Some were going to dig for gold in the newly discovered gold fields near Melbourne, while others were hoping to set up businesses or farm the land and some were travelling out to join family members already there. Most of the passengers were emigrating to Australia in the hope of finding a better quality of life. The reasons why people travelled on the ship changed as well. This included over 300 people travelling in the newly created 3rd class and steerage bunks. When the ship was refitted in 1852 to make the journey from Liverpool to Australia, she could carry 610 passengers. Most of these passengers were wealthy people travelling either on holiday or going to America for business reasons. The ship was originally designed to carry 252 passengers in 1st and 2nd class between Liverpool and New York. Some, like the England cricket team, were travelling for work purposes whilst others had left their homes behind to start a new life in a new country. Grace was also qualified doctor, a job which he did for nearly 40 years mostly in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire.įor much of her working life, the SS Great Britain carried paying passengers. and their brother Fred all played for England in the first Test Match against Australia held in England.Į.M. His younger brother William Gilbert (W.G.) Grace was also an outstanding and flamboyant cricketer, who is still remembered today as the one of the most famous cricketers in the world. His father Dr Henry Grace, a doctor in Downend, formed Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in 1870. Grace came from a cricketing and medical family.
During his career he made over 10,000 runs and took 305 wickets.
The team arrived in to Melbourne on 17 December 1863 and they played the first of their 14 matches at the Melbourne Cricket Club on 1 January 1864.Īfter his return to England, Grace played cricket for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and became known as an excellent all-round cricketer. He also mentions various concerts and dances that were held for the 1st class passengers. Activities included the long jump, small games of cricket and running races. In his diary Grace wrote about how the team practiced during the journey.
He kept a diary during the 2-month long voyage detailing what his life was like on board as a first-class passenger. Amongst the 12 players in 1863, was Bristolian Edward Mills (E.M.) Grace. It was building on the success of the first England cricket tour of Australia which had taken place 2 years before. In autumn 1863 the All England XI Cricket team left Liverpool on the SS Great Britain to take part in the second cricket tour of Australia.
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