Mr. Matthew GOODE

Clara Elizabeth Russell (nee Goode) (20 Feb 1859 - 26 Aug 1949) quotes from a letter about her father Matthew Goode (23 Dec 1820 – 26 Aug 1901) and his first wife Anne Goode (nee Jones) (19 Nov 1826 – 19 Jun 1852) who left England for South Australia in January 1852 taking passage in a sailing vessel, the Caroline Agnes. The ship arrived at Port Adelaide on 4 May 1852. They fortunately took a store of provisions with them else they would have fared badly, for the food provided by the ship's company was very meagre. Here are extracts from an old diary, begun but never finished, by Mrs Matthew Goode (Anne Jones) who left Haywood, Herefordshire, her father's home, on January 2nd, 1852. She wrote: Left my beloved home accompanied by dear Papa. had the pleasure of riding with Captain Rhind to Ross who gave me a very interesting account of Mr Muller's Orphan Schools in Bristol and as a parting text with great feeling he said - "He holdeth the ocean in the hollow of his hand". Arrived in Bristol about seven o'clock. Dear Babe (Lydia Anne Goode) very poorly and our apartment anything but comfortable. January 3rd. Left Bristol at 8 a.m. and proceeded to Plymouth fully hoping to join my dear husband, but on arriving found that the winds were adverse and no tidings had reached the office respecting the vessel which caused me a good deal of anxiety. Sunday, Jan 4th. Papa took me round to the Garrison after we returned from church, with which I was very much pleased. No tidings of the dear voyagers excepting that a sailor told us that they had had a dirty night of it in the Channel. Monday, Jan 5th. Still 'prisoners of hope". Oh how I wish I had accompanied them down the Channel. (The voyagers were her husband and her brother, Alfred Jones.) That is the end of the diary. The Caroline Agnes arrived at Plymouth from London and took her and the baby girl, Lydia, on board and then began the long voyage to Australia. They suffered the great trial of losing the baby by death and the little body was committed to the great deep. Surely the poor father and mother experienced a time of anguish. Clara Elizabeth Russell found a letter written on board the Caroline Agnes by Mrs Goode (Anne Jones). It is dated Feb 10th, 1852, and begins: "My beloved Parents. For the first time since leaving Plymouth I take up my pen to address you. I fully intended each day writing a little so as to be able to send you a journal but I have suffered so much from sickness that I have been unable to do so. After leaving Plymouth we had two days favourable wind after which we were tossed about terribly for a fortnight without making any progress. The Captain said, "Surely we must have a Jonah aboard". However a few of God's witnesses on board met together for prayer and their prayer was answered for the last fortnight we have had some beautiful weather without the least unpleasant variation. The same night the meeting wind changed and one lady next morning went to Matthew and said, "Well, Mr Goode, you have got a fair wind at least". Seasickness is of all things the most trying and no relief can be found. I wished myself back again many times but now I begin to feel better I do not find the difficulties so much. I used often to say, "I hope Papa and Mama will never follow", but I believe we had unusually rough weather"... Then follows an account of various fellow-passengers and one a Mrs Evans who seemed very delicate and of whom she says, "I have made her a few custard puddings which are the only things she can enjoy". In writing of the food which they took with them she says, "The eggs are invaluable for puddings but taste of the lard when boiled for eating. Alas for the mutton and also for the flour in which it was packed! Every particle spoiled! But the eggs kept well, also the cheese, tongue and pickles, etc. The ship's provisions are very bad. The biscuit is fit to feed pigs with and reminds me of the oil cake which is used for cattle. The cooking arrangements are badly managed but Alfred has succeeded in getting the old cook to do anything for him, though I believe he gives him a few rough words every time he takes anything to bake, but Alfred takes it quietly and gets his own way. Poor boy! He suffered a good deal and is feeling very weak. He has a good deal to attend to owing to my illness. Our little darling babe bore the voyage very well for the first month but the last week has been very ill. Feb 16th. Dear babe is still very ill and so greatly reduced. It is a severe trial to Matthew and me. We are within 200 miles from the Line. The heat is intense and I scarcely know how to bear it. March 5th. It seems a long time since I wrote the foregoing and a time of great trouble it has been to us. Our darling babe continued to decline till February 26th, when she was taken much worse and appeared a good deal convulsed. She lingered till the 28th, in a dying state, apparently without suffering, when she was called to join the other dead babe, to stand before the Throne of God. The following morning the body of the dear child was committed to the bosom of the mighty deep, there to await the glorious morning when the sea shall give up her glorious dead. I have been feeling very poorly and have boils on my face and head which have been very painful"... Anne (Jones) Goode died on 19 June 1852 and the baby boy Edward Samuel Jones died four months later (9 Jun 1852 – 10 Oct 1852). Matthew later married his sister-in-law Elizabeth Jones (23 Oct 1832 – 19 May 1902) with whom he had 12 children.