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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Jcutting on Monday 05 May 25 20:15 BST (UK)
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Hi.
I'm looking into the death at sea of Richard elphick.
He was married to bathsheba friend 1june 1836 Hawkhurst Kent.
He ,bathsheba and children were on board the ship eleanor, bound for Australia in 1841.
Unfortunately, there was an outbreak of fever on board and deaths occurred, putting the eleanor, and passengers in quarantine just off Sydney.
Although this is well documented in various newspaper articles and such, what I'm trying to find is any information on richards death. All that is referred to when the ship landed was that he had died at sea.
I can't find him and bathsheba on any list leaving England.
The ship did stop at tenerife for provisions on route but where was he buried at sea ?
Are there any records of deaths at sea ?
Bathsheba and children survived the voyage and she married thomas mead weller a year later in Australia.
Funny thing is ,thomas was also on the eleanor at the same time as bathsheba and Richard, and he also came from Hawkhurst.
Any help about his death at sea would be absolutely brilliant. Thank you 😊
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Think you are too early.
Ancestry has a collection UK, Registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths at Sea, 1844-1890 that a relation's birth & death appear in 1877 en-route to Queensland. He also appears in Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985.
For later maritime deaths of crew there has sometimes been an approximate location for the death but no record of when or where the burial at sea was conducted.
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3196
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3197
For Richard Elphick there is no death record on Ancestry or Findmypast.
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FindMyPast has an Australian passenger record which states "Died on Board" against "Calling" - no date. Bethsheba, age 26 is described as "Cook" under "Calling.
Two sons Charles and William
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Records on FamilySearch confirm Richard "Died on board" -no date and the comment "Wife - from quarantine".
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Have you checked the "Log of Logs" ?
https://zenodo.org/records/6901/files/Log_of_Logs_vol2.pdf?download=1
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Have you checked the "Log of Logs" ?
https://zenodo.org/records/6901/files/Log_of_Logs_vol2.pdf?download=1
No i haven't. Thank you 😊
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Thank you.
I have looked at ancestry ,and find my past.
There's lots of reports in newspapers about the fever but nothing specific as to what the fever was .
I've seen records with Richard on them saying died on board but I still can't find him,his wife and children leaving England. Only arriving in Australia.
I shall keep digging 😌
Think you are too early.
Ancestry has a collection UK, Registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths at Sea, 1844-1890 that a relation's birth & death appear in 1877 en-route to Queensland. He also appears in Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985.
For later maritime deaths of crew there has sometimes been an approximate location for the death but no record of when or where the burial at sea was conducted.
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3196
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3197
For Richard Elphick there is no death record on Ancestry or Findmypast.
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Thank you.
Yep . I have seen various records saying exactly that.
Very frustrating lol.
There doesn't seem to be any information on Richard, wife and children leaving England, only arriving in Australia.
Records on FamilySearch confirm Richard "Died on board" -no date and the comment "Wife - from quarantine".
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Passenger Lists held by the UK Board of Traded were routinely destroyed until about 1890.
So, you need to look at Australian sources to find any mention of passenger names.
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Thank you.
I have a friend in Australia who has looked into various sources over there.
We would just like to know more about Richard. Even his parentage is a bit sketchy. Nothing definite lets say.
He's part of a wide tree of elphicks that we are researching. I'm also of elphick ancestry lol.
It's just a mystery that we got our teeth into. 😊
Passenger Lists held by the UK Board of Traded were routinely destroyed until about 1890.
So, you need to look at Australian sources to find any mention of passenger names.
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The FamilySearch records have Bathsheba's maiden name as Friend and names her parents. The FindMyPast passenger register has Bathsheba from Kent.
An Aussie newspapers report that during the passage 6 adults and 7 children died. Another reports 2 adults and six infants. The FindMyPast passenger list only identifies 2 adults, no children..
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FindMyPast has the marriage (register and transcript) of -
Bathsheba Friend and Richard Elphick, 1 June 1836, St Laurence with Saints, Hawkhurst Kent, both of this parish. Witnesses John Message and Mary Elphick.
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FindMyPast baptisms (original and transcript)
Richard Elphick, 1 Aug 1813, Horsmorden Kent, parents Samuel and Elizabeth, father's occpn Farmer
Richard Elphick,, 5 Nov 1815, abode Harvey Cottages Tunbridge Wells, place St Mary the Virgin Speldhurst, parents Richard Elphick and Priscilla Elliot, father's occpn Carpenter ,
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FindMyPast has a passenger record for
Richard Elphick 35, farm labourer, Elizabeth Elphick 32,and Samuel George Elphick 12 arrived Oz on the John Bright, 8 Jun 1849 from Horsmorden, Kent.
Horsmorden and son's given name Samuel would appear to fit the Richard Elphick bap 1 Aug 1813, parents Samuel and Elizabeth - leaving the 5 Nov 1815 baptism as "your" Richard Elphick - but no guarantee? FindMyPast has a marriage (image and transcript) for Richard Elphick (transcribed Elpick) and Elizabeth Lansdell on 4 July 1836, place St James East Malling Kent, both of the Parish.
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FindMyPast marriage (transcript only)
Richard Elphick and Priscilla Elliott, 11 Apr 1812, Lambeth Surrey
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Thank you, but we know about them while over here. We know who was bathsheba's second husband is, etc.
We just wanted more about richards death.
Thanks again.
The FamilySearch records have Bathsheba's maiden name as Friend and names her parents. The FindMyPast passenger register has Bathsheba from Kent.
An Aussie newspapers report that during the passage 6 adults and 7 children died. Another reports 2 adults and six infants. The FindMyPast passenger list only identifies 2 adults, no children..
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We would just like to know more about Richard. Even his parentage is a bit sketchy. Nothing definite lets say.
P/quote]
Pl accept my apologies for the information presented. I have clearly misundersood the above.
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No,Please . No need to apologise. Honestly .
I appreciate any help given. I really do.🙏
I'm sorry if my last message came across wrong. It wasn't meant that way. X
We would just like to know more about Richard. Even his parentage is a bit sketchy. Nothing definite lets say.
P/quote]
Pl accept my apologies for the information presented. I have clearly misundersood the above.