Barnes, Cecil James (1869-1941)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MS-2011-7 Barnes, Cecil James (1869-1941) Letters and Papers arranged and described by Mary Donald May 2011 Auckland War Memorial Museum – Tāmaki Paenga Hira Biographical Notes: Born in 1869, Cecil James Barnes was the fifth of six children born to Edward and Mary Ann Barnes of Ealing, Middlesex, England. The 1861census records his father as a grocer, the 1871 as a registrar of births and deaths. Ten years later in the 1881 census Cecil’s mother Mary is recorded as a widowed annuitant with five children ranging in age from Alice who was 20 years old to Cecil was 12 years old at the time. Prior to the 1891 census, Cecil left England presumably for India; his letters note two occasions when he returned to England from India – 1893 and 1896. In addition, his letters frequently mentions meeting people he had met in India and others with whom he had a shared Indian connection. It is possible that he met and married Jane in the East for her death notice records her being late of Bombay and Ealing. According to the 1901 Scottish census Cecil and Jane had a daughter. Dorothy was born in 1900. At the time Cecil was employed as a papermaker’s representative living in Cadder, Lanarkshire. Jane’s sister Catherine Reid was also with them, as were two servants. However, Dorothy is presumed to have died in early childhood. There is no record of Dorothy accompanying her parents on their 1907-1908 tour of Australia and New Zealand, she is not mentioned in either of her parent’s death notices and no other documents have come to light. At the time of his 1899 world tour Cecil Barnes was likely to be working for John Dickinson & Co Ltd who had paper mills in the countries visited. He travelled alone and his letters to Jane in England include brief mention of time spent in ‘business’. While not mentioning specific businesses or firms, he refers to sending telegram to N & F agents in Christchurch to tell them he was coming (L14 p.9) and provides sufficient information to confirm he visited A.D. Willis, publisher and printer in Wanganui. Jane accompanied him on the 1907-8 tour of Australia and New Zealand and ships manifests record him as a gentleman. Cecil Barnes died 24 February 1941 at Wellroyd Wood-lane Parkgate Neston Cheshire at the home of his brother-in-law leaving an estate totally £23,578. Jane continued to live in Ealing and died January 7th 1953 at The Lodge, Little Tew, Oxford. No mention of descendents or relations, Jane was privately cremated with the request of no flowers, mourning or letters of condolence. Scope: All letters were written by Cecil Barnes during his 1899 business trip around the world and were sent to his wife Jean who remained in England. The letters form a travelogue describing his journey, places visited and people met. Through his letters we discover an educated man; someone who had extensive connections many of which were developed during his years in India. Socially competent, he enjoyed the entertainment on the voyages and the friendships developed with fellow travellers are confirmed with arrangements to meet up at various points during their respective journeys. With an expressive turn of phrase, Cecil describes his voyage from Marseille to Port Said and the voyage of the P & O steam ship Victoria from Aden to Adelaide via Ceylon. While in Australia he visited Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney and records observations made during train journeys between cities. His journey took him to Hobart before sailing for Bluff on SS Monowai. While in New Zealand Barnes travelled overland by train and horse drawn vehicles from Dunedin to Christchurch, to Greymouth and through the Buller Gorge. He provides detailed descriptions of his journey to Wanganui, Hawkes Bay, Tarawera, Taupo and Rotorua. On leaving New Zealand, he travelled to North America and took the Great Canadian Rail trail over the Rocky Mountains, across the Great Plains before taking a steamer through the Great Lakes. He finally sailed from New York back to England. Inventory L1 Posted: 2 February, 1899, Marseille, France. To: To My Dear Jeannie… Content: Describes the journey from Victoria Station, London to the ferry and by train from Calais to Marseille where he boarded a steamer bound for Port Said. Notes: No letterhead Pages: 6 pp. (1 double sided. 1 single sided) L2 Posted: 7 February 1899, Port Said, Egypt. Content: Written in diary form starting on Friday 3 February as the ship left Marseille. Describes voyage from Marseille to Port Said. Mentions trying to take a photograph on new his camera, rough weather, entertainment during the voyage including managing the sweep (on arrival in Port Said) – explains how it works. Notes: No letterhead Pages: 20 pp. (5 leaves, double sided) L3 Posted: 13 March, 1899, Aden, Yemen Content: Written in diary form starting on Friday 10 February after the ship left Port Said. Mentions people disembarking at Ismailia, describes the journey through the Suez Canal, on board entertainment etc. (the last seven pages are written in green ink) Notes: No Letterhead. Last six pages written in green ink Pages: 16 pp. (4 leaves, double sided) L4 Posted: 19 February, 1899, Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) Content: Written in diary form starting with Monday 13 February as the ship left Aden. Mentions bidding farewell in Aden to passengers bound for India, comments on the weather, on board entertainment, ‘Bag day’ when passengers can access boxes in the hold. Also describes a fancy dress ball. Notes: No letterhead Pages: 12 pp (12 leaves, single sided) L5 Posted: 2 March, 1899, Albany, Western Australia Content: Written in diary form starting 21 February as the ship arrived in Colombo. Mentions passengers bound for China disembarking. Describes going ashore, a rickshaw ride, a train ride to Mt Lavinia. Describes Colombo including the electric trams, electric fans on ceilings. Mentions Galle Face Hotel, the ‘Tea Kiosk’, The Oriental Hotel. Remarks on the few passengers left on board as they sailed from Colombo. More on ship board games, flying fish, notes that ‘crossing the line’ not celebrated. Also a joke letter to the Managing Drinker (unlimited) Barnsthatch. Notes: No letterhead Pages: 14 pp (14 leaves, single sided) L6 Posted: 9 March, 1899, Adelaide, South Australia Content: Written in diary format starting on 3 March describing arriving in Albany. Describes first views of Australia and Albany. Comments on people disembarking and embarking including members of the Salvation Army with General Booth. More on board entertainment, first albatross sighting, practical jokes etc. Comments on an address by General Booth and describes the local Salvation Army welcoming party. Describes arriving in Adelaide disembarking from the SS Victoria and doing business in the town. Comments on Adelaide being a very ‘European’ town Notes: No letterhead Pages: 11 pp (11 leaves, single sided) L7 Posted: 15 March, 1899, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Content: Written in diary format starting Friday 10 March 1899 describing Adelaide. Comments on the Australian federation, public transport (electric trams), etc. Describes the train trip and arrival in Melbourne. Notes: No letterhead Pages: 8 pp (8 leaves, single sided) L8 Posted: 22 March, 1899, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Content: Written in diary format starting 16 March 1899. Mentions doing ‘office hours’ at an undisclosed business. Also mentions staying in the Menzies Hotel, Bourke Street, the departure for England of the Australian cricket team, public transport (correction – not electric trams – details), visit to the art gallery and library, bridge building on the Yara. Comments about living in India. Notes: no letterhead Pages: 10 pp (10 leaves, single sided) L9 Posted: 28 March 1899, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Content: Written in diary format starting Friday 24 March 1899. Explains that he has finished business in Melbourne. Invited to the Master Printers Association meeting – detail. Describes his hotel (with electricity) and a trip to South Melbourne before catching train to Sydney. Mentions the different track gauges, ‘sleeping cars’ (carriages), scenes from the windows, arrival in Sydney where he was met by Scott and his wife. Gives first impressions of Sydney and its trams. Describes a protest meeting regarding the proposed Australian federation in the Town Hall. Notes: John Dickinson & Co Ltd, 65 Old Bailey, London, John Scott, Representative in Australia, Fitz-Evan Chambers, 28 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, Australia – 2 sheets Pages: 13 pp (13 leaves, single sided) L10 Posted: 4 April, 1899, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Content: Written in diary format starting Wednesday 29 March 1899. Description of a moonlight trip to Manly, business dealings, a trip up the Parramatta River. Also a trip to the Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves. Describes his companions and others on bicycles and his experience in a horse drawn coach in detail. Describes the caves. Notes: Letterhead - The Australia Hotel Company, 45 Castlereagh Streets, H Edwin Moore, Manager (illustration of hotel) – 4 sheets Pages: 25 pp (13 leaves, single sided. 6 leaves, double sided) L11 Posted: 11 April, 1899, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Content: Mentions stormy weather and a trip to Waverley. Mentions a visit to the University, Engineering Dept where he was shown a machine for testing the density and strength of masonry. Comments on the art gallery – building and collection, the theatre where he saw ‘Geisha’ and other shows. Comments on the use of coins, the economy and the unemployed. Mentions the bars (liquor) and free food available with the purchase of a drink. Describes the types of bars, mentioning local wines. Mentions a visit to the ‘Equitable Life Assurance’ building and compares it to the Melbourne building. Summarises his observations of Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.