In Newlyn there is a plaque on the wall of the Royal Mission to Seamen commemorating an epic voyage by a Cornish lugger, the Mystery in 1854/55. This is believed to be the first recorded voyage of a sailing yacht, converted from a fishing boat.
The Mystery was built in Newlyn for mackerel driving and her overall length was 36 feet, with 32 feet of keel, 11 feet beam, drawing 6 feet of water and tonnage 16. At the time of the voyage Cornwall was witnessing the virtual collapse of the lucrative tin mining industry and fishing, then as now, was a hazardous industry. Many Cornish had already emigrated to other parts of the world particularly, as in the case of Australia, where there were good mining conditions. It was said that anywhere in the world where you found a hole in the ground there would be a Cornishman in it! There were already Newlyn families living in Australia and at least two of the men planning the voyage in 1854 had relatives there.
Most of the men involved were related. It is said that the decision to make the journey was first made one evening in the Star Inn, Newlyn. The men had been discussing the possibility of emigrating and it was suggested by Job Kelynack that they might sell the Mystery (PE 233) to pay their passage. Then one of the men, Captain Richard Nicholls of Hayle, who was married to Job’s sister, Victoria, is reputed to have said ‘No, we’ll sail her, I’ll be the navigator.’ At that time Richard Nicholls was on leave from his post as Captain of a 700-tonner in the Welsh trade. Enthusiasm roused, the men continued to formulate their plans at Vine Cottage in Newlyn Coombe, where the Downings, Kelynack relatives, lived. The crew who eventually left on Saturday, November 18th 1854 were Captain Richard Nicholls, navigator; Job Kelynack; brothers William and Richard Badcock, Kelynack cousins; Charles Boase and Philip Curnow Mathews, and a Penzance man Lewis Lewis. In addition to Captain Nicholls both of the Badcocks were married to sisters of Job Kelynack, Harriet and Nanny.
A log was kept of the voyage and a true copy of this is in the Royal Institution of Cornwall Museum Library in Truro. So far as I know this is the only firsthand account of the voyage other than a letter published in the Cornish Telegraph newspaper in October 1874. Written by Philip Curnow Mathews this is reproduced below. Philip Mathews remained in Australia and became a surveyor in Melbourne, he married Miss English Harvey from Mousehole, Penzance. The letter is headed 46, St. Davids Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne and dated August 3rd, 1874.
Sir, Referring to a paragraph that appeared in your issue of the 3rd of June, relative to the voyage of the fishing boat Mystery from Penzance, Cornwall to Melbourne, Australia, I would wish (if you can find space in your valuable columns) to make a few remarks in connection with the voyage.
Before doing so allow me to correct one or two errors you made. We never betook ourselves to fishing, as you stated; but sold the boat almost immediately after our arrival at Melbourne and followed other avocations. The Mystery was 16 tons (builders measurement) not six tons, as appeared in your columns. She was 33 feet length of keel and 11 feet 6 inches breadth of beam.
We left Mount’s Bay on the morning of the 18th of November, 1854, with a crew of seven men – Richard Nicholls, Job Kelynack, Richard Badcock, William Badcock, Lewis Lewis, Charles Boase, and myself. Our cargo consisted principally of provisions and water. On March 14th, 1855, we cast anchor in Hobson’s Bay, Melbourne, thus accomplishing the voyage in 115 days, including seven days stoppage at the Cape of Good Hope, where we put in for a supply of water. We were eight days from England to Madeira, and on the 35th day out we made the Island of Trinidad. On the morning of the 17th of January 1855 we arrived to the Cape of Good Hope, being 50 days out. On January 24th at 6 p.m. we got underway from Cape Town and proceeded on our voyage with H.M. mails on board.
Nothing interfered with our progress until February 18th, in lat. 40.5 south, long. 82.25 east, where we encountered a very heavy gale, which necessitated our riding to a raft for nine or ten hours. Riding to a raft is a system adopted for safety. Ships heave-to under such circumstances. On February 23rd another heavy gale visited us in lat. 39.57 south, long. 98 east. We again rode to a raft for four or five hours. On the 5th March we met with another very heavy gale in lat. 40 south, long. 129.19 east, which compelled us to ride to a raft for 12 or 14 hours. The weather was pretty favourable after that date until we got to our destination.
Of the seven men who came to Australia five returned to their native home. I have seen the death of Mr. Charles Boase, one of the crew, in your obituary of the date referred to, making three deaths out of five. Lewis Lewis died in Castlemaine Hospital, Victoria, some ten years ago. I am the only one of the crew now remaining in this part of the world. I would also inform you that the Mystery is the smallest craft on record that ever made such a long voyage. By inserting the above you will greatly oblige one of the Mystery’s crew. – I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant, P. C. Mathews.
The following extract appeared in the Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List, of 26th March 1855:
On Thursday last there arrived in Simon’s Bay, the Mystery, a small fishing smack of 16 tons, from England, bound to Melbourne. The little gallant adventurer has made an excellent passage of 60 days. On her arrival in Simons Bay, she was considered to be a Table Bay cutter, and on that account was not boarded by the Harbour Master. He did not know the real character of the diminutive craft, until he observed the captain and his crew quietly beaching their bark and hauling her with ease on the shore.
Philip Curnow Mathews died on the 13th November 1896 and is buried in Melbourne General Cemetery, College Crescent, North Carlton, Victoria. He had no children. Lewis Lewis worked as a shepherd and died, aged 50 years, on 7th March 1866, he was buried in an unmarked grave at Campbell’s Creek, Victoria.
Of the five who returned to England Job Kelynack returned to fishing in Newlyn and died in Cardiff in 1903. William and Richard Badcock also returned to fishing in Newlyn, after first working as warder boatmen in the prison hulks in Melbourne harbour. Richard died in 1874 and William in 1906, aged 85 years. Richard Nicholls returned to work in shipping but in 1868 was knocked down by a horsedrawn cab in London and killed. Charles Boase returned to Newlyn where he died in 1874. Descendants of these men, or their immediate families, still live in Newlyn today. The Mystery was sold in Melbourne for £150 and was eventually wrecked in Keppel Bay off Rockhampton, Queensland, 26th March 1869, where she was being used as a Pilot cutter, her crew were saved.
Margaret Perry
