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Help to find mariner in 1851

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  • Help to find mariner in 1851

    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.
    Last edited by Macbev; 30-03-12, 17:45.

    Beverley




  • #2
    if you can get the original list from the archives it may help. the transcripts can and do have errors. i think though, you should try and find a copy of the list as done in england, that way he would be mentioned as being on the ship, even if he wasn't when it arrives in w.a.

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    • #3
      Thanks for the input, Kyle. I am beginning to think that particular manifest will not carry the crew members.

      Beverley



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      • #4
        Groundsel is an unusual name, assuming its the surname of a relative being used. From a quick scan of the census, looks like there are a few in sussex or hampshire (both seafaring areas). Gaffney is a lot more common and all over the place, including a lot of Irish origin?
        Last edited by Heather Positive Thinker; 31-03-12, 18:49.

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        • #5
          Thank you Heather. I don't know if GROUNDSEL is the surname of a relative, but the family persisted in using it as a middle name for several children over at least three generations, so I am assuming it had significance for them. In my OH's tree, a few unusual names persisted through the generations in a similar manner, and they commemorated marriage alliances with wealthy and influential families....I am hoping the same applies here and will eventually help me to get a 'fix' on William Brown's background.

          Your observation re GAFFNEY may well be spot on, considering William married an Irish girl.

          Beverley



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