Pioneers SA Learning Hub

School on Board

Schools were often held on the ship bringing emigrants to Australia.

The inscription in the Bible reads:

“Steven Wisdom. For regularity of attendance in the daily school held on board the Buckinghamshire on its voyage to South Australia 1838 – 39″

A newspaper report describes the school:

William Ewens Letter tell us more:

William Ewen, with his wife Sarah and three children, arrived in South Australia on the ship Prince Regent on the 25th September 1839. He wrote letters to his family and friends in England.

Dear Mother, Brother, Sister and friends,

I fear your patience must be tired not Hearing from us but Here we thank God in the Land of South Australia and most of us in pretty good Health and spirits and Hope this will find you all well. we suffered A good deal on Board. the Children on Board Had measels and then followed A fever which Have Carried 22 of the nursling children off. an we Had 2 grown persons Died and if it Had not been so bad among all he Children our Death would Have been but few our Doctor was A very young man. we Sailed from Blackwall Half past 4 o Clock Thursday 6th June and cast anchor at Holdfast Bay 26th of September my wife Birth Day and Landed Saturday 28th the first Dinner we Had on Shore which was Michaelmas Day we had Roast pork and new potatoes greens and turnips Beefstakes. We never Saw Land from the time we Left Sight of the Landsend Cornwall till we saw Kangaroo Island Sorely was many of us Disappointed because our Captain did not put in any where and I do assure we wanted to feast our eyes with the sight of Land not seeing it so Long and all Wanted to Write to their friends. How I felt for you knowing you would expect to hear from us and at the same time I wished you could see us sailing along so beutifully till we reached the Cape of Good Hope for Certain the Boat would have Lived all the Way to the Cape it was so fine but afterwards from the Cape to our Destination we Had some very Rough Weather but we Had A little fine too it was Early in the Spring as we went from the Cape I kept a Log of the Voyage but I Have Had part of it torn out when I was in A few days sail of our new Country

The poor Children Have Suffered very much in the passage but they are now getting over it very fast. Poor Billy Has been very ill you would not know Him if you Had seen Him even now as I am Writing this Letter he can scarcely walk but now He is gaining strength very fast and I suppose by time you Hear from us again I shall Have to inform you of you of another arrival in this Colony Either Grandson or Daughter I cannot as yet tell which it will be but I suppose I shall know in time.

Dear Mother farewell for the present I never forget you as Long as I Have Life. Farewell. farewell.

Will’m Ewens

Grenfell St, Tam O Shanter Place. Adelaide. South Australia.”