AUS-SAGEN-L Archives

From: "Judy Jerkins" <>
Subject: SOUTH AUSTRALIAN - Story and NAMES FROM THE April voyage
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 16:25:27 +1000

Well folks,
it has been an exciting week and I thank everyone who has made it so,
whether it be by helping me find lost rellos, or by asking me to research
names for them - I have learnt an awful lot and found one lost lady, who may
reappear in a tree already done for the W.H. Grey family, Mary Ann Haynes,
widow, married his third son, so perhaps I might find my missing Haynes
family at last. A big occassion if I do cos I have turned over thousands of
rocks looking for them so far.............
I also received today a copy of the newsletter produced by the Royal
Geographical Soc. SA Branch, in which Kingsley Ireland shares Jane Dobson's
recollections of Pioneer Life, 1902.
IT ALSO HAS THE 30 NAMES NOW RECORDED BY US FOR THE PASSENGERS
OF THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN - we are half way there!
So if you dont want this list, dont open the attachment, and if you do want
it, I hope you find who you are looking for.
I would really like anyone with other names for the list to contact me with
them so I can add them. I hope to be able to share the list with everyone
possible when it is complete, but if you know of someone who might be
interested, please feel free to share it as it is, half complete.
thank you wonderful people, have another good day tomorrow.

cheers Judy

RECOLLECTIONS OF PIONEER LIFE, Shared with us by Kingsley Ireland decendant
of Jane Dobney, named as Jane Gregory, who sailed on the South Australian as
a 10 year old child.

Original written by Mrs Jane Dobney, January 10, 1902. Published in the Geo
News, bi-monthly Newsletter of The Royal Geographical Society of
Australasia, (South Australian Branch) Inc. Volume 2, No 5, Nov/Dec 1995.

‘I was born in North Devonshire on the 16th May, 1827, and should I live
till May of next year will be seventy-seven years of age, and, with the
exception of failing sight, am in possession of all my faculties. I well
remember the stir in my native country when the S..A. Company were seeking
emigrants for the new land, and of the active part taken by “Squire” Angas
and his agent, Mrs. Lillecrapp, through whose influence largely my
stepfather was induced to emigrate. We came out in the “The South
Australian”, formerly called “The Swallow” which was charted by the S.A.
Company.

We sailed from Plymouth on December 24th, 1836. The ship’s longboat was
divided into three compartments; a Durham bull was carried in one end and a
sick woman in the other; while at one stage of the voyage little Jane
Gregory had a baby brother born in the same longboat. We called at the Cape
of Good Hope, where we could plainly see fires on land that were lit to keep
wild beasts away from Cape Town, in fact, only a week before we called a
lion came right into the town. A fellow-passenger with us was John Germein,
who subsequently became head pilot, and after whom Port Germein was named.

We landed at Kangaroo Island. Our stay extended to eighteen months, during
which time the emigrants lived for the most part in tents, and suffered
considerable privations. Meat, of course, was a very scarce article of
diet, and consisted of beef and pork, so salty that it had to be soaked in
water and then parboiled in more water to take some of the salt out, and the
water was also very scarce, for we often had to soak and parboil this salt
junk in sea water.

Our bill of fare was made up of bandicoot, dried mutton bird, and mutton
bird’s eggs, with an occasional iguana. Added to this, the flour which was
American, and in cakes, was so hard as to require cutting with a tomahawk,
and afterwards rolled and sifted before it could be cooked.

There was only one store on the island, close to the wharf, the property of
the S.A. Company, and at times various articles of household use went up to
famine prices. The first cask of salt butter that came to the island was
sold at 4/per lb., eggs were 6d. each, soap 2/., and potatoes 6d and 7d per
lb. At one time flour was short, and a ration of very hard and dry ship
biscuits, that had to be soaked for hours before they were ready for
consumption, was served out.

Although only a child, I well remember many ships calling at the island
during my stay there. On leaving the island, and after landing at the “Old
Port”, the journey up to North Adelaide, where I stayed with my mother, had
to be made on foot. There was then only one building on the north side of
Hindley Street. Bowden was a series of ponds or swamps, where those who
were included for sport could get as much duck-shooting as they desired.

Blacks were very numerous and troublesome. Two were hanged near the old
iron stores on the north side of the Torrens for the murder of white men.
They were also great thieves, and would take clothes off the line even in
the daytime.

I have clear recollections of Governor Hindmarsh and Colonel Light, and also
of the first Judge who was always called “Mr. Jeff”, and was very eccentric,
wearing his trousers so short as to display several inches of sock above his
boots.”

During our stay at North Adelaide the first Government House, a weatherboard
affair, was burnt down, and the first exploring party under Sturt was
organized and started during the same period. I remember very vividly the
procession down King William St. In 1845 I was married to Mr Dobney, a
builder by trade, who built the first chapel at Kapunda. I have lived to
see many changes, and perhaps may see many more.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ----------------------------------------------
Passenger list of The South Australian, 22nd April, 1837 – arrived Kingscote
South Australia 22/4/1837 60 passengers – names lost and slowly being
recorded – any additions gratefully received…
I am striving to double check the names, but this is almost impossible
because no passenger list for the ship survived……………. All names have been
“found” by me, or sent to me by kind researchers who have discovered them as
part of their own researching….. no guarantee can therefore be given as to
the accuracy, but we hope we have them right………….

GREGORY FAMILY
1. William – stepfather of Jane
2. Susanna Gregory – mother of Jane,
3. Baby born during the voyage, possibly named William
4. JANE GREGORY, aged 10, who later wrote her memoirs, which were published
by Pioneers Association of SA 1902,

COURTOY (COURLOY) aka COURTAY aka CORTIS aka CURTIS aka GOURLAY –

5. George Assisted Immigrant, Application no 758, Emb 453. And Assisted
Passenger, ticket for Charles perhaps
6. Eliza Sewell, nee FLITT
7. Louisa – married Matthew COMBE
8. Agnes Mary Ann – married Charles John HAYNES
9. Charles – aged 14, may have been who George part-purchased a ticket for

DODDRIDGE FAMILY
10. William
11. Thirza, nee GERMEIN, daughter of John GERMEIN and Christina, nee Easton
12. John
13. Olinda
14. Samuel
15. Benjamin

16. GERMAIN Benjamin, adult male, Application no 878, Emb. No 460 contact

17. GERMAIN John – named by Jane Dobney as first Head Pilot and the man
who Port Germein is named after.
18. Wife C1 adult female
19. Child, application no 886, Emb no 468

20. GERMAIN Samuel, 1 adult male, Application no 877, Emb. No 459

21. McLAREN Mr. (from E.A.D. Opie’s South Australian Records prior to
1841)

MILDRED FAMILY
22. MILDRED Hon. Henry Richard
23. MILDRED Elizabeth Sarah nee Bowyer, wife of Henry (from E.A.D. Opie’s
South Australian Records prior to 1841)
24. MILDRED Clarissa Martha Margaret, daughter
25. MILDRED Unania Harriet, daughter aged 12 – info from K. Ireland, PASA

Report from the South Aust Register Dec 27 1886 p5 "THE PIONEERS
The following passengers of the South Australian are from the official list
of all persons provided with a passsage to South Australia wholly or in part
at their own cost from the formation of the colony to Dec 31, 1837"

26. PAHLOW Martin
27. HAYMAN Robert
28. ROWE, J.B.,
29. WRIGHT ,Joseph,
30. WATKINS John

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