Voyage to Canada: Frances Hickson Writes a Letter Home

Background. This letter involves the family of our great-grandfather, William Samuel Hickson. It recounts the transatlantic voyage taken by members of his family from London to Quebec in May of 1850. We do not know the ship’s name or any other details and have not been able to locate any information in the records. Ships’ manifests and sailing details were not required to be archived until 1865 in Canada. Possibly there are newspaper announcements as to the ship’s arrival in Quebec, but those newspapers have not yet been digitized and put online.

This letter was written by our 3x great-grand-mother Frances Holmes Hickson, born 1780, wife of Samuel Hickson, 1774-1848, and the mother of 4 living children: 1) Samuel Richard Hickson who comes to Canada later in 1855, 2) William Thomas Hickson, our 2x great-grandfather, who went to Canada earlier probably in 1848, 3) Eliza Hickson Lawson, who went to Canada with her new husband in 1848, and 4) Joseph Hickson, who never left England.

Hickson Family Members Traveling to Upper Canada in May 1850 (in Green)

Frances is traveling with her daughter-in-law, Sarah Ann Mabin Hickson (wife of William Thomas), Sarah’s parents (Roger and Sarah Mabin), and Sarah’s children: Frances Annie (age 6), Clara (age3), and and William Samuel (age 1). We have records that Sarah and her parents, the Mabins, requested a loan from the Hackney Workhouse in London to fund their journey on March 22, 1850.

In Sarah’s application to the Workhouse, she stated that her husband, William was already in “Upper Canada” and she wished the funds to join him. We assume that William went to Canada in 1848 or 1849 because his youngest son would have been conceived around mid-April 1848. William’s sister, Eliza, had married Hugh Lawson in 1848 in England and they made their way to Canada in 1848 or early 1849. This is the Mr. Lawson referred to in the last paragraph of the letter. Possibly William traveled to Canada with them in 1848. We have no records.

Travel to Canada in 1850

The mode of travel for pauper immigrants from England to Upper Canada in 1850 would have been Steerage Class on a Packet Ship. This ship was fully wind powered. A Packet Ship typically had 3 masts with 3 large sales per mast, named because it typically carried “packets” of mail. It was not particularly fast compared to clipper ships and the nascent steam ships. A trip from England to Quebec in 1850 would have typically taken 35-45 days, although Frances states that the journey was originally predicted to take less than a month given their favorable winds.

Steerage class was the lowest possible category of long-distance travel. Accommodations were below deck between the cargo and the deck and were normally crowded, dark, and damp. Steerage passengers were allowed to roam certain areas of the top deck as they wished.

Sleeping Accommodations and Dining in Steerage Class 1850’s Packet Ship from England to Canada

The most fascinating thing I learned about travel at this time was that each passenger was allotted a certain amount of raw foodstuffs and they had to prepare it themselves in shifts in a very small cooking area. Usually they made as much as they could at one time and ate it cold for several days.

Example of a Packet Ship Ticket, Steerage Class in 1850. Note allotted foodstuffs!

The Letter. Frances is writing the letter to her eldest son Samuel, his wife Harriett, and her youngest son Joseph. Samuel and Harriett, along with their children, Harriet, Eliza, Robert, Lydia and Elliott, have stayed in England and are passengers on a ship to New York 5 years later. Son Joseph Hickson married in 1855 and had his family in England. He never emigrated and this letter remained in his descendants’ possession.

This letter was originally transcribed by Ethel Rose Bundy, a grand-daughter of Eliza Hickson Lawson. The transcription was sent to Uncle Bill Mannon in 1975 by his second cousin Doris Bundy (Ethel’s niece). Doris stated that Ethel Bundy had visited relatives in England and, indeed, we have ship passenger manifests recording this visit in July and August of 1929. In fact, Ethel traveled with her father, John, and sister Ella May Bundy. The relative they visited would have been Joseph’s eldest daughter, Louisa Hickson Sharp, as she is the only one of Joseph’s children who was still in England in 1929. In 1929, the letter would have survived 79 years since its mailing and it must have been very fragile. Fortunately, Ethel got to work and copied it down. The original was eventually thrown away, but, fortunately, the transcription has survived.

This version was prepared by Shirley Mannon McDonald, 20 April 2011.

Here is the letter in its entirety.

Northern Ocean

15^th May 1850

My dear Children,

I have intended to write an account of each days proceedings but have been prevented by a variety of circumstances, the Captain told me last night that we might meet a ship and if we did he would hail her that we might send letters by her, so I felt determined to scribble a little if possible.

In the first place our prayers are heard respecting our Captain for he is one of the kindest men that ever was commander of a ship, he studies the comfort of all on board and your mother‘s in a special manner, he on the Friday after we came on board I fell ill, but he told me not to fear he would take care of me and so he has, I kept my bed on Saturday, on Sunday was a great deal better, Monday fell sick again and was very very ill till Thursday when I began to mend again, up to Wednesday could not get Sarah or any female near me, all being ill below, but the Captain and steward were as kind as it was possible for men to be. I have had one relapse since then but hope now it is all over, so much for myself.

I must not omit to say I live entirely upon deck, the Captain says he did not expect me to be so well as I am, he had great fears for me, there has been a great deal of sickness on board and one death, but all seem to have got pretty well now. Clara is much better except weak eyes, William is very poorly with the same complaint namely scarletina. Sarah is better upon the whole but is poorly today, she is sitting alongside of me while I write and she says she will write a few lines herself.

Mr. and Mrs. Mabin had the sea sickness Sarah has not had it.

We have had most delightful fine weather and wind in our favor all the way, it has been boisterous but I have been quite void of fear. I put my trust in Him who is able to save upon the sea as well as upon the land, it is a great pleasure we have a most agreeable party in the cabin each one making it pleasant to the other, and as to me I have the greatest respect from all and the Captain is like a brother, have not we reason to cry out Bless the Lord Oh our souls and what is more delightful we have had divine service upon deck on a Sabbath, I found out we had pious men on board, I therefore expressed a wish that there might be prayer and an address, but I said name it to the Captain, it was accordingly done and he gave permission, I likewise spoke to him in the Cabin and he said he was pleased to find there such persons on board, and they should not be interrupted, so the first Sunday we had service about 2 oclock, but that interfered with our dinner hour, so I told the Captain it had better be earlier and he then proposed 11 forenoon, which I communicated to the pious friends, my dear good Captain told me if they would arrange for that hour he would have the ship bell struck for all hands to be in attendance, so a few minutes before 11 the bell ——(several words unreadable here)—Country bell and it was gratifying to see the people assemble most of them very clean and neat and behaved as orderly as if it was a place of worship, the Captain himself spread a flag over the capstan for those who led the service and then went and stood at the rail on the poop where we stood to see the passengers called over where he heard and saw all, in the afternoon we had prayer and address attain for an hour, they are Primitive Methodists, that man of the name of Lawson is going out as missionary in that connection and 2 others with him.

I must tell you I had a very large class of Sunday Scholars in the morning and Mr. (?) Lawson was my superintendent and we sang Oh that will be Joyful Joyful — and then those good young men gave me a bundle of little childrens books to give away and as they read them changed them for others, it was a novel and pleasing sight to see the deck covered with groups reading the little books and your mother seated near the Cabin door dispersing the books and surrounded with children, the Captain told me it was a great pleasure to him to see me attract the young people so, indeed I cannot take my seat but I have quite a large party of little folks, there are some belonging to the Cabin call me Grandmama.

Friday 17^th May Morn, perfect calm.

Now I will endeavour to recollect what has past respecting wind and weather. I told you we commenced with favorable winds which have continued nearly up to this time and to day we have got on very slowly, being a calm all night and to day, we expected to have been at the Banks of Newfoundland by tomorrow but if we have not more wind, it was expected we should be in Quebec in less that a month from our starting but we don’t know what to think now, the weather continues very fine, we have passed some ships that left London before us, there have been several Whales seen but as I dare not look at the water because of the swimming in my head I have not seen any. Dear Joseph when you see T. Kransharp (?) give my love to him and he must tell his Sally I have not been scared with anything yet and good health and happy, and if they travel the Mighty Deep hope they will meet with so good a captain and as many comforts as we have, but don’t imagine it is all comfort, no there are a many disagreeables unavoidable but as we hope it is only for a short time we much bear with it in the hopes of the recompence we shall have in the meeting with our dear family and friends at the end of our journey. Be so good as soon as you receive this to write to T. Johnson Esq Upminster near Romford and give the heads of my letter to him with my sincere love to him and Wm Johnson, and as soon as we arrive at Mr. Lawsons they shall hear from me with further particulars, likewise I would wish one of you to write to my friends Mr. and Mrs. Crockhart with my love to them and my little William Crockhart, my sincere love to my own dear children, Harriet, Eliza, Robert, and Lydia, sincerely hoping Eliza is better.

Saturday Morn 18^th May

A ship is in sight and we have hoisted colors for her to take our letters so have no time to say any more. Mr. and Mrs. Mabin and Sarah unite in love, the children are both much better, Frances is very hearty and Sarah is great deal better to day, I am very well, love to all my dear friends in England. Good by dear Sam, Joseph, and Harriet, God Bless you.

Your affectionate mother,

F. Hickson

Make all allowances for the writing it is done on deck with the ship is rolling we have contrary wind this morning but still very fine weather.