26 November 1863

Thomas Keir diary - 26 November 1863 entry [National Library Micro-MS-0837]

Thursday 26th
Very wet this morning and a good
deal of motion rained most of the day
which made it very disagreeable. One
poor man got his leg broken as he
fell on the deck when the ship gave
a heavy lurch[1]. a few of the female
passengers, and two young men all still
very ill. I felt rather uncomfortable
during the day and took very little
food, saw a few sails.

STANDARDISED

Thursday 26th

Very wet this morning and a good deal of motion. Rained most of the day which made it very disagreeable. One poor man got his leg broken, as he fell on the deck when the ship gave a heavy lurch. A few of the female passengers and two young men all still very ill. I felt rather uncomfortable during the day and took very little food. Saw a few sails.

HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY

26th – wet

A very rough night. Had a sad accident 1 man broke his leg and another almost knocked his eye out with the ship rolling so. Salt pork for dinner and bacon for tea.

Notes

1. The captain Henry Rose recorded the accident in the ship’s official logbook, though the entry was dated Saturday 28th November.

W.P. Woodifield one of the crew fell down and broke the cap of his knee whilst going along the deck, placed him in the single mens Hospital in charge of Dr Cocksedge.

William Woodifield was a 31 year old from Sunderland with no previous ship’s service noted in the crew list. He had joined the Mermaid in London as a 2nd cabin steward.