Here's my second article. I'm not 100% happy with it by any means, and will definitely be making changes in the near future. However, if you'd like to post it so we've got more up, that's fine and I'll post additions and whatnot later this week. Footnotes to follow.
Robert Melrose was born into a labouring family in around 1828 in Garvald, East Lothian, Scotland. He was the eldest son of George and Isabella Melrose and followed in his father’s footsteps, as in 1851, he was working as a labourer. On May 24, 1852, the twenty-four year old Robert Melrose inked his name to a contract [LINK TO IMAGES AND TRANSCRIPTION….text at the end of this post as it is quite long] with Kenneth McKenzie, the agent of the Company of Adventurers of England. He agreed to work in the capacity of labourer for five years, and to defend “with courage and fidelity in his said station, in the said Service…the property of the said Company and their Factories & Territories.” 1 Further to the official contract, Melrose agreed to a receive “a premium of twenty five pounds, over and above his wages of Seventeen Pounds p [sic] Annum”. 2 After five years and upon renewal of his engagement with the Company for an additional five years, he would be entitled to another twenty five pounds. So it was that Robert Melrose boarded the Trident at Granton Pier on August 11, 1852 and shipped to London, where he boarded the Norman Morison [Link to Norman Morison passenger list (included in the Bartleman post)- even though this will be a repeat of the Bartleman page, people may only be looking at this page] with other prospective employees and their families of Kenneth McKenzie.
The voyage was arduous, and the ship took six months to reach the colony of Vancouver’s Island. During this time, a number of passengers died, and the survivors endured a four day hurricane off of Cape Horn in November 1852. Melrose and his new wife eventually made land and arrived at their new home on January 22, 1853. Although he came from a family of labourers, Robert Melrose had received some education and was able to write, keeping a diary from August 1852 until July 1857.
Like some of the other Craigflower labourers, he appears to have had a relatively decent education, for on March 15, 1854, he gave a lecture “on the discoveries of Optical science” and two weeks later, a fellow labourer, James Deans, gave a “lecture on the Nobility of man.” 3 In June of the same year, Melrose turned his attentions away from science and delivered a lecture “on the wonders of civilization.” 4 Such lectures seem to have been a regular feature of life on the farm in 1854, and a number of different labourers tried their hand at teaching their fellow workers about subjects ranging from science to religion, and those who could not lecture often appear to have recited literature, some of which they may have penned themselves. [LINK TO JAMES DEANS RUSTIC RHYMES…caption “Pages from the book of labourer James Deans, entitled (Dan, do you have the title? I can't find it in my notes.). Comprising two exercise books, the poetry of James Deans ranges from his thoughts on his new home in British Columbia to odes to friends and those who died when the Point Ellice Bridge collapsed in May 1896.]
Although life at Craigflower was at times difficult, and other employees, such as Peter Bartleman [LINK TO PETER BARTLEMAN PAGE – up to you Dan] appear to have had strained relationships with Kenneth McKenzie, Melrose appears to have done relatively well for himself as a labourer. He was given a clock soon after arriving, and in the summer of 1853, he received both a gun and a cow. He made careful note of any matter relating to food or drink, and notes that on July 22, 1853 “fresh salmon [was] served out”.5 Such rations were likely to have been better than what he would have received as a labourer in Scotland, and Melrose appears to have lived well in Canada.
Melrose’s duties at Craigflower were quite varied, and included everything from cutting and thrashing, to digging turnips and cleaning potatoes. In his diary, he notes that he ploughed “a piece of ground for potatoes” and made bricks, as well as ground “wheat all night”. 6 He worked six days a week, and only had Sundays and holidays such as Christmas Day off, and for his trouble earned ₤4/5/- per quarter in 1853. In 1853, he agreed to accept money in lieu of rations, and was paid an additional ₤2/16/- per month. [LINK TO TEXT ABOUT LABOURING DUTIES IN SCOTLAND - not yet written, will follow] Unlike other of Craigflower’s workers, Melrose does not appear to have tried to escape to Sooke, although his diary reveals some discontent with McKenzie. On February 25, 1854, he notes that “monthly Ration pay due, not settled, want of money.”7 However, he doesn’t seem to have been terribly troubled, for he goes on to write, “J. Wilson ¾ d[runk]. The Author ¾ d[runk].”8
Thus, despite Melrose’s hard schedule, he and the other labourers still found ways of amusing themselves asides from delivering lectures and literature recitals, and his diary reveals that he seems to have taken great pleasure in getting drunk. He makes careful distinctions between being ½, ¾ or ‘full’ drunk.
Robert Melrose enjoyed a long life on Vancouver Island, and died, aged 70, on July 26, 1898 at Royal Jubilee Hospital of pneumonia, which he had suffered from for three days. Although labourers have a tendency to be the silent workers and builders of Empire, being largely overshadowed by the upper classes who engineered colonization schemes, the experience of Robert Melrose appears to be fairly typical of workers at Craigflower. Arriving in the mid-nineteenth century and living out the rest of his life in British Columbia, it is likely, that he, like so many others after him, saw the young colony as a way to escape a stagnating economy back at home, and concomitantly, to experience adventure.
The voyage was arduous, and the ship took six months to reach the colony of Vancouver’s Island. During this time, a number of passengers died, and the survivors endured a four day hurricane off of Cape Horn in November 1852. Melrose and his new wife eventually made land and arrived at their new home on January 22, 1853. Although he came from a family of labourers, Robert Melrose had received some education and was able to write, keeping a diary from August 1852 until July 1857.
Like some of the other Craigflower labourers, he appears to have had a relatively decent education, for on March 15, 1854, he gave a lecture “on the discoveries of Optical science” and two weeks later, a fellow labourer, James Deans, gave a “lecture on the Nobility of man.” 3 In June of the same year, Melrose turned his attentions away from science and delivered a lecture “on the wonders of civilization.” 4 Such lectures seem to have been a regular feature of life on the farm in 1854, and a number of different labourers tried their hand at teaching their fellow workers about subjects ranging from science to religion, and those who could not lecture often appear to have recited literature, some of which they may have penned themselves. [LINK TO JAMES DEANS RUSTIC RHYMES…caption “Pages from the book of labourer James Deans, entitled (Dan, do you have the title? I can't find it in my notes.). Comprising two exercise books, the poetry of James Deans ranges from his thoughts on his new home in British Columbia to odes to friends and those who died when the Point Ellice Bridge collapsed in May 1896.]
Although life at Craigflower was at times difficult, and other employees, such as Peter Bartleman [LINK TO PETER BARTLEMAN PAGE – up to you Dan] appear to have had strained relationships with Kenneth McKenzie, Melrose appears to have done relatively well for himself as a labourer. He was given a clock soon after arriving, and in the summer of 1853, he received both a gun and a cow. He made careful note of any matter relating to food or drink, and notes that on July 22, 1853 “fresh salmon [was] served out”.5 Such rations were likely to have been better than what he would have received as a labourer in Scotland, and Melrose appears to have lived well in Canada.
Melrose’s duties at Craigflower were quite varied, and included everything from cutting and thrashing, to digging turnips and cleaning potatoes. In his diary, he notes that he ploughed “a piece of ground for potatoes” and made bricks, as well as ground “wheat all night”. 6 He worked six days a week, and only had Sundays and holidays such as Christmas Day off, and for his trouble earned ₤4/5/- per quarter in 1853. In 1853, he agreed to accept money in lieu of rations, and was paid an additional ₤2/16/- per month. [LINK TO TEXT ABOUT LABOURING DUTIES IN SCOTLAND - not yet written, will follow] Unlike other of Craigflower’s workers, Melrose does not appear to have tried to escape to Sooke, although his diary reveals some discontent with McKenzie. On February 25, 1854, he notes that “monthly Ration pay due, not settled, want of money.”7 However, he doesn’t seem to have been terribly troubled, for he goes on to write, “J. Wilson ¾ d[runk]. The Author ¾ d[runk].”8
Thus, despite Melrose’s hard schedule, he and the other labourers still found ways of amusing themselves asides from delivering lectures and literature recitals, and his diary reveals that he seems to have taken great pleasure in getting drunk. He makes careful distinctions between being ½, ¾ or ‘full’ drunk.
Robert Melrose enjoyed a long life on Vancouver Island, and died, aged 70, on July 26, 1898 at Royal Jubilee Hospital of pneumonia, which he had suffered from for three days. Although labourers have a tendency to be the silent workers and builders of Empire, being largely overshadowed by the upper classes who engineered colonization schemes, the experience of Robert Melrose appears to be fairly typical of workers at Craigflower. Arriving in the mid-nineteenth century and living out the rest of his life in British Columbia, it is likely, that he, like so many others after him, saw the young colony as a way to escape a stagnating economy back at home, and concomitantly, to experience adventure.
Images:
Official Robert Melrose agreement
Second Page of Melrose Agreement:
James Deans' Rustic Rhymes Pages:
Third Page
Transcription of Page 1 of Melrose Labour Agreement
An Agreement, made this twenty fourth day of May, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and fifty two years BETWEEN Robert Melrose in the parish of Garvald in the County of Haddington in Scotland of the one Part, and The Governor and Company of Adventurers of England, Trading into Hudson's Bay, by Kenneth McKenzie, their Agent, of the other Part, as follows,
The said Robert Melrose, hereby contracts and agrees to enter into the Service and Employment of the said Company in North America in the capacity of Labourer and that he will embark when thereunto required on board such Ship or Vessel as shall by appointed by or on behalf of the said Company and proceed to North America and for the Term of five years to be computed from the said Embarkation and for such further time as hereinafter mentioned and faithfully serve the said Company as their hired Servant in the capacity of Labourer and devote the whole of his time and labour for their sole benefit, and that he will do his duty as such and perform all such work and service by day or by night for the said Company as he shall be required to do and obey all the orders which he shall receive from the Governor of the Company in North America or other their Officers or Agents for the time being. And that he will with courage and fidelty in his said station in the said Service, defend the property of the said Company and their Factories & Territories, and will not absent himself from the said Service nor engage or be concerned in any Trade or Employment whatsoever except for the benefit of the said Company and according to their Orders. And that all Goods obtained by Barter with the Indians or otherwise which shall come to the hands or possession of the said Robert Melrose shall be held by him for the said Company only, and shall be duly delievered up to the said Governors or other Officers at their Factory or Trading Post without any waste, spoil or injury thereto. And in case of any wilful neglect or default herein he shall be make good to the said Company all such loss or damage as they shall sustain thereby to be deducted out of his Wages And that the said Robert Melrose will faithfully obey all laws, orders and regulations, established or made by the said Company for the good government of their Settlements and Territories And at all times during the residence of the said Robert Melrose in North America he will defend the rights and privileges of the said Company and aid and support their Officers and Agents to the utmost of his power. And the said Robert Melrose further engages and agrees that in case he shall omit to give notice to the Governor or Officers of the said Company in North America one year or upwards before the expiration of the said Term of five Years of his intention to quit their Service and return then that he hereby promises and engages to remain one Year longer and also until the next Ship in the Service of the Said Company shall sail from thence to Europe as their hired Servant in North America upon the terms as are contained in this Contract And the said Robert Melrose also engages and agrees that in [illegible] the said Company shall not [illegible] ship which will sail from North America for Europe immediately after the suspension of the said five years or of such further term as herein before mentioned then he hereby promises and engages to remain in the Service as a hired Servant of the said Company in North America until the next ship of the said Company or some ship provided by them shall sail from thence to Europe upon the like terms as are contained in this Contract. Provided always that the said Robert Melrose always further agrees to keep watch and ward and perform such other work in the Navigation of the Ship of the said Company on which he shall be embarked on the outward and homeward Voyages as he shall be required to perform by the Commanding Officer of the said vessel. And the said Kenneth McKenzie on behalf of the said Company hereby engages that upon condition of the [illegible] and faithful service of the said Robert Melrose in like manner as aforesaid but not otherwise the said Robert Melrose shall receive from the said Company after the rate of Seventeen Pounds per annum to commence on the day of his embarkation for North America as aforesaid and up to the day of his embarkation from thence for Europe in one of the ships of the said Company's Service [illegible] any Ship provided by them Provided always and it is hereby [remainder of document largely illegible]
The said Robert Melrose, hereby contracts and agrees to enter into the Service and Employment of the said Company in North America in the capacity of Labourer and that he will embark when thereunto required on board such Ship or Vessel as shall by appointed by or on behalf of the said Company and proceed to North America and for the Term of five years to be computed from the said Embarkation and for such further time as hereinafter mentioned and faithfully serve the said Company as their hired Servant in the capacity of Labourer and devote the whole of his time and labour for their sole benefit, and that he will do his duty as such and perform all such work and service by day or by night for the said Company as he shall be required to do and obey all the orders which he shall receive from the Governor of the Company in North America or other their Officers or Agents for the time being. And that he will with courage and fidelty in his said station in the said Service, defend the property of the said Company and their Factories & Territories, and will not absent himself from the said Service nor engage or be concerned in any Trade or Employment whatsoever except for the benefit of the said Company and according to their Orders. And that all Goods obtained by Barter with the Indians or otherwise which shall come to the hands or possession of the said Robert Melrose shall be held by him for the said Company only, and shall be duly delievered up to the said Governors or other Officers at their Factory or Trading Post without any waste, spoil or injury thereto. And in case of any wilful neglect or default herein he shall be make good to the said Company all such loss or damage as they shall sustain thereby to be deducted out of his Wages And that the said Robert Melrose will faithfully obey all laws, orders and regulations, established or made by the said Company for the good government of their Settlements and Territories And at all times during the residence of the said Robert Melrose in North America he will defend the rights and privileges of the said Company and aid and support their Officers and Agents to the utmost of his power. And the said Robert Melrose further engages and agrees that in case he shall omit to give notice to the Governor or Officers of the said Company in North America one year or upwards before the expiration of the said Term of five Years of his intention to quit their Service and return then that he hereby promises and engages to remain one Year longer and also until the next Ship in the Service of the Said Company shall sail from thence to Europe as their hired Servant in North America upon the terms as are contained in this Contract And the said Robert Melrose also engages and agrees that in [illegible] the said Company shall not [illegible] ship which will sail from North America for Europe immediately after the suspension of the said five years or of such further term as herein before mentioned then he hereby promises and engages to remain in the Service as a hired Servant of the said Company in North America until the next ship of the said Company or some ship provided by them shall sail from thence to Europe upon the like terms as are contained in this Contract. Provided always that the said Robert Melrose always further agrees to keep watch and ward and perform such other work in the Navigation of the Ship of the said Company on which he shall be embarked on the outward and homeward Voyages as he shall be required to perform by the Commanding Officer of the said vessel. And the said Kenneth McKenzie on behalf of the said Company hereby engages that upon condition of the [illegible] and faithful service of the said Robert Melrose in like manner as aforesaid but not otherwise the said Robert Melrose shall receive from the said Company after the rate of Seventeen Pounds per annum to commence on the day of his embarkation for North America as aforesaid and up to the day of his embarkation from thence for Europe in one of the ships of the said Company's Service [illegible] any Ship provided by them Provided always and it is hereby [remainder of document largely illegible]
If the Deans stuff is hard to read, I'd be happy to provide a transcription of that as well.
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