Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Passengers to Natal per William Ackers 1861

ARRIVAL OF WILLIAM ACKERS 7 September 1861


WILLIAM ACKERS, Barque, Capt J McMILLAN, 329 tons, departed London June 1.
64 Emigrants per list annexed. This vessel departed again for Mauritius on Nov 3 1861.

Passengers:
Abbott, Christopher
Beard, James R
Beard, Mary Ann
Beard, Mary Ann
Beard, James E
Crosse, Robert F
Crosse, Emeline
Crosse, Cecelia
Crosse, Frederick
Crosse, Bertha
Crosse, Claude
Dunn, Georgina
Jones, John T
Jones, Amy
Nimmo, Jane
Palmer, Thomas
Shearbridge, Charles
Turpins, Emma
Andrews, John
Algers, George
Algers, Susannah
Bailey, Alfred
Candile, Joseph
Candile, Isabella
Candile, John
Candile, James
Chadrock, William
Clarke, William
Dougworth, Henry
Edwards, Edward
Ellenor, David
Fran...?, William
Hick, Joseph
Harris, Henry
Hale, Thomas
Hoffman, Christian
Jordan, Mangarch
Lyth, Thomas
Leech, William
Leech, Sarah
Massey, Matthew
Pastell, John
Teasdale, Mary
Teasdale, William
Teasdale, Helen
Teasdale, Robert
Heaseed, George
Waters, Hannah
Wood, Robert
Wheeler, Robert
Woodhouse, William
Oppenheimer, Alfred
Woodhouse, Jane
Woodhouse, Thomas
Woodhouse, William
Woodhouse, George
Woodhouse, Frederick
Woodhouse, James
Charles Waters
Child Townsend

According to the immigration register this vessel had sailed from London on 1 June. Length of voyage from England to Natal varied considerably during the 1860s, partly because sailing vessels didn’t take anything resembling a straight course but tacked all over the ocean in pursuit of favourable winds. The clipper ships such as Priscilla and Verulam of the White Cross Line, built for speed, could do the trip in under two months. Priscilla set a record from Natal to England in November 1863 - 52 days – but that was exceptional.

William Ackers carried 64 emigrants, including Henry Dongworth or Dougworth, one of the Redhill reformatory boys mentioned in a series of posts on this blog.

The 1861 voyage was a once-off visit to Natal by the William Ackers.



Monday, May 28, 2018

Passengers to Natal: Priscilla 1860 steerage passengers


When the barque Priscilla arrived at Natal on 18 September 1860 she carried, apart from a few cabin passengers, a group of 100 Government emigrants. It was unusual for the newspapers of the time to include a full list of such emigrants - and these are the passengers who are generally of most interest to family historians, not the well-heeled ones who could afford to pay for their own passage and were not requiring assistance from the Government. On this occasion the emigrants in steerage were:




The shipping column of the Natal Mercury 20 September 1860 reported elsewhere:

ARRIVED

September 13 - Walter Glendining, brigantine, 111 tons, N Glendining, from Table Bay, September 1
JD Koch, agent

September 15 - Evangeline, barque, 231 tons, G Wigg, from London, sailed June 18
Evans and Churchill, agent
PASSENGERS
Mr and Mrs Blunt
Messrs
George Lyall
Hamilton McCreight
William Jalland
PJ Sanders
James Ellis

September 16 - Priscilla, barque 253 tons, G Brown from London, sailed June 10
W Hartley and Co, agents

PASSENGERS (Cabin)
Mr and Mrs Roach and infant
Mr and Mrs Crowder and five children

106 immigrants in Steerage [see list above]

SAILED

September 17 - Early Morn, barque, 315 tons, Lowry for Algoa Bay and London
Evans and Churchill, agents




Saturday, May 26, 2018

Souvenir Saturday: vandalism at Cenotaph, Durban


Shortly before the Remembrance Day commemoration in November last year (2017) the bronze plaques on the Cenotaph in Farewell Square, Durban, were stolen and vandalised. There has been no sign of any restoration of this important War Memorial since that date. 

Some of the stolen plaques were found at a scrap metal dealer's premises and eight arrests were made. However, as some of the plaques were cut up and otherwise damaged it is by no means certain that these could be repaired or if entirely new plaques should replace the originals.

It is regrettable that respect for such memorials to those who fought and gave their lives is not a feature among the current public of Durban. It is to be hoped that there will be some action taken to replace the plaques well in advance of Remembrance Day in November this year. The excuse is being made that this area is a crime scene. Incorrect: it was a crime scene, now it is a blot on the landscape and requires attention from the authorities. Fortunately, photographs exist of the original plaques which should enable accurate copies to be made. This should be a priority. It is our heritage which has been attacked and reparation is immediately due.







Inspecting the damage to the Cenotaph plaques


Thursday, May 24, 2018

Natal Photographer: Coney and portrait of Maud Swires




The subject of this cabinet photo is my grandmother as a child ca 1896. She was Maud Alice Swires, who later married Sydney Bartle Gadsden, son of Bluff lighthousekeeper, Thomas Alfred Gadsden. 

John W Coney, like other Natal photographers, diversified - he was an 'undertaker and cab proprietor' at 162 Chapel Street, Maritzburg in 1897 which is probably where the above studio portrait was taken. 






Coney's advertisement in the Natal Almanac 1897




Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Passengers to Natal per Norman 1863

ARRIVAL OF THE NORMAN, March 1 1863

Travelling on the Norman on this voyage was A NOON - Noon's Sugar Estate, owned by Messrs A H and A N Noon, was a 300 acre estate on the Isipingo River, in existence from about 1860 to at least 1863.

PASSENGERS
Mr and Mrs Walford
Mr Newton
Mrs Hellett
Mrs Becker and children and servant
Miss (? Meney) (?King)
Mrs Kennedy
Mr (?SG or ST) Hope
Mr Telford Smith
Mr Osborne
Lieut Malcolm
Messrs Glynn (2)
Mr A Noon
Rev FT Biccard
Mr Blackburn
Mr Lister
Mr AW Murray
Rev M Meering
Second Class
Mrs James and infant
Mrs Walker
From Port Elizabeth
Cabin
Mr and Mrs Cook
Mr and Mrs Scheepers
Mr Galt
Mr Wrench
Second Class
Mr L Dixon
Mr and Mrs Francis
Miss Francis
Mr J Appel
Mr and Mrs Breens
Mr and Mrs Shuttleworth and seven in family
Mr, Mrs and Miss Shuter




Noon's Sugar Mill, Isipingo, 1863. Note the turbanned Sirdar in charge of the
indentured labour. That may be Mr Noon himself on the horse. 





Monday, May 21, 2018

Passengers per various ships to Natal 1862

VARIOUS SHIPPING ARRIVALS Natal Witness July 11 1862
Eveline, Prince Alfred, Trader, Shakspeare (sic), Vanguard

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE
ARRIVED
July 2 - Eveline, schooner, 101 tons, Thomson, from London, sailed 8th March. Grant and Fradd, agents.
PASSENGERS
Messrs
E Woods
R Hutchinson
W Bateman
H Reeves
C Rice

July 2 - Prince Alfred, barque, 258 tons, Airth, from London, sailed 2nd May. AW Evans, agent.
PASSENGERS
Cabin
Mr and Mrs Bowness and children
Mr Watson
Mrs Stewart
Miss Laask
Mr and Mrs Randle
Mr and Mrs Baumbach and children
Messrs
Calderwood
Shaw
Mr and Mrs Robertson
Miss Brown
Mr and Mrs Dillon and three children
Second Cabin
Messrs
Fraser
Brookes
Holdborne

July 2nd - Trader, schooner, 190 tons, Macfarlane, from London, sailed 29th March. Gillespie and Co., agents.

July 2nd - Shakspeare, (sic) ship, 629 tons, Anderson, from London, sailed 15th March. Gillespie and Co., agents.
PASSENGERS
Cabin
Mr Soubys (3)
Messrs
Petch
Cotton
Mason
Strickland
Steerage
Messrs
Wheeler
Reynolds
Beale
Crowell
Watches (2)
Wakefield
Rainsford
Gordon
Bennet
Lazenby (2)

July 3rd - Vanguard, barque, 396 tons, Ridley, from Glasgow, sailed 9th April. McArthur, Muirhead, and Co., agents.
PASSENGERS
Messrs
WJ Erskine
D Erskine
A Caskie
Pennefather

July 7th - Joseph Maxwell, barque, 301 tons, Jenney, from Mauritius, sailed 11th June. Gillespie and Co., agents.

IN PORT
Sea Nymph, brig, 129 tons, Huthwaite, from Calcutta. W Smerdon, agent.
Evangeline, barque, 231 tons, Wigg, from London. AW Evans, agent.



Natal Witness 11 July 1862




Sunday, May 20, 2018

Victoria's children



Victoria, Albert and their family by Winterhalter, 1846


Victoria and Albert's 9 children were:

Victoria, Princess Royal
Born: 21 November 1840
Married: Prince Frederick William of Prussia
Died: 5 August 1901


Albert, Prince of Wales
Born: 9 November 1841
Married: Princess Alexandra of Denmark
Died: 6 May 1910


Princess Alice
Born: 25 April 1843
Married: Prince Louis of Hesse and the Rhine
Died: 14 December 1878


Prince Alfred
Born: 6 August 1844
Married: Marie, Grand Duchess of Russia
Died: 30 July 1900


Princess Helena
Born: 25 May 1846
Married: Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
Died: 9 June 1923


Princess Louise
Born: 18 March 1848
Married: John Campbell, Marquis of Lorne
Died: 3 December 1939


Prince Arthur
Born: 1 May 1850
Married: Princess Louise of Prussia
Died: 16 January 1942


Prince Leopold
Born: 7 April 1853
Married: Princess Helen of Waldeck-Pyrmont
Died: 28 March 1884


Princess Beatrice
Born: 14 April 1857
Married: Prince Henry of Battenberg
Died: 26 October 1944





Saturday, May 19, 2018

Souvenir Saturday: Queen Victoria's Wedding 10 February 1840




Victoria was 18 when she succeeded to the British throne in 1837. The big question was, who would she marry? She was lucky enough to find love as well as a good husband in the shape of Albert of Saxe-Coburg, a handsome and clever prince who shared Victoria's fondness for music. According to protocol, Victoria proposed to him and he accepted. They communicated in German but Albert soon made strides with English.

‘Oh!’, Victoria confided to her diary, ‘to feel I was, and am, loved by such an Angel as Albert was too great delight to describe! he is perfection … Oh! how I love and adore him I cannot say!!’ 

The wedding in February, the first marriage of a reigning English queen since Bloody Mary almost 300 years before, was held at 1pm in the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace. Victoria arrived in a procession of carriages from Buckingham Palace, to which she had moved to get away from her mother. She wore a white dress of heavy silk satin, trimmed with Honiton lace. She had a white lace veil and wore a diamond necklace and earrings as well as a sapphire brooch given her by Albert and she carried a wreath of orange blossoms, a symbol of fertility. Albert was in a British field marshal’s uniform and was escorted by a squadron of Life Guards. He entered the chapel to the strains of Handel’s ‘See, the conquering hero comes’, followed by Victoria, who was given away by her uncle the Duke of Sussex. Twelve young bridesmaids carried her train.
There was not remotely room in the chapel for the huge crowds that had gathered and which cheered the young couple at every chance. The wedding breakfast was held at Buckingham Palace and the wedding cake weighed 300 pounds. The newlyweds went off to Windsor Castle for a three-day honeymoon. Victoria described her wedding day as ‘the happiest day of my life!’ and the wedding night that followed as ‘most gratifying’. 

Albert and Victoria had nine children.







Acknowledgements to History Today
www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/queen-victorias-wedding

Friday, May 18, 2018

Minerva Wreck 1850: Press Report

WRECK OF THE MINERVA EMIGRANT SHIP.
July 5, 1850.

Early on Friday morning last, the booming of
several successive heavy guns, and the discharge
of rockets and blue lights from the outside 
anchorage-told the inhabitants of D'Urban, that some
disaster had occurred in the bay. Although
barely one o'clock, a.m., numbers were soon
hurrying towards the Point, their worst fears being
realised on arrival, by observing through the
gloom that a large ship was on the reef at the
extreme end of the bluff, on the opposite side of
the channel. Boats were speedily put in 
requisition, and a nearer view obtained, but it was quite
day break before it became certain that it was the
Minerva, a large teak-built East Indiaman,
that had only anchored in the bay two days
previously, which was in such a critical and
dangerous situation. As it was known, that of 267
emigrants she had brought from England, not
more than 40 had been landed the day previously
the greatest excitement prevailed as to the
ultimate consequences to those who remained on
board. Immediate endeavours, under the 
direction of Port Captain Bell, were made to open up
a communication with the crew of the ill fated
ship, and at length a line was successfully 
carried from on board to the shore by means of a
barrel to which it was attached. On this a large
hawser was then bent and properly secured to the
masthead crosstrees at one end, and to a huge
detached rock at the other. Slung in a travelling
cot formed out of a strong barrel, a sailor
soon descended the line in safety, and was
reconveyed with messages to the ship again, 
sufficiently demonstrating to the anxious passengers and
spectators a secure though necessarily protracted
escape from the scene of destruction to which
they were exposed.

It was about the same time that a volunteer
crew from the Henrietta barque, lying in the
bay, were capsized in the boat as they were
coming to the rescue. Many of the sailors 
succeeded ded in righting the boat amidst the surf, and
regaining the seats, but three of the number were
long struggling in the waves.
Fortunately two were driven on shore and
saved, although sadly hurt and almost exhausted,
the third sunk and was seen no more.
Another line in the meantime had been
brought from the Minerva by the life-boat
provided for such emergencies, and which on its
passage was actually dragged from its perilous
position when it struck upon the edge of the
outer reef, by a crowd of sympathlizing
spectators who rushed through the waves regardless of
consequences, and seized the boat for this
purpose. The rope being made fast on shore as
before, the boat returned for the first cargo of the
passengers, and the opportunity was taken by
the Government Emigration Officer, Mr. 
Macalroy, to board the vessel and assure the
emigrants by his presence of the facility with which
a landing might be effected. The disembarking
now proceeded with great activity. Such, how
ever, was the violence of the sea beating upon
the reef that almost every successive boat upon
striking was immediately filled with water, and
the greatest exertions combined with the greatest
coolness on the part of the boatmen was
required to keep them from being capsized.
Two of the ship's boats were soon bilged and
rendered useless, and one surf boat alone was
left to land upwards of 150 emigrants still
remaining on board. With what anxiety were her
several trips observed both by the spectators on
shore and the unfortunates who had yet to trust
themselves to this perilous means of escape. On
one occasion three sailors were washed com
pletely out of her, and thrown by the violence of
the breakers into deep water, two, however, were
almost as immediately cast back upon the rocks
with fearful violence, but saved by those around.
The third, less fortunate, was swimming for
upwards of a quarter of an hour amidst the waves,
exciting hopes and fears in the hearts of all who
witnessed this accident of the most painful
nature. After striving ineffectually to regain
the reef, Mr. Fusteer, the third mate of the
Minerva, turned his head to the ship and
made for the still water under her lee, spars,
hen-coops, and life buoys were thrown him from
the deck, and he succeeded at last in seizing one
of the latter, and was hauled on board almost ex
hausted, by the line attached.

On board the vessel Captain Moir superintended
the disembarkation of the emigrants,
whilst Port Captain Bell, at the head of a
resolute and persevering band of volunteers, received
them on landing. On each trip, just at the
point of greatest danger along the line of the
outer reef, men were stationed with ropes at
once to cast into the boat, for all who would to
cling to them, and throw themselves into the
water, others rushed to the head of the beating
boat and either lifted her bodily into a
safer position, or dragged out of the water
contained in her, the almost lifeless women and
children.

At length, all the emigrants, of whom up
wards of forty were children, being landed with
out loss of a single life, Mr Macalroy, along with
the acting health officer of the port, who had 
accompanied him on hoard, returned to the shore.
Two more boats, full of sailors and officers of the
ship completed the disembarkment. The first of
these was the bilged life boat which had been
hastily repaired by Captain Glendinning of the
Gem, and sent again to the ship. By this a
party of the sailors endeavored to make the shore
but were upset at the reef, and were all 
precipitated into the water. Individuals in all 
directions were seen swimming and floating amidst
the roaring waves, a rush of the spectators on
shore towards the spot was made, and by 
exertions almost superhuman the whole were dragged
out of the water, some seriously injured, and
three nearly drowned. To these latter of course
immediate attention was paid. Every means
were adopted for their resuscitation, and success
at length crowned the efforts that were made to
restore them to life. In the last boat came
Capitain Moir and the Surgeon Mr Prentice; of
the former, we must say, his conduct on board
during the painful proceedings of the day was
calm and collected, and after the expression of
their own losses and sufferings, all the emigrants
were unanimous in expressing regret and 
sympathy for the situation of their late commander.
To the port boat's crew, including the well
known names of Archer, Hodges, and Viney,
much of the credit is due for the manner in which
the landing of the emigrants was effected under
the circumstances of such a heavy sea and surf
breaking upon the rocks.

Within the next twenty-four hours scarcely a
vestige of the ill-fated Minerva was to be
seen, the waves having washed everything away
with the exception of a few beams and ribs
connecting her keel, with the timbers of her bow
or head. During the next ten days also, the
shores of the bluff; of the inner harbor, and of
the back beach, were strewed with the remains
of the cargo, emigrants' chests and stores of all
descriptions. These as they floated in or were
washed up, were removed to beyond high water
mark, and a police, judiciously selected, placed
in charge; still numerous robberies were effected
during the nights of Saturday and Sunday. 
Several sailors and others are in custody as being
implicated.

The public sale of the debis and the right of
beach takes place on Tuesday, at the bluff, and
in the meantime, a most exciting scene occurs
daily in front of the custom house at the point,
where all the floating and cast up things are
brought to as a depot, and where the desponding
owners are in constant attendance, selecting,
identifying, and seeking for their own, among
the numerous damaged and disfigured chests,
packages, and clothes, displayed for that
purpose.


Thursday, May 17, 2018

The Minerva wreck: Captain Bell's role


Captain William Bell's duties as Port Captain at Durban were very much of the hands-on variety. The most famous shipwreck Bell had to deal with was that of the Minerva. A former East Indiaman of 987 tons, built in Bombay in 1812, this vessel came to grief on the rocks below the Bluff on 4 July 1850 when her cables parted.  
She was the largest ship chartered by Byrne and brought the most emigrants carried by one ship. Each emigrant family had brought the pick of their household treasures, items which in many instances were irreplaceable.
The Minerva dropped anchor in the outer anchorage about 10 a.m. and Byrne’s agent, Moreland, went out in the port boat to welcome his own wife and children who were on board. The passage had taken 67 days.
On July 4th some of the passengers were landed and arrangements were made for trans-shipping heavier goods. After midnight came the sound of a signal gun. It was assumed that another vessel was arriving but when the firing continued it became clear that a ship was in distress. Fires were lit on the Bluff and on the Point, and by this light it could be seen that the ship was the Minerva, stuck fast on a reef at the foot of the Bluff. At 3 a.m. a boat from the barque Henrietta (which had arrived meanwhile and was lying at anchor) bravely attempted to approach but capsized in the surf; 4 crewmen were pulled ashore by rescuers but the fifth man, the 2nd mate of the Henrietta, was swept away and drowned. He was the only casualty.
By now most of Durban’s population were at the scene, with soldiers from the Port garrison, Custom House officials and personages such as W S Field, G C Cato and, of course, the Port Captain.
Donald Moodie, Colonial Secretary, happened to be in Durban, about to travel to Table Bay on the schooner Rosebud. He was an ex Naval lieutenant and understood the situation, so his advice was welcomed; he later paid generous tribute later to various helpers:
‘Poor Captain Bell had just been ordered and taken a hot bath when turned out of his bed to stand all day in the surf.  His coolness and skill were conspicuous.’
Moodie also mentioned that ‘The ship lay so still … it was thought she would last all night and that it was better to leave the residue of people and crew (about 50) on board till the morning. Bell and I did not think so …’ *
They were certainly proved right – the Minerva was dashed to pieces on the rocks during the night, but those on board were by then safely ashore.
Within 24 hours wreckage was strewn for miles along the beaches.  It had been a successful rescue with everyone behaving most courageously. However, scarcely any of the settlers’ possessions were saved – it was estimated that 300 tons of personal effects had been lost. This was a terrible blow for the new settlers, but there was a sympathetic response from the inhabitants of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. A relief fund was established, with donations of money, food and clothing, and other assistance such as accommodation generously given. The remains of the ship were sold on the beach – rigging, sails, spars, planks, beams, barrels of tar etc.
An enquiry was held into the wreck and the Port Captain’s statement taken; Bell’s usual practical thinking and his maritime experience came to the fore:
WILLIAM BELL Port Captain: On the 3rd July, at about 10 a.m., the Minerva came in close round the Bluff, fired a gun and then anchored. Being very unwell at the time, he immediately sent the coxswain (Archer) off to her in the Port boat, and desired him to shift her a little more to the northward, and after shifting her to give the Captain a passage ashore, and bring the Captain to him in order that he might discuss with him the way of getting his passengers landed.
About 2 o'clock the boat returned and brought the Captain ... who was fatigued, having been up the night before and wished to be excused from moving her that day. Told him the vessel was in a very fair berth and it was not particularly necessary to remove her that evening. She was lying in 12 fathoms water, and about 60 fathoms of chain out. Told him that was sufficient, as the vessel would be clear of her anchors with that scope out. He said he had double reefed his top sails ready for going to sea in case the vessel should part. Told him that vessels did not make a practice of slipping and going to sea, as they had rode it out in all weathers and at all seasons of the year, many of them not having to let go the second anchor. Then asked him who his agent was, he replied Mr. Moreland. Told him he had better see him and make arrangements about landing passengers the next morning, and that he could go off with the pilot and get the vessel moved.
Captain Moir went off the next morning in the port boat with the pilot for that purpose but in consequence of light airs from the northward it was not advisable to attempt moving the vessel. About noon the wind freshened and drew more to the eastward and about half-past four the Henrietta came to anchor. About sunset the wind was fresh, but the three vessels appeared to ride easily. At nine the wind abated and drew more to the northward. At about 12 o'clock heard a gun and by the blue lights saw Minerva ashore on the Bluff ... went over to the Bluff but nothing could be done until daylight.
Had he (Captain Moir) been on board the Minerva when the wind freshened at ten and the vessel rode heavy, he should have let go the second anchor and veered out the whole cable on the port anchor. His motive for wishing to move the Minerva from the position she first occupied was to get her into a more convenient berth for landing her passengers and cargo, and not on account of her being in a bad anchoring ground.
Captain Moir argued that the fluke of the anchor had given way. The court of enquiry thought that the anchor cable, of partly new and old chain, had possibly failed at the swivel. No blame was attributed to Moir and the anchor and chain were never recovered from the wreck site.
* Source: Moodie to Pine, 7.7.50 CSO Pt 2 14 (NAB)




Wreck of the Minerva by J Forsyth Ingram



Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Minerva arrival at Natal 1850: passenger list and shipwreck

ARRIVAL OF THE MINERVA Natal Witness July 12 1850

At over 900 tons the largest of the Byrne settler ships, Minerva is probably also the most famous due to the dramatic shipwreck which she suffered at the foot of the Bluff on the night of 4 July 1850. Her voyage had been a rapid one, 67 days from London, under Captain James MOIR. She arrived at Natal to find the Conquering Hero already waiting in the roadstead, and the Henrietta anchored shortly after MinervaSome passengers had been landed prior to the wreck, but the valuable cargo was still aboard when the Minerva cast her main anchor in a sudden gale and went aground on the rocks. It was largely due to the fact that she was carrying a new surf boat destined for the port, that the remaining passengers were rescued. The only casualty was a seaman of the Henrietta, who tried to render assistance and was drowned. All the belongings of the passengers were lost and the ship quickly broke up.

Despite this appalling start to their colonial adventure, many of the Minerva passengers went on to carve successful careers in Natal. 67 of them were Wesleyans, including William COWEY and family. Frederick MOOR, later to father a prime minister of Natal, RATSEY, the RALFE family, the WATSONS  George MCLEOD (his wife's letters form the basis of the book 'Dear Louisa'), FINNEMORE, Henry COOKE, STAFFORD and George RUSSELL, who had persuaded his parents to travel by the Minerva instead of their original choice of vessel - with fateful consequences.
An enquiry was held into the shipwreck, and the contributions to this by crew members and others appeared in the Natal Witness of 30 August 1850, providing a valuable record of the circumstances which led to the disaster. It also gives insight into the hazards to which all ships were exposed on arrival at Port Natal at this date.

The positive fact to emerge was that the colonists were incredibly supportive, helping their distressed countrymen in every possible way. The diary of John BAXTER, passenger on the Henrietta, gives his view of the aftermath of Minerva's wreck:

'July 6th 1850
I have here to relate the sad fate of the Minerva that fine ship is now a total wreck, and short time after arriving dragged anchor and drifted ashore through it is said carelessness. The passengers all landed safe, but the loss of Property to may is almost ruinous, some were divest of every particle of rainment (sic) save what they had on - their goods nearly all lost. I went to look at the wreck on the following Sunday, she had so broken up that little remained to be seen except broken pieces. Which strew the beach for about two or three miles along the coast. What the tide had left fortunately many valuables were found, but the greater part that came ashore were broken and torn to pieces cloths, blankets, beds, casks, boxes etc etc. A most astonishing and distressing sight. The most strenuous efforts were made by the inhabitants of D'Urban to alleviate the sufferings of their distressed countrymen in two or three days something like 100 pounds were realised by the Wesleyans alone, for the purchase of clothing and bedding, and immediately distributed. The churchmen and the Public generally have also been very liberal, and the Government has undertaken to locate them as soon as possible on their land and supply seeds and implements for immediate use.'

IN PORT
Hannah and Gem
OUTSIDE
The Conquering Hero, Henrietta, and Douglas
VESSELS EXPECTED
From London
Toronto, Highland Maid, and Sandwich
The Minerva, as she lies on the beach, was sold for £283 cash - on Tuesday last. Mr Charles McDonald was the purchaser.
The cargo, or such as might be washed up, fetched £100.
GOOD INWARDS
Per Douglas, from Mauritius, July 7, to this port, passenger, Mr Gibson
GC Cato, Agent
Cargo -
100 bgs Sugar, 200 bgs Lime, 303 bgs Flour, 200 bgs Rice
J Henderson and W Smerdon
4 csks Rum, 14 css Liqueurs, 3 brls Lemonade, 3 bxs Cigars, 1 cs Fishing Net
A Corman
2 css Straw Hats, 5 bgs Dates
Middleton and Wirsing
25 bgs Flour, 10 bgs Rice, 11 bgs Sugar, 4 css Castor Oil, 1 cs Straw Hats, 25 cls Rope
GC Cato
50 bgs Sugar,
Knight and King
19 pckgs Tea, 18 bgs Sugar, 1,000 Tiles
- Gibson.

LIST OF PASSENGERS AND EMIGRANTS PER SHIP MINERVA, FROM LONDON
Heap, Charles R, agriculturalist
Brown, Hugh, agriculturalist
Moor, Frederick W, passenger
Richards, Henry, wife and four children
Richards, Edward, farmer and five children
Williams, Charles, farmer, wife and infant
Pellow, John, farmer
Dunstan, Elizabeth
Jefferies, William, carpenter, wife and five children
Kingston, William, labourer
Webb, Henry, carpenter
Medley, John, shipwright
Medley, Eliza
Randle, James, iron and tin plate worker
Watson, William, passenger
Watson, Susannah, passenger
Watson, John, gardener
Watson, George, carpenter
Watson, Mary
Watson, Hannah
Watson, William, butcher
Watson, Joseph
Watson, Thomas
Wood, Charlotte
Mannington, James, carpenter
Mead, John, farmer
Saunders, William, farmer
Dobson, Thomas, farmer
Finnemore, Isaac, farmer, wife and three children
Pearson, Thomas, blacksmith
Potterill, John, bricklayer, wife and four children
Henderson, Samuel, millwright, wife and three children
Ford, William, agricultural labourer
Ford, Susannah
Hodgson, Thomas, shepherd
Brundell, Richard, farmer
Gobbitt, James, jun., farmer
Tanning, James, agricultural labourer, and wife
Brickwell, John, farmer
Brickwell, Sarah
Henderson, William, passenger
McLeod, George, brewer, wife and four children
Hern, George, field labourer
Dring, William, dairy farm labourer
Bond, Thomas, tailor, wife and four children
Alder, John, bricklayer
Alder, Sarah
Bartholomew, William, gardener
Eaynor, Stephen, blacksmith, wife and child
Moore, William, agricultural labourer
Ratsey, Robert, farmer
Webber, Frederick, farmer
Nickson, Abraham, miller
Hall, George, carpenter
Mallet, Charles, carpenter
Stafford, Edward, nurseyman
Jones, William, labourer
Timaeus, GW, labourer
Umbers, William, farmer
Umbers, Eliza
Gregory, GT, labourer
Gregory, Charles, surveyor
Tuck, William, gardener, wife and child
Skinner, William, farm labourer
Gain, George, farmer
Hammond, Thomas, farmer
Grant, Samuel, farmer
Bowen, John W, farmer
Young, Sydney S, carpenter
Burchmore, Thomas, carpenter, wife and three children
Sharphouse, John, corn miller, wife and four children
Bailey, Thomas, agricultural labourer, wife and four children
Hudson, John Thomas, agriculturist
Spencer, Charles, baker
Russell, George, miller, wife and five children
Hall, AJ, farmer
Smith, William M, labourer
Tucker, William, carpenter
Dreyer, AC, cooper
Rolfe, James, agriculturalist
Rolfe, Hannah
Homewood, Alfred, agriculturalist
Bertram Dixon, farmer
Whipp, John, tanner
Whipp, Elizabeth, servant
Anderson, John, millwright
Anderson, Mary
Branwhite, HB, agriculturalist
Ryley, RR, Passenger
Ryley, Mrs, passenger
Woolley, Mary, passenger
Thompson, Jonathan, passenger, wife and five children
Thompson, William A, house-painter
Thompson, Mary
Thompson, Emma
Thompson, George
Baguley, Edward, agriculturalist
Palmer, Francis, agriculturalist
Palmer, Catherine
Bridge, Alfred, turner
Lawrance, F, carpenter
Ralfe, Robert, agriculturist, wife and family
Ralfe, James, wife and three children
Woodcock, John, farmer
Stanley, CR, carpenter
Holmes, J, agriculturalist
McCombie, Joseph, market gardener, wife and family
Quested, William, farmer, wife and family
Quested, George, farmer
Quested, Harriet, milliner
Quested, Caroline, dressmaker
Deane, WR, labourer
Irvine, Augustus, passenger
Harrington, B, smith
Johnston, Mr, passenger
Walton, Rev. Mr, passenger, wife and family
Williams, Samuel, saddler
Channell, George, farm labourer
Mackenzie, John, blacksmith, wife and child
Read, James, farmer
Read, Susannah
Hutton, Adam, blacksmith
Butler, Ellen
Cooke, HW, wife and family
Heap, Walter

LIST OF WESLEYANS
Wade, John, carpenter, wife and family
Marriott, Thomas OF, bricklayer, wife and family
Hunt, Elizabeth
Williamson, David, Joiner
Harris, John R, smith, wife and family
Vincent, James, farm labourer, wife and child
Day, John, farmer, wife and family
Newton, Louisa
Brown, Mary
Brown, Eliza
Rose, James, brazier
Beard, Joseph J, baker
Prince, John, smith and farrier
Prince, Ann
Austin, Mary, brace maker
Cowey, William, carpenter, wife and family
Goulden, Charlotte, brace maker
Goulden, Alfred, boot maker
Goulden, Mary
Crown, John, passenger
Stamforth, Martha, needlewoman
Metcalfe, George, farmer
Parsons, James, agricultural labourer
Wilson, Eliza
Draper, George, smith
Quick WR, carpenter
Ward, Robert, farmer, wife and child
Ward, Francis, baker
Stanton, James, blacksmith, wife and family
Dowbiggin, John, labourer, wife and child