emmigration details from plymouth Eng 1883 to Australia, help needed please

[cecilyt]

I am tracking the path of a person whom I thought was my great grandfather. Turns out he is not the biological grandfather of my mother, but the family all thought that he was...but I am tracking him anyway as my mother was very fond of him.

His name was William Bawden, he came from England to Queensland Australia. William was born in Menheniot Cornwall to father THomas Bawden and mother Mary Ann Gilbert in 1860, sister Sarah and brother Thomas. His father died and his mother remarried and there was then a much larger family.

It seems that William gained an assisted passage to Australia. I have found a Wm Bawden who embarked from Plymouth England aboard the Silhert on 19th Sept 1883 aged 23 years. This person arrived in Bundaberg Qld, Australia and was put to work in the cane fields.

I need to verify that this person is 'my' William Bawden by confirming his parents but can't seem to find any document that will help me.

The immigration records from the Queensland State Archives only give his name, the name of the ship and the date and I don't know where I can find the details from England.

Hopefully one of you might be able to help me, cheers, Cecilyt

[JudithM]

I don't think records were kept of assisted emigrants parentage etc; at least all I've ever found for such emigrants in my family has been the record of the assisted passage giving name and age. If you can't prove the man who sailed in 1883 wasn't your man then he probably was, if that makes any sense! I think perhaps you will have to look for other men on English censuses of the same name and age - absence of such a one will give strength to this William being yours. Also a search to see if your William was still around in England after the date of the voyage you have found, or records of another passenger list.

[Janet in Yorkshire]

Am I right in thinking that you are searching for some kind of documentation which states the parentage of the Wm Bawden who made that specific journey?

I don't think that information would have been required or recorded for passengers leaving the UK. The online database of ships passengers leaving the UK records passages 1890 - 1960.

Jay

[Felix]

Don't know if it's any help to you, but there's a William Bawden, born Menheniot Cornwall, buried in a little Qld cemetery not far from where I live. Only thing is, his birth date is given as 1852. He died in 1925.

http://www.myrasplace.net/hstones/hkirk.htm

[cecilyt]

Thanks for your replies...I just was hoping that there might have been some sort of records for emigrants ....maybe if not parents then residence, I have him at Crift Cottage Menhenoit Cornwall in the 1871 census...

Flelix..that is really a coincidence...I know that his birth date was 1846 and he died in Yass NSW..definitely..as the family lived there. After arriving in QLD...at some time he left the canefields, breaking the contract and changing his name to Bowden and travelled south ( from my mother) ...somehow meeting up and marrying Sophia Edwards..in Chiltern Vict. ( He didn't like the heat or work of the cane fields and was a stone mason by trade) I don't have any details of how or when he travelled...and why he ended up so far sth...I would love to find that out!

Fancy finding another William Bawden...and he died in 1924..that's all so close, thanks for taking the time to look...any other suggestions wold be very uch appreciated, Cecily

[cecilyt]

HI Judith those were some good hints...yes I should check later census..there was another William Bawden on an earlier ship Kapunda 1878 but that put his age at 18 whereas the 1883 meant h. The was 23. That ship docked at Rockhampton so he cold have still worked in cane fields...so it cold have been either of these chaps really.
I am helping a person who is writing a family history book and she is really trying hard to get the facts correct and verified...

Thanks again, Cecily

[Felix]

The only other thing I can suggest that might be helpful is getting his death certificate if you don't already have it. Aussie death certs give a lot of info. I have one for my gg grandfather born Mt Charles Cornwall. He died aged 59 in 1910. The certificate lists his parents names, father's occupation, where and when and who he married and all his children's names and ages among other things.

Also tells you how many years he had been in "Australian States" - 37 years in my gg grandfather's case - so that might help to narrow down which William Bawden he is

[cecilyt]

No Felix, I haven't as I have the death notice from the Yass paper..and the BDM info...that's a hint...does your say anything about arrival in Aust as he was from Cornwall too?

As you are ihn QLD...do ou know any records from the Qld State Archives re assisted passage and contracts etc as that would be another line to verify which ship he came on perhaps... Cheers, Cecily

[ozgirl]

According to the NSW Registry site, William Bawden who died in Yass in 1924, was the son of Thomas and Mary A.

http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/In...ionID=42562308

[dicole]

Hello Cecily

My great grandfather also came to Queensland on the Silhet in 1883 ! Reuben also worked in the cane fields, for a "mad German" before he got work on a ship "going to Newcastle" with his mate, and ended up in the Hunter Valley.

If you go to the Queensland Immigration Records of the QLD State Records -http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/ImmigrationIndexes/Documents/Assisted-Immigrants-1848-1912-B.pdf

There are two microfilms for Wm Bawden of the Silhet, one (the M series) is available at some NSW libraries. It would appear that the records available by clicking on the ship name are what's available for assisted and Free immigrants, (Wm Bawden was a "Free" not assisted migrant, but my GGF Reuben was assisted). But you should try and get a look at the microfilm just to see if there is not any further info.


NSW Death index gives parents names for the William Bawden who died in Yass as Thomas and Mary A and his death certificate might give a bit more info, if you don't already have it. It should state how long he had been in the colonies and list each separately and where he was born (although I have one that unhelpfully was born in "England") and where he married.

[Felix]

Hi Cecily

this link might give you a bit more of an idea of what's available: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Resea...ation1848.aspx

My gg grandad's death cert just says 37 years in Oz, but from that I was able to work out what year he came. The other bonus was getting where exactly he married - Redruth in Cornwall - and all the children's names and ages listed. Down to the fact that they'd had one little boy who'd died.

If I lived nearer Brisbane I'd be able to have a poke around the Qld Archives for you - but I'm 1400 miles away :(

All I can really offer is a scene of what your William Bawden would have seen when he reached Qld in 1883:

Immigrants arriving at the Bundaberg Wharf on the Leichhardt Ship via the Silhert Ship 1883

Bundaberg Genealogical Association Website.htm_20131109221601.jpg

[Christine in Herts]

Don't know if it's any help to you, but there's a William Bawden, born Menheniot Cornwall, buried in a little Qld cemetery not far from where I live. Only thing is, his birth date is given as 1852. He died in 1925.

http://www.myrasplace.net/hstones/hkirk.htm

There's a possible newspaper memorial notice in 1927 for this one, on the Trove site. (Townsville Daily of 1927)

Christine

[Olde Crone Holden]

Unfortunately, Bawden/Bowden is a very common surname in Menheniot and the surrounding areas.

Have you tried the Cornwall OPC site? They are normally very helpful.

OC

[Christine in Herts]

There's an announcement for a William BOWDEN in Yass in 1924, aged 65, resident in Yass for 50 years.

Have you got the Trove search link? http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/search?adv=y

Christine

[dicole]

There's an announcement for a William BOWDEN in Yass in 1924, aged 65, resident in Yass for 50 years.

Have you got the Trove search link? http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/search?adv=y

Christine

That looks like the right person, but the age or length of time is a bit out - that indicates he had been in Yass since he was 15 ! They used to get carried away about how long someone had lived in the area. From the BDMS, it would seem they came to Yass about 1891 - Wiliam T died there, but was not recorded as born in Yass.

[cecilyt]

yes thanks Linda I do have this..tryikng to trace his steps when he left UK...I know about his history in Yass.. thanks C

[cecilyt]

Great thanks Felix...love the photo..I have gone to QLd archives but didn't see that...must do some more.

There were 2 ships from plymouth..the Silhet in 1883 ( he was born 1860 - so 23 yrs) and the Kapunda arrived Rockhampton in 1878..when he would have been 18 so either was a possibility...but the death cert would help that one..so will do, thanks. I didn't realise it had that much info...thnaks again, Cecily

[cecilyt]

thanks Christine...much appreciated..I do have this...William T was his son..I have info this end but there are a few controversies about his wife...she was married before that noone knew about and then got together with this chap and had another family ...so I am trying to trace him from his landing till his first child...

What record did you find for him at 1891 please??? William Thomas was born in Cooma in 1889 and died in Yass 1991. thanks for your help, much appreciated, Cecily

[cecilyt]

Many thanks Diane...I will follow up on that as I need to confirm tht this is the right one..another one on another ship..earlier...yes I will send for his death cert...

I didn't do really well wiht the info re microfilm as that was the first time... I will follow up not I know that it is worthwhile...thanks again, cecily much appreciated.

[cecilyt]

yes tht's right..thanks....