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

Eudora passenger list to Natal September 1864

EUDORA Natal Government Gazette 22 September 1864
Immigration Board

It is hereby notified for the information of those whom it may concern, that the following Emmigrants have arrived by the Eudora:-

Brown, Elizabeth - Servant
Brooks, Charles - Carpenter
Brooks, Elizabeth
Brooks, James
Brooks, Elizabeth
Barret, Christian - Domestic Servant
Crocket, Janet - Dressmaker
Craig, John - Storekeeper
Donoghue, Thomas - Farm Laborer
Elliott, Susan H - Dressmaker
Edwards, Elizabeth - Servant
Evans, Richard - Laborer
Fahy, Thomas- Tailor
Flemming, William - Laborer
Flemming, Elizabeth
Flemming, William
Flemming, John
Gove, John - Blacksmith
Garson, David - Blacksmith
Gold, William - Ploughman
Gold, Mary
Hind, Mary - Dressmaker
Johnstone, William - Clerk
Johnstone, Marion
Johnstone, Isabella
Johnstone, Jessie
Johnstone, Helen
Kane, Patrick - Laborer
MacPhail, Dugald - Shopkeeper
Munro, Donald - Carpenter
Munro, George
Noble, Halliburton - Apothecary
Noble, James - Plumber
Noble, Mary
Noble, Anne
Graham, Agnes - Servant
Plowright, John D - Shoemaker
Plowright, Louisa
Plowright, James
Rogers, George - Mason
Speight, Annie - Servant
Steele, Alexander - Carpenter
Steele, Jessie
Samways, Sarah - Domestic Servant
Sinclair, Duncan - Shepherd
Sinclair, Margaret
Sinclair, Archibald
Sinclair, Donald
Sinclair, Sarah
Taylor, John - Blacksmith
Thomson, Jessie - Servant
Thomson, William
Tweedie, Jane - Wife
Tweedie, Elizabeth
Tweedie, Anne
Tweedie, Robert
Tweedie, John
Tweedie, Joanna
Woolridge, William - Blacksmith
Woolridge, Mary
Woolridge, WH
O'Conner, Cath
Lucas, Emily
JAMES CRAW, Secretary Immigration Board Sept 22, 1864

Passages to Natal 1865: Government-aided scheme

PUBLIC AID TO IMMIGRANTS:

Free Passages are not granted in England to Natal. People resident here can, however, nominate their relations or friends for assisted passages in the Emigration Commissioners' ships, on giving to the Colonial Government a guarantee for the repayment of the passage monies, at the rate of £10 per statute adult, within 12 months after the landing of the immigrants. Married persons, with the members of their families over 12 years of age, are required to repay the advance at the rate of £10 per annum. Any excess of passage-money beyond the £10 is made good out of colonial funds.

When the Emigration Commissioners have colonial funds in their hands for the purpose, they can likewise grant assisted passages to eligible candidates, provided such candidates can pay to the Commissioners, before embarkation, towards their passage, for each adult person of the age of 12 years and upwards - 2 children between the ages of 1 and 12 counting as an adult - £3 pounds 6s and 8d, with £1 for bedding and mess utensils on the voyage. The immigrant must however enter into a bond to repay to the Colonial Government £6 13s and 4d for each such adult, at a rate of £10 per annum in the case of a family. In the case of a single individual, the amount is to be repaid within 12 months after arrival.

This scheme has not latterly been promoted to any particular extent; although now that the tide of emigration from Great Britain is about turning from America in consequence of the long-continued war, and directing itself into other channels, we think that it may be again advanced with benefit to the colony. English people in general, if not the Scotch and Irish, have become convinced that there is no safety for life and property in the North American states; Canada has never been a resort for any large numbers of the poorer emigrating class; and the southern colonies are gradually becoming better known than formerly, and more highly appreciated.

[from The Natal Almanac & Yearly Directory 1865]

Rennie's Aberdeen Line brought
 many colonists to Natal.

Passengers to Natal on Pharamond 1863

The Pharamond, a typical three-masted barque, 306 tons, arrived at Natal on 10 January 1863. Her voyage from London had taken 69 days.

Cabin Passengers:

Murphy, Dr and Mrs
Dearns, Mrs. and three children
Hare, Miss
Daggett, Mr and Mrs
Cotton, Miss
Crookenden, Messrs
Dill F J and son
Griffiths, H J
McNair, W
Pearse, Edward
Varty, T B
Chappel, Fredk
Davis, Walter
Gowenlock, James and Robert
Millon, E W
Roberts, John
Sandys, Edwin A
Sargent, Henry
Dowden, Henry

Travelling in steerage were:

Edwards, Henry and Catherine
Fielding, Charles
Grix, Richard and Henry
Edwards, W F
Edgcombe, Jane and Catherine
Hurst, William
Holms, David
Leige, N
McKinlay, J R and Jane
Moore, Thomas, Eliza, and Matt F
Padley, John
Reynolds, T H
Savil, Fredk
Sharples, H
Story J. and Ann
Walker, Fredk
Walton, Walker
White, Sarah
Wilson, John
Wootton, Henry, Sarah, Sarah, Henry, Anna, Thomas, John, Ellen
Alfred, R and H

Government Emigrants:

Arthur, James and Janet
Burne, John
Barker, James
Clarke, Anne
Clark, William, Jane, George, Ann J, William, Joseph, and Robert
Clark, Mary
Doig, D W
Fenton M., J B, and Margaretta
Francis, D F, Maria M, and Harriet M
Fenwick, R
Galbraith, E J
Guthrie, J
Graves, S A
Betsy, Martha and Mary
Gass, George, Ann, Alice, George and J C
Huntley, W, Martha, and G
Harmsworth, C and Julia
McDonnell, C, Jane and Mary
Moon, E
McNamara, M
Morris, James, Maria, Edwin J and Francis J
McRae, C
Pugeon, M A
Peckham, E, Sophia, Thomas, Harriet, Emily, and Edwin
Rockey, M A, John, Mary Ann, Harriett, and William
Rollinson, M F
Shaw, Joseph
Skoton, Francis
Tonkins, C
Thomson, E
Wing, Mary
Wilkinson, H C
Benzie, S., Emma, and Emma F
Simpson, J, ? illegible initial, M and E
Wall, Bridget

William and Jane Clark

Descendant Stuart Clark offers the fascinating results of his in-depth research into the Clark family (listed among the Government emigrants above) at

http://www.theclarksofclarkroad.com/papers_book2.html

A typical shipping column: Natal 1865

A typical shipping column from the Natal Mercury showing the arrival at Port Natal of the ship Tugela, 24 February 1865 (sailed from London 11 December 1864). In this instance the names of the 'Government Emigrants' are included i.e. the steerage passengers.

There are some errors in the spelling of surnames: e.g. Palraman should be Palframan.

The Natal Mercury also offers a report of the voyage and subsequent landing of these settlers, a story which could be applied to many similar experiences at this port:

'The Tugela ... arrived early on Saturday morning, after a voyage from England very much protracted by foul winds in the channel, and off this coast. She was within 250 miles of Natal twelve days before her arrival, but had to share the fate of many vessels that have been waiting for a change of wind. She brings an addition to our population of more than a hundred souls. The passengers' names appear in our shipping intelligence. Eighty of them came out under Government auspices. The whole were landed on Saturday afternoon and they seem a happy and very respectable party of settlers. There was a lamentable scene of uncertainty, bordering on confusion, at the Point, when our new friends came ashore, owing to the utter inefficiency of the present no-system policy pursued by the Government. No one to receive them, no one to direct their movements, to tell that what to do or where to go, no aid, sympathy, nor help of any sort whatever. Lamentable, most lamentable, is this total want of anything like arrangement for the proper reception of European immigrants. The scene on the quay was amusing as usual ... The voyage out, barring the  unavoidable delays that have been experienced, has been pleasant. A newspaper - the Tugela Gazette - was got up on board, and it is to be perpetuated in a printed form. The greater proportion of the passengers seem bound for Maritzburg and the midlands ... A warm welcome to them all. The Tugela was towed inside on Sunday afternoon.'

There follows a copy of the 'testimonial' addressed to the Tugela's Captain, George Stuart, from the passengers thanking him for the excellent way in which he carried out his duties on the voyage and expressing their hope that 'should we again have to commit ourselves to the perils of the deep, we may have the good fortune to meet with so good a ship and so excellent a commander'. Another note of thanks is addressed to the ship's surgeon. These complimentary letters were a feature at that time. Later, with ever-increasing numbers of sailings, the personal touch was lost - as well as a useful source of information for descendants.