Ships of Interest Ships Our Family Sailed In


Ships Our Families Sailed In

MARINERS
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Being situated in the southern hemisphere, in a country settled by ancestors from Britain, it is appropriate to get a feel for how they arrived.

Many of our ancestors came here as "migrants" in a variety of forms, but our families also boast others who went to sea in a professional capacity as Marines, mariners, adventurers and merchants. I will outline the range of their roles as these pages develop.

These "sailing folk" will be sorted into the following groups.

  • Mariners; David Nelson Smith, senior and junior;
  • Royal Marines and Naval personnel; The Jeffreys et al;
  • Adventurers, merchants and Scientists;Dr Gwyn Jeffreys, conchologist;
  • Settlers - migrants, convicts, officials, free settlers So many.

    For some individuals the categories are not distinct (Daniel Stanfield for example was a Marine and became a permanent settler in Australia) but I will place such people in their primary role.

    Ships associated with the mariners DAVID NELSON SMITH Senior and Junior.
    David Nelson Smith senior was born in Ireland early in the 19th Century. His sailing life began as an apprentice, continued until his retirement as ship's master, and then had a brief renewal when, after some years on land, he and some of his family sailed to Australia as immigrants. On this journey he is reputed to have "taken control" of the ship they travelled on from the hands of an incompetent captain. He died within days of the vessel's arrival in the port of Melbourne. The vessel was the Dresden. I am having some difficulty tracing detail of this vessel and its one voyage to Australia and would appreciate any help and information readers can offer. Although a moderately notable ship in its day (1890 and thereabouts) it was overshadowed by the fame of its sister and cousin ships in that time of great marine development.
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    SHIP'S NAME YEAR SAILED FROM SAILED TO DETAIL
    Dresden 1890 Germany and England Australia Smith family migrated
    Ann Wise 1842-46 Whitehaven South America DNS sen Master
    Ann Wise 1848-51 Whitehaven West Indies DNS sen Master
    Cumberland 1837-42 Whitehaven U.S.A. DNS sen 2nd/1st mate
    Esther 1854-63 England West Indies DNS sen master
    Malcolm 1846-48 Whitehaven East Indies DNS sen master
    name year from to Detail

    David Nelson Smith junior and his ships
    David Nelson Smith jnr followed his father into the life of a professional seaman. .
    Amazon 1917 England South America D N Smith jnr
    Armenian 1899 Australia South Africa troopship to Boer War
    Belfast 1884 Belfast East Indies Detail
    Bellerophon 1897 uncertain East Indies Detail
    Bowfell 1885 England Ship's register says "A" Detail
    California 1917 England South Pacific Detail
    Cambay 1879 uncertain East Indies Detail
    Carnmoney 1889 England Australia Detail
    Cauga 1915 England North PAcific Detail
    Galicia England England Formosa/S Pacific Detail
    Grimsura 1880 England South Pacific Detail
    Highland Mary 1906 England South Australia Detail
    Highland Chillie 1910 England South America Detail
    Highland Enterprise 1912 England South America Detail
    Highland Heather 1914 England South America Detail
    Highland Laird 1912 England South America Detail
    Highland Rover 1910 England South America Detail
    Huanchaco 1915 England N Pacific/Formosa Detail
    Majestic 1882 England North Pacific Detail
    Myrmidon 1891 England China ann ex warship "pensioned" to China trade
    Oriana 1915 England South Pacific Detail
    Priam 1894 England China Detail
    Pyrrhus 1898 England China Detail
    Rajmahal 1880 England East Indies Detail
    W H Watson 1887 uncertain Australia Detail
    W.H.Watson 1888 uncertain Australia Detail
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