Digital Archive
George Beresford O'Reilly, at sea off Port Philip, to his brother, Myles O'Reilly, 24 and 29 July [1853]
Cite this document IIIF Viewer
Collection O'Reilly Letters
Title George Beresford O'Reilly, at sea off Port Philip, to his brother, Myles O'Reilly, 24 and 29 July [1853]
Description O'Reilly began writing his letter on board the "Gem of the Sea", on 24 July 1853 [as per his previous letter] at sea off Cape Lewin [Leeuwin], but concluded his writing as the ship was sailing into Port Philip [at Melbourne] on 29 July, expecting to make landfall on 30-31 July. He describes the voyage since leaving New York on 18 April "without any regrets" for Melbourne and even hoped to make it in seventy-seven days as opposed to the expected ninety-seven. However, bad weather, currents and disease on board delayed their passage as they proceeding along the coast of Brazil. They stopped at Bahia (San Salvador) where O'Reilly observed "negro slaves swarmed everywhere in their thousands" and he noted that most were of Africian origin and not "home raised" slaves. At the remote island of Tristram d'Achunha they gave medical aid to the small community of Englishmen living there. [The O'Reillys were landed gentry living at Heath House, county Laois. George Beresford O'Reilly ( b.16 January 1829) married Harrietta, daughter of H. Adams of Sante Fé de Bogota, U.S. Columbia, in 1867. His brother Myles O'Reilly lived at Heath House (as the O'Reilly heir). (Burke, Bernard, Sir. A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland 6th ed. London : Harrison 1879. Vol II. page 1207) According to Myles, his father's income suffered greatly because of the Famine and through an arrangement with creditors and ill health he resided in Italy and France with his two daughters for the latter years of his life while Myles remained in Ireland to manage the estate. Myles John O'Reilly's address is given in George's letter to his sister of 19 October 1852].
Date 29/07/1853
Date Issued 27/03/2023
Resource Type Text
Archival Record Id p155/63/21
Publisher University of Galway
Extent 6pp
Topic O'Reilly Letters
Geographic Melbourne,Victoria (state),Australia,Heath House,The Heath,Laois (county),Ireland
Temporal Nineteenth century,Eighteen fifties
Genre Transcript
Note Title by University of Galway. Description and transcript by Professor Kerby Miller.
Creator / Author Name George Beresford O'Reilly