Remembering the Fallen in all Wars

The time you won your town the race,

We chaired you through the marketplace;

Man and boy stood cheering by,

As home we brought you shoulder-high.

To-day, the road all runners come,

Shoulder-high we bring you home,

And set you at your threshold down,

Townsman of a stiller town.

Smart lad, to slip betimes away

From fields where glory does not stay

And early though the laurel grows

It withers quicker than the rose.

Now you will not swell the rout

Of lads that wore their honours out,

Runners whom renown outran

And the name died before the man.

And round that early-laurelled head

Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,

And find unwithered on its curls

The garland briefer than a girl's.*

* "To An Athlete Dying Young" A.E. Houseman 1896

The Great Gale, 1888, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

The Great Gale 1888: ship foundering in surf while crowd watches on shore.

During a south-east gale, nine vessels were wrecked on the North End beach. The ships were: 'Andreas Riis', 'Dorthea' [sic], 'Wolseley', 'Drei Emmas', 'Elizabeth Stevens', 'Jane Harvey', 'Lada', 'Natal', and 'C. Boschetto'. The Rocket Brigade, life-boat and crews of other ships assisted and only one drowning was recorded.

Souvenir Saturday: maritime treasure in Durban

Bronze cannon salvaged from the sea - Natal Maritime Museum, Durban.

Souvenir Saturday: Durban Bay from the Maritzburg Road ca 1856

Passenger Lists Natal: Jane Morice: 1851

Arrival of Jane Morice reported in The Natal Witness 11 July 1851

The barque Jane Morice, 256 tons, under Joseph Browne left Liverpool on April 9 1851, arriving at Natal on July 7. Her 44 passengers on this voyage included Joseph and William Royston and their families, and Alexander Lyle. John Galloway was making a return trip to Natal, having first arrived in 1848 and establishing himself as a cotton planter. It was this ship which, in 1855, carried Bishop Colenso’s missionaries to Natal.

SHIPPING, COMMERCIAL, AND AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE

ARRIVED

July 2nd - Douglas, Schooner, Captain P Gill, from Cape Town.

July 7th - Jane Morice, Barque 256 tons, Captain Joseph Browne, from Liverpool April 9th, with forty-four passengers and general cargo.

Edward P Lamport, Agent.

PASSENGERS

Joseph Royston, wife and child

Wm Royston, wife and child

John Smith

James Lloyd, wife and child

Eligah Middleborough

John McKeany and wife

Wm Dales and wife

Alexander Lyle [later saddler of Pietermaritzburg]

Thomas Allen, wife and child

John Allen, wife and child

Martha Allen

Alexander Murdock

Joseph Webster

Henry Webb and wife

William Hargreaves

Thomas Hargreaves

Betsey Turner

Jos B Shires, wife and four children

Richard Watson

Abraham Hirst

Mary Blackbrough and child

CABIN

Mr Malloy, Surgeon

Mr John Galloway [planter]

Mr Martin

Mr WG Harvey

The Jane Morice is expected to come inside in a day or two.

She draws about eleven feet water only.* 

The Passengers are landed this day, (Tuesday.)

July 8 - Jane Greene, from London, with 53 Emigrants.

OUTSIDE

Jane Morice and Jane Greene.

INSIDE

Albinia,

McArthur and Hunter, Agents.

Sarah Bell,

H. Milner, Agents.

Douglas,

Henderson, Smerdon, and Co. Agents.

VESSELS EXPECTED

From London

Cheshire Witch, Brig, 155 tons, Captain Todd, sailed 13 March.

Jane Geary, Brig, 193 tons, Captain A Douglas, sailed 13 March.

From Plymouth

Mora, Brig. 200 tons, Captain Teulon, sailed 6 Jan.

From California via Sydney

Lalla Rookh, Brig. 250 tons, Milner.

*A reference to the difficulties arising due to the Bar (sandbank) at the entrance channel to Port Natal: ships would have to wait until there was sufficient depth of water and wind and weather conditions were favourable so as to cross the Bar without mishap. As a result of these delays, the actual date of landing of a passenger ashore may be later than the date of ship arrival.

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

Passenger list: 'Wee Tottie' sails for Australia from Natal 1853

 Wee Tottie passenger list, departures, Feb 22 1853
Natal Witness

Several early British settlers to Natal were disappointed with the Colony
and hoped to start a new life in Australia - the goldfields there being
an added incentive. However, some of these emigrants returned to Natal later.

Wee Tottie A 1 at Lloyds: This vessel is now being
fitted up with superior accommodation for Passengers all this being in Enclosed
Cabins; and offers in every respect a most eligible opportunity for parties about to
proceed to Australia. An experienced Surgeon is engaged to
accompany the vessel, and every attention will be paid
to the comfort and requirements of the  passengers.

Souvenir Saturday: family group 1920s

Informal family group circa 1920 - Cape Town, with Table Mountain
in the background. (Storrar family). A good example of 1920s costume,
especially hats and children's clothes. 

Iris arrival at Natal 2 January 1852

Passengers per ship Iris as reported in the Natal Witness
2 Jan 1852.

Note Miss Shuttleworth among the passengers. The Shuttleworths became a prominent family in Natal. Linked to this family is Mark Shuttleworth, born in Welkom, Free State in 1973, who became the first citizen of an independent African country to travel to space as a space tourist - 

   

Time in space	9d 21h 25m
Missions	Soyuz TM-34/TM-33

   

9d 21h 25m

Soyuz TM-34/TM-33

Danube and other arrivals at Natal July 1880

Passengers per Danube and other vessels
The Natal Witness July 1880

Passengers arriving at Durban in the 1880s were still landed by baskets like this one, which can be seen at the Natal Maritime Museum.