Passenger list for Chatsworth, Moreton Bay 1862: MATHESON family

[andrewm]

Hi

I'd be very grateful if someone can check the passenger list of the Chatsworth that arrived into Moreton Bay on 6 August 1862.  I know that Mr Jeffrey of the Royal Navy and his wife were on board (they're listed in the Courier of 16 August).  I'm really interested in Donald Matheson, his wife Elizabeth Adam and their children. I suspect they were also on board; can anyone confirm?

(Sorry I posted this first on the 'completed' requests board; my error.)

Many thanks,
Andrew

[Dundee]

Hi Andrew,

The index to Queensland passenger arrivals is online at http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/research/index/immigration.asp

Just having a quick look, I can't see your arrivals on the Chatsworth. Passengers who paid their own fare are not included on the index, and not all passenger lists have survived.

"The passenger lists are primarily for assisted passengers from the United Kingdom and Europe. Please note that this list does not include passengers from New Zealand, the Americas, Asia, Africa, other Australian ports or those passengers who paid their own fare (in a few lists there are fare paying passengers included). This index does not include all immigration records for that period.  The records for the 1860s are incomplete because they were inundated in the 1893 floods. The registers held at Queensland State Archives were rewritten from the damaged originals during that period."

Perhaps an enquiry to the Queensland Archives might at least confirm whether the documents exist.

If you can give us a bit more info on Donald and family, such as place of origin, approx age, and the names of their children we can have a look for them.

Debra 

[andrewm]

Hi Debra

I suspect the family did pay their own way out given their absence from the online lists.  Donald Matheson was a surveyor so they probably weren't a poor family.  At the time of the Chatsworth's arrival in Queensland Donald would have been about 35, his wife Elizabeth 27 and their daughter Catherine/Katie 4.  There was a son Matthew less than 2, and I think he may have died on the voyage.

Would appreciate any further info you can provide.

Regards,
Andrew