Passengers to Natal per John Line May 1851

Arrival of the John Line, Natal Witness Friday May 9 1851

JOHN LINE, Ship, 698 tons, Captain Palmer, from London.

Passengers:
B. Dickinson
W Pollard
A Fell

Natal Witness, 9 May 1851

XR Breede, wife and daughter
Grice, wife and twelve children
R Adadigan, wife and two children
G Plowes
T Fosbrooke
WH Gardiner, wife and two children
Caroline Green
James Caile
Henry Cope
John Benge
Arthur Hawkins and wife
-- Bousfield
JS Stuart and wife
ES Walker and wife
John Millar
Geo. Atwood
John McKellar
Frances Palullo
Edward McLeod, wife and child
W Smith
Henry Bascomb
Wm. Irons and wife
JW Irons and wife
BA Tight
Alexr. Gifford, wife and nine children
John Cattier
Wm Tunmar, wife and six children
Wm Tyson, wife and two children
T Tayle [FAYLE], wife and three children*
Jane Moore
Hannah Barkeway
Mary Barkeway
Emma Bevan
John Bevan and wife
James Lausdell
Richard Reay
Henry Jacques and wife
-- Groombridge
Wm Whiteway
Richard Worsly
Robert Moore, wife and five children
George Mayo and wife
John Foster
John Palmer, wife and five children
Henry Davies
John Stevens and wife
Priscilla B. Clough
John Leake
George Leake
CW Sharpe
Z Jordan
H Woodhead
Edward Jones
Rosanna Pender
Richd. Hobday and wife
John Dunkin
Richard Wainwright
Caroline Jordan
William Bevan
Thomas Wadkins
Harriet Searle
-- French, wife and seven children
In all 144 persons.

Incident on arrival of this ship at Natal:


We are informed by a passenger who was on board at the time, that when the John Line drifted from her anchor (through the loss of a shackle-pin) all were asleep on board, no watch being set or at least not kept; and her change of position was never discovered even by the officers till they turned out at day light.


*  http://molegenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/03/recent-blog-queries-fayle-tomlinson.html

Passengers to Natal on the Umgeni, 1867

The Umgeni: arrival at Natal, 14 August 1867.

This barque of 365 tons under Capt J Stuart sailed from London on 15 July 1867, and was one of Rennie and Co's 'Aberdeen Direct' clippers which were frequent visitors at Natal. Others included L'Imperatrice Eugenie, Prince Alfred, Natal Star and Quathlamba.

Passengers per Umgeni from London, arriving at Natal
14 August 1867

Among the passengers were Captain Tollner, his wife Jessie (daughter of John Milne), and child (plus nurse). During the Crimean War Captain Tollner served with the Royal Horse Artillery at the Battle of Sebastopol. He had studied at the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. During 1863/4 he was stationed at Fort Napier. Tollner also served during the Anglo-Zulu War. After the death of his first wife he married Mary Agnes (daughter of Alexander Gifford).


Capt and Mrs Fitzgerald may indicate a second military gentleman, plus spouse, on board. A well-known Natal name on the list is A E Runciman.

Testimonials to the Captain of the Umgeni
and a description of the voyage from Gravesend to Natal.
(Click on the pic for zoomed version.)

On this voyage, the Umgeni nearly lost one crew member overboard in a gale. The 46 passengers all expressed their thanks to the vigilant Captain Stuart via letters to the press.
A detailed account of the passage after Cape L'Agulhas mentions 'a very dangerous cross sea, which rose in pyramids...'. Note that the cabin passengers and those in steerage presented separate testimonials.