Harry's Tales: Them Stones
Harry Wroth tells of a mystery and a matchbox.
My Dad was a Leading Torpedoman in the Royal Navy and was a member of the crew of HMS Balmoral Castle which sailed from London to bring Arthur of Connaugh to Cape Town to open the first Union of South Africa Parliament. The date was 31st May 1910. The vessel was temporally commissioned by the Royal Navy from the Castle Line for this voyage only.
The ship had nearly run aground off Camps Bay in the fog and darkness. They turned out to sea again and made a more formal and dignified entrance ona sunny morning. There was no radio or radar in those days.
My Dad managed to obtain some leave but unfortunately did not have enough funds for the railfare to the goldfields of the Reef. He opted instead to go to the Kimberley diamond fields.
Shortly after arriving in Kimberley he realised that he was probably the only legitimate Royal Navy sailor in town. However there were hundreds of Jack Tars - deserters from the Royal Navy who were trying to strike it rich in the diamond fields.
In a corrugated-iron pub he was given a large matchbox containing gem stones and asked to deliver it to an address in London, England. Somewhere along the line he met one Harry Prout who worked for the newly fledged SAR. Harry prevailed on my Dad to complete his voyage and buy himself out of the Royal Navy then to return to South Africa to join the SAR.
HMS Balmoral Castle did not return to London but docked at Plymouth instead. It is possible that Arthur had had enough of the high seas, for he promptly caught a train to London. He may even have been anxious to meet up with an old flame.
Once again my Dad could not afford the railfare to London so he dashed up to his home in Launceston, Cornwall. There he placed the matchbox in the family safe, a wooden tobacco jar on top of the kitchen dresser.
My Dad returned to Launceston on two visits in 1923 and 1928. He found the matchbox where he had left it on both occasions. In later years he often said I should check if it was still there.
I visited Launceston in 1988 with my cousin Douglas who lived at Camelford. I could not enter the house. It was locked and being used as a storeroom for a local furniture dealer.
Douglas had no recollection of a wooden tobacco jar, nor matchbox.
Questions arise. Did the matchbox contain uncut diamonds? If so, where are they now?
