Railway Carriages are something like our covered Cattle Trucks -</p>
<p>they are taking on a stock of Coal on our Vessel & we are almost</p>
<p>smothered with coal dust & smoke - there are Plantations on each side</p>
<p>but the trees are cheifly Cocoanut.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Novr Sunday 1st Not much like it - still taking on Coal - I suppose</p>
<p>they are taking sufficient for the remaining part of the journey - the</p>
<p>Natives seem to be fond of gay colours, Red, Pink & Black are</p>
<p>prevalent - some white - the men carry light sunshades the women some</p>
<p>of them wear a redhandkerchief & some no covering at all for the head</p>
<p>- the heat is terrible and we are weak - They have taken in 6 cwt. &</p>
<p>50 Tons of Coal - I hear that 50 tons a day is consumed on the Vessel</p>
<p>- what a place for the poor firemen - it is two o'clock & we have left</p>
<p>the Port to the relief of all - we have been nearly suffocated with</p>
<p>smoke, coal dust & heat.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Novr 2nd Monday A lovely morning - air clear & refreshing - sea calm</p>
<p>eveyone in better spirits - we hope to land in about 14 days. 3rd</p>
<p>Tuesday Morning fine - we are in sight of land every day since</p>
<p>leaving the last Port - evening stormy.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Novr 4th Wednesday Sea calm - verry hot - young mens Tea Party.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Thursday 5th We are in the Jarva Coast - still in sight of Mountains</p>
<p>- sea smooth and glassy, when it is so the heat is terrible.</p>
<p>6th Friday Extra work - all the painting to be cleaned.</p>
<p></p>
<p>7th Saturday Cleaning all became fully done - Tea Party this afernoon</p>
<p>- a Tug of War & Dancing - a glass of wine for each before we retire -</p>
<p>a verry jolly day.</p>
<p></p>
<p>8th Sunday We have been in the Austrilian Coast for two days - heat</p>
<p>not so intense - a lovely breeze.</p>
<p></p>
<p>9th Monday Afternoon - we are in Thursday Island - it is a verry</p>
<p>quere looking place - a baby died this morning - burried this evening</p>
<p>at the Island - A Lady & Gentleman came on board the Vessel in quest</p>
<p>of servants - no money would tempt one to live in such a place - they</p>
<p>did not get any.</p>
<p></p>
<p>10th Tuesday The Scenery has been verry good today - Mountains</p>
<p>covered with trees - some of them seem to be inhabited - some places</p>
<p>covered with huts quere looking things (hills) I thought it was some</p>
<p>kind of grain gathered for drying - it looked just the shape of stacks</p>
<p>of wheat, but the colour is red.</p>
<p></p>
<p>11th Wednesday The last visiting week day on board the Quetta I</p>
<p>sincerely hope - we are getting verry weary & sick of it all.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Novr 12 Thursday We arrived in Cook Town Arbour sometime in the night-</p>
<p>some Germans landed here - two Gentlemen came on the Vessel to look</p>
<p>for servants, but none would be tempted to go.</p>
<p></p>
<p>13th Friday Reached Townsville this morning. Gentleman on board</p>
<p>looking for servants but none would go except four Irish girls booked</p>
<p>for that place.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Novr 14th Saturday In the port of Bowen - a few passengers are</p>
<p>getting of from the other end of the Vessel.</p>
<p></p>
<p>15th Sunday In the Port of Mackay - one girl from our end getting off</p>
<p>- some from the other end - it does not seem to be much of a place but</p>
<p>the Town is 10 miles of.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Novr 16th Monday We arrived at the Arbour of Rockhampton this morning</p>
<p>but it is 50 miles of the landing place - there are many leaving the</p>
<p>Vessel - they have to go in a small steamer.</p>
<p></p>
view all 14
Jane Davey's Timeline
| 1833 |
November 3, 1833
|
St Peter, Ashwater, Devon, England
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November 3, 1833
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St. Peter, Ashwater, Devon, England
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1833
|
Ashwater, Devon, England
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||
| 1862 |
June 18, 1862
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Stowford, Devon, England
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| 1864 |
November 9, 1864
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Portgate, Stowford, Devon, England
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| 1865 |
January 26, 1865
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Portgate, Stowford, Devon, England
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| 1866 |
1866
|
Stowford, Devon, England
|
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| 1868 |
July 11, 1868
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Stowford, Devon, England
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| 1869 |
July 9, 1869
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Thrushelton, Devon, England
|