| Notes |
- Mary left a diary of her amazing life in the 1800's. It was preserved in the family with a transcription being sent to me by Nigel Forte of New Zealand in March of 1999. I have retyped it below in it's entirety. (F-605) Grahamstown. South Africa. April 25th 1888 My 44th birthday! It has long been impressed on my mind in looking back over my past life & seeing the wonderful way that God has led me to put on paper some of the leading incidents of at lest my married life & I cannot do better than commence today. As my time is so very much broken in upon by domestic duties I fear the jottings will be of a very disconnected character, but at any rate they shall be faithfully written. On 2nd June 1869 I said my first farewell to my native land - I sailed in the good old R.M.S. Seine from Southampton bound to St. Thomas W.I. Of the parting from my dear mother whom I left in Dover I say nothing, those only who have gone thro' it know just what it is for an only child to say farewell to a widowed mother. I have wondered since how I did it. I had been engaged to Dr. Forte for nearly two years & when circumstances caused him to leave England and return to Demerara in Dec. 1868 I promised to follow him after a few months. After a prosperous & pleasant voyage we arrived at St.Thomas & transhipped for Barbados arriving there on Sunday the 19th June. I was met by some gentleman friends of Dr. Forte & taken on shore to Mrs. Jones' house in Penfold St. She most kindly received me as did Dr. Forte's cousins and Mrs. Abel Jones - I remained with Mrs. Jones (Dr. Forte's aunt) who was like a mother to me & the following Friday Dr. Forte came by steamer from Demerara & the following Monday we were married at the Cathedral, Bridgetown by the Revd. Clarke - June 28th, 1869. The Sunday following we left by R.M.S. [Royal Mail Steamer] for Demerara & the steamer arriving a day before she was due the servants who were left in charge of the house were away & locked up the house, so Dr. Forte had to get in thro' a window & open a door for me to get in. Such a coming home! I did feel rather miserable. Everything seemed so strange. However I soon got used to the West Indian life & we settled down very quickly and remained in Georgetown until April 1870 - [later addition. probably 1911] Sir John and Lady Scott the governor and his wife shewed us much kindness - when we went over to the West Coast to Stewartville House as my husband had agreed to act for Dr. Stevenson for some months during his absence from the Colony. On 11th May our son Claude Henry was born. & for many weeks I was very ill. In October Dr. Stevenson returned to his practise [sic] & we removed again to Georgetown but I continued so ill that in November I went to England with baby in the R.M.S. Elbe - we had a rather rough passage but I gained strength & arrived safely at Southampton & by train thro' to Dover where my dear mother met me. We took apartments on the M...D...Road & our dear good friends Mr. & Mrs. D. Pouter were so kind to me. I greatly improved in health & on March 2nd 1871 again sailed for the W.I. arriving safely in Georgetown where my good husband met me. The day following we went by steamer down to Essequibo to the extreme end of the coast where Dr. Forte had arranged to act for Dr. Gofing during his absence. We remained there for 8 months & then removed once more with all our goods and chattels to a house on the Essequibo coast but nearer the steamer stalling (or wharf) - as we were uncertain what course to pursue as Dr. Goring had resumed his own practice & we did not want to return to Georgetown if we could help it as we both preferred the country & it was not often that a country practice changed hands - Providence however interposed and a small practice was offered to Dr. Forte in Mahaica. We packed up our traps, sent our furniture by schooner & after a little time were quite comfortably settled in a funny little house named Tranquility Hall & this I hoped it would prove to us but such was not the case - we were very badly treated & Dr. Forte was advised to go to law with those who acted so unjustly toward him but he preferred leaving his case in a higher hand that of any earthly judge & once again - just six months after our going to Mahaica we were on the move. Once again we returned to Georgetown & to the same house to which I went as a bride. We were both in very bad health & thought perhaps we should do better to return to England. So in July 1872 we sailed from Demerara in the Directline steamer Alpha. We went first to Barbados where we styed for a week with the Dr's Aunt Mrs. Jones & received much kindness from her & other friends. After a very unpleasant passage we reached London 26 days from Barbados. I was very ill on board & the stewardess used to console me by telling me she did not think I could possibly live to reach home!! After a short stay in London we took a furnished house at Sydenham & my dear mother came up to stay with us there. However there was to be no rest for the soles of our feet, for about 6 weeks later something went wrong with the drains & we were obliged to clear. We returned to London early in November & took apartments in Trinity Street S.E. and there a fortnight after our little girl Lizzie was born Nov. 13th 1872. Meanwhile Dr. Forte was using every means to obtain by purchase a small general practice 7 advertised & answered numerous advertisements but nothing suitable could be met with & on 2nd Feb.y 1873 he returned to Demerara & I went with our two little children down to Dover to remain there for a time with my mother. On 1st July 1873 the new immigration scheme came into force 7 Dr. Forte was appointed to the Maishany district value L600 per an. In August I left England again with my mother and two children & after a safe voyage reached Demerara where my husband met us. We went up to Mahaica the same afternoon by train where our carriage me us & we then drove about 2 miles to our new home. On arriving there it was quite dark & I found that it was mosquito season & we dare not light a lamp in the house. So after some trouble we managed to feel our way about & get into our bed rooms where we then ventured to light our candles and take a peep at our new surroundings, which appeared cheerless & comfortless enough, & proved equally so the next morning. Nothing but a cottage of two rooms with small gallery or verandah back & front at end of which were two other apologies for rooms. One of these dear mother had as her room & the other I used as a dressing room. However, we soon made the shanty a little comfortable & even attempted a garden & as there was no other house to be had in the district we made the best of it. But we were destined not to rest there long. In January the Dr. of the Mahaica district got very ill & obliged to go on long leave - Government being very short of officers requested my husband to take over the Mahaica district in addition to his own which joined it & we had to move to Hahaica. We took the Drs. house there & purchased property & for 15 months Dr. Forte did the double work. No one can form any just idea of what the work was. The length of the practice ....ed was 19 miles 6 [overlays a 7-or vice versa] hospitals to be visited 3 times a week & all extra calls [sic] attended & to crown all the charge of a large Leper asylum containing 400 patients. Three times a week the Dr. used to leave home before day break taking some food with him to visit one Hospital 17 miles away & frequently on his return I would have to send fresh horses to meet him at the Mahaica Village about 2 miles away to take him to attend some special call in an opposite direction. Seventeen Sundays in succession extra calls from the Hospitals took him away nearly all day. After some months of this he began to get much broken down & I had a long & very dangerous illness which of course added to his anxiety & worry. What we should have done at the time without dear mother I do not know. The beginning of Feb.ry 1875 Dr. Allison returned to the Mahaica district & we went back to Maishany, but not to the same shanty of mosquitoes, centipedes & tarantulas. Fellowship House above the Maishany creek was vacant & we took it moving up all our household furniture & effects & 4 horses or their remains for the work had nearly killed them as well as their master. A fortnight after or rather less our precious little Edith Margaret was born. When she was a month old & we were just beginning to feel settled in our new home which was a very pleasant place, a telegram came requesting Dr. Forte to go immediately down the East Coast to take charge of the Buxton district for one month - Of course he had to go & after being there a week found the one month would be six - so we had to take Strathspey House furnished & move down there leaving a servant in charge of our new house at Mahaicony. This lasted for seven months & then instead of our returning to Mahaicony my husband was appointed to the west coast practice which was of greater value. We had to send all our belongings by sea from Mahalcony to Meten-Meer-Riorg - (Much & More Trouble Eng. -) & there again was no proper house. Only the upper part of an old house in the very heart of the nigger yard in full face of the awful lees trench of the next Estate. We went there in Sep 1875 & soon all were suffering from fever. We thought poor mother would have died & the Dr. got very ill. In Sep 1876 our son James was born & I nearly died of fever. We applied to be removed solely on account of health & after some delay & demur they offered us the Aurora district on the Essequibo coast. Meantime our darling little Edith was apparently dying of that fever, which eventually caused her death. [Following is a later addition - probably 1911] - as I then thought little knowing that she was being slowly murdered by an Indian nurse. In January 1877 we went to Aurora & for a little time all seemed to improve except Dr. Forte who was Gradually getting weaker & weaker. This was not a hard practice excepting having to visit the Hamburv Hospital which lack on the other side or rather in the middle of the Essequibo river being on tiger island. No proper boat was kept for the Doctor's use only a small open bottom & at all times of the day or night & all states & conditions of tide or weather. if a coolie's little finger ached he was sent for & expected to attend. Of course the coolie immigrants cost the Estate so much money to import them, while the Dr. cost them nothing & when he got sick -& could not work or as frequently the case died, another medical machine had to be found to take his vacant place. Only those who have lived in the tropics know what tropical weather is & to be exposed at all times in an open boat sick or well is not conducive to health or longevity. In June Dr. Forte applied to go on leave for six months but as he was not actually dying Government politely declined to allow him the chance of recruiting his broken down health. He dragged on until November when a day came that he was seized with terrible fever & in his debilitated condition there seemed little chance for him. However he rallied a little under treatment of poor Dr. Gordon & we were able to move him to Georgetown where he was three weeks before he was able to go on to Barbados - I engaged a nurse specially to go to England with me as I had then four children young children the eldest being only four & a half & dear little Edith quite a little invalid, having then entirely lost the one eye & being frail as possible. We left for Barbados early in December 1887 & remained there for one month. My baby boy who was quite paralyzed in his back & legs improved greatly by the lovely sea bathing - which is I think the finest in the world. Dr. Forte also improved in health & we left Barbados in January without my nurse who had been so ill on board going from Dem[erara] Barbados that she was afraid to go on to England. So I started alone & had a dreadful experience. We landed at Southampton & went at once to London where we took Edith to several Drs. but they said they could do nothing for her then & advised our going to the Isle of Wight. We had some friends there living at Newport & they engaged apartments for us. We did not care for Newport or rather it did not suit Dr. Forte as it lays low so after some weeks we went on to Sandown & while there my husband became much worse. He thought Shanklin would suit him better so we moved to Shanklin where we all greatly benefitted by its pure fresh air & lovely breezes. Dr. Forte's leave of absence was to expire in Aug. so he would have to leave Eng. in July. As it was decided that I should remain on in England for some time on account of little Edith we thought it would be better for me to return to Newport having friends there & arrangements were accordingly made for us to leave Shanklin in June. [The following has two large x's through it]. Just before the day fixed for our going our dear little one was taken fearfully ill & we scarcely expected her to rally. Ah me if I could have foreseen what she would have to go thro' instead of asking God to spare her life I would have entreated Him to take her to Himself. We went to Newport to Molina Cottage & were made very comfortable there. We took the child again to London but nothing in the way of operation could be done & she rallied up again as the fever left her & we hoped for the best. [End of x-ing out] In July Dr. Forte left us & returned to his work where my dear mother had remained taking care of the house. After a time I felt it was impossible that I could remain in apartments so I took a pleasant cottage & rented furniture & having my own plate, linen & many other comforts I managed to fit up a very snug little home: & well it was that I did so. for I never could have existed in one or two rooms with all I had to go thro'. After 6 months of untold sufferings our darling was mercifully released & on 9th April 1879 went to be forever with that Saviour who had learned to live on earth. I immediately made preparations for returning to my faraway home & sailed from Southampton on 2nd May following with the three remaining children & after a pleasant passage arrived in improved health & spirits in Georgetown. Dr. Forte met me there & the following day we went down to Essequibo by steamer & arrived safe at home much to our grateful satisfaction. Things went on fairly quietly until Feb. 1881 when after a long illness Helen Lucy was born From that time I suffered much from fever & the children began to get frequent attacks of fever [later addition] Claude having yellow fever which came after with its bacterial effects - & in June 1882 Dr. Forte applied to be removed to a more healthy district. Dr. Anderson of Plaisance was going away on leave & and the Governor - [later addition] Sir William Young - offered us to go there for a time. We were very glad of the change & remained there until the I Feb. 1883 - when we removed to Berbice to the district which had long been promised to Dr. Forte. By this time the Dr's health was very much impaired by constant low fever & instead of the change to Berbice proving beneficial to him it was quite the reverse & he became so rapidly worse that he had to obtain sick leave & we again with my dear mother sailed for old Eng. in May 5th. We thought it would be pleasant to go thro' the islands instead of taking the direct steamer from Barb'os. to Eng. We went from Demerara thro' the islands up to St. Thomas in the R.M.S. Solent - We had a very nice party being joined at Barbados by Sir Graham & Lady Briocis & party - [later addition] who were friends of ours - We were to tranship at St. Thomas into the "Don" the older steamer from Jamaica to Eng. but after waiting off St. Thomas for four days & she did not come in the Solent was equiped [sic] for the ocean voyage & we started for old Eng. under the command of Cap'n Hurst one of the best Captains & providentially we had a smooth passage & reached Plymouth 16 days out. We had seen nothing of the missing Don so imagine our Cap'n's disgust to learn that she had past [sic] us & got into Plymouth the day before us. We remained in Devonshire for some weeks visiting a few places of interest & then went to Cragdon where we had friends - remained there for a time went on to Dover for three months & in Dec. 1883 went to Ventnor for the winter. We had a quiet little home there & in March 1884 after a short attack of acute bronchitis my dear mother quietly passed away - her last words being "Dying is but going home." We left Eng. for Demerara in June. I remained a month at Barbados with the children & then joined my husband in Berbice where he was then appointed. In March 1885 our little boy Charles Stanley was born & daily my poor husbands health was again succumbing to the terrible malarial poisoning & in Nov. he was utterly prostrated & it seemed impossible for him to rally. We succeeded in getting him away to Barbados in Dec. where he rallied to a certain extent in May following we went to Eng. & made our home at-Ventnor I.W. All the doctors agreed in saying that Dr. Forte would never be able to return to Dem. & indeed his life if spared promised to be quite that of an invalid. However he gained ground considerably as the winter set in & tho' very far from strong felt so very anxious to return to Demerara if only for a short time as he had two houses & a little other property there which were left to an attorney to manage & who had been acting in a most unprincipaled way. & we were afraid we should safe [sic] but little from the.... if he was allowed to hold his power much longer - accordingly in Feb 7 1887 my husband & eldest son left England once more for Demerara leaving me & the children in our pretty home "Glenlyn" Ventnor. At the expiration of 24 weeks I was looking most anxiously for a letter to tell me of their safe arrival when of my surprise I received a Telegram from Southampton saying - "Arrived by 'Don' shall be home tomorrow." The next morning brought the travellers to Ventnor the Doctor looking oh, so ill having gone back 6 months in strength. Altho' in many respects the journey seemed useless so far as the attempt to ensure his appointment in the colony it had brought things to a climax & after being examined by the medical board in Georgetown he was pronounced as unfit for further work and allowed to retire on a small pension. We found on mature consideration that it would not be advisable for us to settle down England [sic] as everything seemed so shut up for the boys. We decided on going to S. Africa & I wrote to old friends of my mothers Mr. G.E.Fuller of Cape Town for advice & information. He wrote immediately & gave us valuable information. We decided on going to Grahamstown & left England in the Trojan from Southampton in August 1887. Touched at Maderia [sic] bought some chairs etc. Saw Teneriffe [sic] in the distance with its wonderful Peak appearing like a mountain above the clouds & after a fair voyage landed at Cape Town. Went on shore & dined with our friends Mr. & Mrs. Fuller at their pretty home at Mowbray. They took us for a most delightful drive thro' miles of pine avenues & entertained us most kindly. We went on board the Trojan about 10 P.M. & the next day started on to our destination Port Elizabeth. It is always a rough trip along the coast tho' we had not really a bad passage. We reached PE. in safety & took the train same night for Grahamstown which we reached next morning - at 6a.m. A charming little town with its scattered houses nestling in beautiful gardens & being first spring leaves everything looked its very best. Driving out one day about a week after our arrival we passed an old fashioned house standing in about 10 acres of land & having a large orchard. Dr. Forte has very much taken with the place & on enquiry found it was for sale & eventually we bought it. Everything had been much neglected & we had to have a great deal done to the house before we could live in it. We went to reside in it in Feb.7 1888 & in the course of six months had immensely improved the whole place. It was very prettily situated on the Korrie Road just a mile from the Cathedral. We soon made a few very nice friends - among them were Dean & Mrs.Crogan - the Atherstone family Rev'd Father Simson & Mr. & Mrs. Coleridge. The latter had a farm a few miles beyond us & often came in & spent part of the day with us. My own health gradually failed from the time of our going to Africa partly I believe owing to the dry heat & partly as the result of our fateful & [sic] My dear husband certainly improved & lived nearly in his orchard & the younger children did well. Claude soon got employment first with Mr. Blake & then with his brother in law Mr. Walter Atherstone of Eland Estate, a very large ostrich farm. He was with him for a year & left to make room for Mr. A's son to take his place on leaving school - & from there went to Mr. Douglas' at Heatherton Towers. As time went on I became so much worse that it soon became certain I must either undergo a severe surgical operation or most probably die - I therefore under my good husband's advice placed myself under the care of Dr. Greathead & went into the Hospital Grahamstown as a private patient. I went in there in Jan. 1889 & was able to be moved home at the end of Feb. but was unable to stand or walk for four months. It was a long weary time but many friends showed me great kindness & our good friend Rev. Father Simson frequently visited me & gave me much spiritual help & teaching & I can now look back & feel thankful in many respects. For the operation was a great success & I have now become fairly strong. We were members of the Cathedral in Grahamstown & my dear Lizzie was a boarder at the Diocesan School for girls in the town - A fine school & a splendid staff of teachers - We made many nice friends in Grahamstown. The summer was a terrible one. Hot winds blowing almost constantly from Xmas day 1888 to the end of May 1889. These affected both my husband & myself so injuriously being both invalids that Dr. Forte came to the decision that we could not remain in S. Africa & as we had thought much of Tasmania before ever going to Africa we decided on going there - & sold our pretty home (which was home with all the drawbacks of African vermin snakes & many pests) & we left Grahamstown en route to Tas. July 14th 1889 via Port Elizabeth to Cape Town on S.S. Hamerdon Castle. We had a frightful passage & on reaching Cape Town I was nearly dead. Our friends Mr. & Mrs. Fuller came & met us on the following morning - after having secured rooms for us at a boarding house & took Lizzie home with them. The S.S. "Aorangi" did not come in until the 20th on which day we went on board & bade farewell to Africa I suppose for ever. On account of my invalid state & the uncertainty of his father's health Claude decided to go with us altho' Mr Douglass [sic] was most anxious for him to remain with him. After a wet & dreary voyage we landed safely in Hobart on 8th of Aug'st 1889. We were warmly welcomed by Dr. & Mrs. Harvey whom we knew while living at Ventnor & after remaining in Hobart for a little time we took a cottage at Kingston Brown's River about 10 miles from Hobart by the sea. Meanwhile Claude had gone up to the north where he got temporary employment. We enjoyed the summer very much & I got much stronger indeed became quite my old self again, but we could not stay on for the winter as it was very damp & we could not get a house fit to live in. We did not know where to decide on & at length knowing there was need for a doctor in the Brighton district & there being a house vacant we moved to Brighton in June 1890. Claude was home for some time as it is most difficult for young men to get any suitable out door employment. In Oct.r he went with a surveyor in the Huion dis.ct & remained with him up to the time I am writing this. We found no society in Brighton & no school for James so sent him to Horton College the beginning of the present year 1891. Nellie has been to Miss Buller's School & cot on well with her - but the disadvantages are so many & great here that we do not feel justified in making a home in Tasmania as the policy of the government is to keep everything shut up & keep prices Etc of food & common necessaries very high. We are now making preparations to leave Tasmania for N.Z. early in October & hope D.V. soon to make a home & settle down quietly there as we know living is far less expensive in every way & it is impossible for us to remain in Brighton for a continuance as we are all in a state of social banishment & as we could not live either in Hobart or Launceston we do not think it would be any advantage to move to any other country place in Tasmania, but only a useless expense. I have now brought these jottings down to the present date & I shall try & continue to note any event that may occur as it happens. It is impossible for my husband to do night work or take any cases making much mental anxiety so we must try & make the most of what we have got left in other ways & be thankful that we are yet spared to each other our children to us. Brighton Tasmania AUG. 16, 1891 [Aug, 16, 1992 I have just transcribed this far] Sep. 2nd 1891 Claude came home last week for a short time & is helping me very much in preparing for the sale & in packing. We do not like the idea of leaving him behind. but feel it is the only thing to do under the circumstances. Had very nice letter last week from cousin Mary Jones in Barbados who wrote for Aunt Anna whose sight is now very bad. Also a very interesting letter from Mrs. Farrar Archdeacon F's wife - We have been friends for many years. It always pains me to receive letters from the W. Indies as really there seems the greater part of our friends & our interests. We are hoping to feel more at home in N.Z. than we have done in Tasmania. We can truly say "We have no abiding city here" & I trust thro' God's grace we may all say that we "seek one to come eternal. not made with hands" & this "little while" will soon be over.- [end of this entry] Went to N.Z. October 1891. As Claude went to Australia sam time & lived 3 yrs. In Tauranga & then in Auckland. After years of suffering borne without a murmur passed to his rest my dear & loving husband in Sydney N.S.W. where we were stopped as we were attempting to get to Eng. by his increased illness. Died on Nov 15/99 - at Sydney & buried in St Thomas Cemetery [sic]- North Shore - Claude & James here living in N.Z. & so I returned there with Nellie & Stanley & made my home in Auckland going to N. Plymouth in 1900 to be near to Claude & his wife - but they soon after leaving for Wellington we returned to Auckland. In Jan 1902 James went to S.A. in the 8th N.Z. contingent returning at the close of the war - but returning again to Africa - where he has been ever since. On July 6th 1906 my dear & faithful daughter Helen was married to A.E.Bouillon & on July 23/07 she died in giving birth to two little girls. [Celeste and Yvonne] These I cared for for some months & then their father went to be with his own people & I went on 6 Feb.y 1908 to Sydney to be with my youngest son Stanley. Later in the same year we went to Melbourne to be near my eldest daughter E.A.Hare & her two dear girls Eileen & Doris. The following Aug/09 they left for Eng, & in April 1910 I returned to N.Z. in very poor health & am now living very happily with my eldest son & his wife - both of whom are most good & kind to me. Albert Rd. Devonport N.Z., Feb-12/11 Notes - When first in Demerara the Governor Sir J. Scott who with his wife showed us much kindness While living at Aurora - Essequibo saw a good deal of Judge Kirk in whose book "Twenty-five years in British Guiana" he mentions a trip taken with us into the forest - up the Supenaam Creek off the Essequibo River to a mission station. While living on the E. Coast at Cummins Lodge near Georgetown Sir William Young was governor & I knew Lady Young & her daughter very well. They used to drive out to see us & I often sent in flowers etc. to them. The daughter is now the wife of Sir F. Hodgson. In Berbice we made many friends & were very happy but alas that dreadful fever soon laid my husband low & we had to leave. ---------------------- Continued by C.S.Forte ---------- In Dec. 1911 my mother found me in Sydnev N.S.W & on Jan 6th 1912 we sailed in the R.M.S. "Orama" for England where we landed on Feb,18th 1912. After a few weeks in London we went to Brighton & took a House at Hove where we furnished gradually with antiques, & were looking for an old House my mother was not at all well & was operated on in July. We went to Southwick for a short time & in Sept. 1913 we took "The Elms" Broadwater a lovely old house near Worthing. We still went on buying old furniture and had onlv been at "the Elms" a year when my dear mother died on Sept 26th 1914. I joined the army & was discharged in Set 1916 after being ill on & off for months. I went in to the military ward at Brighton Hospital & was operated on & was much better for the operation. I came out of hospital Sept 12th 1917 just a year to the very day I was discharged from Craighleith Military Hospital Edinburgh. In 1921 1 left the Elm & bought an old cottage on Broadwater Green. ------------------- Auckland Aug 7th 1968 This diary was passed on to my late wife Margaret Emily (nee Forte) grand daughter of Mary Emily Forte. My wife died Nov 3 1964. The little girl mentioned in the diary & who died 9th Apr.1879 was Edith. Some time during our married life we received word I think from Uncle Stanley Forte that an old native woman in B. Guiana had confessed on her death bed to having put poison in the child's eyes to remove a curse from her own child who had died and I believe whom Dr. Forte had attended but had not been able to save. ---------------------- Transcribed August/September 1992, by her great-granddaughter, B. Josephine Mewett, from the diary of Mary (Ellis) Forte, now in the possession of her great granddaughter, Frances (Wright) Nicholls Copies given to: Granddaughter - Barbara McDonald Great-granddaughters - Frances Nicholls, Shirley Ann Hooper, Winis McColl, Anna Hanvey Great-great-granddaughters - Maryjane Bell, Karyn Mewett Great-great-great-granddaughters - Heather Barter, Katherine Mewett, Rachel Sim
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1844 - 1914 (70 years)
(Age 60 years) 