| Samuel (Sam) Smith
Boy 2nd Class, Wardroom Steward & Stoker.
Samuel aged 92 with his dog outside his home, Gloucester House, near Cann River.
photo from the State Library of Victoria.
As well as showing Peter Rowe (holding the flag) and his dog Rover (under flag) a note on the back of this photo states:-
"the tall lad Smith the youngest in the crew lived in Gipsland(sic) & lived till he was 92 yrs old".
photo from State Library of Victoria.
The article below was supplied by Gwen Dyson, Samuel Smith's great-granddaughter.
LIFE STORY OF SAMUEL SMITH
As appeared inThe Snowy River Mail, Orbost, Wednesday Evening – 27 January 1937
I was born at Hampton Parish, Gloucestershire, England on 4th March 1844. I started work when I was eight years of age, shepherding pigs under acorn trees for a Mr. W. Chandler, a farmer living in the same Parish, for the large wage of one shilling per week. I also worked for a Mr. J. Hyde, in the village of Littleworth carting coal. I left Gloucestershire and went to London where I started work in a wood and coal shop, when I was eleven years old, for two shillings and sixpence per week and my tea in the evenings. I stopped there for close on twelve months then went to Mr. Cockerille who kept a green grocer’s shop in Pimlico for five shillings per week and my keep. I stopped with him for about two years and then went to a Mr. Davies, who had a milk round. I went twice a day with milk to the Horse Guard Barracks for the late Queen Victoria’s Life Guards. I left there after staying about three months and went to Woolwich to try and join the Royal Navy, where I was told I was too short in statue. I then went back to London and interviewed a shipping firm named Willis & Gann, where I was apprenticed for five years, and was sent aboard the barque ‘Eclipse’, bound to Wellington, New Zealand.
We sailed from St. Catherine’s Dock about the middle of January, 1859. After a very rough passage we arrived in Wellington about the middle of July, the voyage taking six months. In one of the gales one of the crew was washed off the Poop, right forehed, under the Windlas and sustained a broken leg. I stayed on board the ship a fortnight at Wellington and then three others of the crew and myself ran away. The Captain offered a reward of 5 pounds but we stayed back in the bush till the ship had sailed and then went back to the town, where I joined the Colonial Steam War Sloop, Victoria, belonging to Melbourne, Victoria, Captain Norman being in command, who had orders to sail to Taranaki in company with following War Ships, Pelorous, Fawn, Cadelia.
Arriving at Taranaki, Commodore Seymour, who was in charge of the fleet, called for Volunteers from each ship to form a landing party as reinforcements to the Soldiers, who were engaged in war with the Maories. Fifty men and a boy from the Victoria, the boy being myself, one hundred from the Pelorous, fifty from the Cadelia, also about fifty from the Fawn, went ashore. After being on shore for about a month and driving the Natives back, who made another attack at Waitara, about forty miles away, and we had a route march to that place. After skirmishing for some months the Chief of the tribe (Willie King) surrendered.
After the War, in 1861, we got orders to sail to Melbourne. Colonel Carey and General Pratt being in charge of the soldiers coming back in the ‘Victoria’ to Melbourne. We berthed alongside the Railway Pier at Sandridge, where we had to man the yards and a salute of twenty guns was fired. The same day we steamed over to Williamstown and anchored. The Bosun piped all hands to go ashore and all except a boats’ crew were given forty-eight hours shore leave.
A few days afterwards the Mayor of Melbourne, Sir John Thomas Smith, invited the Ships Company to a Grand Dinner, at the Bull & Mouth Hotel, Bourke Street, Melbourne. A special train was run from Williamstown to take us to Melbourne. Arriving at Spencer Street Station we were met by the Mayor and in company with a Military Band we marched up Collins and down Bourke Streets to the Bull & Mouth Hotel, where we were dismissed and told to return at 7 o’clock in the evening in time for dinner. The Mayor was there waiting to receive us, and we all went upstairs to dinner. Speeches were made by Captain Norman and the Mayor and as there was all sorts of liquors we were told to fill our glasses and drink their health. After dinner we spent the night in town having been told that we were to be back at the Bull & Mouth at 9 o’clock next morning for breakfast. Sir John was there with his donkey; he was supposed to be the only man in Victoria to own a donkey. After breakfast we marched to Bateman’s Hill, Sir John in the lead, riding his donkey, the Band marching at the same time playing stirring marches. We then formed in a circle with the Australian flag flying and had our photos taken. After that Sir John came round with a bag of sovereigns and gave one to each man and told them to drink his health. Even the smallest boy had one given to him. We were given another 24 hours leave and had orders to be back on the ship next morning at 9 o’clock.
After that the ship was put on the Slip to fit out for her trip to the Gulf of Carpentaria to search for the Australian explorers, Burke and Wills. While the ship was being fitted out I was living with Lieutenant Woods at his Private residence. Before the H.M.C.S. Victoria left I got my discharge on account of my mother’s death in England. Lieutenant Woods gave me a note to go to Mr. Shillinglaw, Shipping Master, who procured me a ship, ‘The King of Algiers’, one of the Black Ball Line, on which I worked as ordinary seaman. We went to Bombay where we took in a cargo of cotton for Liverpool (England) going through the Mozambique Channel we experienced a terrible typhoon. We called at St. Helena where we put four men ashore suffering with the Scurvey. While crossing the Line we had a lot of calm weather and ran out of provisions and coal. We boarded an Italian Barque and procured provisions from her and got a ton of coal from a Shield Brig, the voyage from Bombay to Liverpool taking us five months and seventeen days. I got my discharge at Liverpool and then went to London, where I stayed with my sister and brother for several months in the meantime keeping my weather eye open for a ship bound for Australia, but did not succeed, so I shipped a schooner bound to Newcastle in England. I was paid off in that Port and I shipped in a Brig the Skerry bound to Alicante in Spain, loaded with coal. After discharging our cargo the Captain received orders to go to the Black Sea, but we got no further than Gallipoli, laid there six weeks and then got orders to go to Messina where we loaded sulphur for Glasgow. We had a very rough passage, losing the fore topmast, a gallant mast and Royal mast. I was paid off at Glasgow, so I shipped in a Norwegian Barque for North America.
I ran away from the ship and stayed six weeks in Quebec, afterwards shipping in the Joseph Rome, a ship bound for Liverpool, loaded with peas and horse beans. Soon after leaving the ship sprung a leak and as we could not go back on account of Icebergs, we were pumping night and day for six weeks. Arriving in Liverpool I stayed there for two months.
Then I shipped in the Knight Templar, a sailing ship for Calcutta, with a cargo of Railway Iron and Engines. After discharging our cargo we took in another of rice for Shanghai in China calling in at Singapore on the way. Arriving at Shanghai we discharged rice and took in a cargo of tea and silk for London. After leaving Shanghai we ran into a terrible typhoon in the China Sea. We tried to make the Sunda Straits but owing to the terrific gale, was blown on to an island off Lubuk, where the ship became a total wreck, breaking into three pieces. We took to the boats losing everything except the clothes we were wearing at the time (the bosun was drowned). After landing, the Natives provided us with food, consisting of Rice, Coconuts, Bananas and Fowls. The next day we pulled 5 miles in an open boat, when the Captain found an Arab Brig which was taking in cotton for Surabaya. Our Captain had to guarantee 400 dollars to take us there and started the next day. On our arrival the British Consul provided us with lodgings. There were 42 of us altogether.
From there I shipped with three others in the Lexstraff (Lightning) a Holland ship bound to Rotterdam, calling at Batavia, then going through Sunda Straits, into the Indian Ocean. While off Ascension Island we experienced a terrible hurricane and the ship was hove to, on her beam ends and everything was got in readiness to cut the masts away, but the gale moderated. A few days afterwards was Christmas day and we enjoyed a good dinner and ended the day by dancing. After that we had fine weather, till we arrived at Rotterdam two days after. We were paid off at 8 o’clock at night, leaving Rotterdam at 1 a.m. next morning for Hull, the trip taking a day and a half. We took train from there to Liverpool arriving there at 11 o’clock at night and stayed at a boarding house for three weeks. I then shipped on the Sterling Castle a full rigged ship bound to Calcutta with a general cargo. After discharging cargo and while taking in a mixed one for London I was laid up in the College Hospital for six weeks with the fever, after I recovered the ship sailed, one man dying while we were in the Bay of Bengal and was buried at sea. We had fair weather most of the voyage and went to the East India Docks London. I was paid off at Wells St. Sailors Home near Tower Hill and stayed with my brother and sister while in London.
I again shipped in the same ship Sterling Castle on the 4th of January leaving the dock on the 6th January 1866, the same day as the ill-fated steamship, London. Both ships laid together at Seareach. After going through the Downs, the London went on to Plymouth, and after we got into the English Channel we ran into heavy weather, losing a man overboard, and losing the truss of the foreyard, so we ran back to the Downs. The Captain went ashore to get another man and fix up the foreyard. After repairs had been completed and shipped the new hand, we resumed our voyage, having engaged the services of a tug boat to take us as far as the Lands End, but running into the storm that the London foundered in, the tug had to let go.
When we were off the Isle of Wight every stitch of canvas was blown away, except the foresail and the fore topsail. Next day we made for Plymouth Harbor, where all hands refused duty. The Captain hoisted the Police Flag and two boats came alongside and took us all ashore and we were put in Plymouth Gaol and the next day we were brought up before the magistrate and asked what was our grievances. We said that we thought the ship was not sufficiently manned. The Board of Trade went on board and they said that they thought the ship was sufficiently manned as there were ten apprentices on board besides the crew. We were brought up before the P.M. again and we were asked what we had to say. Four of us said we did not intend to go in her again, so he sentenced us to six weeks’ hard labour and we were handcuffed two and two and marched to the Gaol. After doing our sentences we came out and went to the Sailors’ Home where we found all our clothes. My sister sent me two pounds to take me back to London, but instead of using the money for that purpose I shared it with my three mates. While we were staying at the Sailors’ Home, Captain Wheeler of the S.S. Kaikoura came in, saying he wanted three men, so I shipped as trimmer in the Stoke Hole, two of my mates going on board as seamen that afternoon. We left Plymouth the next morning for Australia with passengers and mails. Calling at Cape St. Vincent for coals, we left there the next morning for the Cape of Good Hope where we landed a few passengers and took in more coal, then sailing for Melbourne. Arriving there, we landed passengers at the railway Pier, Sandridge (now called Port Melbourne). We then went to Balmain Dock, waiting there for six weeks for a new propeller. After the propeller was fitted we did a trip to Panama and back, calling at Wellington, New Zealand both ways. Arriving in Sydney I got paid off.
I then came to Melbourne as a passenger on board the City of Adelaide and stayed in Williamstown about three weeks. Then I shipped on the Frederick, a barque bound to Hokitiki, New Zealand, where I was paid off. I went to work at Findley’s sawmill, stopping there nine months. I again returned to Melbourne as a passenger in the Alamba. I remained in Williamstown for a fortnight, then took train to Castlemaine and on to Maldon by coach. I made a start at the diggings at Porcupine Flat, with my brother, where I worked on a puddling machine for about eight months, and then came back to Melbourne and shipped in a schooner called the Northern Light, making three trips to New Zealand and back as cook and steward.
While staying in Williamstown, after the third trip, I got married at the Scotch Manse, Williamstown by the Rev. J. J. Clarke on the 29th of February in the year 1868. A week afterwards I made another trip to Hokitiki in the same schooner (The Northern Light) and when I came back I settled in Williamstown and got work on the Railway Pier. While living in Williamstown I joined the Forrester’s Lodge, 3rd November 1869. Work getting scarce I again shipped on board the H.M.S. Victoria with Captain Norman - as wardroom steward. We went surveying round King’s Island for three months with Captain Stanley and when we returned to Williamstown all hands were paid off. I then took charge of a coal lighter, the Perthshire, belonging to Spence Bros., my wife accompanying me for about eight months, but as the sea did not agree with her, we left the Lighter and lived ashore.
I then went to work for a contractor who was making a road from Sydney Road to Brunswick Street. out at Brunswick, coming home every Saturday. Being down the street one Saturday night I met Mr. Thompson the Paymaster and Mr. Breakes second Engineer of H.M.S. Cerberus, telling me there was a job on board as fireman so I went and signed on under Captain Panter and Engineer Leslie. Entry 27/4/1872. Discharged 9/12/1874.
I then joined the Government steamer, Pharos, as deck hand and fireman, under Captain Anderson and Mr. Robertson engineer. We used to do the buoying and take stores to most of the Lighthouses on the Victorian coast. While landing stores at the Parker River for the Cape Otway Lighthouse, four of us were nearly drowned, through the surf boat capsizing owing to the steer oar breaking. Captain Payne who was Lighthouse Inspector ordered us back to Apollo Bay, where we laid for a week, waiting for fine weather and put in the time painting Beacons. We went back to the Parker River and landed stores, then we returned to Williamstown, where I was appointed Assistant Lightkeeper on the West Channel Lightship for about two years. I was then shifted to Wilson’s Promontory, staying there for two years and eight months. From there I went to Snake Island, putting in about two years there and the light being abolished I returned to Williamstown and transferred to the Swan Spit Lightship for about two years. My next shift was to Gabo Light and after two years and eight months I was sent to the South Channel Lighthouse and Pile Light, where I used to have one week ashore and two weeks out at the Pile Light. My next move was to Cape Schank, staying there for nearly five years. Going from there we went to Queenscliff only stayed there one month and being promoted to Senior Keeper I was sent to Portland for two or three months, thence on to Split Point, being made Principal Light keeper as it was a three man station. Putting in two years I was sent to Cape Everard and stayed there a little over two years, then returned to South Channel for three months, going back to Split Point for another two years. Then shifted back to Cape Everard for five years and having attained the age of sixty years I retired from the Service 15th July 1904, receiving a pension, most of my family working and living on the Cann River.
I then applied to the Lands Department and got six acres granted to me, where I had a house built, and had the land fenced in, and have resided here ever since, just on twenty six years, being eighty six years of age now. A year after I settled here I received the New Zealand War Medal from the British Government. I had a family of twelve children of whom eight are living, six being married.
I have a number of grand-children and great grand-children, and since above was written my poor old wife has passed away at the age of 84, and I am living with my daughter, Mrs. Morris, at Tonghi Creek.
Samuel Smith died in 1937 at the age of 93 years.
Served on HMCS Victoria 1860-61, HMVS Pharos and HMVS Cerberus.
There is more information and the above profile in Leading Lights, The Story of Warrnambool Lighthouses & Lighthouse Keepers, by Elizabeth Douglas, Collett, Bain & Gaspars, Warrnambool, 1998
Crew member of HMCS Victoria 1860-61. See Victoria & Australia's First War, Ian MacFarlane & Neil Smith, Mostly Unsung Military History, Brighton 2005.
Mr Samuel Smith, of Noorinbee East Gippsland, who will celebrate the 91st anniversary of his birth today is the only survivor of the original crew of the frigate Victoria, the first vessel of the old Victorian Navy. When the Victoria arrived in Melbourne in 1861 after having landed soldiers in New Zealand for the Maori War, the crew was given a civil reception, and each member was presented with a sovereign in honor of the birth of the Victorian Navy. Mr and Mrs Smith, who are both in good health were married in Williamstown 67 years ago.
The Argus, 4 March 1935
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