Martin Coombs - The Memoirs of George Dewes 1826-1861, 2005

MLMSS 7591

fonds

Written ca. 1896, transcribed and edited 2005

446872

1 folder - 0.02 Meters
Textual Records - (printed)

George Dewes was born in the village of Blackfordby, Leicestershire in 1826 or 1827 and emigrated to Australia in 1848. During an adventurous life he was a whaler in the South Pacific and a gold prospector in California and Victoria. He died in 1906.

Memoirs of George Dewes written in his late 60s and early 70s and transcribed and edited by his great grandson Martin Coombs. They include accounts of his childhood and youth in Leicestershire, voyage to Sydney, sheep shearing at Yass and working on cattle and sheep stations at Gundagai, whaling in the South Pacific on the American whaler George Champlin, voyage to Panama and the Island of Tabago on the barque Blonde, journey up the coast from Panama to San Francisco, the Californian gold rush, return to Australia on the Sea Gull, gold digging at Bathurst and Bendigo, return to England on the Statesman, return to Australia on the Royal George, the gold fields of Victoria, dairyfarming and gold prospecting near Maryborough, return to, England in 1861.