The Adventures of Henry Dent
Farmer, Poet, Gold Digger, Sawyer
by
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Henry arrives in Australia
Henry's arrival in Melbourne was not auspicious. “A thorough wet day it was -. the channels on each side of the streets flowing like rivulets.” However, Henry and his companion were lucky enough to have a contact, Mr Benn, who recommended them to lodgings at Mr Rhodes' in Lonsdale Street. Although the cost of 10 shillings a day each seemed rather high, they decided to stay there. This was probably a good move, as Melbourne was literally bursting at the seams.
In 1851, before the discovery of gold, Melbourne had a population of 23,000. By September 1852, the staggering number of 15,000 persons were arriving every month. Admittedly, many of these would only be passing through, but it is not surprising that many owners of property made as much money through renting out rooms and bed spaces as did some of the gold diggers from their physical labour. Sellers of provisions and equipment were also in a good position to make money quickly. The new state administration had hoped to build a beautiful city without cheap wooden weather boarded buildings which had a tendency to burn down. They planned a city of wide streets and handsome stone buildings, but the pressure for housing in 1852 meant a quick relaxation of this rule and wooden shanties were hastily thrown up. There was even a `canvas town' south of the River Yarra which at one time housed 7000 homeless immigrants. Henry was therefore quite lucky to be able to afford decent lodgings in a central street for 10 shillings a day. Some landlords even charged for a bed space under or on a table in a room shared with many others. Most would-be diggers did not intend to stay long in town. Indeed Mr Benn advised Henry and his friend to go straight to the diggings, even though the roads were still in a bad state at the end of winter. He would store their boxes, so that they could travel light, as the cost of hiring any sort of cart would be very expensive. The price of many items had rocketed with the unexpected demand. “I was taking some things out of my chest to take up the country. A man came up and asked me if I had got any boots that would serve him to go up to the diggings in. I said that I had not got any for sale but I had two pairs of quarter boots and at present only wanted one. Well, what would I take? Would he like to have them for 25s. The money was laid down and he said that if they had been waterproof and two inches higher he would have had them at 35s.”
But first Henry wanted to visit a Methodist missionary at Collingwood, on the outskirts of Melbourne. This Mr Townsend had come out a few years previously and had purchased a very nice house, which appreciated substantially in value since the gold rush. He was also planning a new chapel to be built by means of subscriptions from successful diggers. At the other end of the scale Henry resolved to “pry into the state of society" in Melbourne, despite advice to keep indoors after 6pm “and never to utter the word convict, at least disparagingly. In speaking of them we must use the term “Government men”. We walked the streets for three hours after dark and met with the greatest civilities from all parties with whom we conversed. In fact I could see and have seen more wickedness in the streets of London in one hour than during the whole night here.” This was not to deny that there were crimes committed, but Henry put most of them down to the effects of the demon drink.
In conclusion of this first letter from Australia, Henry is optimistic that he has got to the right place, and thanks his father for “his permission and means to come here” but regrets that he did not come three or four years previously, as there is a good living to be made at many trades. "A family of agriculturalists coming and settling near to some highway or river as they could reasonably purchase land by cultivating it, themselves might soon realize a fortune.” They would be able to sell their produce at very good prices due to the great and rising demand, as "The numbers flocking here are out of all the bounds of my preconceived notions. About 20,000 arrive each week.”
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About the Book
An intriguing inscription on a memorial stone in Bolton churchyard led Cathy Smith to investigate the life of farmer's son Henry Dent, who died in Van Diemen's Land in January 1854, aged 27. How and why had he travelled so far from home? Using many of Henry's own words from his poems and letters, Cathy has reconstructed Henry's brief but adventurous life.
Not content with the farming life, he visited London in 1851 to see the Great Exhibition, then set sail from Liverpool for Melbourne Australia, a journey described in fascinating detail. Other letters describe his experiences at the goldfields of Mount Alexander where he had some success in striking gold. From there he travelled to Tasmania, then known as Van Diemen's Land, where he was keen to find out if the transported convicts were as venal as portrayed. He began to export produce to Melbourne to service the goldfields and set up a timber cutting business on the Huon River.
It was left to his companion Henry Richardson to describe the devastating forest fire in which he lost his life.
About the Author
Cathy Smith was born and brought up in Carlisle, Cumbria, but spent most of her married life in the south of England. Whilst living in the Netherlands in the 1980s she had time on her hands and started researching her family history. In this she was greatly helped by a cache of letters written by both grandparents to her grandmother's family who had emigrated to Canada. In 2006 several articles appeared in Cumbria Life magazine and in 2007 a book entitled `Carlisle to Canada - a family chronicle', was published, which won the New Bookshop Prize in the Lakeland Book of the Year Awards.
Having lived for periods in Germany, Kenya and the Netherlands, Cathy is fascinated by the experiences of people who choose to live far from their native land. On retirement in 2002, Cathy settled with her husband in the village of Bolton in the former Westmoreland, where she has become involved in many village activities.