1

Page from Sir Sandford Fleming's Diary
1 January 1849
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario

2

Sandford Fleming was born January 7th, 1827 to Andrew and Elizabeth Fleming, cousins of Dr. Hutchison. The Fleming family lived in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. On January 1, 1845, Fleming would begin his first diary, a habit he would keep for the rest of his life. We know a lot about Dr. Hutchison's activities and illness through the diaries of Sandford Fleming.

Wednesday 1st day of January, 1845
"I went to bed for the last time in the year 1844 at 11 oclock, and rose at ½ past 7 on new years day. Almost everyone you met said "good new year to ye" &cc. Happy to say I saw noone drunk except a cart boy who I believed pretended more than anything else. I finished a sketch of "Ravenscraig Castle" in the morning which Mr Crawford was to make arrangements with Mr Lizars about the engraving of it. Began in the evening to draw on stone Kirkcaldy harbour to be lithographed by Mr Bryson. My present wish is to write a sort of diary so that I can put down anything particular that happens or is of utility to recollect."

3

Letter from Andrew Fleming to John Hutchison July 31st 1845
31 July 1845
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Hutchison House Museum, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

4

In October, 1842, Dr. Hutchison and his two eldest sons, William and James, returned to Scotland to visit with family. While there he convinced his cousin Andrew of the virtues of living in Upper Canada. Andrew's sons Sandford and David, as well as their older cousin Henry Fleming, would make the trek to Canada and determine if it was viable for the rest of the family to follow.

This letter is from Andrew Fleming to Dr. Hutchison, dated July 31, 1845. It thanks Dr. Hutchison for his troubles in trying to get his sons settled and helping them find work. In it, Andrew hopes that Sandford will be able to find work as a surveyor or engineer.

" I have this day received a letter from Sandford dated Peterboro 7 July. I am really happy that they have fallen in with so good a friend but I am afraid you have put yourself to too much trouble on their account, meantime I beg you will accept my sincere gratitude for you kindness to them & be worthy of your confidence. I am glad that you have got David commence to do something and I think it much better than commencing business on his own account, indeed I intended to advise him to work journeyman for a time until he got acquainted with the country, David is well qualified for following out his business either as a Cabinet Maker, Carpenter, or Architect as much so as could be expected at his age.
I hope that Sandford will get something to do, if not as Surveyor or Engineer he must work with his hands, or try and Teach Mathematics or some on thing or other not be idle….. were it not for my Mother I would make the attempt to leave next spring or it may be better to let my Sons summer and winter before I announce my removal….."

On his birthday Sandford wrote of going to Balbirnie to look into going to Canada.

Tuesday 7th, January 1845
"Rose at 8. Went up with Father to Balbirnie to see Mr Ellice about going to Canada, he wanted him to write before the time with my description, age, character &c. We also went to Strathendry that day. This is my Birthday and I am now 18 years of age. Went to bed at ½ hour to eleven."

5

A copy of the ticket that brought Sandford, David and Harry Fleming to Upper Canada
24 April 1845
Clyde, Scotland

Credits:
Hutchison House Museum, Peterborough, Ontario

6

Fleming, his brother David and cousin Henry left from Glasgow Scotland on the ship Brilliant April 24th, 1845.
At the time, Fleming was 18 years old; he had already been an apprentice surveyor since age 14 and had worked on railways between Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee. David was a skilled woodcarver who worked for his father's small furniture manufacturing business. The boys were excited about new opportunities in the new world.

Thursday 24th, April 1845
"…The vessel cleared out from the wharf about ½ past 1 P.M. It was tugged down the river by a steamer and we took farewell of my Father who followed her to the end of the wharf & gave us three cheers…And while admiring the beauties of nature one is apt to forget they are leaving all behind, perhaps never to be seen again. Night comes on & the Pilot guides us safely to the Irish Sea by the lighthouses studded along the shore. We go to bed for the first time on the Deep & the steamer leaves us next morning at about 3 o'clock."

7

Deck of the Ship the 'Brilliant' by Sandford Fleming
19th Century, Circa 1845
Ship 'Brilliant', Atlantic Ocean

Credits:
Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario

8

The trip across the Atlantic got a bit rough their first week at sea. At one point the storm was so bad Sandford believed they were going to die. He wrote a letter to his father and threw it overboard.

Wednesday April 30th 1845
"… The sea by this time was very rough. It has not the appearance of waves but rather like rough hilly ground. The greatest distance between the heights & hollows appears to be about 40 or 49 feet…..As the evening advanced the storm grew worse, the sea sometimes washed across the deck & I never expected to see daylight again. When a great wave sweeped above our heads it had a sound as if the sea was closing over us. We slept none all night, the timbers were cracking terribly, the bottles & tins rattling from one side of the floor to the other & pity the poor sailors on deck all night."

9

Sandford Fleming's sketch of the 2nd mate from the ship the 'Brilliant'
19th Century, Circa 1845
Ship 'Brilliant', Atlantic Ocean

Credits:
Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario

10

Thursday May 1st 1845
"…The ships galley had been very upset during the night. In the afternoon the wind fell a good deal & I sent a letter to my father away in a bottle…."

His father received this letter months later, after receiving word that his sons had already landed in Canada. The crossing to Quebec took six weeks.

On board the ship Fleming kept busy. He sketched passing ships, scenery, the crew, and ship life, and played chess, sang and danced. He helped with the fires and cooking, read books, and watched dolphins and icebergs. Fleming impressed the captain and crew with his sextant and compass as he learned all he could about the workings of a ship.

11

Sketch of the Peterborough Court House by Sandford Fleming
19th Century, Circa 1845
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario

12

After a long journey Fleming and his brother David arrived in Peterborough in June, 1845. He describes his first impressions of the town:

Tuesday 17th June 1845
"…Arrived in Peterboro about sun down, it looked rather a poor like place where we entered, the stumps of trees still in the middle of the streets, a wood house here & there with a few good villas with verandahs around in the suburbs. Drove up to Dr. Hutchisons, a two-storey little house. He was not at home but Mrs told us to bring in our chest & was kind to us….."

Wednesday 18th June 1845
"…Went out with the Dr. to see the town. There are some good shops & stores in it and a large court house & cells which we were through. There was one debtor, a man & wife for burning a house & a Lunatic, now being the prison for the whole district of Colborne. The place looks very well down about the river- it is more than ½ the size of the Clyde at Glasgow. A small steamer plies between this town & Rice Lake. A part of the town is on the other side of the river which is crossed by a wooden bridge. It consists of about 2 thousand inhabitants."

13

Letter written from Sandford Fleming to John Hutchison August 20th, 1945
20 August 1845
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Hutchison House Museum, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

14

Once Fleming settled, Dr. Hutchison set about helping him to find work surveying. He was able to secure for Fleming a letter of recommendation from Captain McDonald to Sir Allan MacNab in Hamilton.
Sandford would make trips into Toronto and Hamiliton to make connections and look for work. When that proved fruitless he went to Caledonia where Henry had settled. He was able to find odd jobs here and there, but eventually decided that he was better off returning to Peterborough.
While some potential employers were discouraging, John G. Howard, the City Engineer for Toronto, advised him to write his surveyor's exams and establish his Canadian credentials.

Thursday August 21st 1845
"Wrote to Dr. Hutchison. The English mail came in today. I called on Mr Howard, Architect & Engineer here, but he does not require anyone. Tells me how to get License by surveying in the Bush &c."

Back in Peterborough Fleming became clerk in the general store of James Hall, an MPP and friend to Dr. Hutchison. Hall was a member of Legislative Assembly's railway committee and was able to provide Fleming his first introduction to railway builders.