49 - Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Canada - East Bay Elementary

Click on the text to read info written by the pupils.

Hello Joanne
I am adding a quick not here to let you know how we came across your exciting project. I am an elementary art teacher with the Cape Breton Victoria Regional School Board and teach art in four schools in the area. A couple of years ago Deirdre Nelson, from Scotland, and I worked on a wonderful exchange project with our students which was based on her research of Handa Island and the connections with Cape Breton. Deirdre sent along the information about your boat launch and fundraiser for Mary-Ann’s cottage and when I told my students about it they were keen to take part. I hope you are able to involve the students in your area as well, as this idea gives people an opportunity to make meaningful learning experiences for those who participate.
Along with the boats the class at East Bay School are including some information and photos to share with you and we will indeed follow your project in the weeks to come.

Expect students from my other 3 schools to contribute as well.
Good Luck - Nancy McLean.

Thanks Nancy! A few lucky folks in Caithness joined in a 3 day workshop at the Castletown Heritage Centre, Castlehill in March this year. Historical Knitting with Deirdre Nelson - it was hysterical knitting!! www.castletownheritage.co.uk

Photograph taken at Dwarwick Harbour, Dunnet. This is the harbour Mary-Ann's family would have used.

48 - Australia - Lorraine Mary McDonald

Dear Joanne, I have been delighted to follow you wonderful project. Exchange of info helps bring to life our wonderful ancestors and their amazing journey. I have enjoyed making my litte boat and hope it contributes ot the fundraising for Mary-Anns Cottage. Kind regards Lorraine.

Many thanks Lorraine for the £10 donation you enclosed with your boat.

Story of Lorraine’s Little Boat.
I am the great granddaughter of John Henry Matthews.

John Henry was 15 years of age when he and his family, along with Johnathan Moscrop, sailed on the maiden voyage of the Westland in 1879. They left Greenock, Scoltand on 30th January 1879 and arrived at Port Chalmers, Dunedin, New Zealand on the 22nd April 1879. John Henry is mentioned in Jonathan’s diary and he was his cabin mate.

My little boat is made from 3 sheets of printed A4 paper. One sheet has a watercolour picture of the Westland, in Dunedin Harbour after its maiden voyage in 1879. The next sheet of paper has a photo of Jonathan Moscrop. The photo was taken in 1878 at Darlington Durham, England it was the year before they voyage to New Zealand. The next sheet has a collage of the Matthews family: John and Fanny and their family, Sarah, Jane, Fanny, John Henry, Mary Ann, Elizabeth (Elisa) Ann, Mary Jane and Emma Elizabeth.

On the reverse side of the Westland Picture, I have written the names of the known towns and counties in which the Matthews family have lived during their migratory journey. On the back of the Matthews collage sheet I have written the Christian names of John Henry and his descendents. This being the line of the Matthews family to which I belong.

My idea behind the construction of my little paper boat was to have the picture of the Westland on the outside of the boat. On the inside of the boat I want the photo of Jonathan and each member of the Matthews family.

Once again the Westland is cradling and holding within the framework its precious cargo of John, Fanny, Sarah, Jane, Fanny, John Henry, Mary Ann, Elizabeth (Eliza) Ann, Mary Jane, Emma Elizabeth and Jonathan.

47 - Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Canada - Grade 5A Sydney River Elementary

Dear Joanne, Here is another class load of paper boats to add to your collection! The students (class 5A) have written comments and photos are included as well. The school has a great website if you would like to find out more about Sydney River Elementary School:

www.cbv.ns.ca/elemweb/sriver
Best regards Nancy McLean (art teacher)

I photographed the boats at Mary-Ann's cottage.........blue sky and sunny, but still a bit windy!

46 - New Zealand - Althea and John Stevenson

Now here's a coincidence as on this day in 1879 the 'Westland' anchors outside Port Chamlers Harbour, New Zealand, at 5pm - and look what arrived in the post today - they were on this very voyage!

Hi, Here’s a little contribution to your paper boats project from NZ. The boats are folded from paper printed with bits of history associated with the ‘Westland’.
Jonathan Moscrop and Sarah Matthews (his wife to be) were passengers on the ‘”Westland’. Jonathan wrote the diary that you have linked to on your blogs.

One boat is folded from a page with a photo of Jonathan and Sarah taken about 1913 with their daughters and daughters’ families. Jonathan’s face (with beard) shows on the side of the boat.





Sarah’s father, John Matthews was also on the ‘Westland’. He brought with him a small notebook, which he had used as a schoolbook when he was a boy. It is dated 24th May 1842.

We have folded two more boats from pages printed with scans of the cover and pages from the schoolbook. The book is held by my wife, Althea, who is descended from Jonathan and Sarah and John. We live in Auckland New Zealand.
Best wishes for you fundraiser Project.
John Stevenson

Now, I don’t usually unfold the paper boats, but these were just to enticing! So I unfolded and took photos before folding back!

45 - Australia - Gail Stiffe

A. Cotton laminated with treefern and cumbungi paper.

B. Recycled paper, dyed and glued to a sheet of marbled paper.

C. Flax paper dunked in ferrous sulphate, caustic soda (dilute), indigo and walnut – made in a workshop with Amanda Degenar.

Gail is the editor of the http://www.iapma.info/

(The International Association of Hand Papermakers and Paper Artists)

See more of her work here:
http://www.papergail.blogspot.com/

http://www.gailstiffe.info/

44 - USA - Jacqueline Ruyak

Dear Joanne, love your paper boat project,

I wish you and Lynn great success with it.
I am a writer and photographer. I now live in rural Pennsylvania. My blogs:
www.littlemailbox.blogspot.com and www.diamondposte.blogspot.com
Since finding your blog, I’ve been making paper boats and sending them out with your address.

A - 5 boats and close-up on one.
5 paper boats made from 2 sheets of A4 from a newsletter sent to me by a friend in Tono, Japan where I used to live. I used one full page for the biggest boat. ½ page for the next/ ¼ page for the next etc. I had to stop at 1/16 th.
The boats are variously embellished with buttons, beads, and a blossom cut from an unsent letter. They are tied together with paper tie-dyed with indigo. Happy sails.

B
Flyer for Kyoto in spring. Silk thread, buttons

C

A friend sent a letter on a sheet from a calendar. I used part of it for the boat. Then stitched the ends with cotton threads. The blossoms and leaves are vintage crepe from a ‘surprise’ ball.

All packed with photos of the boats and a decorative letter in a boat covered envelope!

Caithness Horizons

This is the temporary exhibition space in Caithness Horizons, Thurso where the paper boats and our exhibition will be in September 09. I took this photo today while it was empty, and centre manager, Beki Pope had just finished painting the walls. Thanks Beki!

43 - Hawaii - Lilla Le Vine

Dear Joanne, I live in Hawaii. The boats sailed from here.

I was born in New Zealand.
Paper boat with US flag:
Made of hand printed paper coloured and overprinted. (with some nautical themed text).
Fabric Dream boat:
Made of my hand dyed and mainted muslin. Tape with ‘My Dreamboat’ is a transfer.
Envelope – one of mine. Collaged, printed with water and painted.

My blog is: www.justlilla.blogspot.com

Aloha Lilla

42 - Taiwan - Ding-Wei Lin

Practice calligraphy paper.........the bigger squares

are for younger children. The red lines mark out the squares.

The paper boats are made from:

Practice calligraphy paper
Junk mail
Red paper for good fortune

with fish prints

I'll have to ask Ding-Wei to translate some of his calligraphy ........

I hope they are messages of good fortune, and not just his shopping list!

update:

Ding-Wei's calligraphy is from the 'Heart Sutra'.

He carved the fish in soft lino before printing it.

See more of Ding-Wei's work here and here!