The death of Albert L. Butler

[Ashnz]

Hello everyone 

Over the years, I have been uncovering the people buried at Camp Bay Quarantine Cemetery. I've listed my findings at Find a Grave. There remains one man who I have not been 100% sure about: Mr. Albert L. Butler. What I am seeking is your expert opinion and feedback...or any thoughts you may have regarding his death and burial.

Please let me provide you with the background:

Mr. Butler was a saloon/cabin passenger on the SS Lady Jocelyn. His death certificate says he died from consumption on November 11th 1872 - the same day the ship entered Lyttelton Harbour and came to anchor off of Ripapa Island at 4pm. Close to about an hour previous to that, the Lady Jocelyn had been inspected by the Emigration and Health Officer, who discovered that Mr. Butler had recently died (including the information of one other death earlier during the voyage).

What is uncertain was whether he died at sea or in harbour, and what happened to his body. Looking at passenger lists in the newspapers, Mr. Butler, it appears, had travelled alone. The ship's doctor, the surgeon superintendent, wrote his report November 11th and Mr. Butler is not mentioned - only the death of the other passenger.

The passengers were landed on the morning of November 12th.

Normally, cabin/saloon passengers are buried in a private or public cemetery - I researched (with help) and there is no record of Mr. Butler being buried at any of the local church cemeteries or public cemeteries around the Lyttelton area.

My own personal conclusion is he died and his death went unnoticed until the officers made their inspection and because he was on his own, his body buried at Camp Bay Quarantine Cemetery.

Here is a link to the listing I made:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/259738821/albert-l-butler

I also made made a post here, with only the findagrave listing:
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=889971.new#new

Do you think he was buried at sea or at Campbay?

My warmest regards,

Ashley

[Lucy2]

Hi Ashley

You mention "his death certificate"  ??

Was there actually a death certificate ... or is this info only from the "Deaths/burials at sea" listing ??

   ~  Lu

[Ashnz]

Hi Ashley

You mention "his death certificate"  ??

Was there actually a death certificate ... or is this info only from the "Deaths/burials at sea" listing ??

   ~  Lu

Hi Lu,

It was written as a death in the ship's deaths at sea. But that doesn't necessarily mean he died or was buried at sea as I found (on the voyage of the SS Punjaub in 1873) a boy named Boe Rasmussen died in Lyttelton harbour - was recorded as a death at sea but in the doctor's report that the body was given over to the authoities for burial on land (Camp Bay).

Ashley

[minniehaha]

This report says all immigrants arrived well....

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18721113.2.10?end_date=31-12-1872&items_per_page=10&page=8&phrase=2&query=Lady+jocelyn&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1872

Minniehaha.

[Lucy2]

This report says all immigrants arrived well....

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18721113.2.10?end_date=31-12-1872&items_per_page=10&page=8&phrase=2&query=Lady+jocelyn&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1872

Minniehaha.

Yes ... but there are a number of other articles which mention >  "Death of Mr Butler"  ... "only two deaths occurred on voyage" ... "death of a passenger from consumption" ...   
So a tad misleading.

[minniehaha]

This report says all immigrants arrived well....

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18721113.2.10?end_date=31-12-1872&items_per_page=10&page=8&phrase=2&query=Lady+jocelyn&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1872

Minniehaha.

Yes ... but there are a number of other articles which mention >  "Death of Mr Butler"  ... "only two deaths occurred on voyage" ... "death of a passenger from consumption" ...   
So a tad misleading.

Yes, I do realise this but threw the item into the mix anyway..

[Lucy2]

And this from "Deaths at Sea" :

(My transcription)

Ship - "Lady Jocelyn" - 1872

BULTER [sic] - Albert L. - 32 years - (of) Phthisis - (on) 11.11.72 - "Lady Jocelyn"

[Lucy2]

Yes, I do realise this but threw the item into the mix anyway..

That's fine ... I was confused by it too.   

[Lucy2]

 .....  What is uncertain was whether he died at sea or in harbour, and what happened to his body. Looking at passenger lists in the newspapers, Mr. Butler, it appears, had travelled alone. The ship's doctor, the surgeon superintendent, wrote his report November 11th and Mr. Butler is not mentioned - only the death of the other passenger.

Hi Ashley

Am assuming that you may have read the "Lady Jocelyn" Surgeon Superindendent's report at PapersPast's online Parliamentary Papers A to J's  ??

So if you go back to Parliamentary Papers at the PapersPast site .... type in search bar, the following
>   Lady Jocelyn + 1873   (30 results returned).

>   scroll down through the first 10 results (about halfway down page) until you reach
D-01d     Immigration to New Zealand (Further Memoranda for the Agent General )
  1873  NEW ZEALAND      --    1873  Session 1    * Click on  this link *

>   scroll down to page No. 8

>   scroll further until you come to > ENCLOSURE  3 - in No. 12 it's the last item on page 8    > REPORT of Immigration Commissioners on Ship "Lady Jocelyn" arrived 11 November 1872 "

In the 3rd paragraph of that report you'll find your answer   

   ... "A saloon passenger died from consumption shortly before arrival, and was buried at sea."

(Apologies - couldn't manage to get a direct link to this - without some difficulty - hence the "how to find" instructions. ) 

   ~   Lu