Paisley Emigration Society – Scottish Colonisation Company.

[Kiwigirl]

Thank you Jeanette - yes when you look at the size of the life boat and the ship, the ship does look small.  I don't know that I would have wanted to cross the oceans to the other side of the world in a small ship like that.  Do you think it went to NZ via Cape Horn or around South Africa via Australia.  From some of the exerts I have read lately from ships sailing to NZ from England they seem to have gone via the Cape Horn, South America?
Angela

[Fresh Fields]

Hello again.

The book which I have photocopied and laminated extracts out of for display at reunions etc is THE STORY OF NEW ZEALAND by Bassett, Sinclair and Stenson pages 58 to 61. Most came out as assisted "steerage class" passengers. There is an illustration of how crowded the sleeping quarters were, how they were arranged on the "SS BOLTON of 540 tons 1841" separating the single M & F passangers, sick bay, couples, families etc. A family of parents and four children would all have to fit in an allocated 1.8 x 2.4 metres sleeping enclosure. On a voyage of the "LLOYDS" to Nelson in 1842, 65 children died on the way out. This was possibly one of the worst cases, not helped by whooping cough spreading through the ship.

There is a big list plus cost of the Emigrants' outfit required. [Clothing, bedding, utensils etc per person] Also the daily food ration allocated for one adult, not something you would choose to live on today, but fascinating reading.

No time to look it up now, but the Lloyd's Shipping Register I assume, would give a description of the vessels registered and insured therein.

- Alan.

[Fresh Fields]

Went looking for more stats on the Duchess, and came up with these, that I apparently have never gone to the trouble to record in my saved notes before.

Duchess of Argyle 123' 8" long, 24' 5" wide and 19' 9" deep. This reference quoting 523 tons old measure 667 tons new measure.

Duchess of Argyle hits :-

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/MARINERS/2002-05/1021710854

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ourstuff/DuchessofArgyle.htm

http://www.otago.ac.nz/library/pdf/hoc_fr_bulletins/14_bulletin.pdf

The passenger list one you have possibly seen before. The Otago University one gives a great list of titles that can be researched in support of info about the early shipping.

- Alan.

[Kiwigirl]

Thanks Alan

Hello.

The reported tonages of the two sailing ships was:-
Duchess of Argyle 667 tons  [172 men 171 women & 192 children.]
Jane Gifford 558 tons.
On the long journey out there were  34 deaths & 16 births.
[THE FIRST FLEET OF AUCKLAND by Darry McCARTHY.]

There are some well circulated / reproduced drawings of the two vessels. Copies of which I expect you will be able to find on either the Auckland Library or the Auckland Museum sites. They have been used many times in publications about early Auckland.

- Alan.

[Kiwigirl]

Alan, I am amazed at it being such a little ship - the frontage of our property where our home is in Frankfort, Illinois is bigger than that!  I have more and more admiration for my ancestors as I learn more about them and the living conditions they left behind in Scotland and the living conditions which they went to - They were truly very brave and courageous people.  And to think that they took their 4 month old daughter with them on the Duchess of Argyle and that she was 8 months old when she arrived in New Zealand! 

Alan I am truly indebted to you.  Thank you.

Angela

Went looking for more stats on the Duchess, and came up with these, that I apparently have never gone to the trouble to record in my saved notes before.

Duchess of Argyle 123' 8" long, 24' 5" wide and 19' 9" deep. This reference quoting 523 tons old measure 667 tons new measure.

Duchess of Argyle hits :-

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/MARINERS/2002-05/1021710854

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ourstuff/DuchessofArgyle.htm

http://www.otago.ac.nz/library/pdf/hoc_fr_bulletins/14_bulletin.pdf

The passenger list one you have possibly seen before. The Otago University one gives a great list of titles that can be researched in support of info about the early shipping.

- Alan.

[Fresh Fields]

Hello again.

The book which I have photocopied and laminated extracts out of for display at reunions etc is THE STORY OF NEW ZEALAND by Bassett, Sinclair and Stenson pages 58 to 61. Most came out as assisted "steerage class" passengers. There is an illustration of how crowded the sleeping quarters were, how they were arranged on the "SS BOLTON of 540 tons 1841" separating the single M & F passangers, sick bay, couples, families etc. A family of parents and four children would all have to fit in an allocated 1.8 x 2.4 metres sleeping enclosure. On a voyage of the "LLOYDS" to Nelson in 1842, 65 children died on the way out. This was possibly one of the worst cases, not helped by whooping cough spreading through the ship.

There is a big list plus cost of the Emigrants' outfit required. [Clothing, bedding, utensils etc per person] Also the daily food ration allocated for one adult, not something you would choose to live on today, but fascinating reading.

No time to look it up now, but the Lloyd's Shipping Register I assume, would give a description of the vessels registered and insured therein.

- Alan.

PS As Angela has now advised that she does not live in NZ I have scan ed the pages referred to, and forwarded by PM. I won't share them here because of issues re copyright.

For those living in NZ the books should be obtainable, upon request, at City Libraries.

- Alan.

[Kiwigirl]

Thank you Alan.

Angela

Hello again.

The book which I have photocopied and laminated extracts out of for display at reunions etc is THE STORY OF NEW ZEALAND by Bassett, Sinclair and Stenson pages 58 to 61. Most came out as assisted "steerage class" passengers. There is an illustration of how crowded the sleeping quarters were, how they were arranged on the "SS BOLTON of 540 tons 1841" separating the single M & F passangers, sick bay, couples, families etc. A family of parents and four children would all have to fit in an allocated 1.8 x 2.4 metres sleeping enclosure. On a voyage of the "LLOYDS" to Nelson in 1842, 65 children died on the way out. This was possibly one of the worst cases, not helped by whooping cough spreading through the ship.

There is a big list plus cost of the Emigrants' outfit required. [Clothing, bedding, utensils etc per person] Also the daily food ration allocated for one adult, not something you would choose to live on today, but fascinating reading.

No time to look it up now, but the Lloyd's Shipping Register I assume, would give a description of the vessels registered and insured therein.

- Alan.

PS As Angela has now advised that she does not live in NZ I have scan ed the pages referred to, and forwarded by PM. I won't share them here because of issues re copyright.

For those living in NZ the books should be obtainable, upon request, at City Libraries.

- Alan.

[russellc]

I have come across the attached newspaper obituary (NZ Herald, 22 September 1931). It says that my great grandfather, Archibald MacVicar, arrived in NZ on the Duchess of Argyle. I cannot find him on the passenger list. I have, however found a Arch. McVicor who arrived on the Drover in April 1855. The obituary correctly states that Archibald's wife Christina and daughter Margaret arrived on the Euphemus in 1856 (http://rter.co.nz/macvicar.html). Did the Duchess of Argyle sail many times to New Zealand? Any help with this family's roots to Scotland would be appreciated.

[Lynda Raczkowski]

Hi,

I was thrilled to find this group and hope you may be able to help me track down my great,great,great grandmother, Margaret Byron.  I'm having trouble finding information as she was illiterate and her name appears incorrectly on many documents (perhaps it's not even Byron, as has been passed down).  Family information is her father was a Dyer from Paisley called George Byron who emigrated to Wellington, NZ. I suspect it was on The Slain's Castle, however the name appears there as Baron, and I thought her mother was Marion, or Margaret, not Helen, as listed on the passenger list.  I suspect George settled at Kiawharawhara, Wanganui as I found a George Byron, Dyer on a residential list of some kind.  Any help as to their life in Paisley would be greatly appreciated.