Ss Great Britain's Unsolved Mystery: The Mysterious Disappearance of Captain John Gray

By Bill Jackman

John Gray, the captain of the SS Great Britain since 1854, mysteriously disappeared on his way home from Australia in November 1872. How he died remains a mystery to this day.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: May 27, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504941075

Bill Jackman

Bill Jackman has a very inventive imagination. He was educated at the Duke of York Royal Military School in Dover and after an army career the REME, where he travelled all over the Far East including Korea and Malaya and Aden, earnt himself several medals. He then went into sales management in catering equipment until he retired. He won his first prize for writing in a national competition when he was ten years of age. He now has thirteen books to his credit covering antiques, crime novels, funny stories, children’s books, adventure stories, antiques, and poetry. He has appeared on television several times, and his works have been read out on the radio. ss Great Britain's Mystery is his latest crime novel and contradicts the belief that he committed suicide.

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ss Great Britain’s

Unsolved Mystery

The Mysterious Disappearance

of Captain John Gray

Bill Jackman

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AuthorHouse™ UK

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Bloomington, IN 47403 USA

www.authorhouse.co.uk

Phone: [phone]

© 2015 Bill Jackman. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 04/28/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-4106-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-4107-5 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Authors Note

Acknowledgements

Bibliography

By The Same Author

Preface

1 ss Great Britain Voyage no 35 Departed Liverpool 19March 1870 Arrived Melbourne May 14 1870

2 Voyage 39 of 1872 Departed Liverpool 27 July 1872 Arrived Australia 18 August 1872 Departed Australia 22 October 1872 Arrived Liverpool 25 December 1872

3 Trouble in Steerage

4 Tropical Storm

5 A Rose amongst the thorns

6 Gold and Romance

7 Henry goes blind

8 Death of Alex

9 Cholera strikes the gold field.

10 The Wedding

11 Grace

12 Goodbye Captain Gray

About the author

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PICTURE ON FRONT COVER

Permission to use the picture of Captain John Gray on the front of this book has been granted by courtesy of its creator, a Mr Samuel Calvert and Janice Van de Velde who is The Copyright Project Manager of the State Library of Victoria Australasia.

PICTURE ON BACK COVER

Permission to use the picture of the ss Great Britain on the back cover was granted by Sally Cordwel.. The, Director of Marketing, Communications and Development. Of the ss Great Britain.

AUTHORS NOTE

All persons named in this book are fictitious and bear no relations to any one living or dead with the exceptions of the following persons

Captain John Gray

Mary Anne Jamieson (his bride)

Isombard Kingdom Brunel

Mr Peterson (First Officer)

John Campbell (Head Stewart)

Mr Chapman (Captain after John Gray)

Florence Nightingale

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Sally Cordwell (Trustee of ss Great Britain)

Janice Van der Veld (Copyright Project Manager of the State Library of Victoria Australasia)

Samuel Calvert Creator of frontice piece first illustrated in The Melbourne Post Australia

VictorianEleni Papavasileiou (senior librarian ss Great Britain)

Peter Revelle (Library Volunteer who researched and wrote Captain John Gray briefing Paper September 2012)

All the staff of the ss Great Britain who have help me to write this book

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Captain John Gray (Briefing Paper)

By Peter Revelle 2012

Is yours an SS Great Britain Family?

By Adrian bell

The SS Great Britain Story

By John Christopher

Brunel’s ss Great Britain GUIDEBOOK

By ss Great Britain Trust

A Honeymoon Voyage

By Mary Crompton-1866

A passenger on the Great Britain..

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

Non fiction

Masonic Memorabilia for Collectors (2002)

Investing in Silver Miniatures (2011)

Fiction

The Victorian Orphan a novel (Awaiting publication)

The Hurtley Sisters vol 1 (2011) children stories

The Hurtley Sisters vol 2 children (awaiting publication)

The Victorian Orphan Emigrates)

Pt2 of The Victorian Orphan

Caravan Adventures (Funny family caravanning stories)

Naked Murders No1 in series of 3 crime publications

The Elusive Mr Hooper (Awaiting publication)

No 2 in series of 3 crime vovels

Murder at Gooseheart (in preparation)

No 3 in series of 3 crimes

Poetry

Poems of an old Soldier (2012)

Poems of an old Freemason (2014)

Poems for little children

All books are aviable at Amazon Kindle KDP or the author email: [e-mail]

First Edition by Bill Jackman copyright ©2014

I

dedicated this book

to my wife Jinty

PREFACE

T his is a fiction crime novel based on the mysterious disappearance of Captain John Gray who was the captain of the SS Great Britain in 1872, and had been for the previous twelve years. Despite being a story of fiction, it is a plausible account of how he might have lost his life. There is no proof at all that he ever took his ship through the Suez Canal, but I have included it to add additional adventures as compared with its regular voyages via the Cape of Good Hope. He was known to beat men with his fists and place them in irons in the bilge of his ship if he found them breaking his rules. Whether or not he fed them bread and water is unknown, but quite likely. Because of this, their desire for revenge is quite understandable. He was the type of man who would put personal illnesses secondary to his responsibility of ensuring the safety of his ship and the cleanliness and well being of his passengers and crew. Because of these attributes to such a fine fellow it is an insult to his high principles to imply that he would have even considered taking his own life. So many people were dependant on him, including his own family. They were waiting to greet him when he arrived at Liverpool docks on his return from Australia, just as they did every time he returned from a voyage. He was found writing a letter before he went missing. If he had contemplated suicide isn’t it reasonable that his letter would have been left behind, and not put it in his pocket before going over board. He was a man of strong principles, and if he had any intention of committing suicide he would have made sure his family had been told and those under his command who would take over the captaincy of the ship also knew of his intention. If he did jump overboard at 3am what was he wearing? His night attire, or his uniform, one of the two would have been left behind. Foul play cannot be ruled out. It is perfectly plausible as will be seen in the story that follows.

1

ss Great Britain

Voyage no 35

Departed Liverpool 19March 1870

Arrived Melbourne May 14 1870

G old fascinated Robert Croxley and had done since he was a small boy, not that he had any gold, he just liked looking at in the jewelers window. His parents had told him stories about pirates and their gold and he was intrigued when told that men fought and died to own it. He was determined to get some for himself one day.

There was a letter on the mat when he came downstairs. This would be the second letter in twelve months received at his house. Robert tore open the envelope of the letter, but as neither he nor his brother James could read, he was unable to understand its contents. He recognised the letter was from his Uncle Sam in Australia, but the only word he could recognise in the letter was the word gold. His Uncle Sam had written in his last letter, six months ago, that he was going to buy a gold mine and Robert was shown the word gold by Mrs Smythe, and he hadn’t forgotten it. Robert couldn’t wait to learn the contents of the letter, and as no body in his family could read he decided to take the letter, once again, to his next door neighbour, Mrs Smythe. She used to be a teacher. Her front door was partly opened so he called out to her.

‘Mrs Smythe, would you please read my letter for me?’ She came to the door, wiping her flour covered hands on her pinafore. ‘Who’s the letter from Robert,’ she asked, taking it from him.

‘It’s a letter from my Uncle Sam in Australia. Please read it for me.’

‘It’s addressed to your mother Robert, not you,’ she said, glancing through its content. Apart from normal family pleasantries the main content of his letter was to tell Robert and his brother James about his goldmine in Australia.

‘I know your mother can’t read Robert, but tell her your uncle has invited you to go out to Australia to work his gold mine for him, and he says any gold you and your brother dig up you can keep. Apparently, he is too old to work the mine himself, and has sufficient money for his needs. What do you think of that then young man? A fortune awaits you if you can get out to Australia, but it will cost you a lot of money.’

‘Thank you Mrs Smythe,’ said Robert, taking his letter back. ‘I will tell my mother the news.’ He felt very excited at the prospects of finding gold, but realised there was little chance of his finding the enormous sum of money he and his brother would need to finance the voyage.

Sam Barkley had sent the letter little realising what a devastating impact it would have on his nephews, and how it would affect the lives of many other people, perhaps he would never have sent it had he known the consequences.

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The year was 1869. Australia was beginning to get on its feet, and more and more people were emigrating to find a new life there. Gold had been discovered in Australia fifty years earlier, and new finds of gold had been cropping up ever since, which was a major incentive for people to change their way of life and seek their fortunes in that great new continent.

Robert and James Croxley lived with their mother Agnes in East London. They weren’t twins but did look alike. Robert was 28 and his brother James 26. It had been a struggle for their mother Agnes to bring up two very lively sons on her own. She undertook any type of work and often went out at night while the boys were asleep to keep on earning enough to keep the home running. As the boys grew older they undertook work themselves and added to the meagre income that their mother had managed to accumulate which was required to sustain life at home. The boys never went hungry, and she kept them clothed and shod with any clothes she could scrounge, then she modified them to fit. She kept them clean, and bathed them once a month in a tin bath she dragged in from the yard. She filled the tin bath with water she had heated in the copper boiler out in the wash house. When the boys had finished, she bathed herself.

Gradually, as the years passed by the boys grew older, stronger and wiser. They worked together to help their mum, in return for all she had done for them. Agne’s brother Sam had immigrated to Australia twenty years ago. He worked his passage on a small sail ship which was never intended to circumnavigate the globe, but it did just that. The tough little craft floated like a cork when up against treacherous seas. Sam was employed as a cook. He made it known to the captain that his employment would cease when they reached Australia.

When Sam eventually arrived in Australia he wasn’t sure where to start to earn his living. He was nearly out of money, and only had the clothes he stood up in. After working in a couple of hotels as a cook, he soon became despondent. He knew he hadn’t come all this way to end up as a cook, and although his merge wages did include accommodation, he wanted something more constructive. He decided that the trade he would like to learn was that of a builder. He had never been one before, but was willing to learn. He started at the bottom doing all the menial jobs on site, but learning all the time. After five years he started his own building trade, and built himself a two up two down stone built cottage on the outside of town.

Sam kept in touch with his sister and her boys. He married a Scottish girl who was the daughter of the local butcher. She was medium height, slim build with light ginger coloured hair and blue eyes. Her name was Clare. Unfortunately, she developed some strange tummy upset which proved fatal and she died childless, a year before Sam bought shares in a goldmine. Sam Barkley was getting on in years and was unable to carry out heavy manual work that gold mining would require. He remembered he had two fine nephews who lived in London who he was sure would be only to willing to prospect his mine and find gold, so he sent them an invitation.

The boys and their mother were Sams only remaining relatives. He could afford to be generous as he had all he needed. The brothers were very close to their Uncle Sam. He had registered his piece of land for gold prospecting at Gowler, South Australia in 1868. Gowler was not far from where his house and land were. He had every intention when he made his claim of working the mine himself, but lumbago had attacked his joints very badly. It was because of that he decided to send his nephews that very benevolent invitation to come to Australia and dig for gold.

Sam had retired from the building trade and sold the business to a friend of his. He had enjoyed his job and had employed a gang of ten men to work for him. There was no shortage of building work in Australia. He had kept in touch by letter and knew his two nephews were certainly up to the job of digging for gold as they were now grown up men. The eldest boy Robert was a fair ground boxer before he left London. He had put many a cocky upstart who thought they could beat him, on the canvas for the count of ten. James was learning to be a tailor, but he wasn’t interested in the work, and was thinking of packing it in when the letter came. Both brothers were single and preferred it that way. They weren’t short of lady friends, but they didn’t want to be tied down to married life. They enjoyed gambling and drinking, and they both took pleasure in looking after their mum. Between them they had reconstructed her house and decorated the interior and exterior. Their father had left home after only ten years of marriage. He wasn’t missed by any of them.

Robert knew he couldn’t hide the news from his mother that he and his brother had been invited to Australia, because, even if he kept the letter to himself Mrs Smythe would soon break the news to her that her sons were about to leave home. She couldn’t be trusted to keep a secret. Robert decided that he would tell his mother the news; she would have to know some time.

‘Mother, we had a letter from Uncle Sam this morning. I’m sorry but I took the liberty of taking it next door to Mrs Smythe to tell me what it said, because no one in this house can read. It came in the morning post,’ he said, showing it to her,

‘Has Doris Smythe told you of what it says?’ She asked.

‘Yes Mother.’

‘And what news have you. Is your Uncle well?’

‘Yes, mother and he has invited James and me to come to Australia and look for gold in his gold mine. He says he is not able to do it himself because he is too frail and has lumbago.’

‘That’s ridiculous. How are you going to get out there? It will cost a fortune.’

‘I know mother, but I would like to go. It would be the opportunity of a life time for me and James.’

‘Does he know about this?’

‘No, he’s at work. I haven’t told him.’ Agnes was quiet for a while. Robert stood looking out of the window, waiting for her to give her consent. Because with out her blessing the invitation would go no further.’

‘It’s going to take a lot of money Robert. Have you given a thought how you are going to raise that sort of money?’

‘I have been thinking of nothing else since I heard the news.’

‘And?’

‘I have a good idea, but it is only an idea. I need to give it more thought,’ he said; leaning over and kissing her on the forehead.

‘Well! I give both of you my blessing. I will be alright back here. Don’t worry about me, son.’

James was one Ace short of a full pack. He was very slow at catching onto ideas.

‘James, here is a letter from Uncle Sam. It arrived this morning. Do you want to read it?’

‘You know I can’t read Robert. What does it say? He asked. ‘Mother said there was a letter from Sam, and that you had a surprise for me. What’s the surprise Robert? Have we won something?’

‘As you know, I can’t read very well either. I had to take it to Mrs Smythe next door to tell me all that it said,’ explained Robert.

‘What was it all about then?’

‘It looks like Uncle Sam has a gold mine near where he lives, and is too old to work it. He has invited us to go out there and work the mine for him. He says that whatever we find we can keep.’

‘Is there gold buried in the earth then Robert?’

‘Of course there is, stupid. Do you think it grows on trees?’

‘I don’t know, I never thought about it before. Where is Australia? Is it near here?’ Asked James.

‘You really are thick little brother. No, it’s blinking miles away, right over the other side of the world,’ said Robert.

‘How we gonna get there Robert?’

‘We will have to go by boat and it will be a long journey.’

‘How long, a week?’

‘More like eight weeks, but it will be worth it if we find gold out there. We could be millionaires this time next year,’ said Robert, slapping James on the back in excitement.

‘We haven’t any money Robert. How are we going to pay our fare?’

‘No, you’re right, that is a problem. We will need some money for our fares.’ He had already made up his mind on that matter. He reckoned he would need about £80 to cover their expenses. ‘I think I have a brilliant idea James.’

‘Go on,’ said James excitedly. His eyes were nearly popping from his head in anticipation of what his clever brother had thought up.

Robert leaned over the seat he was sat on and looking James in the eyes said ‘We will offer shares to people who want some of our gold.’

‘What do