Passenger information - India

[AprilLan]

Hi,

I'm trying to find out about an ancestor of mine, Constance Lancaster (b. 1859 in Hastings), who travelled to India in 1891.  I found her mentioned in another post from 2009 and someone replied that she travelled on the Goorkha from London to Madras on 4th November 1891. Travelling as a single lady, however accompanying 2 children. This is very specific so I assume there is a record somewhere.

I cannot find any information about this boat. Would it have been the HMS Ghurka (although this was a torpedo boat). There was an SS Goorkha built in 1897, so it couldn't have been that. 

I also found a list of ships arriving at Madras in 1891 and 1892 and this boat is not listed. Most seem to be boats coming coming from South Africa - is it likely she changed ships there?

Any idea which direction I should go in next? Really stumped with this!

[Comberton]

FindMyPast have the record with images. If you don't have a subscription you can buy the image with a free account.

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/help/articles/4405440232977-what-are-findmypast-micropayments-

[CaroleW]

Ancestry also have the image - I've looked at it & she is Mrs Lancaster - not Miss

[Daisypetal]

This could be the Goorkha, notice the first owners were the British India Steam Navigation Co.

https://www.rootschat.com/links/01tob/

https://www.rootschat.com/links/01toc/


02 November 1891
The Homeward Mail

Regards,
Daisy

[Daisypetal]

Other info about the journey,


05 November 1911
Southern Echo, Southampton, Hampshire

[LizzieL]

Passenger list is on FindMyPast. She is listed as Mrs Lancaster, but there are four columns after the name listing ages of Male and Female adults, the first two are for married adults, the second two for single adults. Her age has been put in the single female (4th column). Looking at other entries on that page and preceding two, it seems that the clerk has entered ages of any adult female, irrespective of whether Miss or Mrs in 4th column if they are travelling without a husband. Only married woman travelling with husband are entered in column two. 5th to 8th columns are for children and infants. (children being between 1 and 12). This is for English people . There are then duplicate sets of 8 columns for "Scotch", Irish and Foreigners. So we know Mrs Lancaster was English, age 33, travelling with a 7 year old girl and a female infant

[LizzieL]

Is your Constance the one who died on 9 Feb 1896 in Agra of Enteric fever?
How do you know she came to India in 1891? She could have travelled any time between 1891 census date and her death date.

[Daisypetal]

Oops, sorry it was meant to say,

05 November 1891
Southern Echo, Southampton, Hampshire

[AprilLan]

Sorry for the late reply!

LizzieL - Yes, she is the same Constance who died in Agra in 1896. I was in Agra three weeks ago and went looking for her grave after having found the will probate. Unfortunately St. Paul's Cemetery was not accessible, but I was able to find the church and the reverend, who kindly listened to my story and took me inside the original church. Low and behold, there was a memorial to Constance on the wall!  Will try to add the photo here. Unbelievable. She served with the Church Missionary Society for 3 years, which means she had to have arrived around 1892, possibly leaving England late 1891. She was the principal of a girls school, which is still running. The reverend actually took me there to meet the current principal, who not only knew of her by name (something recorded in the school history), but asked if I had a photo to add the the gallery of past principals!

Thank you for the explanation of the column entries on the passenger list - that must have indeed been her and the 'Mrs' in the newspaper was simply a typo.