Eigrants at dinner. The Illustrated London News 1844
The time at which these ships set sail is at the end of a period known as the industrial revolution. The changes in agriculture, farming, mining, transportation and advances in technology had a big impact on the lives of people living in England during this time. Last week we started looking at the skills and trades of people who were onboard these first colonising vessels, but what was life like for these people before departing England? Where they from poor, working or upper class families? Why did they make the decision to leave England to start a new life in South Australia?
This week we read that two ‘fresh’ sailors and a cook joined the crew of the John Pirie. The passengers and crew onboard would each have had different experiences and stories and to tell. How would a person’s past experiences influence their actions and impact on the journey to South Australia?