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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: chuckles2000 on Wednesday 15 September 10 23:06 BST (UK)
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I need help! I am trying to trace my great great grandfather who was a seaman/cook and was born in Madras, India. Unfortunately, he changed his name before marrying my great great grandmother, so I do not have a name to research!! I am hoping someone is able to access passenger and crew records for the Opawa which left Plymouth, England on 26 September 1877, arriving in the port of Canterbury (now Lyttelton) on 3 January 1878. They apparently met on-board. I am searching for any Indian sounding name among the crew.
If anyone could help that would be fantastic.
DA
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http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nzlscant/Opawa_passengers_Lyttelton.htm
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Hi DA :)
First of all, how do you know that he changed his name? And why do you think it would be an Indian name - was he of Indian appearance?
Secondly, what was his name when he married your g-g-grandmother - this might help others trace him in any records they have access to.
Cheers
Prue
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Hi DA :)
Thanks for your PM. I suspect his adopted surname might be a contraction of his original name, so this might give you something to go on.
Can I suggest that you post a message on the New Zealand board - cut and paste the URL for this topic into your new message, and ask the NZers to help wiht your search. They will know what archives are available to look at for crew lists. The link that gortonboy posted has a passenger list, but unfortunately no crew.
Cheers
Prue
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are you sure the voyage i posted is the wrong one? could a ship really travel from uk to nz,, arrive 5th dec,,,then travel back to uk to arrive back in nz by january?
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Hi there
the Opawa made several voyages. the one I am interested in is :
depart Plymouth 27 Sep 1877 - arrive Lyttelton NZ 03 Jan 1878 (voyage took 98 days) Captain McInnes
I think the one you mention is :
depart Plymouth 07 Sep 1878 - arrive Lyttelton 07 Dec 1878 (voyage took 91 days) Captain Triston
I was going to contact the Archives at Kew, but as I don't have a name (apart from the fact that it will be a foreign name) I can't do this. What I need is someone who has access to the records to search the crew list for that voyage and let me know of any "foreign sounding" names or, better still, somehow get me a copy of the passenger and crew lists for that voyage.
Cheers
Dorothy