Macbev
30-03-12, 17:24
Being a great believer in casting my bread on many waters, I confess I have already posted this elsewhere, but hope someone on this forum may be able too help.
I am trying to assist a friend to find her ancestor, of whom little is known before his arrival in the Swan River colony, apart from a few details garnered from contemporary newspapers.
What is known
1. William BROWN, employed as coxswain for the Water Police in Fremantle, married Mary GREADY/GRADY in the R.C church, Fremantle 6 Mar 1852
2. There were 13 children born between 1853 and 1875, several of whom bear the unusual middle name of GROUNDSEL. One has the middle name GAFFNEY
3. William died 19 Sep 1884, a day or so after his wife, and allegedly was aged 59, which gives him a birth date of abt 1825
4. His obit claims he arrived in the Swan River Colony in 1851 on board the Mermaid
5. The Mermaid was a convict ship carrying not only convicts but Pensioner Guards with their families. There is an online transcription of the passengers of this ship but there is no William Brown listed among either convicts or Pensioner Guards
6. William's marriage certificate states that he was a mariner, which probably explains his employment by the Water Police as coxswain after his arrival. I have read an account of another crew member which infers that most of the crew were discharged when they reached Fremantle -so I am guessing that if William likewise was a member of the crew, it would explain why his name is not on the Mermaid lists.
Given that the family may have got their story wrong and that William may possibly have arrived on another ship, is there anywhere we can look to confirm/ refute his arrival as part of the crew of the Mermaid?
If crew lists exist, will they give further details as to place of birth or anything, in fact, that will help us place this not very uncommon name in the UK?
Off to bed now, but will check in my morning for any responses.
I am trying to assist a friend to find her ancestor, of whom little is known before his arrival in the Swan River colony, apart from a few details garnered from contemporary newspapers.
What is known
1. William BROWN, employed as coxswain for the Water Police in Fremantle, married Mary GREADY/GRADY in the R.C church, Fremantle 6 Mar 1852
2. There were 13 children born between 1853 and 1875, several of whom bear the unusual middle name of GROUNDSEL. One has the middle name GAFFNEY
3. William died 19 Sep 1884, a day or so after his wife, and allegedly was aged 59, which gives him a birth date of abt 1825
4. His obit claims he arrived in the Swan River Colony in 1851 on board the Mermaid
5. The Mermaid was a convict ship carrying not only convicts but Pensioner Guards with their families. There is an online transcription of the passengers of this ship but there is no William Brown listed among either convicts or Pensioner Guards
6. William's marriage certificate states that he was a mariner, which probably explains his employment by the Water Police as coxswain after his arrival. I have read an account of another crew member which infers that most of the crew were discharged when they reached Fremantle -so I am guessing that if William likewise was a member of the crew, it would explain why his name is not on the Mermaid lists.
Given that the family may have got their story wrong and that William may possibly have arrived on another ship, is there anywhere we can look to confirm/ refute his arrival as part of the crew of the Mermaid?
If crew lists exist, will they give further details as to place of birth or anything, in fact, that will help us place this not very uncommon name in the UK?
Off to bed now, but will check in my morning for any responses.