The passengers:
Continuing on to Brisbane, or remaining in Melbourne.
The ship City of Melbourne (coincidently also once wrecked on King Island itself) was provided to those passengers who wanted to continue their planned voyage to Brisbane. A fair bit of conjecture remains about exactly how many (and who) travelled to Brisbane. The passenger list for the City of Melbourne (here) appears to have been written before the passengers had made up their minds as many names appear on it where descendants have since confirmed their ancestors remained in Melbourne. It lists 413 names in total.
An article in the Argus 1 Aug 1866 refers to 312 boarding the City of Melbourne and 150 choosing to remain in Melbourne while Don Charlwood's book and Dr Marshall Webster's report states 243 went to Brisbane and 170 remained.
The City of Melbourne departed from Melbourne on 30 July 1866 and stopped in Sydney (as George Massingham's letter refers to him catching up with his brother there, however Dr Webster, who accompanied the passengers, reports no passengers went ashore), then arrived in Moreton Bay QLD on 4 August 1866 whereupon the next morning the passengers were transferred to the steamer Ipswich to the Brisbane Immigration Depot on 5 August 1866.
Shipping notice for arrivals in The Queenslander 11 August 1866 refers to 220 (and a 1/2) (including Dr Webster and Purser Lockhart) arriving in Brisbane, while an article on the same day refers to 247 souls accompanied by Dr Webster and Purser Lockhart then further refers to 80 more passengers being taken to Sydney aboard the Alexandra with further passage expected to Brisbane possibly on another vessel. (Website Admin Note: I am looking further into this for more passenger lists).
Once in Queensland, some passengers (the single men) were offered further free passage to Port Denison (Bowen, QLD) where there was employment available.
Website Admin Note: The end goal on this page will be to compile exact lists of who definitely went to QLD and who remained in Victoria. All input is very welcome. Scroll to the bottom to see the existing lists.
Classification of immigrants per "Netherby" and "Maryborough" sent to Port Denison.
Immigration Office
Brisbane
23rd August 1866
Sir,
I have the honour to inform you that, according to your instruction, I offered free passage to Port Denison by the brig "Spray" to the single men ex "Netherby" and also to the Immigrants ex "Maryborough".
Although the "Spray" is capable of carrying 100 souls, and I was desirous of dispatching a full complement, it was with much difficulty that 38 souls, equivalent to 36 statute adults, we moved to embark.
They consisted of 20 from the "Netherby" and 16 ex "Maryborough", divided into 1 married couple, 29 single men, 3 single girls under the protection of their parents, and 4 children.
The steamer "Emma" took the Immigrants from the Queens Wharf to the "Spray" yesterday morning and that vessel left anchorage in the afternoon.
I have the honour to be
Your most obedient Servant
John McDonnell
Immigration Agent
Web admin Karina: Typed version of this letter was provided to my father by Catriona Robinson of Ispwich in March 1998. Catriona is a descendant of passengers Isabella Moffatt who was travelling with her children Luke and Mary, to join her husbane and 3 other children in the colony. My father had come across an article in a magazine called Bremer Echoes authored by Catriona.
ABOVE: Interesting letters to the Editor of The Queenslander newspaper. I wish we knew who the mystery authors were !
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Who stayed in Melbourne, and who went to Brisbane. Note this list is about who went to Brisbane in the first instance immediately after the shipwreck.
It is noted on the various family history pages that some later returned to Victoria or moved to other states.
Based on news articles and descendants feedback. This list will be ongoing as more input is gained.
Confirmed: Went to Queensland.
ADAMS: John 29 yrs, occ smith, Eliza 27 years and children Mary Ann 5 yrs, John B 1 yr.
AUSTIN: John 38 years farmer, Elizabeth 40 years (nee Heard) and children William 16 years, Edwin John 15 years, Sarah Elizabeth 10 years, John Henry 8 years, Selena 6 years, James 5 years and Mary Jane 4 years.
ATTWOOD: William Henry. (Died soon after arriving in QLD).
BARRY: Ernest 19 yrs.
BELLGROVE: Edwin 26 yrs labourer.
CRAWFORD: Walter 26 yrs.
DARLINGTON: Alfred William 21 years.
DENNING: Charles, Maria and son James Gad(d) 11 years.
DICKSON/DIXON: John George 16 yrs.
DUPRENY/DUPPREY/DUPPEY/DUPPY: Thomas 16 yrs.
EVANS: Mr George Joseph Aston Evans 33 yrs Engineer/Smith, Mrs Emmeline Evans 25 yrs and children Henry John 3 yrs and Emmeline Evans 1yr. Also George’s younger brother Alonzo Evans 12 years.
EVANS: Messrs Evans referred to in The Queenslander – not able to tell which one – possibly George John Evans 18 yrs as he was a second cabin passenger and it’s the second cabin passengers named in the article.
GILL: Edwin 24 yrs and Selina Anne 26 yrs. (still to be confirmed - they settled in VIC and there are references to their son's employment in Melbourne in 1886).
GRIMES: Thomas 34 yrs, Carry/Caroline 34 yrs, children Isaac 3yrs, Maria 2yrs.
LOCKHART: The Netherby purser.
MARTIN: Mr Hope Martin 23 yrs viceman and ships teacher, Mrs Maria Martin 20 yrs.
MASSINGHAM: George Leake 16 yrs.
NALLY: Robert 27 yrs, Mary 27 yrs, (baby Michael born on board Netherby).
PARSONS: Charles William 44 yrs, Elizabeth (DESC nee Head) 36 yrs, children Thomas 15 yrs, Elizabeth and Sabina Parsons twins 6 yrs.
ROBINSON: Henry Higginson 28 yrs, labourer.
SANGER: Thomas 21 yrs.
SEYMOUR: Alfred 22 yrs and Elizabeth 24 yr.
SKERMAN: John Snr 58 yrs occ smith & Maria 57 yrs and children Ann E 15 yrs, Walter George 13 yrs.
SKERMAN: Frederick 24 yrs, occ smith & Alice (nee Darlington, sister of Alfred) 21 years and infant Alice 1 yr.
STUTCHBURY: Eliza Jane 20 yrs (Married Dr Webster).
THOMAS: Miss Elizabeth Salmon 26 yrs.
TOWNSEND: Captain William, Esquire 56 yrs & 6 children from first marriage), Isabella Rachel 14 yrs, Mary Catherine 12 yrs, Edwin James 17yrs, George Robert 16 yrs, Victor Louis 10 yrs.
VINCENT: Mr. H. Dunsterville.
WEBSTER: Alexander Brand 20 yrs.
WEBSTER: Dr Marshall Hall (surgeon-superintendent).
YORSTON: James 29 yrs, Rebecca (nee Chandler) 28 yrs, children Henry 7 yrs, Alfred James 3 yrs, Amelia Augusta 2 yrs, Harriet Esther 1 yr.
YOUNG: William M. 20 yrs.
Confirmed: Remained in Victoria.
APLIN: James 32 years, Mary Ann (nee Trend) 34 years, Anna 12 yrs, Lucy Jane 10 years.
ARKLE: Thomas 27 years.
BARNETT: William 28 yrs labourer, Ellen (DESC - nee Kerslake) 22yrs, Mary Ann 4 yrs. and William H 1yr
BARTLING: Charles 34 yrs gentleman, Fredericka 32, and children August 10yrs, Frederick 9yrs, Dora 6yrs, William 4yrs.
CUBBIN: William 27 yrs, Ellen 24 yrs and children Elizabeth 1 yr, William 4 yrs, Alfred 3 yrs and baby Nettie.
EVANS: Reginald William Cotton Evans.
GROOM: Benjamin 31, Mrs Lucy 23 yrs and children William aged 6, Benjamin 4, Lucy 2, and Rosa 1.
HACKNEY: George 19 yrs.
LINGARD: William 24 yrs, Emma 23 yrs.
NEWBROOK: Thomas 14, Mary 40 yrs and Ann 15 yrs serf.
PINNUCK: David Snr labourer, Elizabeth 24 yrs, children Albert 2 yrs and David jnr infant.
PINNUCK: Edward 22 yrs labourer.
RERDEN: James 31 yrs labourer, Eleanor 32 yrs, children James 8 yrs, Philip 6 yrs and Charles 1 yr.
SKERMAN: William 38 yrs, Caroline 31 yrs. (confirmed by descendant).
SKERMAN: William 19 yrs, occ smith. (Confirmed by descendant).
THOMAS: Mr Martin
WATKINS: Hugh Daniel, 34, Martha, 23, and baby Hugh Daniel, 1.
WIGLEY: George Henry 31 yrs, Marian (nee Cross) 32 yrs, children George Henry 7 yrs, Walter John 5 yrs, and Marian Adelaide 2 yrs.
Karina's note: Still trying to source a passenger list of those who were on the Alexandra - above article references 80 of the shipwrecked people.
