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)