First Fleet Diaries, 25 December 1787: Christmas Day
A tight-lipped King records nothing of Christmas celebrations upon the Commodore's leading ship HMS Supply, just noting instead that they were pleased to have the wind firmly 'in the north west quarter'.
On Scarborough, Private John Easty records only 'clowdy weather with fresh breeses' and gives their position as latitude 42º50' and longitude 108º east. Clark however, says, 'this been Chrismas day kist your dear Image as usual on Sundays - God I wish You Betsey my dear Beloved wife and Sweet Boy both a Merry Chrismas & happy New Year and many many of them. O God Grant that I was at home with you to eat of your Goose and Apple Piy for I shall have only a Poor dinner here. Never Betsey did your Poor Ralph live So ill as I doe at Present. Never will I goe to Sea without laying in Some Sea Stock. If my Mess Mates will not I will drink Both your health as I doe every day although only in Water but it is with a Sinceer wish. So God Bless you.'
On the second division at latitude 42º16' and longitude 105º00', White says nothing except that he had by now been able to get the dysentry under control on board and that 'it was got under by an unremitting attention to cleanliness, and every other method proper and essential for the removal and prevention of contagion. It gives me pleasure to be able to add that we only lost one person by this disease, violent and dangerous as it was.'
Sergeant Scott says on Prince of Wales this 'Being Chrismass day, Dinned off a pice of pork & apple Sauce a pice of Beef & plum pudding, and Crowned the Day With 4 Bottels of Rum, Which Was the Best. Wee Vitr'ens Could Afford'. Collins from the Officers' Mess of HMS Sirius says 'Christmas-day found us in the latitude of 42º10' South, and steering, as we had done for a considerable time, an east-south-east course. We complied, as far as was in our power, with the good old English custom, and partook of a better dinner this day than usual; but the weather was too rough to admit of much social enjoyment.'
On Lady Penrhyn Smyth noted 'We are now about 2000 miles distant from the South Cape of New Holland with a fine breeze which carries us at the rate of 8½ knots. This being Xmas. day I gave a quantity of Currants out of the Box of necessaries (of which I had a good quantity remaining) to the 3 Marines on board to make a plumb pudding also to the Boatswain & Carpenter's Mess with the 2d. 3d. & 4th. Mates in them. The Captain allowed them a reasonable quantity of Grog to chear their hearts & to distinguish this day as being the most remarkable in the year & which generally brings with it Mirth & Glee to the hearts of All, except the truly Misserable!'
From Norfolk Island 25 December 1788
25 Dec 1788 Philip King wrote: The 25th, being Christmas-day, it was observed as a holyday. The colours were hoisted at sun-rise: I performed divine service; the officers dined with me, and I gave each of the convicts half a pint of rum, and double allowance of beef, to celebrate the festival: the evening concluded with bonfires, which consisted of large piles of wood, that had been previously collected for the occasion.
A tight-lipped King records nothing of Christmas celebrations upon the Commodore's leading ship HMS Supply, just noting instead that they were pleased to have the wind firmly 'in the north west quarter'.
On Scarborough, Private John Easty records only 'clowdy weather with fresh breeses' and gives their position as latitude 42º50' and longitude 108º east. Clark however, says, 'this been Chrismas day kist your dear Image as usual on Sundays - God I wish You Betsey my dear Beloved wife and Sweet Boy both a Merry Chrismas & happy New Year and many many of them. O God Grant that I was at home with you to eat of your Goose and Apple Piy for I shall have only a Poor dinner here. Never Betsey did your Poor Ralph live So ill as I doe at Present. Never will I goe to Sea without laying in Some Sea Stock. If my Mess Mates will not I will drink Both your health as I doe every day although only in Water but it is with a Sinceer wish. So God Bless you.'
On the second division at latitude 42º16' and longitude 105º00', White says nothing except that he had by now been able to get the dysentry under control on board and that 'it was got under by an unremitting attention to cleanliness, and every other method proper and essential for the removal and prevention of contagion. It gives me pleasure to be able to add that we only lost one person by this disease, violent and dangerous as it was.'
Sergeant Scott says on Prince of Wales this 'Being Chrismass day, Dinned off a pice of pork & apple Sauce a pice of Beef & plum pudding, and Crowned the Day With 4 Bottels of Rum, Which Was the Best. Wee Vitr'ens Could Afford'. Collins from the Officers' Mess of HMS Sirius says 'Christmas-day found us in the latitude of 42º10' South, and steering, as we had done for a considerable time, an east-south-east course. We complied, as far as was in our power, with the good old English custom, and partook of a better dinner this day than usual; but the weather was too rough to admit of much social enjoyment.'
On Lady Penrhyn Smyth noted 'We are now about 2000 miles distant from the South Cape of New Holland with a fine breeze which carries us at the rate of 8½ knots. This being Xmas. day I gave a quantity of Currants out of the Box of necessaries (of which I had a good quantity remaining) to the 3 Marines on board to make a plumb pudding also to the Boatswain & Carpenter's Mess with the 2d. 3d. & 4th. Mates in them. The Captain allowed them a reasonable quantity of Grog to chear their hearts & to distinguish this day as being the most remarkable in the year & which generally brings with it Mirth & Glee to the hearts of All, except the truly Misserable!'
From Norfolk Island 25 December 1788
25 Dec 1788 Philip King wrote: The 25th, being Christmas-day, it was observed as a holyday. The colours were hoisted at sun-rise: I performed divine service; the officers dined with me, and I gave each of the convicts half a pint of rum, and double allowance of beef, to celebrate the festival: the evening concluded with bonfires, which consisted of large piles of wood, that had been previously collected for the occasion.
Who Are We?
The Fellowship of First Fleeters is an Australia wide organization of Descendants of those who came to Australia on the First Fleet with Captain Arthur Phillip in 1788.
We are descended from Convicts, Marines and Sailors who were aboard the 11 ships of the First Fleet.
The Swan River Chapter of the organization is one of many scattered across Australia in the country and cities of this great nation.
Feel free to contact us for further information with regard to your nearest Chapter.
The Fleet
H.M.S. Sirius - Flagship
Naval Warship - 20 guns
H.M.S. Supply – Armed Tender
Borrowdale – Store ship
Fishburn – Store ship
Golden Grove – Store ship
Alexander – Convict Transport
Charlotte – Convict Transport
Friendship – Convict Transport
Lady Penrhyn – Convict Transport
Prince of Wales – Convict Transport
Scarborough – Convict Transport
The journey was made from England to Botany Bay via Rio de Janeiro and Cape Town by 11 ships laden with Convicts, Supplies, Marines, Sailors and Officials to settle the new Colony.
These were the beginnings of this great nation we are all part of and if we look back on the hardship and trials of our ancestors we should all take pride in the achievements of Convicts, Marines, Sailors and Free Settlers alike who carved out our roots in Australia.
The Fellowship of First Fleeters is an Australia wide organization of Descendants of those who came to Australia on the First Fleet with Captain Arthur Phillip in 1788.
We are descended from Convicts, Marines and Sailors who were aboard the 11 ships of the First Fleet.
The Swan River Chapter of the organization is one of many scattered across Australia in the country and cities of this great nation.
Feel free to contact us for further information with regard to your nearest Chapter.
The Fleet
H.M.S. Sirius - Flagship
Naval Warship - 20 guns
H.M.S. Supply – Armed Tender
Borrowdale – Store ship
Fishburn – Store ship
Golden Grove – Store ship
Alexander – Convict Transport
Charlotte – Convict Transport
Friendship – Convict Transport
Lady Penrhyn – Convict Transport
Prince of Wales – Convict Transport
Scarborough – Convict Transport
The journey was made from England to Botany Bay via Rio de Janeiro and Cape Town by 11 ships laden with Convicts, Supplies, Marines, Sailors and Officials to settle the new Colony.
These were the beginnings of this great nation we are all part of and if we look back on the hardship and trials of our ancestors we should all take pride in the achievements of Convicts, Marines, Sailors and Free Settlers alike who carved out our roots in Australia.
How big were the ships in real terms? This is a rough comparison and when you think the Titanic used 825 tons of coal a day, nearly 3 times the Lady Penrhyn's displacement weight
