Colonel Moody received this letter from the
War Office in February of 1859.
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War Office, Pall Mall, S.W.,
18th
February 1859
Sir,
I am directed by the Secretary Major
General Peel to inform you that he has decided on allowing one
hundred pounds per annum for providing for the Spiritual care of the
Troops under your command.
I am to add that this sum is to be issued to
such clergymen as the Bishop of Columbia may select to officiate to
the Troops, and in such amounts as he may deem expedient; and that
these payments should be charged in your accounts under the head of
“Divine Service:”, such charges being vouched by the receipt of the
Clergyman receiving the money, and a Certificate from the Officer
Commanding the Troops to whom he officiated that he performed this
duty.
I am etc., J. R. Gooley |
It's arrival marked the official status for
a Chaplain for the Columbia Detachment.
John Sheepshanks came out from England to
New Westminster in the end of September, 1859. Among his other duties he
was also to serve as Chaplain to the Columbia Detachment until the arrival
of Archdeacon Wright.
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Victoria V.I.
13th Sept.
1859
Sir,
I have the honor to
inform you the Secretary of Sate for War has sanctioned 100 Pounds
Sterling per annum being paid to one of the Clergymen in British
Columbia to be attached for Duty as Chaplain to the Troops in the
Colony.
The Bishop has
nominated the Reverend Mr. Sheepshanks to that duty, and I submit
he should be borne on the strength of the Troops for rations and
Quarters.
I request Your
Excellency’s sanction for arrangements to be made accordingly.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obt. Servant
RC Moody
Col Comd. |
The above letter makes
Sheepshanks an official member of the Columbia Detachment.
| "We expect our
Clergyman, Mr. Sheepshanks, (nephew to the one at Harrogate) and
lately a Curate of Dr. Hook's, here this week, he was at Victoria
before we left, but accidentally met his brother there!! on board
"The Ganges", he remained with him for a little time. He appears a
very pleasant man, and does not consider Soldiers such very bad
fellows after all." "All the babies are to be christened
after Mr. Sheepshanks' arrival - 5 or 6 already. We have a "Francis
Thames City" and a "Euphrates Thomas"
--22nd September 1859,
From the Letters of Mary S. Moody
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Sheepshanks arrives and has
no quarters prepared. He is invited to live in the Moody home with the
Moody family.
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"We like our Clergyman, so far, very well, he is High
Church, but very energetic and earnest and hard-working. I do not think
he has taken a fancy to us for he is very quiet and reserved. He has a
room in our House, but we seldom see him excepting on Sundays when out
Meal times suit him better than the Mess Hours. He is very fond of Zeffie, and plays with her constantly."
--11th October, 1859,
From the Letters of Mary S.
Moody
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Finally, in the Spring of
1860, a change of domicile is created for Sheepshanks.
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"Our Church is begun, and Mr. Sheepshanks living in a
"Log Hut" near the Site, which I have named "Castle Sheepshanks",
however, poor man, he was nearly burnt out last night. He is going to
Victoria for a holyday, and Mr. Dundas is coming up here."
--16th April, 1860,
The Letters of Mary S. Moody
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"...Mr. Sheepshanks too, I think, is liked here, he
always has a warm welcome back after he has been away, we were all glad
to hear him preach last Sunday after not having done so for 3 weeks."
--4th June, 1860,
The Letters of Mary S. Moody
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Sheepshanks was also involved in the social life of the
Camp.
| "As a birthday
"treat" I must try and give you a full line and particular account
of the rise, progress and termination of the ball at the
Camp. I told you that we were intending to have a little party.
Dr. Seddall took the entire management and arranged everything. We
now have the whole house to ourselves, so we have plenty of room,
the Drawing Room, Library and Dining Room are all down-stairs, the
Library is the only one we have furnished and we use it as a
Drawing Room. The Dining Room was the Doctor's, the Drawing
Room was Captain Luard's. The Doctor fixed to have the Dancing in
the empty drawing room, and he had it all decorated for the
occasion, the large recess of the bow window was fitted as an
orchestra, the windows curtained with Scarlet blankets, relieved
with golden Chinese banners. The Ceiling was festooned with
evergreens and faded leaves, the walls decorated with bayonets
festooned, lamps and garlands, Scarlet, blue and white bunting
plaited in hanging loops all 'round the ceiling, a J.B. over the
mantle piece. You have no idea how nice the room looked, how I
wish you could have seen it! The library drawing room was used as
a Tea room, the dining room decorated as a supper room, flags and
banners etc. We mustered 10 ladies all dressed in ball costume,
Mrs. Grant in pink beige with flowers, Mrs. Bacon pink Moire
Antique, Mrs. Homer in white, Mrs. Spalding in blue Moire, Mrs.
Pritchard in black net, Mrs. Moody in black net decorated with
pink ribbons. I apprise you I felt quite respectable, once more!
They all came at 8, soon after dancing began which was kept up till 3 A.M! Richard allowed me to dance all night and I assure you I thouroughly
enjoyed myself.
We sat down 26 to supper, and about 8 were left without seats. I took very
little trouble in the party, the Doctor did it all his own way. He laid the
Supper, cut the sandwiches etc. Mr. Sheepshanks cut the bread and butter for
tea, and superintended the final arrangements for supper. Everybody in the Camp
helped. 3 of the Men performed the music, the officer's Servants helped to wait,
we borrowed the Mess table, tablecloth, Napkins, Candle-sticks, Cups, Plates,
etc. glasses and candlesticks from Mrs. Grant. Tea tray from one of the women. You have no idea how well it all went off, everybody enjoyed themselves. Certainly the Doctor deserves great credit for all his trouble. We thought you
would all have enjoyed to have taken a peep at our new mode of "roughing it in
the bush". I really was not very very tired after so much dancing. I feared I
should be as stiff as an old horse the next day, however, tho' I was obliged to
get up at 6 the next morning I did not feel too tired. I had not danced since I
married before. Captain Parsons and the Doctor wanted to persuade me to allow Zeffie and Dick to sit up, however I would not listed to that and packed them
all off to bed before I went to dress."
--15th October, 1860,
from The Letters of Mary S. Moody
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"Now Mr. Sheepshanks has come in and is talking about
Table Turning. I hope he will go soon, he knows we go early to bed,
the other night he said, "Well! I ought to go, I see Mrs. Moody yawning
and I see the Colonel yawning. I am sure you want to go to bed"."
--15th October, 1860,
from The Letters of Mary S.
Moody
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| "I wish I could
send you an amusing letter, but really here we go on day after day
in the same way, seeing nobody almost excepting on Sunday's when
Mr. Sheepshanks dines with us at 1 o'clock..."
-- 11th
February, 1861,
from The Letters of Mary S. Moody
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When Lady Franklin, wife of
the famous Arctic explorer, arrived at New Westminster, the Ladies and
Gentlemen of the Camp went to fete her.
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"In the evening we all went to the theatre in the
Town, which I enjoyed very much, and even threaten to go again. Mr.
Sheepshanks pretends to be very much shocked and is going to preach a
Sermon at me!"
--15th March, 1861,
from The Letters of Mary S. Moody
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| "They (The Bacon's)
asked us to dinner one day, (she has no Servant you know) and it
happened to be such a wet evening, that if I had not known she was
to Cook the dinner herself I never could have thought of going,
however I was sure she would be so disappointed that I said we
must go. Mr. Sheepshanks was with the Children when we were ready
and he said all he could to prevent our going till I told him
where we were off to, and he at once agreed with me that "She
would be so disappointed".
--4th June, 1861,
from The
Letters of Mary S. Moody
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| "Petsie is getting
on fast towards walking and talking, she promises to outdo Walter
in the last accomplishment. She really is a forward Child for her
age, and a great favourite with all. Mr. Sheepshanks always
pinches her cheeks and says "Now, you are a nice sort of Child.
HMS Plumper was here last week, and we all dined on
board, we had a most elegant dinner, quite English, and a coal
Fire which I most thoroughly enjoyed! They all laughed at me when
they came down after dinner, Mr. Sheepshanks said "Now, Mrs.
Moody, I am quite sure you have been asleep!!". It was a terribly
wet night, and they all feared we would not go, however Mr.
Sheepshanks and the Doctor both said, "I am sure Mrs. Moody will
come."
--4th November, 1861,
from The Letters of Mary S. Moody
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| "Mr. Sheepshanks is
dining here tonight, quite a wonderful event now, as we never have
anyone in the house now." --3rd January, 1862,
from The
Letters of Mary S. Moody
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| "I can tell you
that "Little Mary" looks so nice in dear Em's present, all admire
her "toggery". Mr. Sheepshanks said today "Did you ever see a Baby
who was not dressed like that, all in white, with a blue Veil."
--3rd April, 1862,
from The Letters of Mary S. Moody
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| 5th July, 1862 -
Fine. Saw Mr. Sheepshanks this morning, is encamped and says he
will have service here tomorrow Sunday the 6th at our Camp.
6th July, 1862 - Sunday. Fine. Had service today by Mr.
Sheepshanks who goes across the Mountain tomorrow on route for
Cariboo.
--From the Journal of Serjeant John McMurphy, RE
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| "The weather
continues cold so I have not had the little lady (new born) out
yet, but she grows famously. She has not been Christened yet, we
are waiting for finer weather, the return of Mr. Sheepshanks from
Victoria, and the making of "The Font" a part of the Church which
we have not yet had. I am anxious for Mr. Sheepshanks to Christen
her, as he is now an old friend, and I look upon the Archdeacon as
a "Humbug" while I really like Mr. Sheepshanks, he is so
thoroughly honest and dependable. He and Richard get on much
better than they used to formerly."
--26th February,
1863,
from The Letters of Mary S. Moody
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