Saturday 19th March 1853

"Southampton Docks" c.1850
 Image copyright of P&O Heritage 

I left London for Southampton at 11 o’clock Ack-per rail, arrived there a little after 1 o’clock and proceeded to dispose of my luggage. After paying 2/-  for passing through the dockyard gate I reached a large shed where the luggage was taken charge of by the porters and deposited in the luggage room until it was convenient to place it on the vessel. This was the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company’s vessel, “Ripon”, a large paddle wheeled steamer, which was lying in the dock, close alongside the luggage room... We accordingly spent a few hours in getting dinner and taking a view of the town? It appeared a clean, pleasantly situated place well supplied with good shops and having many good buildings, particularly in the central parts of the town near the docks. In the evening before dark we visited and inspected the ship, which we found very much to our satisfaction.

The full journal will be published by Annet House Museum, Linlithgow in May. Waldie's journey to India will form a key feature of the museum's Waldie exhibition which will open to the public on 18 May.

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