Monday 24 July 2017

Bassett Family from Cornwall to Australia

Article - 7 John Bassett of Madron (1790- 1868) 


In today’s world, we travel for work, pleasure and to migrate to new places.  However, when we examine our forebears' lives and search the records we often assume that they only travelled when migrating to a new country.  In my previous post, I discussed the travels that both John Bassett Senior and his son John were involved in before actually deciding to move their families to Australia.

Chadfield, P. (1862). Out at Sea; or, the Emigrant afloat, being a hand book of practical information for the use of passengers on a long sea voyage / by P. B. Chadfield. (3rd ed.). Derby: Chadfield & Son. p.33 accessed 19 July 2017 http://digital.sl.nsw.gov.au/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?embedded=true&toolbar=false&dps_pid=IE3710017
In this post, I have attempted to identify when each of John Bassett’s children migrated to Australia. It appears that all living descendants of John & Martha came out to Australia over a thirteen year period beginning in 1857. 

The only children of John and Martha that did not migrate with their families were those that that died in childhood before the family departed. John Bassett (Abt 1814-1815), Francis Bassett (Cir 1823-1839),  James Bassett (Cir 1832-Cir 1833),  Samuel Bassett (1838-1839)

The first group arrived in Australia in 1857

The first to permanently move was John [jnr] and his wife on the Royal Charter which left Liverpool, England on the 16th May 1857.[i]  The ship arrived in Hobson’s Bay, on the 19 July after leaving Liverpool on 15 May 1857 for Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.[ii] Onboard were John Bassett, 36 yrs, Miner, wife Catherine and children Francis, John. Catherine and Martha.[iii]  Also onboard were William Bassett, 40 yrs, Miner his brother and Stephen Davey,[iv], [v]  William’s wife, Martha and his children followed in 1866 see below for details almost 11 years later. [vi] Stephen Davey’s wife Ann followed 4 years later with her parents John & Martha Bassett. [vii]

1857 'Shipping Intelligence.', The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), 21 July, p. 2. , viewed 19 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66043296

The second group arrived in Australia in 1861

The next lot to arrive travelled with John Bassett[snr] and his wife on the SS Great Britain, which Liverpool on the 21 October 1861 and arrived in Hobson’s Bay, on the Christmas Eve the same year.[viii]   On John Bassett, Snr’s ticket was his wife and a Miss Samions, aged 27 [which should probably have read Miss Symons, the soon to be the wife of James Bassett].

Also travelling on the same voyage on two separate tickets were  Mrs Ann Davey, aged 35 (formerly Bassett, and wife to Stephen Davey) and her children: Elizebeth Davey, aged 16;  Jane Davey, aged 18;  John Davey, aged 12;  and Stephen Davey, aged 9. [ix]  The second ticket was held by  James Rowe, aged 38, Mrs Rowe, aged 32 [formerly Martha Bassett], and children: Julia Rowe, aged 8, Martha Rowe, aged 5, and Nanney Rowe, aged 1. [x]

1861 'SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 26 December, p. 4. , viewed 19 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5707302

The Third Group arrived in Australia in 1866

The final group to arrive in Australia was on the True Briton which departed London on the 7 May arriving on 28 July 1866. Travelling with her children was Martha Bassett, 49 yrs [wife William Bassett] and her children: Mary Bassett, 22, John Bassett, 12, Elizabeth Bassett, 15, Matilda J. Bassett, 17 [according to my musings this is probably Martha Jnr] and Nanny Bassett, 23.[xi]

1866 'SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 30 July, p. 4. , viewed 19 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5769147

In summary, the family migrated to Australia in the following order


1.      William Bassett (Cir 1816-1869) came out in 1857
2.      John Bassett (1820-1865) came out multiple times but looks to have migrated in 1857 when he brought his family out to Australia
3.      Anne Bassett (1826-1904) came out in 1861
4.      Martha Bassett (Cir 1828-1907) came out in 1861
5.      James Bassett (Cir 1833-1879) I have been unable to locate when James my 2x great grandfather came out to Australia

John’s Grandchildren who did not migrate with their parents

The grandchildren of John and Martha that did not migrate with their families were those that died in childhood before the families departed.  However, the deaths of the grandchildren listed below deaths have not yet been confirmed:

William Bassett & Martha Moffatt [father migrated 1857 rest of family migrated in 1866]
William Bassett b. 1845, Crowan, Cornwall, England

John Bassett & Catherine Davey [parents migrated in 1857]
William Bassett b. Cir 1854
James Bassett b. Cir 1857

Anne Bassett & Stephen Davey [father migrated 1857 rest of family migrated in 1861]
Ann Bassett Davey b. 15 Jan 1854, Crowan, Cornwall, England
Catherine Davey b. 4 Mar 1857, Crowan, Cornwall, England

Martha Bassett & James Rowe [parents migrated in 1861]
Martha Bassett Rowe b. 1852, Breage, Cornwall, England
Henry B Rowe b. 1860

Do you recognise any of these children and know when they died?  If you do please let me know so that I can tidy up these loose ends.

When did John Bassett’s son James (b.1833- 1879) come out to Australia?

James Bassett is the only child of John Bassett that I have been unable to locate in the records to establish which ship he came out on.  It is thought that James probably came out between 1851 and 1861 as he marries Eleanor Symons on the 9 Jan 1862, sixteen days after she arrived with James’ parents on the “Great Britain" in Melbourne on 24 December 1861.[xii]  In the 1851 census, he was living with his parents in Godolphin, Breage, Cornwall.[xiii] By 1861 all of James’ siblings remaining in Cornwall had moved to Gwinear, Cornwall.  It is likely that James also moved to Gwinear before coming out to Australia as this is probably where he met his wife to be, before migrating out to Australia (unless the marriage was arranged by his parents). [xiv]
The following mining lease/application the involves the three Bassett brothers, John Francis and James, plus Stephen Davey applications were made as early as 24 August 1859 indicating that James must have already arrived in the colonies, to join his older brothers.

“Lease No 102 John Bassett, Francis Bassett.   148 yds quartz area 2 acres 1 rood 2 perches applied for 30 August 1859 but included in Lease 103 Bassett Brothers (John Bassett, William Bassett, James Bassett and Stephen Davey) applied for on 24 August 1859 and granted 2 May 1860.  The applicants stated they were working the land as a claim(s).  The areas were adjacent being 2 acres 1 rood 2 perches and 5 acres 25 perches and 5 acres 25 perches respectively and situated in Butcher's Gully at the head of Napoleon Gully and Sailor's Gully.  The applicants worked the land until the 10-year lease expired on 2 May 1870 but did not apply for renewal of the lease.”
This indicates that James Bassett probably migrated to Australia somewhere between 1851 and 1859 but when and how still remains a mystery.

Previous Articles in this Series - John Bassett of Madron, (1790-1868)

Article 1 -  Who is John Bassett?





[i] 1857 'SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 20 July, p. 4. , viewed 19 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7135589
[ii] 1857 'SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 20 July, p. 4. , viewed 19 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7135589
[iii] Passenger List "Royal Charter" 15 May 1857 page 10 No 2 Entry #256 John Bassett and family Ancestry.com. Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2009. citing Series: VPRS 7666; Series Title: Inward Overseas Passenger Lists (British Ports) [Microfiche Copy of VPRS 947]
[iv] Passenger List "Royal Charter" 15 May 1857 page 4 No 2 Entry #152 William Bassett (aged 40)  Ancestry.com. Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2009. citing Series: VPRS 7666; Series Title: Inward Overseas Passenger Lists (British Ports) [Microfiche Copy of VPRS 947]
[v] Passenger List "Royal Charter" 15 May 1857 page 4 No 2 Entry #153 Stephen Davey (aged 36)  Ancestry.com. Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2009. citing Series: VPRS 7666; Series Title: Inward Overseas Passenger Lists (British Ports) [Microfiche Copy of VPRS 947]
[vi] Passenger List "True Briton" 3 November 1865 page 2 Entry #117532 Martha Bassett  (aged 49) and family.  Ancestry.com. Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2009. citing Series: VPRS 7666; Series Title: Inward Overseas Passenger Lists (British Ports) [Microfiche Copy of VPRS 947]
[vii] Passenger List "Great Britian" 19 October 1861 page 9 Entry #2759 Mrs Ann Davey (aged 35) and children.  Ancestry.com. Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2009. citing Series: VPRS 7666; Series Title: Inward Overseas Passenger Lists (British Ports) [Microfiche Copy of VPRS 947]
[viii] 1861 'SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 26 December, p. 4. , viewed 19 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5707302
[ix] Passenger List "Great Britian" 19 October 1861 page 9 Entry #2759 Mrs Ann Davey (aged 35) and children.  Ancestry.com. Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2009. citing Series: VPRS 7666; Series Title: Inward Overseas Passenger Lists (British Ports) [Microfiche Copy of VPRS 947]
[x] Passenger List "Great Britian" 19 October 1861 page 9 Entry #2755 James Rowe  (aged 38) and family.  Ancestry.com. Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2009. citing Series: VPRS 7666; Series Title: Inward Overseas Passenger Lists (British Ports) [Microfiche Copy of VPRS 947]
[xi] Passenger List "True Briton" 3 November 1865 page 2 Entry #117532 Martha Bassett  (aged 49) and family.  Ancestry.com. Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2009. citing Series: VPRS 7666; Series Title: Inward Overseas Passenger Lists (British Ports) [Microfiche Copy of VPRS 947]
[xii] Marriage Certificate of James Bassett and Ellenor Symons, married 9 Jan 1862; Registry of Birth, Death and Marriages, Victoria, Australia,  399/1962.
[xiii] “1851 England Census,” database, Ancestry.com(www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 July 2017). Entry for John Bassett (aged 61), Godolphin Moor Breage, Cornwall; citing PRO HO107/ 1913, Folio: 245; Page: 14, Helston registration district, St Keverne subdistrict, ED 1b, household 48.
[xiv] The Bendigo advertiser [microform] (Began Dec. 9, 1853. Sandhurst, Vic. : R.R. Haverfield, -2003. Newspapers - Microfilm - Select reel(s) from cabinets NM), 10 Jan 1862.  SLV

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