Travel Diaries and Journals

William Gravell diary, 1863-1867.

UPenn Ms. Coll. 723

This leather-bound, ruled diary was kept from 14 July 1863 to 31 August 1867 by William Gravell during his four-year stay in London, England to escape the draft of the Civil War. Gravell traveled from Upper Darby Township, near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to New York where after being swindled; he eventually boarded a cargo ship named Plymouth Rock bound for London. Gravell writes daily about his life on board the ship, including his sea sickness, storms, other passengers, amusements, rations, and his acquaintance with a sailor from Philadelphia. Shortly after celebrating his twenty-third birthday on 13 August, William arrives in London, England. He meets his Uncle Thomas, a gilder and framer, and then meets his Uncle William, a watchmaker. Uncle William provides William with "the document which made me a soldier in the U.S. service for the space of three years." William lives with his cousin Thomas, acquires a job at Causton & Sons Printers in a warehouse where he works from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. William's entries in the diary appear weekly, recording events, excursions, holidays, and family gatherings. William describes the yearly tours of the Crystal Palace at Easter time, Guy Fawkes's Day, Christmas, and Boxing Day. He records the passing of his birthdays. William describes going to lectures, museums, plays, pantomimes, recording the titles and theatres. William writes about attending service on Sundays at St. Paul's Cathedral, dinners with his extended family, and games they play, such as Whist. He writes of the walks he takes with his cousin Thomas or Mr. Jewell to Black Heath, Greenwich, and London Bridge Park. At times William becomes depressed and writes of his dislike of London weather and his search for friends. In the summer of 1866, after the death of his Uncle William, Elizabeth, William's sister arrives unexpectedly. William and his sister spend much time together during the year she is there. In May of 1867 William's parents send tickets for his and Elizabeth's passage from Liverpool to Philadelphia. The pair leave in July, arriving in Philadelphia on 31 August 1867, the last entry in the diary. There are two inscriptions on the first leaf: "Minnie presented Aug. 22nd 1878" and "Watch Jacque Roulet Locle No. 28483." Some lines regarding William's departure for London to avoid the draft have been crossed out in pencil. After the last entry the rest of the diary is blank.

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p. 46

sea presented a beautiful appearance being lit up with a brilliant phosphorent light, which contrasted with gloomy appearance of the sky, made a strange and wonderful sight. About half past ten the rain commenced to fall with great violence which drove us below. I retired to lea and was soon lulled to sleep by the roaring of the tempest without. This morning all was bright beautiful and clear and all signs of last night's storm have passed away except a very strong westerly wind before which we are running beautifully, and before which the sea is running "mountains high." Some of the passengers who were on deck during the early part of the storm tell me that they observed two or three large balls of fire in different parts of the rigging; and now that I think of it I remember seeing the same phenomenon, which at the time I took to be one of the sailors up

Last edit over 4 years ago by kishman

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p. 47

aloft with a lantern, though if I had given it a moment's thought I might have known the sailors never use a lantern aloft. It is extremely cool this evening almost as cool as November at home.

Saturday Aug. 8th.

A very fine day but very cool. We are now rapidly approaching the coast of England and in order to present as handsome an appearance as possible on entering port the sailors are all busy cleaning and scraping, painting and polishing, and putting in order every thing about the ship. We have every expectation now of making land the beginning of next week. This evening had a very long talk with my Philadelphia friend Sailor Dick.

Sundayt Aug. 9th

Fourth Sunday out from New York. The next I expect to spend in London. The weather is changeable; sunshiny and rainy. The ship is rolling and pitching very much, and in one

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p. 48

heavy lurch managed to upset my ink stand. A portion of the afternoon we were all deeply interested in the efforts of the sailors to harpoon a dolphin which kept swimming around the ship. The boatsman harpooned a porpoise but as several of us were hauling him in he slipped off and made his escape.

Monday Aug. 10th

Clear and cool. Strong westerly wind. Borrowed the sailors fiddle and played nearly all morning. About noon a fine looking bark passed us steering in the direction of Liverpool. This evening several of us collected in the cook's galley where seated in front of his fire we passed a couple of hours singing playing the violin, and in listening to Steve's account of London, and the descriptions which his son gave of that wonderful place which we had every reasonable expectation of seeing before many days.

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Tuesday Aug. 11th.

A fine warm day but calm, everybody impatient for land; spent the best part of the afternoon in assisting the sailors and succeeded in scraping and planning one of the spare spars which lay upon the deck.

Wednesday Aug. 12th

Cloudy with very slight southerly wind. We are now but 200 miles from the Scilly Islands. This morning two vessels passed within speaking distance of us One was named "The Victory"; the other we could not make out, the Captain thought she had a suspicious appearance and was probably a Rebel privateer. Two vessels in sight as the evening closed in, the early part of which we passed in the cook's galley; where Steve entertained us by a few tunes on the fiddle, and Mr. Coad by a few songs, mostly of a nautical nature. Afterwards we retired to the Saloon where we had a spirited debate

Last edit over 4 years ago by kishman

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upon the Aristocracy of Great Britain and the Democracy of America. After which we had a discussion as to the propriety of having as grand a dinner as was possible to produce. On Sunday next as it will probably be the last we shall spend together. After a lively discussion the subject was postponed for further consideration.

Thursday Aug. 13th

This morning early we could count nine sails in sight a sure indication the we are approaching the shores of England, They were all standing in the same direction; the Chops of the English Channel. Almost ten o'clock a little boat made for the ship, and turned out to be a Pilot Boat from Scilly Islands distance 17 miles. They wished to know if we were in want of a pilot. Upon informing them that we were not a small boat was lowered and two of the crew of the Pilot boat boarded us bringing with them some potatoes and eggs which they

Last edit over 4 years ago by kishman

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