S is for Steaming South on the Nurjahan

This post is part of the A to Z Challenge, a blogging initiative where participants publish daily posts in April (except Sundays), each one themed around a letter of the alphabet. My theme this year is "Migration Stories"—tracing the journeys, ships, and personal histories behind my ancestors’ moves across continents. Through passenger records, newspaper clippings, and genealogical detective work, I’m piecing together the routes they took and the vessels that carried them. Today's post is brought to you by the letter S.

In 1884, nineteen-year-old James Lincoln Temple Willoughby signed on as a steward aboard a brand-new steamship, the Nurjahan. What began as a job would become a defining moment in his young life, as the voyage carried him from the heart of Victorian London to the distant shores of Australia. This post traces that journey and the world he encountered along the way.

Leaving London

For James newly signed on as a junior steward aboard the Nurjahan, the 1884–85 voyage was likely a formative and demanding experience.

Recently completed by the renowned shipbuilders Harland and Wolff, the Nurjahan was described in advertisements as a

"magnificent new 8teel steamship… of the highest class," offering "splendid accommodation for first and third-class passengers."

The saloon was placed amidships for maximum comfort, and a surgeon was listed among the staff. Prospective passengers were invited to inspect her at berth—perhaps giving James a sense of pride in the modern vessel he was about to sail on.

Unlike in earlier times, when emigrants had to climb aboard from lighters in mid-river, those boarding the Nurjahan would have walked directly across gangways from the dockside, suitcases in hand, families in tow, amid the bustle of officials, farewell crowds, and loading cargo. Over 200 assisted immigrants boarded at London, along with unassisted passengers, crew, and a handful of saloon travellers bound for warmer seas.

For James, this was likely the biggest departure of his life. It is likely he had no idea that he wouldn’t return to England, but as the ship slipped away from the Thames on 26 November, bound for Tenerife, Cape Town, and eventually Australia, his future was already underway.

Working Life at Sea

Departing London in late November, he would have faced a full schedule of duties as the vessel steamed south, first stopping at Plymouth, then calling at Tenerife to refuel As a steward, James duties may have included tending to the saloon passengers or assisting in day-to-day shipboard operations. He would have encountered accents and stories from all over the British Isles and Europe.

This voyage was not just a passage to a new land; it was a floating microcosm of migration itself. In Cape Town, newspaper reports noted that "several saloon and steerage passengers were booked" at that port, most of them bound for Sydney. New faces joined the voyage, adding to the already diverse mix of travellers.

Throughout, James would have moved between the galleys and the saloon, attending to passengers’ needs, navigating the layered hierarchies of shipboard life, and adapting to the rhythm of long ocean days and hurried port transitions. At just nineteen, he was not only earning his keep but also seeing the world in ways few others from his background might.

Christmas in Cape Town

The Nurjahan paused in Cape Town over Christmas for a few days, and the voyage took on a new dimension. Spending Christmas in a colonial part must have felt both exhilarating and disorienting. Far from the frosty scenes of home, he likely swapped a cold English Yuletide for summer warmth beneath the Southern Cross.

Though still on duty, perhaps serving a festive meal to saloon passengers or helping organise onboard activities, there may have been time for exploration. A stroll along the waterfront, a stop at a colonial cafe, or a visit to the bustling markets alive with new sights and smells would have marked the holiday in unforgettable ways. For a teenager on the cusp of adulthood, it was a Christmas to remember, caught between tradition and the thrill of the unknown.

Into the Southern Ocean

From the assisted immigrants who boarded in London to the South African passengers joining mid-voyage, the Nurjahan carried a fascinating cross-section of the 19th-century colonial world. For James, working as a steward meant serving not only British migrants but also a broader international clientele.

After leaving Cape Town, the ship pushed on to Hobart, where 178 assisted immigrants disembarked. Melbourne followed just days later, its busy port welcoming another wave of passengers, while nine saloon-class travellers remained aboard for the final leg to Sydney.

A New Land, A New Life

And so, James stepped off the ship after his last day of duty and onto the soil of a new and unfamiliar land. What had once been described as spacious accommodation for immigrants had now been converted into cargo space and advertised as suitable for transporting horses, thanks to the height of the between-decks. There were still a few spaces for saloon passengers, but the Nurjahan's role had changed. James, a junior steward, was no longer needed.

📅 Timeline of the S.S. Nurjahan's 1884–85 Voyage

• 26 November 1884 – Departed Victoria Docks, London¹

Main embarkation point for passengers bound for Australia and crew, including James L. T. Willoughby.

• 29/30 November 1884 – Stopped at Plymouth²

Brief call to collect supplies, mail, or additional passengers.

• 3/4 December 1884 – Called at Teneriffe, Canary Islands³

Routine re-coaling stop before crossing into the southern Atlantic.

• 4 December 1884 – Departed Teneriffe⁴

• 24 December 1884 – Arrived at Cape Town, South Africa³

The ship paused here for Christmas; new passengers boarded.

• 26/27 December 1884 – Departed Cape Town⁴

The Nurjahan resumed her journey, entering the Southern Ocean.

• 19 January 1885 – Arrived at Hobart, Tasmania³

178 assisted immigrants disembarked here.

• 24 January 1885 – Arrived in Melbourne, Victoria⁴

Many passengers disembarked here.

• 31 January 1885 – Passed Green Cape⁵

Final leg toward Sydney.

• 1–2 February 1885 – Arrived in Sydney, New South Wales⁶

End of voyage.

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🗄️ Timeline Source References

1. "NOTICE." Standard, 10 Nov. 1884, pp. [1]+. British Library Newspapers, link-gale-com.ezproxy.slv.vic.gov.au/apps/doc/R3209388222/BNCN?u=slv&sid=bookmark-BNCN&xid=23b284cf. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.) [Explanation: Confirms that passenger will board at the Victoria Docks] Explanation: Confirms that passengers were instructed to board at the Victoria Docks.

2. Shipping. (1885, February 7). Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), p. 39. Retrieved April 22, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71023367 [Explanation: Confirms that three days after leaving London, the ship stopped at Plymouth.

3 .SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. (1885, January 26). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 4. Retrieved April 21, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article6065791 [Explanation: date reported for the Nurjahan reaching Cape Town]

4. Unassisted Passenger list S.S. Nurjahan, sailed London, 28th November 1884 and arrived in Melbourne, 24 January 1885, PROV VPRS 947/P0000, Jan - Apr 1885 (pages 153 https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B7220C8-F96C-11E9-AE98-5962227293B5?image=153 to 168 https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B7220C8-F96C-11E9-AE98-5962227293B5?image=168 of 377 : accessed 21 January 2023) [Explanation: Confirms arrival date and a further 121 souls alight in Melbourne, and that there are 60 crew on board.]

5 1885 'EXPORTS.—JANUARY 31.', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 2 February, p. 6. , viewed 02 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28365137 [Explanation: passed Green Cape at 3.30 p.m. yesterday 1 February]

6. Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Unassisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1826-1922 [database on-line with images]. Entry for Crew on the vessel Nurjahan for James Willoughby aged 19 born Bermondsey onboard as a Steward; Departed London; Arrived 2 Feb 1885 in Sydney, New South Wales; 23 unnumbered entry on page 2 of the Arrival List of Crew & Passengers for the voyage; Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007 citing New South Wales Government. Inward passenger lists. Series 13278, Reels 399-560, 2001-2122, 2751. [Explanation: Confirms arrival in Sydney; also verifies crew member identity.]

🔭 The Fate of the Nurjahan

After completing her immigrant voyage to Australia, the Nurjahan quickly transitioned to cargo service.ⁱ Her immigrant fittings were removed and sold at auction in Sydney, and she was soon loading cargo in Newcastle for Singapore.^{ii iii iv} She would go on to trade between Calcutta and Sydney on a three-year commission, repurposed for colonial commerce rather than passenger transport.^v

📘 Glossary of Colonial Terms and Phrases

• “Saloon” The first-class passenger area aboard a ship.

• “Steward” A shipboard worker responsible for assisting passengers and serving meals.

• “Assisted Immigrant” A migrant whose passage was partly or fully subsidised by the colonial government.

• “Unassisted Immigrant” A migrant who paid their own fare.

• “Tween-decks” The space between a ship’s main deck and lower deck, often used for passengers or later converted for cargo.

• “Lighter” A flat-bottomed barge used to transfer goods and passengers to and from ships anchored away from shore.

• “Victoria Docks” Major commercial docks in East London from which many ships departed during the 19th century.

• “Re-coaling” The act of refuelling a steamship by loading coal during a port stop.

Useful Links for Background

This April, as part of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge), where I’m sharing my ancestors travel stories—one letter at a time. From long voyages by sea to overland treks, each post will focus on the journeys themselves—the routes they took, the challenges they faced, and the experiences along the way.

Blog Post Meta Data: 

The URL for this post is https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2025/04/s-is-for-steaming-south-on-nurjahan.html, originally published on 22 April 2025

📚 Sources & Further Reading

🔗  Nurjahan at Trove – National Library of Australia: [Explanation: curated collection of newspaper articles detailing the Voyage of Nurjahan from England to Australia. Including her refurbishment]

Footnotes

i  1885 'SHIPPING.', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 19 February, p. 9. , viewed 02 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13581396

ii  1885 'Advertising', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 14 February, p. 21. , viewed 02 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13584686

iii  1885 'VESSELS IN PORT WITH DATE OF ARRIVAL', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 16 February, p. 2. , viewed 02 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139066787

iv  1885 'VESSELS IN PORT WITH DATE OF ARRIVAL', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 16 February, p. 2. , viewed 02 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139066787

v  1885 'TASMANIA.', Daily Telegraph (Launceston, Tas. : 1883 - 1928), 20 January, p. 2. , viewed 02 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article150018407

R is for Royal Mail Steamer R.M.S.S. Geelong

This post is part of the A to Z Challenge, a blogging initiative where participants publish daily posts in April (except Sundays), each one themed around a letter of the alphabet. My theme this year is "Migration Stories"—tracing the journeys, ships, and personal histories behind my ancestors’ moves across continents. Through passenger records, newspaper clippings, and genealogical detective work, I’m piecing together the routes they took and the vessels that carried them. Today's post is brought to you by the letter R.

When I began researching my ancestors’ migration from India to Australia in 1869, I pictured them squeezed aboard a crowded emigrant ship, surrounded by other families in steerage, all sailing into an uncertain but hopeful future.

But for the Munro family, the reality turned out to be quite different.

The ship they boarded for the final leg of their journey, the R.M.S.S. Geelong, wasn’t a migrant ship at all. It was a Royal Mail Steamer, operated by P&O, with a very different purpose — and a very different kind of passenger experience.

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📮 What is a Royal Mail Steamer?

Royal Mail Steamers were the workhorses of empire: sleek, steam-powered vessels contracted to carry mail, government dispatches, and valuable cargo across the vast distances of the British Empire. The Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) operated many of these routes between Britain, India, Ceylon, China, and Australia.

Unlike the large emigrant sailing ships that carried hundreds, these steamers accommodated just a few dozen like the big emigrant sailing ships. Instead, they accommodated just a few dozen, often in first-class cabins, and served a clientele that might include officials, merchants, missionaries, or the occasional family — like mine.

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🧍‍♂️🧍‍♀️ A More Intimate Voyage

While cross-checking passenger records, I discovered something surprising:
On some voyages, the Geelong carried as few as six passengers — and once, even a stowaway! Most of her sailings listed fewer than 30 passengers in total..

Compared to large migrant ships that might carry hundreds of people in steerage, the Geelong must have felt almost quiet. The Munro family — two parents and seven children — would have been a notable presence on board.

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⚓ A Different Class of Migration

So what was the journey like?

• Quieter and faster: Mail steamers were on strict schedules and made fewer stops.

• Better provisions: Meals, cabins, and deck access were likely more comfortable.

• Different company: Instead of emigrants fleeing poverty, they likely sailed alongside officials, traders, or military retirees.

• No government scheme: This wasn’t assisted migration. They likely paid their own way.

What truly sets the Geelong apart from typical migrant ships is the intimate scale of the voyage. When the ship arrived in Melbourne on 28 September 1869, it disembarked just 13 passengers, and the Munros were the only family among them. They were also the only couple travelling with children. With seven little ones in tow, they must have drawn attention aboard a vessel otherwise occupied by quiet adult travellers and an all-British crew.

The Geelong’s crew list reveals a full hospitality staff — cooks, stewards, a pantryman, even a butcher and baker — all to serve a handful of passengers. It suggests the Munros likely experienced table service, clean accommodations, and personal attention, something unimaginable on a packed migrant ship. Their children may have had the run of the deck and quite possibly became favourites among the sailors. The family’s journey wasn’t just across the sea; it was through a rarified corridor of empire, a mail route with the trappings of class, speed, and solitude.

Unlike many steamships in the Indian Ocean, which often employed a racially diverse workforce in the engine room and as deckhands, this Geelong crew was almost entirely British, suggesting a more homogeneous social environment but still with clear divisions by rank and role. The crew was sizeable and well-staffed for a much larger passenger complement, including multiple stewards, a chief cook, baker, butcher, and several servants. With so few passengers, the Munro family would have received attentive, perhaps even personalised, service from the crew, especially in dining and cabin arrangements. The stewards and servants would have had more time to dedicate to the comfort and needs of the Munro family, making their journey more comfortable than if the ship had been full.

The Geelong’s service crew — steward in charge, assistant steward, storekeeper, pantryman, cook, baker, butcher, and several servants — suggests it was geared toward offering a first-class or officer-level experience, even with very few passengers. This kind of service crew implies that the Munro family likely had full meals, possibly served in a dining saloon, and were waited on — a rare luxury for migrants.

Their experience was neither a luxury cruise nor immigrant hardship. It was something in between — a quiet journey through imperial infrastructure, part family migration, part administrative logistics.

The ship’s routine would have been calm, with regular meals, walks on deck, and perhaps reading or games. The lack of crowding reduced the risk of illness or conflict, common on more crowded migrant ships.

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🔍 Why It Matters

This discovery reshaped how I understood my ancestors’ migration. It wasn’t just a voyage but a reflection of class, connections, and colonial systems. They weren’t swept up in a great wave of migration from Britain, but navigating their own path from India to Australia along the arteries of empire.

It also reminded me that not all migration followed the same script. Sometimes the stories lie not in the big ships filled with crowds, but in the quiet steamers that carried a few determined souls across the sea.

In summary, the Munro family’s journey on the Geelong would have been unusually comfortable, private, and well-attended, but perhaps also a bit lonely for the children, with little opportunity for broader socialisation. However, with no other children to play with, the Munro kids likely had a lot of freedom and attention. Their experience contrasts with the crowded, communal voyages typical of the era, offering a glimpse into the quieter side of 19th-century steamship travel.

📚 Sources & Further Reading

• Passenger Records – Geelong Steam Ship October 1869 citing Inward Overseas Passenger Lists British and Foreign Ports VPRS 947/P0000, Jul - Dec 1869 [Explanation: confirms passenger names & numbers]

• Geelong, arrival in Sydney, New South Wales 1 October 1869 citing State Records Authority of New South Wales: Shipping Master's Office; Passengers Arriving 1855 - 1922; NRS13278, [X121-122] reel 422. Transcribed by Geoff, 2003.[Explanation: confirms that all passengers have disembarked in Melbourne, and configuration of the crew who have continued on and arrive in Sydney.]

• See also:

  • P is for Pensioners on the Move the original post that led me to investigate the Geelong

  • Q is for Questions of the Geelong identifying the difference Geelong ships

• WikiTree Links for the family members of the Munro Family who travelled on the Geelong
• Andrew Munro (1828 - 1901)
• Isabella (Jennings) Munro (1837 - 1938) 
• Blanche Louisa Angelina Munro (1857 - 1922)
• James Palmer Munro (1858 - 1907)
• George Andrew Munro (1861 - 1958)
• Mary Ann (Munro) Fullerton (1863 - 1945)
• Caroline (Munro) Williamson (1864 - 1968)
• Margaret Jane (Munro) Gibbons (1866 - 1895)
• Catherine Eva (Munro) McIntyre (1868  - 1950)

Blog Post Meta Data: 

The URL for this post is https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2025/04/r-is-for-royal-mail-steamer-rmss-geelong.html, originally published on 21 April 2025

Author: Sandra Williamson

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Q is for Questions of the Geelong

 

This post is part of the A to Z Challenge, a blogging initiative where participants publish daily posts in April (except Sundays), each one themed around a letter of the alphabet. My theme this year is "Migration Stories"—tracing the journeys, ships, and personal histories behind my ancestors’ moves across continents. Through passenger records, newspaper clippings, and genealogical detective work, I’m piecing together the routes they took and the vessels that carried them. Today's post is brought to you by the letter Q.

Genealogical research often starts with a name—but what happens when that name applies to multiple ships, sailing the same routes, at overlapping times?

This was exactly the challenge I faced when I began untangling the story of the Geelong—a name that appears repeatedly in 19th-century shipping records. The deeper I went, the more I discovered a tangle of vessels, cargoes, captains, and companies, all bearing the same name but heading in different directions.

Why this matters to me

This wasn’t just idle curiosity. One of these ships, the R.M.S.S. Geelong, carried my ancestors on the final leg of their emigration to Australia.

In September 1869, my 2nd great-grandparents, Andrew Munro and his wife Isabell Munro (née Jennings), left Bombay with their seven children—including my great-grandmother Caroline Munro, in search of a new life.

Their journey was in two parts:

• First, they boarded the SS Travancore in Bombay on 3 September 1869, bound for China under the command of Captain Eastley.

• The ship called at Point de Galle, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where they transferred to the Geelong RMS Steamer, which took them to Australia.

Knowing which Geelong they sailed on was essential not just for accuracy, but to understand the conditions, capacities, and context of their voyage.

But which Geelong?

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash (cropped)

There were at least two historical ships named Geelong that could be easily confused:

🚢 1. Barque Geelong (1854)

• Built: 1854, Sunderland

• Type: Barque (sailing vessel)

• Tonnage: Around 397 tons

• Owner: Often listed under Dalgety, Moore & Co. or Potter & Co.

• Voyages: Known to transport emigrants from the UK to Australia

• Registry Reference:
  Lloyd’s Register, 1854–55 on page 170
  An example voyage, in the newspapers:

  “Aug. 10 - Geelong, barque, 397 tons, M. Howlett, From Plymouth May 4th, with 190 Government emigrants.”
  — The Banner (Melbourne), 15 Aug 1854

🚢 2. R.M.S.S. Geelong (1866)

• Built: 1866 by William Denny & Bros, Dumbarton

• Type: Iron screw steamer

• Tonnage: 1,584 gross / 1,217 net

• Owner: Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. (P&O)

• Registry No.: 54641

• Official Record:

  • Clyde Ships Database

  • Southampton Archives Crew Records – GEELONG Reg No 54641

• Service: Primarily used for Eastern mail routes—Ceylon, India, China, Australia

• Passenger capacity: Up to 29 first-class passengers (as of 1888)

• End of service: Sold in 1890, renamed Ishizaki Maru No. 1, and foundered in 1891

This is the ship my family sailed on, via the Point de Galle to Australia route. Although it’s often overlooked in favour of bigger migrant carriers, the R.M.S.S. Geelong played an important role in connecting imperial outposts and bringing mail, officials, and a modest number of passengers—including emigrating families like mine.

Why it’s confusing

Here’s why the distinction is so hard:

• The name "Geelong" appears in both shipping intelligence and Lloyd’s Register entries for different vessels in the same decade.

• The barque and the steamer were both in use at the same time—the barque carrying emigrants from the UK, and the steamer running between Ceylon and Australia.

• Many shipping news items (especially in Trove) focus on the mail or cargo, not the passengers.

• Some registers, like Lloyd’s, use abbreviations that make it hard to confirm the exact vessel without additional context.

In short, it’s easy to conflate them unless you're actively comparing registry numbers, tonnage, build year, and ownership.

Not Your Typical Passenger Ship

One surprising detail I uncovered in my research is that the R.M.S.S. Geelong wasn’t primarily a passenger ship. As a Royal Mail Steamer operated by P&O, its main purpose was to carry mail, cargo, and official dispatches between colonial outposts — not large groups of emigrants. However, it did have limited capacity for passengers, often transporting just a few dozen people on any given voyage.

Passenger records from the Geelong’s various journeys between 1866 and 1871 show as few as six passengers (plus a stowaway!) on one occasion, with most sailings listing under 30 passengers in total. That small number gives us a sense of the intimacy — and perhaps isolation — of such a voyage. The Munro family may have shared the vessel with mail clerks, officials, merchants, and missionaries, rather than fellow migrants in steerage.

So what did I do?

To clear things up, I created two separate pages on WikiTree:

• 🌊 Barque Geelong (1854)

• ⚓ R.M.S.S. Geelong (1866) which includes more on the Geelong’s regular service and passenger patterns, see this [timeline of her voyages from 1866 to 1871]

🗄️ References and Sources

• 📚 Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (1854–55, 1860): HathiTrust Archive [Explanation: Lloyd’s Register is best known for its classifications and certification of ships, providing key technical and ownership details.]

• 🔗 Clyde Ships Database: Geelong (1866) [Explanation: This website documents the careers of vessels built by Scottish shipyards. It lists five ships named Geelong built between 1847 and 1886, three of which could carry passengers—but only one was a screw steamer, the type used by the Royal Mail Service.]

• Southampton Archives, England: GEELONG (Reg No. 54641)  [Explanation: Confirms the vessel's owner as the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company and its involvement in the Mediterranean Mail service.]

• 🔗 Trove – National Library of Australia:

  • 📰 CURRENT TOPICS. (1869, November 10). Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929), p. 2. Retrieved April 19, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article150435296 [Explanation: mentions how vessels of the R.M.s are distinguished by their punctuality]

  • 📰 SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. (1854, August 15). The Banner (Melbourne, Vic. : 1853 - 1854), p. 8. Retrieved April 19, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article179814530 The Banner, 15 August 1854 [Explanation: mentions the Geelong, barque of 397 tons arriving in Victoria with 100 Government emigrants]

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Sketch of P&O R.M.S.S Geelong in Dry Dock (cropped image) in Mort's Dock and Engineering Company's Works, Balmain. (1871, November 25). Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), p. 16. Retrieved April 18, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70470453

Now, if only I could find a picture of RMSS Geelong, not just a sketch!

Useful Links for Background

This April, as part of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge), where I’m sharing my ancestors travel stories—one letter at a time. From long voyages by sea to overland treks, each post will focus on the journeys themselves—the routes they took, the challenges they faced, and the experiences along the way.

Blog Post Meta Data: 

The URL for this post is ,https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2025/04/q-is-for-questions-of-geelong.html originally published on 19 April 2025

Author: Sandra Williamson

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P is for Pensioners on the Move

Andrew Munro’s Journey from India to Australia (1869)

This post is part of the April A to Z Blogging Challenge, where each day highlights a new letter. Today’s letter is P is for Pensioners on the Move, tracing the journey of one military family from colonial India to Australia in 1869.

In the 19th century, retiring from military service didn’t always mean settling down into a quiet life. For many former soldiers, especially those who had served across the vast British Empire, retirement was just the beginning of another major journey, one that might take them halfway across the world in search of a new future.

One such man was Andrew Munro, a Brigade Quartermaster Sergeant who retired from the British Army in Camp Mhow, India, on 19 October 1868. At the time of his discharge, Munro planned to settle in Bombay (now Mumbai). But within a year, he changed course, both literally and figuratively, and set out for Australia, accompanied by his wife and their seven children.

Though technically a "pensioner," Andrew was only around 40 years old, with limited financial support. For someone with a large family to care for and a long working life ahead, Australia may have represented opportunity, not retirement.

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The Voyage Begins: SS Travancore

On 3 September 1869, the Munros boarded the SS Travancore in Bombay. The ship, captained by Eastley, was bound for China with stops along the way. Like many P&O vessels of the time, it carried a combination of passengers and cargo — including chests of Malwa opium, a common commodity in 19th-century trade.

“The P & O’s ‘S.S. Travancore,’ Captain Eastley, will sail today for China, with chests of Malwa Opium, and the following passengers: … For Melbourne – Mr. W. Allingham, Mr. A. Munro, wife and 7 children…”
— Bombay Gazette, 3 September 1869, page 3

Their first stop was Point de Galle, in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), which typically took six to seven days to reach. There, the family transferred to a connecting Royal Mail steamer: the Geelong.

Sketch of P&O R.M.S.S Geelong in Dry dock at Mort's Dock and Engineering Company's Works, Balmain. (1871, November 25). Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), p. 16. Retrieved April 18, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70470453

Transfer at Galle: The Geelong RMS Steamer

The Geelong RMS Steamer, operated by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, was a key link in the empire’s communication and transport network. It carried passengers, cargo, and mail from Ceylon to Australia.

The Geelong departed Galle at 7:00 p.m. on 7 September 1869, navigating a mix of calm seas and stormy weather:

“Experienced moderate southeast trades, and afterwards a succession of head winds… then strong breezes from S.S.E. to E.S.E., with much rain.”
— The Argus, 28 August 1869, page 7

The ship reached King George’s Sound in Western Australia on 21 September, before continuing on to Hobson’s Bay, Melbourne, where the Munro family disembarked on 28 September 1869.

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From Soldier to Gasman

Settled in Australia, Andrew Munro faced the challenge of building a new life. By the mid-1870s, he had relocated to Melbourne, possibly ahead of his family, and began to apply the technical skills he developed during his army career.

His time in the Indian Army’s Ordnance Department, particularly as an Acting Laboratory Man, had involved the handling of explosives, ammunition, and sensitive materials, work that required precision, safety awareness, and problem-solving under pressure. These skills translated remarkably well to the urban, theatrical world of gas lighting.

In Melbourne, Andrew became a Gasman, working in theatres like the Academy of Music (later renamed the Bijou Theatre). He even installed lime lighting, a cutting-edge stage technology of the time that used a flame to heat calcium oxide, producing a bright, focused light ideal for performances.

By the early 1880s, Andrew was listed as a Gas Engineer, a title that likely reflected both experience and professional advancement. In later legal records, he was involved in a dispute over extra lighting services provided for Spiritualist gatherings — an interesting detail, as his daughter Blanche Munro was active in the Spiritualist movement herself.

For more on Andrew’s fascinating post-military career, see my earlier post: “Andrew Munro – Gasman.”

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Not Just Retired — Reimagined

Andrew Munro’s story highlights how 19th-century pensioners often weren’t done working — they were simply entering a new phase. For Andrew, Australia offered more than just land and fresh air. It offered a second act.

His journey from soldier to migrant, and then Gasman and Engineer, is a powerful reminder that the term “pensioner” once encompassed far more than it might today, especially for those brave enough to move their families halfway across the world in pursuit of opportunity.

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🗄️ Sources

• Pension record for Andrew Munro Service Number 96."United Kingdom, Chelsea Pensioners' Service Records, 1760-1913." Database with Images. FindMyPast. http://findmypast.com : accessed 15/4/2016. citing WO97, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. [Explanation: British Army discharge records for Andrew Munro, 1868 (Camp Mhow, India)]

• The Times of India (1861-current); Mumbai, India. ‘S.S. Travancore Departure’. 3 September 1869, page 3 [Explanation: Confirms Andrew Munro are onboard the ship and the departure date for SS Travancore]

• SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. (1869, September 28). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 7. Retrieved April 16, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5815237 [Explanation: Arrival report of Geelong RMS into Hobson’s Bay]

• Passenger List for the Geelong Stream Ship, arrived at the Port of Melbourne on the 28 September 1889, from Point de Galle, Inward Overseas Passenger Lists, VPRS 947/P0000, Jul - Dec 1869 Image 92 of 313 [Explanation: Confirming the arrival of the family in Victoria]

• 🔗 Andrew Munro wokring as a Gasman – TROVE List [Explanation: A curated collection of newspaper articles from Trove relating to Andrew Munro working as a Gasman.]

📘 Glossary of Colonial Terms and Phrases

This glossary provides explanations for historical and colonial-era terms used in the story of Andrew Munro's migration from India to Australia. Many of these phrases reflect the military, maritime, and technological context of the 19th-century British Empire and may differ from modern usage.

• "Acting Laboratory Man" A temporary or substitute role within a military ordnance department, responsible for the preparation and handling of explosives, ammunition, and other technical materials.
• "Bijou Theatre" A prominent theatre in Melbourne, originally opened as the Academy of Music. It was later renamed the Bijou and was known for staging a variety of dramatic and musical performances in the late 19th century.
• "Brigade Quartermaster Sergeant" A senior non-commissioned officer responsible for overseeing the supply and logistical needs of a military brigade, including the distribution of food, equipment, and ammunition.
• "Calcium oxide (Lime light)" Also known as "quicklime," this substance was used in 19th-century theatre lighting. When heated in an oxyhydrogen flame, it produced an intense white light known as limelight, which illuminated actors on stage.
• "Camp Mhow" A British cantonment (military base) in central India, now known as Dr. Ambedkar Nagar in Madhya Pradesh. It was an important military training and administrative center during the British Raj.
• "Ceylon" The former name of Sri Lanka, an island nation located southeast of India. It was under British colonial rule until 1948.
• "Geelong (RMSS Steamer)" A Royal Mail Steam Packet Company ship that connected British colonies by carrying mail, passengers, and cargo. The Geelong referred to here operated between Ceylon and Australia in 1869.
• "Hobson’s Bay" A bay in Victoria, Australia, that forms part of Port Phillip Bay and was the main anchorage for ships arriving in Melbourne in the 19th century.
• "King George’s Sound" A natural harbor on the south coast of Western Australia, near present-day Albany. It was an important refueling and stopping point for ships en route to Melbourne or Sydney.
• "Malwa opium" A variety of opium produced in the Malwa region of central India. In the 19th century, it was a major export product, especially traded by British companies throughout Asia.
• "Ordnance Department" A branch of the military responsible for supplying weapons, ammunition, and other military materials. Personnel in this department often had technical and logistical expertise.
• "Pensioner (19th-century British military)" Not necessarily elderly or retired in the modern sense. Often referred to former soldiers receiving a military pension, many of whom took up new lives and employment after discharge.
• "P&O (Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company") A British shipping and logistics company that operated many mail and passenger services between Britain, India, and Australia during the 19th century.
• "Point de Galle" A port town on the southern tip of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), known in colonial times as a key stopover for ships travelling between Europe and Australasia.
• "Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (RMS)" A major British shipping line that carried mail and passengers throughout the British Empire. Ships operated on fixed routes and schedules, often in conjunction with colonial governments.
• "R.M.S." / "R.M.S.S." (Royal Mail Ship / Royal Mail Steam Ship) : Prefixes used to denote a ship officially contracted to carry Royal Mail. R.M.S.S. (Royal Mail Steam Ship) was more common in the mid-19th century to distinguish steamships from sailing vessels. R.M.S. became the standard over time and is more familiar to modern readers.
• "Spiritualist gatherings" Meetings associated with the Spiritualist movement, which believed in communication with the spirits of the dead. These gatherings often included séances, lectures, and public demonstrations. 

Useful Links for Background

This April, as part of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge), where I’m sharing my ancestors travel stories—one letter at a time. From long voyages by sea to overland treks, each post will focus on the journeys themselves—the routes they took, the challenges they faced, and the experiences along the way.

Blog Post Meta Data: 

The URL for this post is https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2025/04/p-is-for-pensioners-on-move.html originally published on 18 April 2025

Author 2025, Sandra Williamson

O is for Overland Journey from South Australia to Forest Creek

When Hezekiah Bennetts and his family arrived in South Australia aboard the Australia on 22 January 1856, a journey that I spoke of at great length here, they may have already been planning the next stage: reaching the goldfields of Victoria.

This post is part of my A to Z Challenge series on migration, in this post, I delve into the possible overland journey of the Bennetts family from South Australia to the Colony of Victoria.

The Absence of Official Records

Despite careful searches, no definitive passenger list exists for the family’s journey from South Australia to Victoria. While there are several arrivals recorded under the surname "Bennett/s," none match the details of Hezekiah’s family. This absence suggests they may have taken the overland route rather than a documented coastal steamer journey. Many families moved between colonies without formal records, especially those travelling by land. Land travel often involved informal arrangements with no centralized record-keeping.

The Overland Route

Travelling to the Diggings, the Keilor Plains. Victoria by John AlexanderGilfillan, 1793-1864, (artist.), published 1853, (accessed https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/167145263 downloaded 17 April 2025) Out of Copyright

M is for Matrimonial Opportunities: Bride Ships

This post is part of my A to Z Challenge series on migration, in this post, I delve into the journey of one young woman who travelled aboard 'Bride Ships' to Australia.

In the late 19th century, the British government sought to address the gender imbalance in its Australian colonies by sponsoring the migration of young women. These ships, colloquially known as "Bride Ships," transported single women to Australia under government-backed schemes. My great-grandmother, Martha Sarah Ellis aged 19, was one such migrant, making her journey alongside her younger sister, Kate Ellis aged 17, aboard the S.S. Nairnshire, which arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia, on October 8, 1889.

The S.S. Nairnshire and the 1889 Dock Strike

Before leaving, the two sisters spent two nights in the Westminster house, which had been designed to prepare them for their six-week journey. Where they learnt how to live in tight quarters and stow all their things neatly. They also met Miss Monk who was in charge of the 48 female domestic servants for the first time, the supervisor for the journey, who look after the girls well fare and guard their reputations during the journey.(as described in The Bride Ships by Elisabeth Tooker).

The Nairnshire set sail from England on August 21, 1889, just managing to escape the chaos of a massive dockworkers' strike that had paralysed London's shipping industry. The strike involved over 40,000 workers and threatened to delay vessels indefinitely. One can only imagine the sense of urgency and relief among the passengers as they embarked amidst such turmoil.

Life Aboard the Bride Ship

Martha and Kate were among 48 domestic servants travelling in steerage, all under the supervision of Miss Monk, a matron appointed to oversee their welfare.ⁱ While saloon passengers had spacious accommodations, servant girls endured cramped quarters in steerage.

Despite the challenges, life aboard the Nairnshire was not without its diversions. During fair weather, the young women gathered on deck, singing songs and reminiscing about home. Miss Monk provided reading materials, sewing supplies, and organised group activities to keep morale high. This structured environment was not just for comfort but also to ensure the women arrived with their reputations intact, an essential factor for securing employment in Australia.

The Voyage and Its Trials

To avoid the Red Sea's extreme heat, the Nairnshire took a southern route via Las Palmas and Cape Town. While the first leg of the voyage was relatively pleasant, the final stretch saw stormy weather, adding to the hardships of ship life.ⁱⁱ After 43 days at sea, the Nairnshire finally reached Fremantle in the evening of October 8, 1889.

A Cold Reception in Fremantle

The women were not immediately permitted to disembark. When they finally stepped onto Australian soil the next morning, they were met not with a warm welcome, but with a crowd of men eager to scrutinise them like "prize cattle."ⁱⁱⁱ Accounts from similar voyages describe how the women were marched to the immigration depot under police escort—hardly the most encouraging beginning to their new lives.

One immigrant later recalled:

"On the wharf a crowd of men stood waiting to stare at us... Then a gruff official ordered us to get into order, and off we were marched in charge of a couple of policemen, like prisoners."^iv

The expectation was that these young women would quickly secure employment as domestic servants, and many were hired within days. While some found stable positions and eventual marriages, others faced harsh working conditions, unfamiliar customs, and social scrutiny.

Life After Arrival

Martha’s early experiences in Australia were not without challenges. By May 1890, she was working as a domestic servant but found herself in trouble when she and some friends were accused of assault.^v The court described her as one of two 'young domestic servants of respectable appearance, but she was ultimately found guilty. It is quite possible that this incident led to her losing her position.

However, by the end of 1890, she had secured work at the Colonial Hospital in Perth. Her employment there was short-lived, as records indicate she was discharged sometime after December 21, possibly in early 1891.^vi Not long after this, Martha moved to Victoria, setting the course for the next chapter of her life.

Stepping into an uncertain new world

The arrival of women like Martha and Kate Ellis played a crucial role in shaping early Australian society. Their journey was not just a physical migration but a leap into an unknown future, one filled with both opportunity and hardship. While the bride ships promised a better life, for many, they also marked the beginning of a difficult adjustment to a land that was not always welcoming.

As I reflect on my great-grandmother’s story, I wonder what must have been going through her mind as she took those first steps onto Fremantle’s shores. Was she hopeful? Anxious? Did she feel she had made the right decision? While the details of her thoughts remain a mystery, her journey—and the journey of so many women like her—remains an integral part of my family's migration history to Australia.

Join Me on This Journey

This post is part of my 2025 Blogging from A to Z Challenge, where I explore my family's migration history, one letter at a time. Stay tuned as we continue uncovering the stories of those who crossed oceans in search of a new life! Tomorrow, “O” will focus on the Overland travel with small children in the 1850s.

📅 Timeline: Voyage of the s.s. Nairnshire, 1889

• Aug 14 – Voyage announced: new steamer Nairnshire scheduled to leave London for Fremantle, Melbourne & Sydney¹

• Aug 17–18 – Departure confirmed for mid-August via Cape Town, offering excellent passenger accommodation²

• Aug 21 – Sails from Gravesend, London, with 48 female domestic servants and saloon passengers aboard³

• Aug 23 – sailed just before the dock labourers, stevedores strike.⁴

• Aug 23 – WA Immigration Board advertises expected arrival of domestic servants by late September⁵

• Aug 28 – Departs Las Palmas, Canary Islands, after coaling stop⁶

• Sep 11 – Fremantle arrival forecast for early October; full passenger list published⁷

• Oct 5 – Reaches Fremantle after 43-day voyage via Cape Town⁸

📚 Time Line References

1. ENGLISH SHIPPING NEWS. (1889, August 14). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved April 12, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3127711 [Explanation: Earliest notice of the planned voyage from London to WA]

2. ENGLISH SHIPPING NEWS. (1889, August 17). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved April 12, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3127777 [Explanation: Confirms route and expected departure range]

3. ENGLISH SHIPPING NEWS. (1889, September 24). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 3. Retrieved April 12, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3128686. [Explanation: Details final departure and passenger list]

4. SHIPPING. (1889, September 25). The Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth, WA : 1855 - 1901), p. 6. Retrieved April 12, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66089423 [Explanation: Confirming the chaos of a massive dockworkers' strike]

5. BOARD OF IMMIGRATION OFFICE NOTICE. (1889, August 23). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved April 12, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3127925. [Explanation: Announcement of expected immigration group]

6. ENGLISH SHIPPING NEWS. (1889, October 5). Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), p. 14. Retrieved April 12, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32726031 [Explanation: Marks progress across Atlantic; next leg of journey begins]

7. ENGLISH SHIPPING NEWS. (1889, September 11). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved April 12, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3128366 [Explanation: Provides forecasted arrival and passenger manifest]

8. SHIPPING REPORTS. (1889, October 29). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 9. Retrieved April 12, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8565779 [Explanation: Captain’s report confirms date, conditions, and Fremantle arrival.]
   
   

📚 Further Reading

• 🔗 S.S. Nairnshire Voyage of 1889 – TROVE List A curated collection of newspaper articles from Trove relating to the s.s. Nairnshire’s 1889 voyage from London to Western Australia. This list includes shipping notices, passenger arrivals, court references, and shipping reports that help trace the ship’s journey in real-time through historical sources. Includes real-time shipping notices and passenger lists that trace the ship's journey.

• 🔗 Female Immigrants.1890s – TROVE List A curated collection of newspaper articles from Trove relating to the Female Immigrants arriving in Western Australia during the 1890s.

• 🔗 Ship Specifications – s.s. Nairnshire (1889) on WikiTree
  A detailed breakdown of the Nairnshire’s design and engineering, including its refrigeration system, triple-expansion engine, and capacity for carrying frozen meat. Ideal for readers interested in maritime history or the shipbuilding context of the late 19th century.

• 📘 Tooker, Elisabeth; Hesperian Press; Western Australian History Foundation (1992).
  The Bride Ships: Experiences of Immigrants Arriving in Western Australia 1849–1889. Hesperian Press, Carlisle, WA. A compelling overview of the experiences of women—especially domestic servants—who arrived in Western Australia during the peak decades of assisted migration.

• 📘 Coralie Canot. The Undesirable Spinster: The Organised Emigration of British Single Women, 1851-1914. Literature. 2013, p.34

• 📰 Notes from London. (1899, December 14). Kalgoorlie Western Argus, p. 12
  This newspaper article offers a general description of the typical journey for servant girls travelling under a matron like Mrs. Monk. It helps paint a picture of what life was like for the women in steerage—many of whom were hoping for work and stability in a new colony.

Blog Post Meta Data: 

The URL for this post is https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2025/04/m-is-for-matrimonial-opportunities.html originally published on 15 April 2025

Author 2025, Sandra Williamson

Footnotes:

i 'Notes from London.', Kalgoorlie Western Argus, 14 December 1899, p. 12. , [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32203258 , viewed 11 Feb 2017]

ii 'SHIPPING REPORTS. THE S.S NAIRNSHIRE', The Argus, 29 October 1889, p. 9, Col.8. , [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8565779, viewed 10 Feb 2017]

iii 'THE GOLDEN WEST.', The Inquirer and Commercial News, 29 May 1896, p. 12. [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66532077, viewed 11 Feb 2017]

iv 'NEWS AND NOTES.', The West Australian, 27 May 1896, p. 4, Col.8, [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3090945, viewed 11 Feb 2017]

v 1890 'NEWS AND NOTES.', The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), 20 May, p. 3. , viewed 16 Mar 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3134319

vi CHARGES AGAINST THE LATE MATRON OF THE COLONIAL HOSPITAL. 3 March 1891, The West Australian, p. 4. Retrieved January 26, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3140947

L is for Little William Ebbott

This post is part of my A to Z Challenge series on migration. “L is for Little William Ebbott,” the youngest member of the Ebbott family, who tragically died at sea during the 1852 voyage of the Gloucester to South Australia. His short life reflects the risks families faced during assisted migration, particularly when epidemics spread aboard overcrowded ships.

The Voyage of the Gloucester

On 30 April 1852, the Gloucester departed Plymouth carrying government-assisted emigrants to South Australia, John and Sally (Sarah) Ebbott and their children, including their youngest, one-year-old William. The Gloucester, a barque of 530 tons, under Captain James Marshall’s command, carried 285 passengers, including 16 infants under the age of one. After over three months at sea, the vessel arrived at Port Adelaide on 13 August 1852.ⁱ

Sadly, William did not survive the journey. He was one of 25 passengers who died aboard the Gloucester during its voyage. No details about his cause of death—or those of the other victims—were recorded. This lack of documentation was standard practice at the time; deaths at sea were typically listed only by name, date, and burial location in government reports such as the South Australian Government Gazette (No. 4, 25 January 1866). The absence of medical information left authorities and future researchers without crucial insights into health concerns aboard emigrant ships. Family accounts suggest he was buried on the banks of the Torrens River—a heartbreaking end to an already arduous journey.

Mortality Rates and Epidemics

The scale of mortality aboard the Gloucester becomes more significant when viewed in historical context. According to Robin Haines and colleagues in their study on emigrant ship deaths:

“The average voyage death percentage rate was 1.8. Eight ships arrived with more than 21 deaths. These included the Gloucester, in 1852 with 25 deaths among 284 emigrants... These high mortality voyages all suffered epidemics, and the eight ships are among the seventeen vessels that suffered more than 16 deaths at sea, accounting for five per cent of all ships arriving after 1848.”
— Bound for South Australia: Births and Deaths on Government-Assisted Immigrant Ships 1848–1885, Haines, Jeffery, and Slattery (2004)

Epidemics were common aboard overcrowded ships with poor sanitation and limited medical resources. Infants like William were especially vulnerable to infectious diseases that could spread rapidly in such conditions.

Leadership Failures: Captain James Marshall

Further insights into the troubled voyage come from court proceedings later that year. John Acraman, the ship’s agent, testified about Captain Marshall’s drinking habits:

“The captain was James Marshall, who was addicted to drinking, and while here, and about the time of the departure of the ship, was afflicted with delirium tremens... Although he was aware of the drinking propensities of Captain Marshall, he allowed him to go in command.”
— Adelaide Morning Chronicle, 6 September 1852, p. 3

This testimony suggests a troubling lack of oversight. The safety and wellbeing of passengers depended heavily on competent leadership—a standard that may have been compromised by Captain Marshall’s alcoholism. Hygiene and discipline aboard the ship could have suffered as a result, potentially exacerbating disease outbreaks or delaying appropriate responses to illness.

While no direct link can be drawn between Marshall’s condition and William’s death, this pattern of negligence raises unsettling questions about how many deaths aboard the Gloucester might have been preventable under better leadership.

Tragedy Upon Arrival

The Gloucester’s journey was marked by further tragedy shortly after its arrival in South Australia. As the ship was being towed up the harbour days after docking, a small boat carrying two men capsized; one man drowned, and his body was never recovered despite prompt rescue attempts. Captain Marshall was later fined for unlawfully detaining Her Majesty’s mail during this period.

“The oversight may possibly have been owing to the illness of the captain which, we regret to learn, is very severe.” — South Australian Register, 23 August 1852, p.3

Court testimony from June 1853 revealed that Acraman knowingly allowed an alcoholic captain to command the vessel—a decision described as “awkward” but ultimately accepted without intervention.

'In cross-examination... the witness stated that, although he was aware of the drinking propensities of Captain Marshall, he allowed him to go in command. It was rather an awkward thing to displace a captain. Did not know that the mate was subject to the same infirmity.'

Systemic Failures

For vulnerable travellers like infant William Ebbott, survival often depended on prompt medical attention, proper sanitation, and disciplined leadership—all factors that may have been compromised during this voyage. The high mortality rate (25 deaths among 284 emigrants) points to systemic failures exacerbated by documented negligence in leadership.

Remembering Little William

For little William Ebbott, the journey ended silently somewhere between Plymouth and Port Adelaide. While his story is fragmentary, the context around the voyage gives us insight into the conditions, risks, and limited procedures that framed such migrations.

William’s death, like those of many infants at sea, was absorbed into the larger narrative of migration history as a private loss amid a vast movement of people striving for better futures..

Sources:

• Passenger List for the Gloucester, 1852, arrived 13 August 1852, (The South Australian Government Archives, https://archives.sa.gov.au/, Passenger Lists 1845-1940 , 1852 Gloucester 13/1852 [Explanation: Includes the following documents:

1. Nominal list of Emigrations dispatched from Plymouth for Adelaide, South Australia p.2 (only John Ebbott is named and recorded as Ag Lab [Agricultural Labourer], Selected from Cornwall, the rest of the family is numerically represented, only ages are given) [Description: recorded emigrants selected by the Colonization Commissioners London, whose passage were paid for out of the Emigration Fund.]

2. Certificate of Final Departure for the Gloucester (The Ebbott family appear on p.3 (Every member of the family is identified Wm is noted as dead) [Explanation: Confirms family departure from England and notes William’s death]

• FATAL ACCIDENT, South Australian Register, 18 August 1852, p. 3. nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38457162 [Explanation: confirms the time of the Gloucester was being towed up harbour]

• CLASSIFIED LIST OF EMIGRANTS, Adelaide Observer (SA), 28 August 1852, p. 8. nla.gov.au/nla.news-article160110490 [Explanation: establishes who sponsored the immigrants arriving o the Gloucester in 1852]

• ADELAIDE LOCAL COURT, Adelaide Morning Chronicle (SA), 6 September 1852, p. 3. nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66449562 [Explanation: Confirms the that Gloucester was behind schedule]

• SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE, South Australian Register, 14 September 1852, p. 2. nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38454932 [Explanation: The Gloucester is in harbour]

• Advertising, South Australian Register, 25 September 1852, p. 1. nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38466786 [Explanation: As of late September 1852, the Gloucester was docked at McLaren Wharf, preparing to sail to the Victorian goldfields. McLaren Wharf was very likely the same place where emigrants (like the Ebbotts) disembarked earlier that August.]

• DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 20 December 1852, p. 5. nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4788598 [Explanation: Inquest into the suicide of Captain James Marshall]

• VICTORIA, South Australian Register, 24 December 1852, p. 4. nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38459768 [Explanation: Mentions the captain was suffering from delirium tremens]

• 'SUPREME COURT.', Adelaide Times (SA : 1848 - 1858), 15 June 1853, p. 2. , viewed 06 Apr 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207012784 [Explanation: Confirms the Captain’s state of health and addiction to alcohol, as was the first mate]

• 'Returns showing Deaths on board Emigrant Ships from 1849 to 1865.' South Australian Government Gazette, No. 4, 25 January 1866, pp. 79–80. viewed 13 Apr 2025, https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/other/sa_gazette/1866/4.pdf [Explanation: Lists the death of William Ebbott on the Gloucester in 1852]

Glossary of Colonial Terms and Phrases

• “Barque” A type of sailing vessel with three or more masts, with the foremast and mainmast square-rigged and the aft mast fore-and-aft rigged. Common in the 19th century for long-distance voyages

• "in the stream" refers to the ship Gloucester being anchored in the main part of the harbor or river, rather than being moored alongside a wharf or dock.
  This was a common nautical term in the 19th century. "The stream" typically meant the navigable channel or deeper waterway—where ships could safely anchor if there wasn't available wharf space, or if they were waiting for clearance, cargo handling, or other instructions. [in this case, the Gloucester had arrived from Plymouth and was anchored in the stream at the Port of Adelaide, likely near Port Adelaide River, waiting to dock or unload.]

• “Towed up the harbour” Refers to a ship being moved (often by a smaller steamer or tugboat) from an anchorage or outer harbour further inland or toward a docking point.

• “Delirium tremens” A severe form of alcohol withdrawal characterised by shaking, confusion, and hallucinations.

• “Her Majesty’s mail” Official mail carried on behalf of the Crown (the British government). Delaying or interfering with its delivery could lead to legal penalties.