Bound for South Australia 1836

Building a HomeWeek 37

Robert Thomas’ tent and rush tent, Glenelg. 1836

Overview

Between February and July 1836 nine ships left Britain bound for the newly created province of South Australia. On-board the ships were passengers who over many long months braved the perils of the ocean, including some of the most treacherous seas in the world to begin a new life on the other side of the world.

This resource uses the stories from these nine ships as recorded by the passengers and crew in their personal journals.

Contents

• Introduction• Journal entries• Inquiry Questions• Relevant images • Glossary of Terms

Introduction

This week Colonel Light writes in his diary while sitting in his hut and we hearthat his men are building a store-hut nearby using building materialsunloaded from the Rapid. He has divided his surveyors into two groups andhas sent them to different parts of South Australia in his quest to find the bestsite for a capital city. As he sits in his hut swatting flies we wonder what hishut is like and this gives us an opportunity to look at the homes that werebuilt in South Australia in 1836. How were these early homes built? Whatwere they made from and what factors influenced the types of homes peoplebuilt?

Journals from settlers in South Australia:Monday 31 October 1836

William Light, who arrived in South Australia on board the Rapid wrote:

31 October-Employed all day in my hut constructing my chart, and the men all day in building a store-house. Very variable climate; at six exceedingly cold, at eight still colder, and cold all night.

Tuesday 1 November 1836

William Light, who arrived in South Australia on board the Rapid wrote:

1 November-Calm and fine. The men employed constructing a store-hut – myself with chart.

Thursday 3 November 1836

Robert Gouger, who arrived in South Australia on board the Africaine wrote:

Everything which I have observed, & the report received from others not connected with Mr S. goes to prove that Kangaroo Island may be made a flourishing settlement. The harbour of Nepean Bay may be said to be perfect – secure from all winds and will allow of the entrance of vessels much larger than the “Africaine”, requiring the expenditure of but little money or labour to make excellent landing places. Capt Duff speaks in the very highest terms of the anchorage (sand & mud) & is so much pleased with the facilities afforded for shipping that as a S. Australian land proprietor, he says he would be content to have his section placed adjacent to this Bay. The land is so thickly wooded that the clearing of it would require a deal of labour & cost a considerable sum. The timber is not large, & is serviceable therefore only for rafters, for roofs, fencing, & purposes of that kind.

…In wandering with H. among the partially cleared brushwood, we one day fell upon a Hut – one room of about 12 ft square, inhabited by 2 men & a woman – a native of Van Dieman’s Land, of most forbidding appearance. The men were run-away Sailors, who had never approached the Company’s settlement with a view to obtaining employment. One of them sternly ordered the woman to get some tea & make it. She accordingly cut off a branch of the tree, and put it into the pot, thus obeying the mandate of her lord. The taste of this decoction was not disagreeable.

Saturday 5 November 1836

Dr John Woodforde, who arrived in South Australia on board the Rapid wrote:

The last three days being almost maddened by the flies, I have been building myself a hut which will in some measure keep off these persevering tormentors. As the heat is excessive in the middle of the day and I have nearly half a mile to fetch my wood I fear it will be an endless job. The Brig arrived from Kangaroo Island with the rest of the Surveyors etc. on Wednesday evening. The party is now divided into two – one of which sailed yesterday at 1 p.m. in the brig for Holdfast Bay where that division will for the present be stationed. We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of Pullen who remained behind at the Island with the hatch boat to bring over Dr. Wright of the “Cygnet” who is detained at a bad case of midwifery. Colonel Light has appointed Dr. Wright to the Holdfast Bay station and I remain in care of the Rapid Bay one. When Pullen arrives Colonel Light will join the brig with him and proceed round the Gulf and then to Port Lincoln leaving Maria here under my care.

Inquiry Questions

• What would the hut that Colonel Light lives be like?

• What types of houses were built when the people from our voyages arrived in South Australia?

• How were decisions made about where to build houses and what designs to use?

• What building materials were available to use at this time?

Images

Courtesy of the State Library of South AustraliaSLSA B8436 - view at Normanville, 1836

Robert Thomas' tent and rush tent, Glenelg. 1836. Image courtesy of SLSA [B2128]

Mr Beares tents, Nepean Bay, Kangaroo Island. ca. 1836.

Glossary of Terms

brig• A sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. H• Harriethatch-boat• A class of net fishing boats used on the Thames estuary. The Rapid’s boat was built specially for

the Colonization Commissioners by W.T. Gulliver of Wapping.

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