27 January 1864

Thomas Keir diary - 27 January 1864 entry [National Library Micro-MS-0837]

Wednesday 27th – Fine, slight wind from
the west. Our longitude at noon 84° east latitude
46°4 south. Reading part of the life of Wellington
his later contests in the Peninsula, & France,
terminating with the bloody field of Waterloo
Got a tin of preserved beef for the first time
had some of it cold for tea, which was
delicious we got it till now three times a week
made into soup, but thinking we did not get
our quantity; we applied and got the tin un-
opened.

STANDARDISED

Wednesday 27th

Fine, slight wind from the west. Our longitude at noon 84° east latitude 46°4 south. Reading part of the life of Wellington, his later contests in the Peninsula, and France, terminating with the bloody field of Waterloo. Got a tin of preserved beef for the first time, had some of it cold for tea, which was delicious. We got it till now three times a week made into soup, but thinking we did not get our quantity; we applied and got the tin unopened.

HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY

27th fine & showery

I had rats in my bunk last night. Dried my trousers. Saw a drawing of Port Lyttelton, Illustrated News Oct 17th 1863[1]. 6 knots per hour, 84 deg Long 46 deg Lat. Dinner pie & boullie, tea scones. Boring holes in my box to screw lid down. Cook Jack[2] gave papers out for a subscription for him. Splicing & making rings of ropes. No birds seen.

Notes

1. The Illustrated London News was the world’s first illustrated weekly news magazine, first published on 14 May 1842. It remained weekly until 1971, and ceased publication in 2003.[Wikipedia].

Available online at British Newspaper Archive and through Findmypast. Local libraries may offer free access.

2. “Cook Jack” is most likely the passenger’s cook, John Blyth. He was 36 and from Bromley (was in Kent, now part of Greater London), and had previously served aboard an American ship.