Passengers per Tugela, Prince Alfred and Gordon, Natal 1865

Arrival of TugelaL Natal Mercury 28 February 1865

This vessel was one of Rennie's Aberdeen Direct clippers, most of them under 500 tons. The ships of this line took from 49 to 95 days to make the passage direct from London to Durban. On this voyage, under Captain STUART, the Tugela departed Dec 11 1864 and arrived at Natal Feb 24 1865. According to a report elsewhere in the same edition of the Mercury, the journey had been very much protracted by foul winds. She had been within 250 miles of Natal twelve days before her arrival, but had to wait for a change of wind in order to make the Port. "She brings an addition to our population of more than a hundred souls ... Eighty of them came out under Government auspices ... and they seem a happy and very respectable party of settlers."

Note the division of the list into Cabin, Second and Third Cabins and Government Emigrants - but at least the latter are individually named, which wasn't always the case in newspaper columns.

The Government passengers wrote a letter to the Surgeon on board the Tugela, Dr J WRIGHT MATTHEWS, signed by all of them, expressing their gratitude and appreciation for his "assiduous attention", affording them the benefits of his medical skill during the voyage and the alacrity with which he had answered every call in case of sickness. The saloon passengers wrote a similarly congratulatory letter to the Captain, expressing themselves fortunate "in our vessel, in the officers and crew" as well as the Captain himself, and that "should we have again to commit ourselves to the perils of the deep, may we have the good fortune to meet with so good a ship and so excellent a commander."

This polite and pleasant custom of a letter of thanks to the Captain was a feature of the earlier voyages, before the anonymity of many sailings and numerous Captains rendered such expressions obsolete.

Feb 24, Tugela, ship, 476 tons, GR Stuart, from London, sailed Dec 11.
PASSENGERS
Cabin
Mr and Mrs Fraser
Mr CT Saner
Mr N Briggs
Mr J Pinchin
Mrs Anne M Jones
Messrs WM H and George P Jones
MR I Bond
Mr Ebenezer Pearse
Mr Henry Winter
Mr G Westray
Mr R Acutt
Dr JW Matthews
Second and Third Cabins
Mr G Hyde
Mr C Thompson
Mr and Mrs Wood
Messrs
Swiften
R Wood
WJ Minchinton
Jas Bonifant
Edmund Edgar
Geo Platt
Alfred Adams
CT Wordsworth
Jas Liddall
Government Emigrants
Miss Anandale
Christopher, Elizabeth and Charlotte Allen
Robert Beck
Martha, Emily, John, James and Willliam Baxter
Emma Boyer
John Brower
Ebenezer Crowley
James Craggs
Elizabeth and William Child
Alex, Christina and Ann Chadwick
Eliza and Jas Duggin
Joh, Margaret, William and Thomas Elgin
Ann, Theophilus, and Robert Gregory
John, Mary, Louisa, Rachael and Emma Green
Edith Gillett
David and James Guthrie
H Hill
Jabez Hall and wife
George Hill
Jane Hunter
Francis Wm Hill
Jane Kelly
James and Margaret Kerr
Henry Lee
Harriett A Lane
Charles G Levy
Anne and A Mc Roberts
David Munro
Thos Osborne
Richard Pigeon
William, Mary A and Thomas Palframan
William Rocket
Henry Roberts
Mary St Leger
F Southam
Francis Spinklewood
Richard, Mary, Ellen, Sarah, Richard, and Fredk Stone
S, Edith, Henry, William and Sarah Wood
Margaret Thompson
Agnes Wright
H Wood,
Muirhead, Findlay and Co, agents.

Feb 24, Prince Alfred, barque, 258 tons, Airth, from London. General cargo.
PASSENGERS
Cabin
Mr and Mrs Colevile and five children
Miss Cutting
Miss Williams
Mr Rolls
Muirhead, Findlay and Co, agents.

Feb 26, Flora, schr., 113 tons, Spalding, from London, sailed Dec 9.
Jno Brown, agent.

Feb 26, Gordon, barque, 151 tons, A Watson, from London, sailed Dec 9.
PASSENGER
Mr Alfred Bennett Gordon
John Brown, agent.

Passengers to Natal 1846 per Sarah Bell, Mazeppa etc

ARRIVALS AT NATAL

February 18 1846 - Arrival of Sarah Bell from London, bound for Port Natal
Passengers
Messrs
Milner
Pasno
one servant

February 19 1846 - Arrival of Mazeppa from Port Elizabeth, bound for Port Natal
Passengers
Mr and Mrs Caldecott and four children
Mr Lamont
14 Steerage

February 22 1846 - Arrival of Rosebud from Table Bay, bound for Port Natal
Passengers
Mrs and Miss Scott
Mrs Smuts
Mrs Scholk
Messrs
Ogle
Ewing
McDonald
Smuts
2 children
1 servant
4 Steerage

March 1 1846 - Arrival of Margaret from Bourbon, bound for Port Natal

March 12 1846 - Arrival of Louisa from Table Bay, bound for Port Natal
Passenger
Mr Parker

March 28 1846 - Arrival of Sarah Bell from De La Eva Bay, bound for Port Natal
Passenger
Mr P Milner

April 10 1846 - Arrival of Mazeppa from Port Elizabeth, bound for Port Natal and Maseppa Bay
Passengers 
Rev IN Davis and family
Rev I Richards and family
Miss Lord
9 Steerage Passengers
(19 in all)

April 13 1846 - Arrival of Kate from Table Bay, bound for Port Natal
Passengers 
Messrs
O'Brien
Reed

April 15 1846 - Arrival of Lady Leith from Mauritius, bound for Algoa Bay

April 30 1846 - Arrival of Rosebud from Table Bay, bound for Port Natal
Passengers
Mrs Schoonberg
Miss Schoonberg
Mr Schoonberg
Messrs
Leederberg
Hasselman
Trhagner
Chesser
4 Steerage Passengers

Note: steerage passengers are frequently not named in these passenger lists.

Passengers by Waldensian and Estafette Natal 1858

ARRIVAL OF THE WALDENSIAN and ESTAFETTE
Natal Mercury July 31 1858

The Waldensian arrived at the anchorage yesterday, about noon. She brings the English mail to the 5th of June. She left the Cape on the 20th, arrived in Mossel Bay on the 22nd, left on the 23rd, arrived in Algoa Bay on the 24th, left on the 27th; arrived at East London on the 28th, and left on the same day, having encountered heavy westerly winds the whole voyage.

PASSENGERS per Waldensian are
Mr and Mrs Crawford, two children and three servants
Mr Adamson
From Algoa Bay
Mr Taylor
Mr Whalley
Mr Broad
Mr Cousens
Steerage
Mr John Tweedie
Mrs Midgeley and child
Mr Lodge



GENERAL NEWS

It will be seen that Lord Derby's Cabinet is still on its legs; but Sir Bulwer Lytton is Colonial Secretary, in place of Lord Stanley. We fear a change for the worse.

The Agammenon and Niagara were to start with the Atlantic telegraphic cable on the 9th of June.

Captain Pilkington, civil engineer, of Cape Town, is dead.

The Estafette has arrived in Simon's Bay, from Amsterdam, on her way to Natal, with Dutch immigrants. [Note these were settlers destined to the New Gelderland settlement in Natal. See relevant posts on this blog.]

Consols 5th June, 96, ex div.

Rate of Discount, Bank of England, 6 per cent.

25,000 men are to be sent to Inida without an hours' delay.

Cape Wools, with some exceptions, shew a falling off in quality and condition, but towards the close of the sales prices somewhat rallied.

A war is said to be imminent between Austria and France. A feverish agitation prevails throughout the latter country.

The Early Morn sailed on the 30th May.

Sir George Grey is on his way to, if he has not already arrived in the Free State.

The Waldensian met the Madagascar on the 28th, about twenty-miles west of East London. All well.

The Nil Desperandum, the Irene, and the Anne Whyte were loading for Natal.

The Admiral would sail early in June.

Recent blog queries

Following up some topics raised by blog visitors recently:

Wesleyan Chapel, Verulam, Natal

History of Verulam, Natal: see a useful article, From Wesleyan Origins to Modern Times, compiled by Amber Ramdass and members of the Verulam Historical Society, which appeared in the publication Natalia:www.natalia.org.za/Files/35/Natalia%2035%20pp57-62%20C.pdf

More on the Wesleyan settler period of Verulam can be found in John Clark's volume, Natal Settler Agent, published by A A Balkema Cape Town 1972 ISBN  0 86961 019 8

Archie Sinclair 'Garibaldi' Smith: this early Natal sugar planter is mentioned briefly at
molegenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/04/sugar-and-natal-pioneers-rathbone.html and there is more detail at molegenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/04/sugar-and-natal-pioneers-sinclair-smith.html

2nd Dragoon Guards: there are examples of uniforms of this regiment on Google Images - explore.

Stellawood Cemetery: see molegenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/02/stellawood-cemetery-durban.html

Stellawood Cemetery, Umbilo, Durban

White Cross Line to Natal 1860 and the Burton Stather

In 1860 the first advertisements began to appear in the newspapers regarding the White Cross Line, established by Samuel BULLARD and Daniel KING. The first clipper of the Line to arrive at Natal had been the barque Priscilla, and later when a regular service was established came the Verulam, the Isabella Hartley, the Silvery Wave and the Burton Stather.

The Priscilla is stated as having made the fastest passage from Natal to England at that time, 52 days, in November 1863. The Isabella Hartley made the round trip in a record 6 and a half months.

With John T Rennie's Aberdeen clippers, those of Bullard King and Co. had a monopoly of the direct trade with Natal and the two firms had a close co-operation. By June 1869, the White Cross Line name was dispensed with and Bullard King's ships operated jointly but alternately with Rennie's in the Aberdeen Line.

A passage to Durban, first class, was obtainable for 25 guineas, or 16 guineas in steerage and many Natal colonists came out on Zulu, Panda, Sinquasi, Empress of India, Durban, Isipingo, Umzinto, Palala and others.

It wasn't until 1879 that Bullard King's first steamer appeared, the Pongola (see article on The Natal Direct Line) but the combined service continued with both steam and sailing vessels for some years, and Durban Bay still saw the old clippers of Bullard King at anchor.

Burton Stather

BURTON STATHER

The Burton Stather was launched on 3 January 1866 at the shipyard at Burton Stather, North Lincolnshire, England. This shipyard was in operation from 1788-1892, when it closed.
The half model used by the yard to get the lines for build still exists and in the local parish council office an original drawing of the state cabins is framed and hanging on the wall.

At the right hand lower corner of the drawing are the names of Bullard King & Co. as well as Handley & Dixon.

The drawing and an advertisement for John Wray & Sons, Shipbuilders are shown below.

Information kindly provided by Alan Irons of Burton Stather, Lincolnshire who has been researching the history of the shipyard for many years. 

Passengers per Rubens arrive Natal 1864

ARRIVAL OF RUBENS AT NATAL 3 AUGUST 1864

PASSENGERS:          SURETIES:

WILLIAMS                 Alexander Beale Tailor PMB
H C        40
Esther    35
Frank       7

BURMISTON               Robert H Hines Ironmonger PMB
John      17

WILTSHIRE                William Oliver Builder & Thomas Drew, DBN
Hannah  20

BOND                        Thomas Bond & William Grafton Laborers PMB
Stephen 20

These passengers paid £10 for their passage, in the case of the under age child, £5.

Passenger Arrivals and Departures at Natal 1872

ARRIVAL OF THE NATAL, THE  PRISCILLA and DEPARTURE OF THE BISMARCK

Natal Mercury December 14 1872

ARRIVED

December 12 - Natal, RMS, 452 tons, Ballard, from Table Bay, December 6; Mossel Bay, December 7; Algoa Bay, December 10; and East London, December 11. Cargo, general. 
PASSENGERS
From Southampton
1st Class
Mrs and Miss Wilson
Miss Wroughton
Miss McFie
Mr and Mrs Pratt
Mr and Mrs Walker, infant and child
Major Lutte
Capt Wilson
Messrs
Haynes
Wood
Grundy
Lockhart
Borras
Logan
Scott
Muller
McFie
De Menecy
2nd Class
Messrs
Francis
Winkley
Booker
Aston
Keith
3rd Class
Mr Walker 
From Cape Town
1st Class
Mr and Mrs Turton
Mr and Mrs Bush and infant
Mr Eckhart
Master Bresler
2nd Class
Mr Cooper
From Algoa Bay
2nd Class
Mr Hoaps
Reports: From Cape Town to Algoa Bay, light easterly winds; from Algoa Bay to Natal, light variable winds and fine; on the 11th, at 11.30 p.m., spoke schooner Retreiver, bound to Natal, off Hole in the Wall. Escombe, Wilhelm and Co, agents

December 12 - Ilva, barque, 302 tons, W Bliss, from Table Bay, December 4. Cargo, general (transhipped at the Cape from RMS Celt).
Escombe, Wilhelm and Co, agents

December 13 - Priscilla, barque, 253 tons, G Brown, from London, October 5. Cargo, general.
PASSENGERS
Lucy and Edith Willis
Arthur Plougt
Fanny Lambourne
Charles Lambourne
Evans and Maynard, agents

December 13 - Retriever, schooner, 64 tons, J Furness, from Cape Town, 2nd December. Cargo, general. - agents.

SAILED

December 13 - Bismarck, NGSS, 328 tons, Staats, for Table and intermediate ports. Cargo, colonial produce.
PASSENGERS
For Cape Town
Mr Fickess
Mr and Mrs Tumer and 2 children
Capt Forster
Mr WB Baxter
Mr C Parry and child
Mr PS Flack
Mr Albrecht
Mr GB Chalon
For Mossel Bay
Mr MP de Jager
For Algoa Bay
Messrs
Dreyfus
Raynor
H Fergusson
J Brooks
GNH Crozier, five children, and nurse
Mr HJ Mollan
Steerage
Johnny, a coloured boy
Lipperts and Dentzelmann, agents

OUTER ANCHORAGE

Priscilla, barque, 358 tons, Brown, from London
Evans and Maynard, agents.
Retriever, schr, 64 tons, J Furness, from Cape Town.

Souvenir Saturday: Bay and Settlement of Natal 1850

Natal from the Berea as it was during the Byrne Settler era. There was then no lighthouse
on the Bluff and the settlement clinging to the shores of the Bay was in its infancy. The Berea
was thickly wooded and the occasional elephant still roamed there.
Sailing ships can be seen anchored near the Point.

Emigration from Scotland to South Africa 1858

From the CALENDAR OF ANNANDALE EMIGRATION, SCOTLAND
March 4 1858:

Free Emigration to the Cape of Good Hope

All the Dumfriesshire and Galloway emigrants who are registered for the first vessel for Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, must be at Annan on Friday 12 March ready to embark on Saturday morning 13 March for Birkenhead. The undersigned will attend at the Kings Arms Inn, Lockerbie, on Friday and Saturday 5 and 6 March between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for the purpose of receiving the deposit of one pound under the Emigration Regulation 20.

Sgd: William CARRUTHERS - Emigration Agent for the Cape.

Another Fatal Accident by an 'Alligator': Baker family, Natal 1854

Natal Mercury 22 February 1854

On Sunday morning, as two children of Mr Baker, residing near the upper drift of the Umgeni (usually called Peel's Drift) were bathing in shallow water at the side of the river, an alligator* seized the older, a child of ten years, by the side, above the hip, and dragged him from his hold of the rope which crosses the stream, and by means of which both children were as they thought safely amusing themselves. The younger (only seven years), on his brother shrieking out, seized his uplifted hand, but the monster tore his victim away into deep water, and not a fragment of the poor children has since been found. It is high time that a reward was offered for every alligator destroyed in order to prevent the destruction of human life now so frequent in our rivers.

DIED 
On Sunday, the 26th instant, at his residence near the Umgeni, aged 42, Mr Thomas Brenchly Baker, leaving a widow and numerous young family to mourn their irreparable loss. The death of the lamented deceased is believed to have been accelerated, if not occasioned, by the fatal accident to his child by an alligator in the river, which we reported last week. Mr Baker was suffering under slight illness at the time; but that distressing event deeply affected him, and aggravated disease supervened.

MARRIED 
On Monday, the 20th ultimo, at New Germany, near this place, by the Rev. WHC Lloyd, MA, Colonial Chaplain, and afterwards by the Rev. M Sabon, Catholic Priest; Robert Daniel Eagar, Esquire, of this place, eldest son of Edward Eagar, Esquire, of Cape Town, to Euphrosine Mary, youngest daughter of the late Justus Suaving, Esquire, also of Cape Town. 

*i.e. crocodile: no alligators in Natal