 Sarah Jane Witty (nee Cooper) |
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Sarah and William's stories - William's is below Sarah's If you can connect to this family, please contact DHamil2829@aol.com SARAH JANE WITTY (NEE COPPER) Cooper’s were from Fimber and Witty’s from Middleton Also the “electric railway” in Liverpool had only just been opened, a great novelty. Also I remember when I was a kid with my grandfather (Hamilton, sea captain) Sarah Jane’s voyage to Green Ridge, Manitoba, Canada Miss Sarah Jane Cooper (b 1865), daughter of Baker Cooper and Mary Temple, emigrated to Canada in the spring of the year 1893, along with another boy called Thomas Bowser Witty, the younger brother of William Witty.. She sailed from Liverpool on board the Dominion Line ship ss Labrador, on 17th March, 1893 and arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 25th March. The journey evidently took about 8 days and this would seem to be the typical time for such a crossing. On the same afternoon she married her “boy” John Robert Witty, in the same clothes in which she travelled from England. The following is an account of her journey: She writes: Left Fimber on Tuesday, March 14th at 2.30 arriving at Middleton just before 5 o/c. Stayed the night there then left Middleton for Liverpool by the 12 express arriving in Liverpool 4.55. Spent the evening at St James Hall. Next morning had breakfast at 3 o/c. Will and Thomas had a walk before breakfast. After that we went to the Office then for a good walk in the city. Saw the luggage off from the Hotel then walked to the Pier Head Station, took train on the electric railway for the Alexandra dock. Mr Wittysaw to the luggage then we went on board, got our berths secured and my first job was to have a wash for I felt so dirty. After that I felt myself only I had my friends with me it would have been as pleasant as it possibly could be of course this is just at starting. There are four berths in our room. I have the top one of two, three other girls who already are very chatty share the room. Thomas seemed quite alright when I left him down below in his room, we have just had a splendid supper or meat tea so I am feeling all the better for it, the boat moved out at 5 o/c. We went on deck to see her start now while I was at tea they handed me a telegram which did my heart good. I had not the least idea I should be so much thought of. I will here state the contents: Miss S. J.Cooper, ss Labrador Lpl (Liverpool); I wish you a safe and pleasant voyage. Once again, goodbye, John Hutchinson, Fimber Station. Now you see why I was glad to have it. Friday, 17th. I missed writing except the note home for after that I was very bad but not wishing to be home I have too much to look forward to I never touched bite or sup from Friday morning breakfast until 1 this morning (Sunday) they brought me a cup of tea then after I dressed and went on deck for a while then when the bell rang for dinner I went down had some soup & cheese & bread then this afternoon I went on deck again & heard some singing which reminded both Thomas and I of our Fimber entertainments for they sang “The Man That Broke The Bank at Monte Carlo,” and “Take Me to your Home Kathleen.” I thought of those boys saying I should be wishing I was home practicing for an entertainment but I did not. While we were on deck we met the (ss) Vancouver, sister boat of this one and the one that brought my boy (her fiancé). Sunday 19th. This has been a very funny day but still very pleasant I tried to get up for breakfast but had to go back again however I managed to get on deck between 10 & 11 o/c and stopped on until dinner-time went down and had a good dinner and have been a brick since I may just say here we have plenty of beautiful food as anyone could wish for only of course when we are sick we turn against everything. We had a lot of singing on deck today, a young man played his violin very nicely I missed the service this morning. You will all at this very moment be at chapel and I know we shall be remembered. I feel all the time what a lot of prayers are being offered for us and when it is for us that means eleven hundred on the boat we have 336 orphan boys from Dr Barnardo’s home fine fellows they seem all the time to enjoy themselves. I much tell you what we had for tea today lovely bread & butter splendid marmalade, cold roast beef, corned beef, pickles, beautiful fresh stewed apples and very good tea with fresh milk. I forgot to tell you yesterday that on Friday we passed the Bridget Maloney’s native land of course you know by now the letter but I could not help thinking of Bridget also Kitty. Will you tell Lou how we wished she was in Liverpool with us. The Father will be home in Middleton and Will will be home in Fimber and you will all have been talking about us today. Thomas and I have spent the afternoon together and we have had a good long chat about you all at Fimber & Middleton. I cannot tell you much about the girls who travel with me I am afraid I don’t think much to them, but their uncle who came over from Winnipeg at Christmas time to fetch them is very good to me so I think on the whole I am very lucky Thomas says he has fallen in with a nice lot. So far we have had a splendid voyage just one night rough I think though we shall be pleased to see land once more now I think I shall do for tonight. So good night to you all. Monday 20th. Tried to get up to Breakfast but could not manage it so had to go back and stay there all day. The Dr came to see me this morning – but he did not say much only told me I should be better in a day or two. Thomas brought me up a nice tea which I enjoyed. Tuesday 21st. We had a very restless night the boat rocked most terribly and as per usual I tried to get up & had to go back have been in bed until now I have got up for tea feeling better but if it is rough tonight I may be bad again. The Dr came to see me again this morning & told me to keep laid if I felt better and had some splendid beef tea sent up for me, they say we are to land on Friday night and I hope we shall, I am tired of not having anything to do. It is too rough to be on deck today it is raining fast now. I am off to tea. Wednesday 22nd. Now last night I felt very bad again went down to tea but could not take it so had to come back to bed I was sorry for they had a concert and I missed it Thomas went and enjoyed it very well. Now this morning I was up first of any in my room and would you believe I felt very well indeed. I went down to breakfast I came up made my bed (You must understand we are not supposed to make them but I prefer to do so) and as soon as the dining room was cleared I took my knitting & sat with Thomas talking for along time then had a few games with dominoes until dinner time when I had a plate of soup then a good big piece of boiled mutton and beautiful potatoes then a plate of sago pudding then biscuits you bet I shan’t starve now. This is just after dinner and I am going down into the dining room again a New York boat passed us this morning they say we are quite one hundred miles south of our proper journey which will likely delay us a good deal. The Sarnia one of the Dominion line boats is three weeks past due and ours is going out of the way to look for it they are beginning to fear she is lost. The afternoon has been spent just about the same as the morning and after a good tea we had a concert which wasn’t half as good as our Fimber entertainments. I left it just after tea to come to bed so good night all. Thursday 23rd. I am in bed writing this and there is not anything very particular to state. I have not been so well so have not done anything all day. We are nearing Halifax fast they tell us, all being well we shall be there sometime tomorrow night, we passed New Foundland last night. I have never been on deck today for it is freezing cold can hardly get warm in bed. You will all be sleeping nicely so I think I will try & do the same. I would to bid you all goodnight. Friday 24th. Today seems to have gone about the same as the rest only everybody seems more lively, that is because we are so near our landing place. I must just tell you we occupy the second saloon berths because their intermediate was full up and that was all the better for us. There is a concert as usual tonight Thomas is favouring them with a song. I had a nice game of drafts just before I came up to bed and enjoyed it for I had sat pretty close to my knitting today so that was a nice change. Saturday 25th. Here we are at the Halifax Depot with many hundreds of people and hundreds of boxes am glad ours is already checked & put on the cars, we did not get in until quite late this afternoon, we had to stop all day about twelve miles out it was such dense fog that it was too dangerous for the pilot to come out to fetch us in it was the worst day we have had simply standing still all the time until the fog rose about 3 o/c. In the middle of the night we were warned by a cannon of great danger that of running on some very dangerous rocks. They say we have had a narrow escape however we are so far safe I am thankful. Sunday 26th. We started from Halifax between 12 and 1 o/c this morning we slept very well for the first night on cars. We got up very early and the day has seemed very long but the scenery is splendid and we have seen some beautiful little houses quite charming and most lovely lakes but of course all is ice yet. We saw them driving across the lakes and many people were driving to church as we passed the villages. They have some dear little churches. It has been the very funniest Sunday I have ever spent. I shouldn’t like to have many like it. They are trying to get your money at every turn selling oranges, apples, books, cigars, prize noted paper and everything is so expensive. Oranges two pence half penny each. Monday 27th. I cannot write much on the cars it shakes too much here, it is Monday night and we are getting on very slowly but enjoying the sights, I cannot describe what it is like. We stopped an hour and a half in Montreal this morning, then we stopped above half an hour in Ottawa a most beautiful city as far as we could see. We have just had tea you would be amused to see us, we have to boil water in tins something like the tramps do who come to sleep in our barn but it is fine fun. We have the dining car on but it is 3/- per meal. Tuesday 28th. There seem lots I would like to tell you but the place shakes so that I cannot write. I am enjoying the travelling very much, the worst of it is we have had to change cars three times, first the wheels gave way, then we were in South Eastern car and had to change into a Canadian Pacific then half an hour ago a spring or something serious gave way and we had to hurry out sharp to prevent further damage. We are very thickly packed but comfortable. There is a great deal of snow here and you could not imagine how severe the frost is in one night and during the day I never experienced such lovely sunshine. You would laugh at the Yanks every man wears a ring even the stokers on the cars and newsboys and they all wear kid gloves to do their work in. I think I did not tell you that they did not turn out our boxes, I just opened one & turned up one corner & he said I suppose you are going to settle and I said “Yes” so that was alright. I have got a nasty cold I think it is with the windows been open. We got some bread this afternoon at a place we stopped at & paid 20 cents for one loaf there was such a demand for it, that is about like a threepenny one, that’s Yanks again, they know we are obliged to have it. We shall just about have enough food to last us if we get in on Thursday as we expect. Wednesday 29th. We are nicely on our way hoping to be in Winnipeg by 4 o/c tomorrow morning, today has been fine we were up early had breakfast about 6 o/c then washed etc then read and about 10 o/c we stopped at a place for lunch. We got off & had a very good meal of Beefsteak, lovely bread, then delicious toast and coffee, pickles, biscuits, butter & cheese all for 25 cents, we did enjoy it. I am packing up ready to go off the cars, I guess we shall not sleep much, You can walk from one end of the train to the other just when we like. It is fine you would enjoy it but you want a kettle & a cup. We neglected that so have had to borrow all the way. Two pigs were on the line & ran over them & cut them in half. Thursday 30th. We got into Winnipeg station at 3.30 this morning we stayed on the cars until past 6 o/c the new got our luggage off & went into the waiting room, but we had not been in long before my boy (fiancé) came, he met Thomas on the platform and Thomas did not know him at first but I did well we sat a little while and had a chat then we came to the hotel had breakfast then went back to the station got the baggage checked for tomorrow morning. Then we came back to the hotel I had a nice rest while J.R. & Thomas went out to do some shopping and to see the parson etc. Then I washed & dressed and was ready to go to the Manse at 6 o/c which was the appointed time for the wedding to take place, so off we went and the parson was so nice also his wife & a Scotch lady who was there to witness. The parson had not got home when we got there but we had not been there above five minutes before he came & commenced the ceremony at once. So that is the end of S.J. Cooper. After that was over I was jolly soon called Mrs Witty by my boy (now my husband!) just now startled me by calling me by that name. I must not forget to tell you I was married in just what I wore for journey. I have not my box from the depot so I could not have on my pretty grey dress, but never mind it does not matter. Friday 31st. Left Winnipeg 7.45 arriving Dominion City about 10.30 stayed for dinner at the Queens Hotel then we started for home about 1.30 but had not gone far when we came to a bridge that the horses did not like to cross, so one of them jumped right over dragging the other with it falling about eight or nine feet breaking the sleigh & John had to cut the harness to set the horses free. Then he took me to a house near to stay until they got fixed for starting again. They were not long in doing & I was glad to start for home once more but better pleased to get there for the roads were so bad I had had enough of sleighing I thought for this season. Since then I have changed my mind about sleighing for I have been out three or four times & enjoyed it. I hope you will be able to read & understand it and when I come home again I will try to write better I am Yours, S.J. Witty Notes: The identity of Thomas is not clear at this time, although it might be assumed he is a younger relative. The relationship between Sarah Jane and the Massey family is as follows: Sarah Jane (b1865) was the daughter of Baker Cooper (b1827) and Mary Temple. Baker Cooper was the elder brother of Harriet (b 1838) who married James Massey. James and Harriet are the parents of William Massey. JOHN ROBERT WITTY (1866-1950) Generously donated by Pete Wilkinson - Hi, just been reading the Sarah Jane Witty (Cooper) story and thought you might like John Robert Witty's story to complete the saga. Incidentally, the Thomas who accompanies Sarah Jane is John Robert's younger brother. On the Canadian 1901 census, John Robert and Sarah Jane are living in Dominion City and have 3 children; Mary, Annie, and John Keith. Thomas is also on the census, living and working in Greenridge.
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