Help find a mariner in 1851 - Genealogists' Forum

Macbev · #1 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.

Merry · #2 30-03-12, 17:44

According to The Times the Mermaid sailed from Spithead to Swan River with 150 prisoners from Portland and from the Parkhurst Reformatory Prison on Fri 3rd Jan 1851. (EDIT and it stopped off at Portsmouth and resumed sailing on 9th Jan). If he was on that ship then he won't be on the 1851 census which was taken on 30th March.

Maybe there was a second sailing the same year?

Merry · #3 30-03-12, 18:02

The name Groundsel(l) seems to be predominantly from Sussex.

Merry · #4 30-03-12, 18:06

Quote:

I am not expecting to find him on the census, Merry.

lol sorry - I thought the title of this thread meant the census!

Merry · #5 30-03-12, 18:14

I have just done a search o FMP merchant navy seamen records with William Brown b 1825+/- 2 years there are about 300+ results with a year/date of birth/age recorded and several more hundred that don't. A common name, as you say!

Macbev · #6 30-03-12, 17:55

I am not expecting to find him on the census, Merry. I just want to know if it is possible to find a crew list for the Mermaid, as he does not show up as a convict or a Pensioner Guard. I haven't dealt with mariners before and don't know where to look.

kiterunner · #7 30-03-12, 18:02

Most crew lists aren't online (yet).

kiterunner · #8 30-03-12, 18:09

Also if he is on a crew list from that date, I don't think it will give his birthplace.

kiterunner · #9 30-03-12, 18:20

Does his marriage certificate give any details of his parents, Bev? The index on ancestry shows no parents' names on his death registration.

kiterunner · #10 30-03-12, 18:30

Are the Fremantle Freemasons records available. Bev? I see that in one of the newspaper reports of his death on Trove, it says that the Freemasons of the Fremantle Lodge attended his funeral. Though I don't know whether Freemason records would actually help.