St Kilda passengers: Australia to Natal and the Diamond Fields 1872

The Natal Mercury announced on  6 June 1872:

The St Kilda's Passengers met at the Immigration Aid Office yesterday afternoon, by invitation of the Directors. Of the latter there were present the Mayor, in the chair, and Messrs H Escombe, Goodliffe, Greenacre, Robinson, and Dacomb. Mr Escombe explained at length the objects of the Office, and an interesting conversation followed chiefly bearing on the best and cheapest way of reaching the Diamond Fields. 

The new comers expressed much satisfaction with the attentions exhibited, and unanimously passed a resolution to that effect. It was finally decided to publish an advertisement, at the cost of the Office, calling for tenders for transport, and we refer wagon owners and carriers to the announcement elsewhere. Specimens of quartz from Marabastadt were pronounced excellent, but not sufficient in themselves to prove the existence of a gold field. Some of those present said they had seen in Australia similar specimens from reefs which were not payably auriferous. 

We heartily trust that our new friends, of whom there are about seventy, will succeed in reaching the Fields quickly and cheaply, and that when there, success will crown their efforts. About twenty of those passengers came ashore on Saturday last. The vessel herself could not get in, as the wind was unfavourable.

Passengers Australia to Natal and Diamond Fields per St Kilda 1872

ST KILDA FROM AUSTRALIA Natal Mercury June 6 1872

The St Kilda's Passengers met at the Immigration Aid Office yesterday afternoon, by invitation of the Directors. Of the latter there were present the Mayor, in the chair, and Messrs H Escombe, Goodliffe, Greenacre, Robinson, and Dacomb. Mr Escombe explained at length the objects of the Office, and an interesting conversation followed chiefly bearing on the best and cheapest way of reaching the Diamond Fields. The new comers expressed much satisfaction with the attentions exhibited, and unanimously passed a resolution to that effect. It was finally decided to publish an advertisement, at the cost of the Office, calling for tenders for transport, and we refer wagon owners and carriers to the announcment elsewhere. Specimens of quartz from Marabastadt were pronounced excellent, but not sufficient in themselves to prove the existence of a gold field. Some of those present said they had seen in Australia similar specimens from reefs which were not payably auriferous. We heartily trust that our new friends, of whom there are about seventy, will succeed in reaching the Fields quickly and cheaply, and that when there, success will crown their efforts.

The St Kilda's PASSENGERS
The following is a list of the passengers by this vessel from Australia 

Cabin
Mr and Mrs A McKenzie
Messrs
Sweetman
Hogmanson
Grumpelson
Mr and Mrs Slatbury
Mr B Longer
Steerage
Miss F Chapman
Mr and Mrs G Foster
Mr and Mrs Mortlock
Messrs
Loree
Bloonveer
W Davidson
A Petrie
J Haston
G Macfarland
W Griffith
J Gadfield
L Foss
J Fotheringale
J Layle
D Dannen
T Dalahursty
J Ross
V Mochlig
D Hughes
J Tanson
R Leveson
Thos Malcaby
W Hercus
D McKermon
J Woodinge
J MacKereth
P Murphy
E Simpkins
D Pigott
McKelly
J Trexion
W Sutton
E Longmore
E Crawford
W Toddington
T Lynes
C Rehbock
A Tierney
J Cope
J Armstrong
W Thornhill
J Maclan
D Gordon
T Bray and Mrs Bray, Miss Bray, and Edward and George Bray
McFulty
T Herrington
N Hove
Mr and Mr Waterworth
S Douglas
C Daagden
C Wyberg
D Maceachern
J Nelville
Honeyman

The St Kilda's Passengers

About twenty of those passengers came ashore on Saturday last. The vessel herself could not get in, as the wind was unfavourable.

IN PORT
Charles Colgate, schr, 187 tons, Norrie, from Desolation Islands.
Carrington, three-masted schooner, 248 tons, Strickland, for London. Loading. Ballance and Goodliffe, agents.
Bolke, 170 tons, Meyer, for London. Loading Parker, Wood and Co, agents.
Priscilla, barque, 258 tons, Brown, for London Loading. AW Evans, agent.
Illovo, barque, 400 tons, Bolton, for London. Loading. Black, Baxter and Co, agents.
Ocean Sprite, barque, 233 tons, Hansford, from London. Discharging cargo. Steel, Dunn and Co, agents.
Burton Stather, barque, 420 tons, Warren, from London. Discharging cargo. AW Evans, agent.
Cape Good Hope, schooner, 106 tons, Closter, for Mauritius. Steel, Dunn and Co, agents.
Tein Esser, schooner, Grammont. To load for Mauritius. G Dentzelmann, agent.
Durban, barque, 322 tons, Jarvis, from London. Discharging cargo. AW Evans, agent.
Ebenezer, schooner, 200 tons, Evertsen, from Soderham. Discharging cargo. Black, Baxter and Co, agents.
Koenig Carl XV, brig, 237 tons, from London, February 20. Steell, Dunn and Co, agents.
Mary Moore, Amitage, from London, January 23. Steel, Dunn and Co, agents.
St. Kilda, three-masted schooner, 180 tons, A Storey, from Melbourne, 9th April. WB Lyle, agent.

Passenger List: St Kilda Australia to Natal 1872

The Natal Mercury announced on  6 June 1872:

The St Kilda's Passengers met at the Immigration Aid Office yesterday afternoon, by invitation of the Directors. Of the latter there were present the Mayor, in the chair, and Messrs H Escombe, Goodliffe, Greenacre, Robinson, and Dacomb. Mr Escombe explained at length the objects of the Office, and an interesting conversation followed chiefly bearing on the best and cheapest way of reaching the Diamond Fields. The new comers expressed much satisfaction with the attentions exhibited, and unanimously passed a resolution to that effect. It was finally decided to publish an advertisement, at the cost of the Office, calling for tenders for transport, and we refer wagon owners and carriers to the announcement elsewhere. Specimens of quartz from Marabastadt were pronounced excellent, but not sufficient in themselves to prove the existence of a gold field. Some of those present said they had seen in Australia similar specimens from reefs which were not payably auriferous. We heartily trust that our new friends, of whom there are about seventy, will succeed in reaching the Fields quickly and cheaply, and that when there, success will crown their efforts. About twenty of those passengers came ashore on Saturday last. The vessel herself could not get in, as the wind was unfavourable.

The following is a list of the passengers by this vessel from Australia:

Cabin
Mr and Mrs A McKenzie
Messrs
Sweetman                                                                                

Hogmanson
Grumpelson
Mr and Mrs Slatbury
Mr B Longer
Steerage
Miss F Chapman
Mr and Mrs G Foster
Mr and Mrs Mortlock
Messrs
Loree
Bloonveer
W Davidson
A Petrie
J Haston
G Macfarland
W Griffith
J Gadfield
L Foss
J Fotheringale
J Layle
D Dannen
T Dalahursty
J Ross
V Mochlig
D Hughes
J Tanson
R Leveson
Thos Malcaby
W Hercus
D McKermon
J Woodinge
J MacKereth
P Murphy
E Simpkins
D Pigott
McKelly
J Trexion
W Sutton
E Longmore
E Crawford
W Toddington
T Lynes
C Rehbock
A Tierney
J Cope
J Armstrong
W Thornhill
J Maclan
D Gordon
T Bray and Mrs Bray, Miss Bray, and Edward and George Bray
McFulty
T Herrington
N Hove
Mr and Mr Waterworth
S Douglas
C Daagden
C Wyberg
D Maceachern
J Nelville
Honeyman

Death Notices far from kith and kin

When an ancestor died at a distance from home and family his Death Notice may give comparatively little detail e.g. the informant could be the owner of a boarding house where the deceased was temporarily residing. Unless the boarding house owner had subjected the guest to close questioning, it’s unlikely that the former would know much more than the name of the deceased – possibly not even his full name – and the date and location of death.

In time of war, a Death Notice would be produced hurriedly at the place of death, probably by the Adjutant in charge of the camp. Later a more detailed Death Notice would be completed. This can result in two Death Notices emerging in one individual’s estate papers. I’ve found several instances of this occurring during the Anglo-Boer War.

If the deceased was living elsewhere, perhaps in pursuit of his occupation, there may have been no family members present at his death. Again, the informant signing the Death Notice might know few personal details. This was evidently the case in the example shown below. The name is given in full, a guess is made at the age of the deceased, his parents’ names are ‘unknown’ (i.e. to the informant), he is described as married and in the space where his children’s names should appear is a scrawled note, ‘supposed to have a family in the Colony of Natal consisting of 3 small children …’. The deceased’s occupation is given as ‘canteen-keeper’ and his assets consisted of ‘a tent and other movable property’.

Death Notice: New Rush 1873

The most significant clue appears at bottom left of the document: it is dated at ‘New Rush, 1 February 1873’. This explains the deceased’s occupation as well as the tent listed among his movable assets. New Rush was the original name for part of what is now Kimberley.

We could speculate that the deceased had left Natal to try his luck at the diggings. Apart from mining, the diamond fields offered various opportunities for making a living. The population of the tented camps which sprang up almost overnight required food, drink, provisions of every kind. John James Johnason’s canteen would have filled a need. Unfortunately, he died leaving his family without a breadwinner.
Despite the omissions from this Death Notice, it does offer several clues which invite further investigation.

Early mining, Kimberley.

Footnote: In 1873 the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Kimberley, insisted that places newly within his jurisdiction on the Diamond Fields should receive decent and intelligible names. He did not approve of ‘such a vulgarism as New Rush and as for Voortuitzigt ... he could neither spell nor pronounce it.’ The populist Diamond Fields newspaper objected to the new name (Kimberley) saying, ‘...we went to sleep in New Rush and awaked up in Kimberley, and so our dream was gone.’