N is Not for Gold

A Journey Through Migration and Resilience

As part of this year’s A to Z Blog Challenge, I’ve been tracing the footsteps of my ancestors through the journeys that brought them to Australia. Today’s story unfolds during one of the most transformative times in the nation’s early history—the gold rush. But this is not a tale of gold fever. It’s the story of my ancestor, John Ebbott, whose migration from Cornwall was motivated not by riches, but by health, faith, and a desire for a better life.

The Gold Rush: A Backdrop to a Different Journey

The discovery of gold in 1851 ignited a migration boom, drawing people from Britain, Europe, North America, and China. The period saw a surge in both assisted and unassisted migration, as hopefuls poured into the Australian colonies. Between 1832 and 1850, about 127,000 assisted migrants had arrived, making up nearly 70% of all immigrants. But after the gold discovery, these numbers soared. By the 1850s, around 230,000 assisted migrants made their way to Australia, forming half of all newcomers.

The frenzy left entire industries short of labour, prompting governments to redouble their efforts in attracting migrants to sustain growing towns and rural communities. This was the Australia that John Ebbott arrived in—but his reasons for coming were very different.

A Different Kind of Journey: The Story of John Ebbott

John Ebbott came from a farming family in Cornwall. One of three brothers who emigrated, he was the only one to choose Australia. Accompanied by his wife Sarah (listed as Sally on the shipping passenger list) and their children—John Jr., Philip, Emma, and William—John departed from Plymouth on the Gloucester on April 30, 1852.

His decision was shaped by a recent brush with typhoid fever. According to a biography published in a Wesleyan Church periodical, John hoped that a warmer climate would help restore his health. Family tradition also holds that the brothers spread out across the globe to share their faith, possibly suggesting a spiritual mission as well.

At the time of their departure, the Ebbotts lived in West Gate, Launceston, Cornwall, as recorded in the 1851 census. They left behind familiarity and community for the unknown.

The Voyage: Trials at Sea

The journey to Adelaide took over three months. Tragically, young William Ebbott died of gastroenteritis on the day they arrived—August 12, 1852. Family accounts say he was buried on the banks of the Torrens River. Despite this devastating loss, John was determined to carry on.

Life After Arrival: From Adelaide to Victoria

Just two months after arriving in South Australia, the Ebbott family relocated to Victoria, where John began working toward land ownership. Records from 1858 confirm that John purchased land in the County of Talbot.

Farming in colonial Victoria was harsh. According to his biography, John endured years of hardship—losing cattle to disease, and in 1865, watching his home and livelihood go up in flames during the Black Monday bushfires. Seven years’ worth of labour—fences, hay, crops—gone.

Still, he persevered. In 1861, John was appointed a class leader at Chapel Hill in Fryerstown, cementing his role as a spiritual guide in the community.

A Legacy of Faith and Resilience

John Ebbott passed away in 1867, just two years after the devastating fires. He left behind a legacy defined not by gold, but by determination, resilience, and faith.

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📅 Timeline Notes: The Journey from Cornwall to Victoria

• 1851 – John and Sarah Ebbott living in Launceston, Cornwall with children[1]

• 30 Apr 1852 – Depart Plymouth aboard the Gloucester[2]

• 12 Aug 1852 – Arrival in Adelaide; son William dies of gastroenteritis[3]

• Late 1852 – Family relocates to Victoria[3][4]

• 1858 – John Ebbott purchases land in County of Talbot, Victoria[5]

• 1861 – John appointed class leader at Chapel Hill, Fryerstown[6]

• 1865 – Black Monday bushfires destroy homestead and livelihood[4]

• 1867 – John Ebbott dies in Victoria[7 & 8]

🔎 Timeline Source References

1. Free UK Genealogy "General Register Office: 1851 Census Returns database", FreeCEN (https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/6504e90ff493fdad99dd8bb5  : accessed 11 Apr 2025) [data about John EBBOTT in household of John EBBOTT]; citing Piece: 1899C Place: Launceston Enumeration District: 2a Civil Parish: Launceston St Mary Magdalene Ecclesiastical Parish: St Mary Magdalene Folio: 356 Page: 58 Schedule: 170 Address: West Gate. [Explanation: Locates the Ebbott family in Launceston, Cornwall prior to their migration.]

2. 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 despatched from Plymouth for Adelaide, South Australia p.2 (only John Ebbott is named and recored as Ag Lab, Selected from Cornwall, the rest of the family is numerically represented, only ages are given); 2. Certificate of Final Departure for the Gloucester (The Ebbott family appear on p.3 [Explanation: Confirms John Ebbott’s departure from Plymouth and arrival in Adelaide with family.]

3. Obituary of John Ebbott, The Wesleyan chronicle. (Publisher/Date: Melbourne : Shaw, Harnett & Co., 1857- ;  Location: Microfiche ; LTMF; Call Number: 131' Volume/Item: 1857:Oct. 1- 1875:Apr. 20;), 1867 page 8 Fiche 30. (hard copy only) [Explanation: Source describing John’s experience with typhoid fever and motivations for migration.]

4. CORRESPONDENCE. (1865, March 28). Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917), p. 2. Retrieved August 28, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207000884  [Explanation: Documents the destruction of John’s farm during the Black Monday bushfires.]

5. Victorian Crown Land Purchases, County of Talbot, 1859/50915, John Ebbott &Victorian Crown Land Purchases, County of Talbot,  1858/50914, 1858/50908 & 1859/50915, John Ebbott [Explanation: Confirms John’s acquisition of land in Victoria.]

6. THE GAZETTE. Appointments (1861, October 5). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 5. Retrieved August 30, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5704750  [Explanation: Confirms John Ebbott’s community role as a class leader in Fryerstown.]

7. Death Certificate John Ebbott 1867, Reference Registry of Birth, Death and Marriages, Victoria, Details Year 1867, Reference #8051 Original a certified copy. [Explanation: Confirms death of John Ebbott.]

8. ITEMS OF NEWS. (1867, February 4). Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917), p. 2. Retrieved April 11, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197542028  [Explanation: Confirms death of John Ebbott.]

• Background: National Museum of Australia, Defining Moments: Assisted migration. [Explanation: Provides background on the broader patterns of migration during the gold rush period.]

About the Ship:  Gloucester

• Built: 1852 in Sunderland

• owner: J. Lidgett of London

• Dimensions: 138.0 (length) x 28.4 (breadth) x 18.6 (depth), 531 tons

• Design: Full-rigged ship

For more information see: the following

• THE SUNDERLAND SITE website and go to the page by clicking the following link 26619 [the official No. of the ship]

• Passengers in History website Gloucester