RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => South Africa => Topic started by: EDO on Thursday 23 February 06 05:28 GMT (UK)
-
Dear Members,
Can anyone please assist in confirming, correcting, adding to, the following information regarding my GGrandfather.
Jonathan HARRIS b 1828 Hythe, Kent ENG d 1894 Brisbane Australia.
Jonathan sailed with his new wife Maria [BLACKWELL] on the barque "KING WILLIAM" from London and Plymouth on the 20 Oct 1849 arriving in Port Natal on 23 January 1850.
This was the first vessel to take 'Wesleyans' as a separate group to South Africa.
The HARRIS family settled on 90acres nr VERULAM {Venilam} formerly owned by a Cotton Company near Tongaat, Natal, South Africa.
Jonathan HARRIS was said to be the Tutor education/music to the children of the Governor of NATAL RSA.
He established the first Wesleyan School at Port Natal, South Africa.
Later Jonathan HARRIS established a school at LidgettTown Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
Thomas HARRIS b Mar. 1851, Sarah Maria HARRIS b April 1853 were born whilst in Durban.
Jonathan and family then travelled by ship to Australia.
departing CapeTown, South Africa in 1853 on the ship "AMERICA" and landed in Melbourne prior to continuing onto Sydney in 1854.
Can anyone assist me?
Any small snippet of information will be greatly appreciated.
EDO
Brisbane
-
Your HARRISes - Jonathan and Maria - were certainly passengers on the King William 1849. Interestingly, since you mention he was a 'Wesleyan educator', they are not listed as part of the Wesleyan contingent on that ship according to John Clark's book 'Natal Settler Agent'.
If as you say the family left for Australia in 1853, they weren't here long enough to generate much in the way of records.
This is one I will keep a look out for, though. Sorry I can't be of immediate help.
Regards,
Mole
-
Dear Mole,
Thank you very much for researching information on my behalf. It certainly is an important step towards finding out more detail on my GreatGrandparents.
Do you mind if I ask -- Is there any lead towards Government House, Natal, to confirm that Jonathan HARRIS was a Tutor of the children of the Governor?
After then, the family moved emigrated to Australia on the "AMERICA" .
Jonathan was a very accomplished musician as well as being an educator who made important inroads into the education system in the Colony of New South Wales. Two of his brothers were also substantially involved in the field of education in NSW.
Sincerely
Bruce EDMONDS
Brisbane
EDO
-
I don't really see any way of checking who might have been on the staff of Govt House as a tutor - it could have been a private arrangement of the Governor's rather than a matter for public record.
On the question of the 'America' - few departure lists (from SA to anywhere) have survived (you can see a couple on www.genealogyworld.net but the America is not among them)
A couple of other avenues occur to me and I will see what I can find, if you can be patient. 8)
Mole
-
Dear Mole,
Thank you once again for your research on my behalf.
Yes, I certainly have patience. Family researchers have to be patient!
Here is the info. I have re the "AMERICA" -
Jonathan and family then travelled by ship to AUS. Left CapeTown, South Africa in 1853 on the ship "AMERICA" and landed in Melbourne prior to continuing onto Sydney on 1854.
Unassisted Passengers arriving Melbourne
Surname Given Name Age Year Month Ship Port Fiche Page
HARRIS ---- CHILD WITH 2 1854 JAN AMERICA F 20 1
HARRIS ---- INFANT WITH 0 1854 JAN AMERICA F 20 1
HARRIS ---- MR 25 1854 JAN AMERICA F 20 1
HARRIS ---- MRS 21 1854 JAN AMERICA F 20 1
http://www.tools.prov.vic.gov.au/UnAssisted2.asp
http://proarchives.imagineering.com.au/index_search_results.asp
The Cricket is interesting.
Regards
Bruce EDMONDS
EDO
-
G'day Members,
My GGrandfather Jonathan HARRIS emigrated to Natal RSA with his new wife Maria [BLACKWELL] on the barque "KING WILLIAM" from London and Plymouth England departing 20 Oct 1849 and arriving in Port Natal RSA on 23 January 1850: The "KING WILLIAM" was the first vessel to take 'Wesleyans' as a separate group to South Africa.
The HARRIS family settled on 90 acres near VERULAM {Venilam} formerly owned by a Cotton Company near Tongaat, Natal, RSA.
Jonathan HARRIS was said to be the Tutor to the children of the Governor of NATAL RSA. He established the first Wesleyan School at Port Natal, RSA. Later Jonathan opened another school at [Lidgett Town?] Pietermatitzburg, RSA.
Any snippet of information about the HARRIS family, the Wesleyans in NATAL from 1850-1854, or the name of the Governor of Natal at the time, will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely
EDO
in Brisbane
-
Hi everyone,
I am merging these 2 topics so we dont repeat ourselves. Have a good day.
Ruth
-
See www.genealogyworld.net/rose/nuggets/governors.html
for list of Governors of Natal.
Regards,
Mole
-
G'day Mole,
Thank you very much for the NATAL Governors: I will follow it through
EDO
in Brisbane
-
There is no doubt that Jonathan Harris was initially in Natal before coming to Australia.
In Australia he was a prominent teacher, as was his brother Thomas and daughter Sarah. The research into Verulam was originally conducted by Phyllis, nee Harris, who is now getting on in years. Jonathan settling 'on cotton or coast lands' at Verulam was researched in South Africa by Cynthia Goldstone.
Phyllis told me that family memory recalled that, in Natal, Jonathan was tutor to the governor of Natal's children. I have had no luck in researching the link to the Governor of Natal.
Phyllis inherited some objects passed down in the family from Jonathan's time in Natal that were distinctly native-carved.
Passengers with no connection with the Wesleyan Society were generally settled at Richmond and Byrne on the Illovo. However, Jonathan and Maria were allocated 90 Acres on ‘cotton or coast lands’ . They established their home at Durban, and joined up with the few devout Methodists who were there.
In recent years I have since confirmed that two of their children were born in Natal before coming to Australia.
. Thomas, was born at Durban on 19 March 1851, but his baptism is not listed in the Pietermaritzburg or Durban Wesleyan circuit records.
. Sarah Maria was born at Lidgetton, Port Natal on 23 April 1853 and baptised by Rev J Thomas, of the Pietermaritzburg Wesleyan Circuit, on 26 June 1853. Pietermaritzburg became a city that same year.
For more detail on their lives subsequent to arriving in Australia I have attached a detailed story in Ancestry to Jonathan Harris and Maria Blackwell.
David
-
Newspaper article entitled:
"Mrs Jonathan Harris a pioneer of Southern Queensland who celebrated her 97th birthday on May 15"
Contains the following:
"She was born in Bristol England on May 13 1828. She later resided with the family in Bath, till her marriage with Mr Jonathan Harris in 1849. Shortly after this event the young couple left their native land for South Africa, arriving there later in the same year. A resident of over five years during which period he saw a considerable portion of the Kaffir's land and travelled mostly by Dutch waggon or on horseback, proved sufficient, and, deciding to try their fortunes in Australia, they sailed in a small schooner for Sydney, where they arrived in 1855"
David
-
Great to find that detail :) Well done David. The fact that they sailed to Aus in a small ship should prevent you from searching for passenger lists there.
Best Wishes, Mole
-
Yes that is so; but it is known that he had an older brother already in the colony, a William Gilbert Harris, who was first to arrive in Australia before 1853. William was born 27 September 1821 and baptised on 5 December 1821 and was living in Redfern in 1856. He was married 9 April 1852 to Elizabeth Austin (or Lees), a widow, and had two daughters, one was Martha who was born on 1 June 1853 in Sydney.
Jonathan also had another older brother Thomas, born in Hythe Kent in 1824, who, at the age of 31 with his wife Emma (nee Bailey), aged 32, arrived after Jonathan and Maria on the “Cressy” on 12 January 1856.
regards
David
-
Found it I think:
Unassisted Passengers arriving Melbourne per "America":
Surname Given Name Age Year Month Ship Port Fiche 20 Page 1
HARRIS ---- CHILD WITH Age 2 1854 JAN per AMERICA
HARRIS ---- INFANT WITH Age 0 1854 JAN AMERICA
HARRIS ---- MR age 25 1854 JAN AMERICA
HARRIS ---- MRS age 21 1854 JAN AMERICA
http://www.tools.prov.vic.gov.au/UnAssisted2.asp
http://proarchives.imagineering.com.au/index_search_results.asp
-
My apologies for this - and I can't add to your Harris story.
The King William - 1849/50 - was not the first vessel to convey Wesleyans to South Africa.
From a picture I have, painted by Joseph Walter - 1783-1856
"he ship Triton. 119 tons, James Beatty, Master, purchased and fitted out AD1839 for the Wesleyan Missionary Society [Ca 1840]
A broadside view of the brigantine missionary ship Triton at sea, with land in the background and flying a flag on the foremast reading ‘Glory to God in the highest’ with further writing on the flag atop the rear mast. Beneath are two annotated plans of the ship, one a plan view of the deck and cabins, and a cross-section view. From http://mp.natlib.govt.nz/detail/?id=41696 - Collection of the Alexander Turnbull Library"
A member of my family, James Archbell, with his wife and 6 children returned to South Africa aboard this ship, together with his future son-in-law, John Whittle Appleyard and a number of Missionaries bound for other destinations en route to New Zealand.