[ Jocelyn Fitzgerald Ruthven, master mariner. ] Twenty-five items from his papers: correspondence, vellum certificates, commissions, testimonials, including address signed by 79 passengers on first (maiden) voyage to Australia of SS Orient.
Ruthven was born in Ireland, the son of Galway landowner Clifford Trotter. He was a master mariner, a Younger Brother of Trinity House, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and wrote several nautical manuals. At the time of his retirement as commodore of the Orient Line of ships in 1911, Ruthven had completed forty-five years at sea and thirty years in command of Orient steamers (Orient Steam Navigation Company, Limited – hereafter OSNC). Although he never lived in Australia, most of his journeys were between England and Australia, and he estimates in his autobiography ('Memoirs of Jocelyn Fitzgerald Ruthven', Ipswich, 1949) that he passed through Port Phillip heads 341 times and Sydney heads 200 times (the figures differ from those given earlier by him in Item Two below). Ruthven studied at St Mary's College, Redhill (see Items Fourteen and Fifteen), trained on HMS Conway (see Items Four to Seven), served on various ships as a junior officer, and had a long association with the Orient Line (see Items Sixteen to Twenty-One), 'without ever scratching the paint' of one of its ships. His excellent seamanship allowed him to move the Garonne (see his account in Item Two, as well as Item Twenty-Six) from where it had run aground on the Ras Hafon in 1878, so salvaging the ship and saving the passengers from probable death. The twenty-six items in the present collection are in good condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: Manuscript address 'To J. F. Ruthven Esqre. Chief officer of the Steam Ship “Orient” on her first voyage from England to Australia.' Dated 'From the Semaphore, Port Adelaide; 15 December 1879.' 4pp., 4to. On two bifoliums, the second headed: 'Signatures to address to Mr Ruthven | on board “Orient” | dated decr 15/79'. Carrying 79 signatures of 'ravellers & colonists', including the Sydney merchant R. G. Vallack (c.1852-1896); the engineer Walter Shellshear (1856-1939); the South Sea missionary Alan Lister-Kaye (1854-1925); Dr Arthur Styles Vallack (1870-1930); Walter Coote, author of 'Wanderings South and East' (London, 1882); the sportsman and soldier Norman William Stirling (1861-1916), and members of the Fysh, Kiss and Vallack families. The address reads: 'Dear Mr. Ruthven | In handing to Captain Studdert of the “Orient” a congratulatory address upon the advent of this Steamer in these waters under his able command, we have thought it due to yourself to express therein our high esteem for you as a gentleman who has largely contributed to our comfort & pleasure during the voyage, and now with the entire concurrence of Captain Studdert, we hand to you a small souvenir of the occasion, as a further proof of our confidence in your professional abilities & as a practical expression of our hope that you may early be entrusted by your owners with greater responsibilities than these you now so well discharge. | Our association upon this voyage has made us feel an interest in your future welfare, & as travellers & colonists we shall watch with pleasure your career, which judged by our knowledge of you will be as bright & prosperous as your friends who now subscribe their names to this, hope it will be'. TWO: 'Distances travelled by Sea, Times across the equator & through Suez Canal'. 4 February 1911; on letterhead of the Junior Carlton Club, Pall Mall, London. 12mo bifolium. Title on first page, followed by two pages of calculations (giving names of ships, dates of service, and distances travelled), with the final page devoted to the Garonne. First page headed 'Voyages in Sailing Ships', second page headed 'Voyages in Steamers'. At end of second page: 'Total distance = 6 times round the moon. | 75 of the long voyages & 11 short voyages in command | 87 voyages to Melbourne. Passed through Port Phillip Heads 337 [amended to 'after <?> 341'] times Sydney Heads 196 [amended to '200'] times'. The final page gives dates relating to his time on the Garonne, with a fifteen-line memorandum, beginning: 'The ship struck about an hour before high water & 32 hours before 1st. Quarter (dead neaps) but as the moon was approaching the earth this would probably counteract the effect on the level due to the separatio from the sun. The second half of the time the vessel was on the ground the moon has passed the final quarter whilst she reached Perigee about the time that we refloated. Both effects would tend to raise the level. Whilst I did not know as much about tides as I do now I counted on a rise from both causes & also from the increasing on the wind. That was the best job I ever did but I got no credit for it by the Authorities because I didn't blow my own trumpet. The Capt. gave her up to me & I gave her back after I got her off. Otherwise a total loss. [last two words underlined]'. THREE: Marine Board of New South Wales. Pilotage Certificate. 14 August 1882. On vellum. Faded. Signed by president Francis Hixson (1833-1909), secretary 'Geo. S. Lindeman', wardens William Robertson and Benjamin Jenkins. FOUR: Mercantile Marine Service Association. Typed Letter Signed to JFR from J. J. Grylls, Secretary. 16 August 1894. Enclosing 'a statement [next item] signed by the Chairman of the Committee showing the highly creditable position you occupied in the Prize List of the “Conway” in 1865.' He praises the distinctions JFR obtained ('the highest on the list for that year'). 'The changes in connection with the ship have been many, and both Mr Beazley and Mr Barton are now deceased.' The Association has 'noticed with pleasure and satisfaction the position you have taken in the Side Lights controversy'. FIVE: School Frigate 'Conway', Mercantile Marine Service Association, Liverpool. Vellum certificate. Christmas 1865. Ornate certificate, with engraving of cadet standing in front of the ship. Signed by the commander Robert <?>, chairman James Beazley and secretary Clarke Aspinall. SIX: Captain Archibald T. Miller, School Ship Conway, Liverpool. Autograph Letter Signedcon to JFR. Rock Ferry, Cheshire; 8 September 1894. Regarding the matter referred to in the last item, he has 'succeeded in hunting up an old manuscript book of the late Head Master – Mr. Chas Barton', and finds from it 'that Capt Ruthven got 895 marks – at the Examination of Christmas 1865 on board the “Conway” out of a possible 1100 – he was first by nearly 100 marks – the second (Haines) – having only 808 marks | I have also gone over the previous Examinations marks for several Years – and in no instance had such high marks been obtained'. SEVEN: Charles , Chairman, Committee of Management School Ship HMS Conway. Typed certificate signed listing JFR's 'distinctions in the Prize List, Midsummer 1865', as a cadet. 16 August 1894. (Items Four to Seven are accompanied by an empty envelope docketed: 'Conway Certificate & Testimonial | Captain J. F. Ruthven', with date 12 November 1911.) EIGHT: Royal Naval Reserve. Ornate commission on vellum, appointing him a Sub Lieutenant. 7 April 1877. Signed by the secretary and two Lords of the Admiralty, and on reverse by the Registrar General of the General Register and Record Office of Shipping and Seamen. With seal. NINE: Royal Naval Reserve. Ornate commission on vellum, appointing him Lieutenant. 15 September 1883. Signed as the last item. With seal. Printed by F. Dangerfield, London lithographer. TEN: Trinity House. Certificate on vellum, with seal, admitting him as a Younger Brother. 1 May 1885. Printed by Smith & Ebbs, Tower-Hill. Signed by secretary John Inglis. ELEVEN: Institution of Naval Architects. Ornate certificate electing him an Associate. 16 May 1905. TWELVE: Committee of Privy Council for Trade. Certificate of Competency as Extra Master. On vellum. 21 July 1879. Ornately laid out. Signed by the Registrar General. THIRTEEN: William Herron, Manager, Lancashire Ship Owners Co. Limited. Manuscript testimonial, signed by him. Liverpool; 19 February 1877. Begins: 'I have pleasure in certifying that you joined the Iron ship “Whittington” 970 Tons register belonging to this company as Master in August 1874 and resigned the command of your own accord in Feby 1877.' Gives list of voyages and states that JFR gave 'universal satisfaction in every capacity'. FOURTEEN: Autograph Letter Signed from Drewe to William Bermingham Trotter. St Mary's College; 15 September 1863. Sending 'the enclosed work of your Brother's [JFR] which does him great credit, as no one has given him the least hint or help'. FIFTEEN: G. H. Drewe, Warden and Head Master of St Mary's College, Redhill, Surrey. Autograph Signed certificate in favour of 'Jocelyn Trotter' [JFR], 15 September 1863. SIXTEEN: OSNC. Autograph document by the chief officer of RMS Lusitania, signed by him and four other officers, conveying their 'great regret at losing so good a commander'. On OSNC letterhead, RMS Lusitania, Naples, 1 August 1881. SEVENTEEN: OSNC. Form of notification of Ruthven's appointment as Commander of the SS Lusitania, by 'F Green & Co'. 24 January 1881. EIGHTEEN: OSNC. Typed certificate of service, signed by 'S Waymouth | Secy.' 11 September 1894. '[…] from 24 January 1881 to the date hereof as Commander of the S.S's “Chimborazo”, “Garonne”, “Lusitania”, “Austral”, and “Ophir”; the last named Steamer he at present commands'. NINETEEN: OSNC. Autograph reference by Waymouth. 15 September 1897. TWENTY: OSNC. 'True Copy', signed by C. G. Markbreiter, of letter from E. A. Veale, Secretary, OSNC, to the Under Secretary of State, Home Office. 8 March 1911. In support of 'Captain Ruthven's application to you for an appointment as a nautical assessor. Praising his 'exceptional mathematical gifts' and 'valuable educational influence upon the Officers who served under him'. TWENTY-ONE: OSNC. Manuscript reference, by 'F. Green & Co.' 2 October 1912. 'The Managers of the Orient Company always had the greatest confidence in Captain Ruthven during the long period he was in their employ, and they granted him a Pension when he retired at his own desire from the Company's service in February 1911, at which time he was in command of their R.M.S. “Orvieto.”' TWENTY-TWO: Robert H. Scott of the Meteorological Office, London. Autograph Letter Signed to JFR. 16 January 1877. Informing him that 'the log of the “Whittington” has been submitted to the Comtee by Capt Toynbee'. TWENTY-THREE: John Kerr, as Master of the 'Whittington'. Autograph Signed certificate of service. Liverpool; 10 June 1869. TWENTY-FOUR: John Kerr, as Master of the 'Great Victoria'. Autograph Signed certificate of service. Dundee; 11 June 1872. TWENTY-FIVE: John Kerr, as Master of the 'Great Victoria'. Autograph Signed certificate of service. London: 24 June 1874. TWENTY-SIX: Unsigned autograph poem by JFR, an acrostic on his name, composed on board the 'Garonne', 'off Lisbon | Decbr. 2nd. 1878.' Begins: 'Joy joy floods my heart | O Garonne how I love to see thee | Clean & smart in every part | Entirely my time I give to thee | Lovely ship to make thee a name | You are my care dear “Garonne” | […]'.