Trying to find records of "La Corneille" a French Corvette

[grahamd15]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to track down a French ship that one of my ancestors may have deserted, named "Corneille" or "La Corneille".

I have found this Australian newspaper article that lists men who deserted the ship in Nov 1861 at Sydney here:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/252046271?searchTerm=Corneille

and a NZ newspaper article that details its arrival in Auckland in Dec 1861:

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18611231.2.4.3?items_per_page=100&page=22&phrase=2&query=Cator&snippet=false

The NZ paper says that her captain was a man named L'Eveque of the French Imperial navy. In both articles "Corneille" is described as a corvette.

As it is a military ship would records survive of its crew members? I would also like to try to find its port of origin if possible.

My ancestor stated in his naturalisation that his ship sailed from Toulon and he arrived in Sydney in Dec 1864. As his naturalisation occurred decades later, I am entertaining the possibility that he may have arrived three years earlier than he stated.

Thanks for your help in advance!

[goldie61]

Is your ancestor one of those named as deserters in the clip from Trove?

There are several more bits about La Corneille arriving in Auckland on paperspast, most of which don't add anything to the one you found.

But this one says the ship WAS built in Toulon.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18611225.2.4

(I think "Capitaine de Vaisseau" means 'Captain of the vessel'.)

[grahamd15]

My ancestor was named Charles Franks - which I believe was a name he took in Australia. This is his naturalisation document: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=11884

From his children's birth certificates and his own marriage and death certificate his age and birth place of Brest, France remained the same. However, I have been unable to track him down in the Brest baptismal records.

Thank you for finding that newspaper clip. It does seem if La Corneille remained in stock in Toulon until 1859 that it would be most likely it sailed from there.

[manukarik]

No hint at his birth name? Birthdate is what (approximately, at least)?

[grahamd15]

No hint as to his birth name. His father was named John and worked as a baker, per Charles' marriage certificate (his mother's name was listed as unknown).

On his naturalisation application Charles stated that he was born on the 6 December 1839 in Brest, France. The 1839 date lines up with the ages he provided on his children's birth certificates and marriage certificate. If we take that date as the absolute then either Eugene Perrot or Ulyn Gantier Ferdinand would be our best bet if Charles was one of those deserters listed in the Police Gazette. I would say that with the poor record keeping at that time the others listed still could potentially be Charles (beside Jean Marie Brun who was 28).

I forgot to mention earlier, family stories from multiple branches relay that Charles jumped ship (some branches mention a brother, others do not) - which is why I think that one of these men who deserted the Corneille could be Charles as it fits with the ship name he gave on his naturalisation application.

Charles' sons' names, which could possibly be a hint, were:
John Charles
Edward
Louis
Charles Alexander
Ernest Victor William
Henry Murray
Leonard Charles

[hanes teulu]

Trying to confirm the name of the ship - "Corneille" or "Cornelie"?

Article dated 1 Jan 1864 - note name of captain
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k54521788/f492.image.r=eveque

This records naval vessels up to 1933
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9928595/f63.image.r=cornelie

[hanes teulu]

28 May 1863 - see foot col 5
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4774044t/f1.item.r=eveque.zoom

[grahamd15]

Trying to confirm the name of the ship - "Corneille" or "Cornelie"?

I believe that they are interchangeable in English based papers, but I think that its actual name in French is La Cornelie.

Thank you for those clippings!

[hanes teulu]

Not sure that they are interchangeable.