Z is for Zeehan

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 Z.

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By 1903, the Bone family were already living in Zeehan, Tasmania, where their second child, Henry, was born. Their first child, Lily, had been born earlier in Victoria. But it wasn’t until 1908 that the Bassett family joined them on the island.

Lilian had married Thomas Manderson in Bendigo, and the couple had left Victoria soon after to live near Thomas’ family in Western Australia. However, when Lilian returned to Victoria pregnant, but was without her husband. She gave birth to her first child with the support of her mother and extended family. During her confinement, she stayed with her mother-in-law, hoping Thomas would reappear. But as time passed, it became clear that he was gone, and she would need to fend for herself and her child.

Lilian found work as a housekeeper for William Bassett, a local miner in Eaglehawk. Over time, their relationship deepened. When it was clear she would not be reunited with her husband, Lilian and William became a couple — the only parents her daughter would ever know.

Before long, Lilian was pregnant again, this time with William's child. Living in a small mining town where everyone knew everyone was difficult. But Lilian was a proud and independent woman. When William offered to help pay for a divorce from Thomas, she refused. She would not spend his money on what she saw as her own problem — it was hers to solve.

With the support of Lilian’s sister, the couple hatched a plan: they would move to Tasmania, where no one knew them or their complicated marital history. In Zeehan, they were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Bassett from Victoria. No one questioned their status, and no one asked.

William found work in the local mines alongside Sydney Herbert Bone, his brother-in-law through Lilian’s sister. On 17 September 1908, their son, William Bassett, was born in Dundas, Tasmania.

Four years later, the family moved back to Victoria. By then, everyone assumed they were married. When their last child, Gladys, was born, Lilian was finally able to register William as the father, something she had never been able to do before.

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Research Notes

We haven’t been able to find shipping records for the move to Tasmania, but the birth dates of their children help narrow down the timeframe. Their daughter Myrtle was born on 2 June 1907 in Eaglehawk, Victoria, and their son William was born on 17 September 1908 in Dundas, Tasmania.
So, the family must have travelled to Tasmania sometime between those two dates.

Even without passenger lists, the children’s births tell the story of this hidden migration — one not just of place, but of reinvention.

Blog Post Meta Data

The URL for this post is https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2025/04/z-is-for-zeehan.html,  originally published on 30 April 2025

Author 2025, Sandra Williamson

Sources:

Although no shipping record has been located for the family’s travel to and from Tasmania, the timeline is clearly supported by the birth registrations of their children in Victoria and Tasmania between 1906 and 1912.

The Family of Sydney Herbert Bone & Ada Selina Bone

Ada Bone's marriage to Sydney Herbt Bone was registered in 1898 in Victoria, Australia

1. Birth of Lily Irena Bone, 1900, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, child of Sydney Herbt BONE & ADA Silina CRUMP. Victoria State Government, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria, Australia (index database without images); Registration number 18492 / 1900

2. Birth record for Henry Theophilus Bone, born 4 March 1903, Mt Reid, Tasmania. Registered in the District of Zeehan 1903 entry 97 Libraries Tasmania Online collection https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/RGD33-4-9/RGD33-4-9-281

3. Birth record for Henry Theophilus Bone, born 20 February 1906, Zeehan, Tasmania. Registered in the District of Zeehan 1906 page 336 entry 197 Registration number 3340, Libraries Tasmania Online collection https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Record/NamesIndex/2184020

4. Birth record for Henry Theophilus Bone, born 4 March 1903, Mt Reid, Tasmania. Registered in the District of Zeehan 1910, page 267, entry 72 (registration number 3637) Libraries Tasmania Online collection https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/RGD33-4-34/FF5C9B5A-BF8A-4022-9B69-564712E19CB3

The Family of William Bassett & Lillian May Bassett

Lillian married Thomas Manderson on May 7, 1903 in Bendigo, Victoria.

Missing Persons notices for Thomas Manderson:

• Western Australian Gazette, 1906 / 20, 16-Mar-1906, page 845 https://www.slp.wa.gov.au/gazette/gazette.nsf/searchgazette/F5F32A6A4046D57348257C6100257B4A/$file/gg020.pdf [Explanation: Missing Persons notice seeking Thomas Manderson]

• ‘MISSING FRIENDS’, The Daily News, 30 June 1906, p. 6 (SECOND EDITION). Accessed 25 November 2016 at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article82404925 [note the same article is repeated twice in the same edition of the Daily News it appears on both pages 5 & 6] [Explanation: Thomas Manderson, found at Goomalling, near Newcastle]

• Anon, ‘MISSING FRIENDS’, 30 June 1906, The Daily News, p. 5 (SECOND EDITION). Accessed 25 November 2016 at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article82405063

Children of Lillian May Crump

1. Birth of Doris Lillian CRUMP/MANDERSON born 1906, Victoria State Government, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria, Australia Registration number Year 1906, #2688 note No father was listed on the certificate, only her mother under her married name Lilian Manderson nee Crump. [possibly the child of Thomas Manderson, however, brought up as the child of William Bassett]

2. Birth Certificate of, Myrtle May CRUMP/MANDERSON born 1907, Victoria State Government, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria, Registration number Year 1907, #1022 [Research note: No father was listed on the certificate, only her mother under her married name Lilian Manderson nee Crump.]

3. Birth record for William Manderson, born 17 September 1908, Zeehan, Tasmania. Registered in the District of Zeehan 1908, page 339, entry 1290 (registration number 3758) Libraries Tasmania Online collection https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/RGD33-4-25/A6F452D9-80AE-44D9-85C9-2F36D9492984 [Research note: No father was listed on the certificate, only her mother under her married name Lilian Manderson nee Crump.]

4. Birth record for Gladys Irene Bassett born 1912, Eaglehawk, Victoria, daughter of William Bassett & Lilian Crump, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria, Australia Registration number Year 1912, #19781

Y is for Yo-Yo Travel

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 Y.

Migration in the 1800s is often seen as a one-way journey, but for my Bassett ancestors, it was more complex: a 'yo-yo' pattern of leaving, returning, and setting out again, often with new knowledge or family

Setting the Stage:

“From early 1852, news reached London of much richer Victorian gold finds at Buninyong, then Ballarat, Mount Alexander and Bendigo. These discoveries triggered a rash of nearly 40 British-based Australian gold mining companies in 1852, twelve in January alone, including the Port Phillip and Colonial Gold Mining Company”ⁱ

Miners recruited by these companies signed five-year contracts prohibiting them from other work or speculation.ⁱⁱ Although Victoria had become independent from New South Wales in 1851, its government favoured small miners over large companies, making it hard for corporations to thrive.ⁱⁱⁱ Many miners, including John Bassett [II], found themselves released once their contracts expired.

When John arrived in the 1850s the state of Victoria regulatory environment favoured small mining enterprises and it was difficult for large mining companies to establish themselves. Some blamed the government’s 'pro-digger/anti-company' stance; others cited poor management for company failures.^iv In this environment, many miners lost their jobs when contracts ended.^v

John Bassett’s Yo-Yo Journey:

John Bassett [II] likely signed his contract in 1852 and sailed aboard the Marco Polo, arriving at Port Phillip Bay in May 1853. His initial work was at Sailors' Gully near Bendigo.

When John's contract neared its end, he returned to England in October 1856 aboard the Montmorency. About eight months later, he sailed back to Australia on the Royal Charter, this time accompanied by his wife Catherine and children Francis, John, Catherine, and Martha. His brother William Bassett and brother-in-law Stephen Davey were also aboard. 

Building a New Venture

Freed from company obligations, John and his brothers took independent steps. In 1859, they formally applied for a mining lease on land they had already been working for two years, a clear sign of their entrepreneurial ambitions.^vi

They eventually staked claim to the very reef originally assigned to the company they had once served. The "Bassett Brothers" included John [II], Francis, William, James Bassett, and Stephen Davey.^vii

They worked their leased claim until about 1870.^viii

Possible Travel Itinerary

• 26 May 1853: John Bassett[I] (53) & John Bassett[II] (32) arrive Port Phillip Bay on the Marco Polo.^ix

• 1854: John Bassett [I] and John Bassett [II] may have returned temporarily to England.

• 1854: John Bassett[II] (33) returns to Port Phillip Bay, Australia on the Marco Polo ^x

• 14 October 1856: John Bassett[II] (36) returns to England on the Montmorency.^xi

• 16 May 1857: John[II] with wife and children depart England on the Royal Charter.^xii Arrived 19 July 1857 in Hobson’s Bay, Victoria.^{xiii xiv}

• 1861 John Bassett[I] returns to Port Phillip with his wife and future daughter-in-law Miss Symons on the SS Great Britain.^xv

Reflection

Migration wasn't always a permanent farewell — and it wasn’t always solitary. Despite the expense and risk of 1800s travel, return was possible.

For the Bassett family, these 'yo-yo' voyages were strategic, helping them establish roots in a new land.

Research Notes:

John Bassett [II], son of John Bassett [I], was born 1820/1. According to the 1853 Shipping Manifest, John Bassett [I] was born in 1800, but other records suggest 1790. Is it possible the manifest lists an incorrect age for John Bassett [I]? If so, he may have returned to England before the 1861 English Census.

Blog Post Meta Data

The URL for this post is https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2025/04/y-is-for-yo-yo-travel.html,  originally published on 29 April 2025

Author 2025, Sandra Williamson

Thank you for reading. 

Sources:

i R. H. Bland and the Port Phillip and Colonial Gold Mining Company, page 8 (https://doi.org/10.26181/21841971.v1 : accessed 6 September 2023)

ii R. H. Bland and the Port Phillip and Colonial Gold Mining Company, page 12 (https://doi.org/10.26181/21841971.v1 : accessed 6 September 2023)

iii R. H. Bland and the Port Phillip and Colonial Gold Mining Company, page 19 (https://doi.org/10.26181/21841971.v1 : accessed 6 September 2023)

iv R. H. Bland and the Port Phillip and Colonial Gold Mining Company, page 19 (https://doi.org/10.26181/21841971.v1 : accessed 6 September 2023)

v Kelly, W, 1860, Life in Victoria, or, Victoria in 1853 and Victoria in 1858 : showing the march of improvement made by the colony within those periods, in town and country, cities and diggings, London : Chapman and Hall ; Melbourne : George Robertson

vi Victoria Government Gazette 1859, Applications for Mining Leases in the District of Sandhurst, p2467. (2017). – Online Archive – Gazette.slv.vic.gov.au. http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/view.cgi?class=general&state=V&year=1859&page_num=2467 Retrieved 6 August 2023

vii Journal of Australasian Mining History, Volume 9, September 2011 Anatomy of a Failed Miner – The Colonial Gold Company 1852-1857 [pages 129-142) by Ralph Birrell page 136 [BirrellFinal (mininghistory.asn.au) : accessed 6 September 2023]

viii Leases 102 & 103 in 1859 in the Registrar of Applications for Gold Mining Leases Unit 195 Sandhurst Bendigo, 1-200 VPRS 7842/0002

ix Passenger Listing for John Bassett(53) and John Bassett(32) on the Ship “Marco Polo” 1853 bound for Port Phillip Australia. Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria VPRS 947/P0000, Apr - May 1853 https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3402227A-F96C-11E9-AE98-FF6251ADC8F4?image=272 accessed 28 April 2025 Image 272 [of 387] (Manifest Images 266 to 275)

x Passenger Listing for John Bassett(33) on the Ship “Marco Polo” 1854 bound for Port Phillip Australia. Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria VPRS 947/P0000, Jan - Mar 1854 https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3AF2902C-F96C-11E9-AE98-6F3E4C825073?image=208 accessed 28 April 2025 Image 208 [of 500] (Manifest Images 206 to 213 )

xi Passenger Listing for John Bassett(36) on the Ship “Montmorency” 1856 bound for Liverpool. Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria VPRS 948/P0001, Sep - Oct 1856 https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/236E662A-F7F0-11E9-AE98-71788719474E?image=238 accessed 28 April 2025 Image 238 [of 271] (Manifest Images 237 to 245)

xii Passenger Listing entry 256 for John Bassett(36), his wife catherine(33) and children Francis(11), John (10), Catherine(8) & Martha(6) in Second Cabins on the Ship “Royal Charter” May 1857 bound for Melbourne. Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria VPRS 947/P0000, Jul - Sep 1857 https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B05F129-F96C-11E9-AE98-27F6998F8082?image=113 accessed 28 April 2025 Image 113 [of 342] (Manifest Images 107 to 115)

xiii SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE Arrived (Hobson’s Bay). (1857, July 20). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 4. Retrieved April 28, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7135589 [Explanation: Annoucing the Royal Charter arrive as 19 July 1857 Lists Saloon and Second Saloon passengers by name which includes Mrs & Mrs Bassett]

xiv SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. The Voyage of the Marco Polo (1853, May 10). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 4. Retrieved April 28, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4792448 [Explanation: provides great detail of the voyage.]

xv Passenger Listing 2754 John & Martha Bassett and Miss Samions on the Ship "Great Britain" 19 October 1861. Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. VPRS 947/P0000, Sep - Dec 1861 (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B1D49CA-F96C-11E9-AE98-BB631F4E00E4?image=244 accessed 26 April 2025)

X is for Xmas at sea and the gift of a new start

How James Willoughby's voyage aboard the S.S. Nurjahan changed his life forever

This April, as part of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, I’m sharing their stories, one letter at a time. Today, we focus on the letter X, which stands for Xmas.

Migration has always been a defining feature of my family’s history, with ancestors crossing oceans and continents in search of new beginnings. Some left with a plan, others disappeared into the unknown, their stories unfolding in unexpected ways. One such journey began in 1884 when my great-grandfather, James Lincoln TempleWilloughby, vanished from his family’s life, setting sail for Australia.

Departure: A One-Way Journey

At 19, James left behind his home in Millwall, a neighborhood deeply connected to London’s docklands, and boarded the S.S. Nurjahan as a steward.^{i ii iii iv} The Nurjahan was no ordinary ship, it was a gleaming steel steamship built by the renowned Harland and Wolff of Belfast. At 2,967 tons and powered by 2,000-horsepower engines, it was a marvel of modern engineering, designed specifically for passenger comfort. Its spacious decks, elegant saloons, and state-of-the-art amenities, including baths and washhouses, made it one of the finest emigrant steamers of its time.^vvi For James, it was also an escape, a chance to leave behind the soot and clang of the forge where he had worked as a blacksmith’s apprentice.

By the 1880s, England was a land of contrasts. While the Industrial Revolution had brought wealth to some, it had left many others struggling in overcrowded cities and declining rural towns. For James, working as a blacksmith’s apprentice in Millwall, the soot-filled air and relentless clang of the forge were daily reminders of a life with little promise of change. Emigration offered a chance to escape the grinding poverty and limited opportunities of Victorian England, and for James, the S.S. Nurjahan represented not just a ship, but a gateway to a new future.

The ship departed London on November 26, 1884,^vii stopping at Plymouth,^viii and Teneriffe,^ix 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. Each stop exposed James to new people, domestic servants, farm laborers, skilled tradesmen, each with their own hopes and dreams.^x Their stories left an impression on him, planting the idea that he too might forge a new path.

Disruptions and Discipline at Sea

After nearly two months at sea, the Nurjahan reached Hobart in January 1885. The arrival was marked by unruly celebrations, with several crew members arrested after altercations with local authorities. James, however, remained focused on his duties, watching as the immigrants disembarked to start their new lives.

Life aboard the Nurjahan was not always smooth sailing. While the ship was renowned for its modern design and passenger comforts, below deck, tensions brewed. Crew members worked long hours in tough conditions, and discipline was strictly enforced.

In Hobart, several members of the Nurjahan’s crew found themselves in trouble with the law. John McClements, a sailor, refused an order from the second engineer, citing a lack of clean clothes.^xi He was promptly arrested and forced to return to duty. Another sailor, Jeremiah Walsh, was fined for disorderly conduct on board, while William O’Brien and Thomas Cluskey were charged with assaulting police officers during shore leave.^xii

Not all disturbances came from the crew. The ship also had a stowaway, Daniel Donovan, who refused to disembark upon arrival in Hobart. When forced ashore, he caused such a commotion that he was arrested for using obscene language.^xiii

For James, witnessing these incidents may have reinforced his desire for a different future. The rigid hierarchy of ship life, the harsh punishments for minor infractions, and the volatile behavior of fellow sailors all stood in contrast to the stability he saw in life on land.

A Journey Backward: The Other Side of Migration

Not all those who boarded the Nurjahan saw it as a passage to a new future. For one young woman, the ship was a last resort—a way home after migration had failed her.

Having married against her parents’ wishes, she followed her husband from Tasmania to New Zealand and then to England, only to be abandoned with her three-month-old baby in Gravesend. Left penniless after he pawned her jewellery and disappeared, she survived on the kindness of strangers. When her plight reached a local businessman, he arranged for her passage back to Hobart aboard the Nurjahan.^xiv

Her story stood in stark contrast to those of the hopeful emigrants James had met at the start of his journey. It was a reminder that migration was not just a path to opportunity, it could also lead to heartbreak and loss. For James, who was already weighing his future, this story may have reinforced the idea that stepping ashore in Sydney would not be a guarantee of success, but a leap into the unknown.

Disappearance into a New Life

On January 24, the ship reached Melbourne, and by January 31, it was en route to Sydney, passing Green Cape in the afternoon. Under the command of Captain William Mason, the Nurjahan arrived in Sydney on February 1, 1885, completing its long journey from London via Hobart and Melbourne. In Sydney, James found himself at a crossroads. The Nurjahan was undergoing a transformation, its passenger accommodations were being removed, turning it into a cargo vessel.^xv What had once been described as spacious accommodation for immigrants was now being converted into cargo space, even advertised as suitable for transporting horses due to the impressive 8 feet 6 inches height of the 'tween-decks. His role as a steward was no longer needed.

Australia in the 1880s was a land of contrasts. While the gold rushes of previous decades had slowed, the promise of wealth still lingered in the air. Cities like Sydney and Melbourne were bustling hubs of trade and industry, their streets lined with the hopeful and the ambitious. For James, stepping ashore in Sydney meant more than just a new job—it was a chance to reinvent himself in a society where hard work could lead to respect and prosperity. Yet, the challenges were real: the scorching heat, the vast distances, and the isolation from all he had known. But for a young man with little to lose, Australia was a land of endless possibility.

James now faced a choice: return to England, find work on another ship, or stay in Australia. Inspired by those he had met on the journey, including the ship’s doctor, who had decided to settle in Victoria,^xvi James chose to remain.

For his family back home, he had simply vanished. His mother, MaryAnn, held onto hope, placing a newspaper notice in 1901 searching for him.^xvii

“Willoughby, or Todman (James), left Millwall in 1884; last letter from Sydney, N.S.W., in 1888. Mother asks”

In an age before telephones and instant communication, losing touch with family was an all-too-common fate for emigrants. Letters took months to cross the oceans, and many were lost or never sent. For James, the decision to stay in Australia meant more than just a new life, it meant leaving behind his family in Millwall, perhaps forever. His mother’s notice in the newspaper, searching for her vanished son, was a poignant reminder of the countless families torn apart by the tides of migration. Yet, for James, this disappearance was not an end, but a beginning—a chance to rewrite his story in a land where the past could be left behind.

A New Beginning

We don’t know if James(or Walter, as he may have been known) ever contacted his family back home, but we do know that he became a valuable member of society. After a brief stint in New South Wales, he establish himself as a respectable business man and mechanic in Victoria. His disappearance was not a tragic loss but a transformation. He was part of a broader pattern, one where migration was as much about reinvention as it was about movement. For some, migration meant carrying their past with them; for James, it meant leaving it behind entirely.

In the end, his journey was not just about the distance travelled but about the person he became along the way.

📘 Glossary of Colonial Terms and Phrases

To help readers unfamiliar with colonial and maritime terms, here’s a brief glossary explaining some of the words used in today’s post:

• Steward — A member of the ship’s crew responsible for serving meals and maintaining passenger accommodations.

• Tween-decks — The space between the decks of a ship, often used for cargo or steerage passengers.

• Emigrant Steamer — A steamship specially designed or adapted to carry emigrants to new colonies.

• Stowaway — A person who hides on a ship to travel without paying for passage.

• Disembark — To leave a ship and go ashore.

• Unassisted Immigrant — Someone who migrated without receiving financial support from government or private immigration schemes.

Blog Post Meta Data

The URL for this post is https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2025/04/x-is-for-xmas-at-sea-and-gift-of-new.html,  originally published on 28 April 2025

Author 2025, Sandra Williamson

Thank you for reading. Sources and further references are listed below.

i  1885 'Shipping.', Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), 7 February, p. 39. , viewed 02 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71023367

ii  Passenger List: "New South Wales, Australia, Unassisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1826-1922" Ancestrycom (accessed 13 April 2022) Entry for Crew member James Willoughby aged19 born Bermondsey working as a Steward; on the vessel Nurjahan Departed London; Arrived 2 Feb 1885 in Sydney, New South Wales; 23 unnumbed entry on page 2 of the Arrival List of Crew & Passengers for the voyage

iii  1885 'Shipping.', Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), 7 February, p. 39. , viewed 07 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71023367

iv  1885 'SHIPPING.', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 5 February, p. 4. , viewed 07 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13581796

v  1885 '[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAM.] MOUNT NELSON.', The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), 8 January, p. 2. , viewed 28 Feb 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9098647

vi  1885 'Along the Wharves.', Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931), 29 January, p. 4. , viewed 02 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111173630

vii  1885 'Shipping.', Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), 7 February, p. 39. , viewed 02 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71023367

viii  1885 'Shipping.', Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), 7 February, p. 39. , viewed 02 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71023367

ix  1885 'ARRIVAL OF THE S.S. NURJAHAN.', The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), 20 January, p. 2. , viewed 01 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9099231

x 1884 'OUR CABLE NEWS.', Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899), 29 December, p. 2. , viewed 28 Feb 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90552963

xi 1885 'THE TARIFF CONFERENCE.', The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), 22 January, p. 2. , viewed 01 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9099328

xii 1885 'LOCAL AND GENERAL.', Tasmanian News (Hobart, Tas. : 1883 - 1911), 21 January, p. 2. , viewed 01 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article163519143

xiii 1885 'LOCAL AND GENERAL.', Tasmanian News (Hobart, Tas. : 1883 - 1911), 20 January, p. 2. , viewed 01 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article163519109

xiv 1885 'A DISTRESSING CASE.', Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899), 8 January, p. 2. , viewed 01 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38294355

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

xvi 1885 'THE MERCURY.', The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), 21 January, p. 2. , viewed 02 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9099275

xvii  MISSING FRIENDS. (1901, April 13). Evening Journal (Adelaide, SA : 1869 - 1912), p. 6. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207944213

W is for Waves of Ancestor Immigration

 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 W.

They came not all at once, but in steady, determined waves. The Thomas family, miners from Cornwall, were drawn halfway across the world by the lure of gold and the hope of a better life. Some came early, swept along by the promise of prosperity. Others followed later, reuniting with husbands, brothers, or children who had gone ahead. Eventually, they would all come to settle in Eaglehawk, Victoria, where their name would be remembered among the early pioneers of the district.

🧭 Migration in Waves: The Bassett and Thomas Families’ Journeys to Australia

Migration is rarely a single leap—it’s a series of choices, connections, and courageous departures, often unfolding over decades. For both the Bassett and Thomas families, the journey from Cornwall to Victoria was made in waves, shaped by opportunity, family ties, and the practicalities of 19th-century travel.

This post traces two interconnected family migrations to Eaglehawk, Victoria. Though they began independently, these families would eventually converge through marriage, work, and community life on the Victorian goldfields.

---

🧭 Bassett Family Migration Timeline

(Cornwall → Eaglehawk, Victoria)
Patriarch: John Bassett Sr. (my 3rd great-grandfather)

The Bassett family's journey from Cornwall to Victoria unfolded in multiple waves across more than a decade. At the centre of the story is John Bassett [II], whose early voyages to Australia in 1853 & 1854 appear to have been scouting trips, likely undertaken on behalf of a mining company. These early ventures laid the groundwork for the broader family migration that followed from 1857 onwards. For clarity, generational numbers in square brackets (e.g., John Bassett [III]) are editorial and used to distinguish individuals with the same name.

🔍 Reconnaissance Trip 1 – 1853ⁱ

May 1853 – Aboard the Marco Polo

• John Bassett [II] (aged 53) – son of John Sr.

• John Bassett [III] (aged 32) – grandson of John Sr.
  ▸ Likely travelled on behalf of the Colonial Gold Mining Company to explore quartz reef prospects.
  ▸ Returned to Cornwall soon after, possibly to report back or recruit others.

🔸 Reconnaissance Trip 2 – 1857ⁱⁱ

January 1854 – Marco Polo (again)

• John Bassett [II] re-enters Australia alone.
  ▸ Believed to have made multiple trips between Cornwall and Victoria.

🔸 First Wave – 1857

July 1857 – Aboard the Royal Charter

• John Bassett [III] and wife Catherine (née Davey)ⁱⁱⁱ

• Children:
  • Francis (11)
  • John (10)
  • Catherine (8)
  • Martha (6)

• William Bassett (aged 40) – brother of John Bassett [III]; travelled independently.^iv

• Stephen Davey (aged 36) – brother-in-law to Catherine; travelled independently.^v

🔸 Second Wave – 1861

December 1861 – SS Great Britain (Voyage 21)^vi

• John Bassett Sr. (aged 70) and wife Martha (née Carbis) (aged 65)

• Daughters:
  • Ann Davey and her husband, with children
  • Martha Rowe and her husband, with children

• Eleanor Symons – listed passenger, soon to marry James Bassett, another son of the family.

🔸 Third Wave – 1866^vii

February 1866 – Aboard the True Britain

• Martha Bassett – wife of William Bassett

• Children:
  • Mary (22)
  • Elizabeth (15)
  • Matilda J. (17, likely Martha Jr.)
  • John (12)
  • Nanny (23)

---

🧭 Thomas Family Migration Timeline

(Cornwall → Chewton, Victoria, Australia)
Patriarch: John Thomas (my 3rd great-grandfather)

🔹 First Wave – 1857

Ship: Shakespeare (ticket 4054)^viii
Destination: Geelong

• Mary Thomas (aged 27) – eldest daughter, married (now Mary Williams)

• Richard Williams – Mary’s husband

• Children:

• Eliza (aged 3) and

• Sarah (aged 1)

• William Thomas (aged 21) – son, miner

• Michael Thomas (aged 20) – son, miner

🔹 Second Wave – 1861

Ship: Red Jacket (tickets 6155 & 6157)^ix
Destination: Melbourne

• John Thomas (aged 56) – patriarch, labourer; likely came ahead to assess opportunities

• James Thomas (aged 17) – youngest living son, labourer

🔹 Third Wave – 1865

Ship: Forest Rights (ticket 359)^x

• Margaret Thomas nee Smith – matriarch (3rd great-grandmother)

• Sarah (aged 20) – unmarried daughter

• Margaret (aged 17) – my 2^nd great-grandmother

• Eliza A. Kemp (aged 25) – married woman, sister-in-law to Robert Thomas (wife of Susan Kempe Thomas)

🔹 Fourth Wave – 1865

Ship: Ocean Empress (ticket 46298)^xi

• Robert Thomas – son

• Susan (née Kemp) – Robert’s wife

🔹 Fifth Wave – circa 1894

Ship: Unknown
Estimated Arrival: Between 1891 and 1894

• Elizabeth Stevens – daughter, widowed
  ▸ Settled in Eaglehawk; obituary notes she had been there 20 years before her death.
  ▸ May have travelled with her daughter to Sydney in 1892, or shortly after.

---

🔗 Tying the Threads Together

While the Bassetts and Thomases began their Australian journeys separately, their stories run in parallel, marked by careful planning, staggered departures, and family reunions in the colonial goldfields. By the late 1860s, both families were well established in Victoria, a growing mining town that attracted Cornish settlers with familiar granite hills and a thriving Methodist community.

These migration waves show the complexity and fluidity of 19th-century family relocation—far from a single ship voyage, they involved scouting trips, return journeys, and the gradual reuniting of kin across oceans. For descendants like me, they offer a powerful glimpse into how two family lines converged in a new land and laid the foundation for generations to come.

Like the Thomas family, the Bassetts did not arrive in Australia all at once. Their migration spanned more than a decade, driven largely by the gold mining opportunities in Victoria and sustained by deep family ties and determination.

Both families reflect the broader Cornish migration story, where skilled miners left familiar ground to build new lives across the globe, bringing their families with them in stages.
Ultimately, these waves of movement converged in places like Eaglehawk, where families not only found work but helped shape pioneering communities in colonial Australia.

🔍 Conclusion By viewing these two migration stories side-by-side, we can better understand how interconnected and complex family migration patterns could be during the Gold Rush and settlement eras. Both the Bassett and Thomas families used phased migration strategies—sending scouts ahead, supporting extended kin, and responding to opportunity and adversity along the way.

Together, their timelines sketch a shared narrative of resilience, risk, and reinvention in 19th-century Australia.

Blog Post Meta Data

The URL for this post is https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2025/04/w-is-for-waves-of-ancestor-immigration.html,  originally published on 26 April 2025

Author 2025, Sandra Williamson

Sources:

i Passenger Listing John Basett (55)& John Bassett(32) on the Ship "Marco Polo" 12 March 1853. Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. VPRS 947/P0000, Apr - May 1853 (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3402227A-F96C-11E9-AE98-FF6251ADC8F4?image=272 accessed 26 april 2025)

ii Passenger Listing John Bassett(33) on the Ship "Marco Polo" 9 November 1853. Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. VPRS 947/P0000, Jan - Mar 1854 (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3AF2902C-F96C-11E9-AE98-6F3E4C825073?image=208 accessed 26 april 2025)

iii Passenger Listing John Bassett(36), his wife and children ticket # 256 on the ship “Royal Charter” 15 May 1857 page 2. Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. VPRS 947/P0000, Jul - Sep 1857 (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B05F129-F96C-11E9-AE98-27F6998F8082?image=113 accessed 26 April 2025)

iv Passenger Listing for William Basset(40), ticket # 152 on the ship “Royal Charter” 15 May 1857 page 4. Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. VPRS 947/P0000, Jul - Sep 1857 (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B05F129-F96C-11E9-AE98-27F6998F8082?image=109 accessed 26 April 2025)

v Passenger Listing for Stephen Davey(36), ticket # 153 on the ship “Royal Charter” 15 May 1857 page 4. Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. VPRS 947/P0000, Jul - Sep 1857 (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B05F129-F96C-11E9-AE98-27F6998F8082?image=109 accessed 26 April 2025)

vi Passenger Listing 2754 John & Martha Bassett and Miss Samions on the Ship "Great Britain" 19 October 1861. Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. VPRS 947/P0000, Sep - Dec 1861 (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B1D49CA-F96C-11E9-AE98-BB631F4E00E4?image=244 accessed 26 April 2025)

vii Passenger Listing 47530 for Martha Bassett and family on the ship “True Briton” 8 November 1866 Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. VPRS 947/P0000, Jan - Jun 1866 (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B2F7247-F96C-11E9-AE98-B31157B3D9B4?image=174:accessed 26 April 2025)

viii Passenger Listing 9054 for Rd Williams, wife & children & Wm & Michl Thomas on the ship “Shakspeare” 21 September 1857 Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. VPRS 947/P0000, Oct - Dec 1857 (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B0750BA-F96C-11E9-AE98-19084F8A768F?image=345 : accessed 26 April 2025)

ix Passenger Listing 6155 John Thomas(56) & 6157 James Thomas on the Ship “Red Jacket”2 February 1861, Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria.VPRS 947/P0000, Jan - Apr 1861 (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B19C758-F96C-11E9-AE98-83A363F01077?image=190 : accessed 26 April 2025)

x Passenger Listing 359 Margt Thomas(57), Eliza A Kemp(25), Margt Thomas(17) & Sarah Thomas(20) on the ship “Forest Rights” 8 October 1864. Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. VPRS 947/P0000, Jan - Apr 1865 (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B2BA1B4-F96C-11E9-AE98-EF0B184FC7D3?image=102: accessed 26 April 2025)

xi Passenger Listing 46298 Robt Thomas(22) & Susan Thomas(21) on the ship “Ocean Express” 10 April 1865. Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria. VPRS 947/P0000, May - Aug 1865 (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B2CDA35-F96C-11E9-AE98-B794787000F6?image=193: accessed 26 April 2025)

V is for Vessels Repurposed for Varied Voyages

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 V.

Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, convicts going aboard [picture]

Date : 4/13/25 10:21 PM https://nla.gov.au:443/nla.obj-13593408 Out of copyright

The Story of the Marquis of Hastings

When my 3rd great-grandfather Thomas Crump and his wife Rebecca arrived in Sydney in 1841, they did so aboard a ship with a long and varied past: the Marquis of Hastings. Originally built in 1819 in London, the vessel had served many purposes — from transporting convicts to sailing the East India trade routes, and eventually bringing assisted immigrants like my ancestors to Australia.

Its story is one of adaptation, repurposing, and, at times, decline. Here’s a closer look at the evolving roles of the Marquis of Hastings.

Timeline & Known Voyages

Convict Transport Voyages to Port Jackson (1825–1828)

• 1825–26 – Voyage (1) Departed London 17 December 1825 under Master William Ostler → Arrived 3 January 1826 Sydney.ⁱ

• 1827 – Voyage (2) Departed Portsmouth 18 April 1827 under Master John Drake → Arrived 31 July 1827 at Port Jacksonⁱⁱ

• 1828 – Voyage (3) Departed London under John Jeffrey Drake → Arrived 12 October 1828 in Port Jackson.^{iii iv}

“In 1828, the average expense for passage of each of the male prisoners... the lowest [being] the Marquis of Hastings, at £24 9s. 6d.”^v

The low cost suggests that accommodations aboard were strictly functional, with minimal comfort for the convicts on board.

East India Trade and Passenger Service (from 1835 to 1839):

After 1828, the ship appears to have undergone refurbishment. By 1835, she was advertised as a:

“fine first-class river-built Barque, Marquis of Hastings, 452 tons register... splendid accommodations for Passengers. A plan of her Cabins may be seen at the office … She carries a surgeon.”^vi

These improvements were likely aimed at attracting paying customers, especially those seeking passage to and from India.

However, the improvements likely applied to paying cabin passengers — not to those travelling in steerage or under government schemes. It’s quite probable that many of the ship's earlier features (e.g., barred partitions, poor ventilation) remained intact for lower-class passengers.

Return to Convict Transport: Hobart Town (1839)

• 1839 – Departed London 16 March 1839 under Captain Henry Naylor → Arrived 17 July 1839 in Hobart Town.^vii The ship transported 240 male convicts to Van Diemen’s Land in 1839, with 7 deaths en route. 

This marked a return to penal transport, indicating a possible downturn in commercial viability as a passenger ship.

• In July 1841 also show the ship in service between Sydney, Madras, and Calcutta, identifying her as a trading and passenger vessel.^viii Possibly with a stronger focus on trade rather than passengers

Assisted Immigration to Port Jackson (1840–1841)

• 1840-1841 – Departed Plymouth on 12 October, 1840 under Captain H. Carr, → Arrived late December 1841 in Port Jackson assisted immigrants, including my ancestor Thomas Crump and his wife Rebecca.^ix

Return to convict voyages to Van Demons Land (1842)

• 1842 – Departed London 16 July 1842 under Captain John Biddle → Arrived 6 November 1842 in Hobart Town^x

The return to convict transport after only one known assisted immigration voyage may reflect dissatisfaction with the ship’s suitability or economic pressures influencing its use.

Its 1842 return to convict transport suggests the 1841 immigrant experiment was short-lived, possibly due to colonial dissatisfaction or financial incentives.^xi

Implications for Assisted Immigrants Travelling in 1841

Thomas Crump and Rebecca (née Underhill) embarked on the Marquis of Hastings in 1841 as assisted immigrants, part of a broader colonial effort to attract labourers under the bounty scheme. Their experience would have been shaped by the ship’s history, bureaucratic incentives, and their personal circumstances.

By 1841, colonial authorities were increasingly critical of bounty ships (Marquis of Hastings’ 1841 voyage likely fell under this scheme). Immigrants on repurposed convict ships faced stricter eligibility checks upon arrival, with higher rejection rates if conditions onboard were deemed inadequate.^xii

The Marquis of Hastings’ dual history as a convict transport and passenger vessel suggests that accommodations during its 1841 assisted immigrant voyage were likely basic at best. While some parts of the ship may have been upgraded during its East India trade period, these improvements would not necessarily have extended to steerage-class passengers. The lingering influence of its convict-era design—combined with cost-cutting measures typical of assisted immigration schemes—likely resulted in cramped, uncomfortable conditions for most immigrants onboard.

Conclusion

The Marquis of Hastings underwent significant changes between its roles as a convict transport and passenger vessel. While it had been upgraded for East India trade by 1835, its return to convict transport in 1839 suggests that accommodations for assisted immigrants in 1841 were likely basic and utilitarian rather than luxurious. For Thomas and Rebecca Crump, this voyage would have been physically taxing but ultimately life-changing as they embarked on a new chapter in colonial Australia.

📚 Sources – Lloyd’s Register of Shipping

[Explanation: Lloyd’s Register is best known for its classifications and certification of ships, providing key technical and ownership details.]

Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (1840), HathiTrust Archive: Marquis of Hastings, 452 tons, Captain Nailor   Page 357 [Explanation: Confirms this is the correct convict ship, despite the spelling variation in the captain’s surname from “Naylor” to “Nailor.”]

Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (1841): HathiTrust Archive: Marquis of Hastings, 452 tons Captain Carr, Page 388 Destined Voyage: Lond & TSds40 [Explanation: “Lond & TSds40” most likely indicates the vessel was listed for a voyage between London and Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land), scheduled or recorded in 1840 and carried forward into the 1841 register.]

Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (1844): HathiTrust Archive: Marquis of Hastings, 452 tons Captain Biddle, Page 388 Destined Voyage: London Hob Tn [Explanation: Confirms this is the same convict ship, now listed on a voyage to Hobart Town.]

Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (1846): HathiTrust Archive: Marquis of Hastings, 452 tons Captain Biddle, Page 377 Destined Voyage: London to S Leone [Explanation: Shows the ship still in operation, but no longer voyaging to Australia; listed instead for a voyage to Sierra Leone.]

Blog Post Meta Data

The URL for this post is https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2025/04/v-is-for-vessels-repurposed-for-varied.html,  originally published on 25 April 2025

Author 2025, Sandra Williamson

Footnotes

i Free Settler of Felon: Convict and Colonial History website, Convict Ship Marquis of Hastings (1) – 1826 webpage (accessed https://freesettlerorfelon.com/convict_ship_marquis_of_hastings_1826.htm : 25 april 2025)

ii Free Settler of Felon: Convict and Colonial History website, Convict Ship Marquis of Hastings (2) – 1827 webpage (accessed https://freesettlerorfelon.com/convict_ship_marquis_of_hastings_1827.htm : 25 april 2025)

iii Free Settler of Felon: Convict and Colonial History website, Convict Ship Marquis of Hastings (3) – 1828 webpage (accessed https://freesettlerorfelon.com/convict_ship_marquis_of_hastings_1828.htm : 25 april 2025)

iv Ancestry.com. Tasmania, Australia, Passenger Arrivals, 1829-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Barque Marquis of Hastings entry page 370 in the Selected Immigration Books from the Archive Office of Tasmania. Tasmania, Australia: Archives Office of Tasmania.

v The Sydney Herald. (1833, June 17). The Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 - 1842), p. 2. Retrieved April 25, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12847024 [Explanation: gives the cost of sending individual convicts out on this vessel in 1828]

vi Advertising (1838, January 30). The Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 - 1848), p. 3. Retrieved April 14, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36854115) [Explanation: announcement that the ship has been refitted for the East India Trade]

vii Passengers in History 1836 website, Vessel Marquis of Hastings webpage, Vessel Marquis of Hastings – 1839, webpage (accessed https://passengers.history.sa.gov.au/node/1001668 : 25 april 2025)

viii FIBIS website, Bombay Times Newspapers, 21 July 1841, Arrivals to Indian ports listed in the Bombay Times in 1841:Marquis of Hastings from Embarked Madras from Sydney destination Calcutta,Transcribed by D Edge, J Birtles , J Alder, D Freer, A Hamblen, A Webb, D Moore, A Goodchild, and R Ryan (accessed at https://fibis.ourarchives.online/ : 25 April 2025)

ix Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828-1896 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007; Passenger record for Thomas Crump, who arrived on 4 February 1841 on the vessel Marquis of Hastings in New South Wales Australia from Goudhurst, Kent, Citing State Records Authority of New South Wales; Kingswood New South Wales, Australia; Entitlement certificates of persons on bounty ships; Series: 5314;Reel: 1333

x Passengers in History 1836 website, Vessel Marquis of Hastings webpage, Vessel Marquis of Hastings – 1842, webpage (accessed https://passengers.history.sa.gov.au/node/1001669 : 25 april 2025)

xi The Sydney Herald. (1833, June 17). The Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 - 1842), p. 2. Retrieved April 14, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12847024 [Explanation: confirming that In 1828 only charged £28 15s. 6d. as opposed to £24 9s. 6d, possibly indicating the quality of the vessels accomodations.]

xii Were Bounty Immigrants Good or Bad for the Colonies? Copyright © by Leone Huntsman from DESCENT, the Journal of the Society of Australian Genealogists: December 2001 - pp.174-179. Reprinted with permission (11 Aug. 2020) accessed at https://www.fairhall.id.au/resources/journey/good_or_bad.htm 14 April 2025)

U is for Untangling Connections

 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 U.

Genealogy often feels like a puzzle—one where the pieces aren't always neatly labelled. Sometimes, it's only by looking closely at who travelled together or who appeared under the same roof in a census that we begin to uncover hidden relationships. This kind of detective work is especially important when trying to untangle the connections between people sharing a surname, a household, or even just a ship's manifest. Below are two such cases from my own family history where the context of travel helped clarify longstanding mysteries.

When examining British census records, we always look at everyone in a household to see how they might be connected or related. The same approach applies when reviewing groups of individuals travelling together—shared surnames, ages, and relationships can help us piece together their stories.

Here are two examples from my own family history:

---

Case Study One: Eleanor Symons

Eleanor first came to Australia in 1861 as part of a larger family group aboard the SS Great Britain (Voyage 21), which arrived in Melbourne on 23 December 1861. She was travelling to join the family of her intended husband, James Bassett. The passenger list shows the following groupings (my comments in parentheses):ⁱ

Group 1

• John Bassett, aged 70

• Mrs. M. Bassett, aged 65

• Miss Samions, aged 27 (should read Symons—soon to be wife of James Bassett)

Group 2

• Mrs. Ann Davey, aged 35 (née Bassett)

• Elizabeth Davey, aged 16

• Jane Davey, aged 18

• John Davey, aged 12

• Stephen Davey, aged 9

Group 3

• James Rowe, aged 38

• Mrs. Rowe, aged 32 (née Martha Bassett)

• Julia Rowe, aged 8

• Martha Rowe, aged 5

• Nanney Rowe, aged 1

Had Eleanor not been travelling with her future in-laws, we might never have identified her on the passenger list. She appears as "Miss Samions"—a misspelling that could easily have concealed her identity. But her connection to the Bassett family, clearly visible in the groupings, combined with a newspaper announcement of her marriage to James Bassett just two weeks later, confirmed who she really was.ⁱⁱ

"On the 9th instant at Forest Street by the Rev. G. Daniel. Mr James Bassett, late of Crowan, Cornwall, now of Sailor's Gully. Bendigo to Miss Eleanor Symons recently from Hayle, Cornwall, England”ⁱⁱⁱ

Case Study Two: Eliza A. Kemp aka Elizabeth Ann Murton Barnicoat

Eliza travelled to Australia aboard the Forest Rights, a full-rigged ship of 1,154 tons under Captain Duke. Among 143 steerage passengers bound for Melbourne, she was listed as follows (Passenger List Entry #364, arriving January 1865):^iv

1. Margaret Thomas, aged 57, married – mother

2. Eliza A. Kemp, aged 25 – sister of Susan (Kempe) Thomas (1842-1900) (wife of Margaret’s son, Robert Thomas)

3. Margaret Thomas, aged 17, unmarried – daughter

4. Sarah Thomas, aged 20, unmarried – daughter

For a long time, no one knew who "Eliza A. Kemp" was. The mystery is now resolved. Eliza was the sister-in-law of Susan Kemp, who had married Robert Thomas. Elizabeth was actually Elizabeth Ann Murton Barnicoat, who married Joseph Kemp, Susan’s brother, on 12 December 1858 in Par, Cornwall, England. She was the daughter of John Barnicoat, maltster; Joseph was a miner, son of William Kemp.

Their family story, however, is a tragic one. All three of Elizabeth’s children died young:

1. William Kempe, born early 1859 in the St Austell district, died in infancy.

2. Laura Kemp, born early 1861, died aged 2 in early 1863.

3. Elizabeth Kemp, born in 1866 in California Gully, Victoria, Australia, died at just 11 months in 1867.

Elizabeth herself passed away from typhoid fever in 1866, aged just 28, and was buried in Eaglehawk Cemetery, Victoria. Her story is a poignant reminder of the many hardships faced by young immigrant women in the 19th century.

Conclusion

Both Eleanor and Eliza remind me that understanding family history isn’t just about collecting names and dates—it’s about uncovering the lives and losses behind those records. Ships became floating households, and passenger lists sometimes held as many clues as parish registers or census records. In Elizabeth’s case, what began as a journey toward a new life ended in heartbreak, with the loss of all her children and her own life cut short. These stories may be hard to read, but they are part of the fabric of our history—and honouring them is part of what makes this kind of research so powerful.

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/u-is-for-untangling-connections.htm originally published on 24 April 2025.

Footnotes:

i  Passenger Manifest of Great Britain, arrived 24 December October 1861, VPRS 947/P0000, Sep - Dec 1861 (accessed Images 240 https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B1D49CA-F96C-11E9-AE98-BB631F4E00E4?image=240 to 248 https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B1D49CA-F96C-11E9-AE98-BB631F4E00E4?image=248 : 24 April 2025) [research Note there are several blank pages interrupting the passenger listings]

ii Marriage Certificate James Bassett and Ellenor Symons, Registry of Birth, Death and Marriages, Victoria, Australia, (399/1962)

iii 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

iv Passengers Listed on the Forest Rights, arriving January 1865 under # 364, Margt Thomas(57), Eliza A Kemp(25), Margt Thomas(17) & Sarah(20); VPRS 947/P0000, Jan - Apr 1865, (accessed https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B2BA1B4-F96C-11E9-AE98-EF0B184FC7D3?image=102 : 20 April 2025 [image 102 to 228])