Family Fortunes: We have a Scotch boy in prison for three days on bread and water for going against Captain’s rules

These are extracts from the diary of James Patrick McCormick (20), son of Thomas and Mary (neè Pender) McCormick, on the family's emigration voyage to Australia in 1914. With them went Tom and Katie Gannon, James's first cousins and my granduncle and grandaunt. James made a daily entry in his diary throughout the six-week voyage. They left Ireland exactly 103 years ago.

Left home at half past seven [Wednesday] the 15 April 1914. In on the train at Borris [Carlow] at eleven o'clock, met the Gannons in Kilkenny and went onto Waterford . . . At nine o'clock we went onto Rosslare Harbour . . . on the boat at half past eleven . . . arrived in Fishguard at a quarter after three. Went on to London– travelled for six hours. We saw a great lot of sights . . . one of them Sutton and Sons where Mick Doran gets his seeds . . . spent all day and all night in London . . . Got up Friday morning at 6 o'clock, took the train . . . arrived in Tilbury docks. Got in on the big [SS] Indrapura . . . set sail at a quarter after one o'clock.

Tue 21. Danced a few sets and reels. We only know about 10 Irish yet.

Sun 26. Had a church service on deck at 10 o’clock. Had a rosary at 9 o’clock at night. We and a lot of other passengers slept out on deck all night, we could not stop on the lower deck with the heat.

Tue 28. We have now crossed the Equator. Warmer than any of the days passed.

Fri 1 May. We have a Scotch boy in prison for three days on bread and water for going against Captain’s rules.

Tue 5. Got to know a boy from Bagnelstown and a girl from Waterford today.

Thurs 7. Landed in Capetown. Spent the day going around the town, went to a great theatre at night. Back on board at twelve o’clock.

Sat 9. Everybody must take a bath today whether they like it or no . . . ten big Scotch men would go around and every dirty fellow they could catch they would bring them on and give them a good bath.

Fri 15. We have to keep on the lower deck . . . could not stay on the top one with the cold.

Sat 23. This evening we had a great Scotch concert in the dining room.

Wed 27. Got up at 4 o’clock, we are landed in Melbourne.