Melbourne. 1839. The arrival of the Douglass family.
This article by Mrs June Marks was first published in the Clan Douglas Association of
Australia Newsletter in July 1987
The first vessel to bring
government-assisted immigrants direct from Britain to Port Philip,
Melbourne, was the 608 ton David Clarke. The ship sailed from Greenock,
a port on the river Clyde in Scotland, on the 13th of June. 1839.
Among the 229 passengers were the Douglass family from Dumfries, my
great great grandparents. James and Mary Douglass and their seven
children(1), who were bound for Port Philip and the small settlement of
Melbourne, The David Clarke reached Rio de Janeiro on 15th August. The
ship stayed there for about eight days, taking on fresh water, and
supplies of oranges, bread and a quantity of medicines. It then set sail
on the second leg of its voyage to Port Philip. During the whole
passage, only one passenger died and one baby was born
News of
the imminent arrival of the first overseas immigrant ship caused much
excitement in Melbourne and was eagerly awaited by the small community.
At this time, the colony was desperately in need of skilled tradesmen,
farm workers and servants. On 27th October 1839, The David Clarke
reached Port Philip after a journey lasting almost five months. The
passengers were rowed ashore and then walked a distance of almost two
miles to the banks of the Yarra. Rows of tents had been pitched on the
left bank of the Yara to accommodate the immigrants while they were
waiting for employment and permanent accommodation.
After dusk
that evening, a piper played Scottish airs and most of the passengers
enjoyed dancing in the moonlight. One can imagine their joy at being on
land again after so many months at sea. Their first day on Australian
soil ended with a long walk into the Bush to witness a Corroboree
performed by the Aborigines.
Members of the Douglas family were
soon placed in suitable employment James was engaged as a farm servant
at a rate of £1 per week, plus rations. His daughter Isabella, aged 13,
who later became my great grandmother was employed as a housemaid and
received £6 1o/- for six months work, plus rations. By comparison,
James's daughter Agnes, aged 21 years, received £12 for doing similar
work. Son James, 17 years, worked as a shepherd and was paid £11 for six
months' work, plus rations.
The Colonial Secretary reported at
the end of two weeks that all the David Clarke immigrants had now been
hired at satisfactory rates and were now gainfully employed as farm
hands, dairy maids, carpenters, coopers, bakers, stone masons and other
trades.
This now was the beginning of my Douglass family history
in Australia. It gives me great pleasure to share this family with the
members of the Clan Douglas Association.
Mrs June Marks, Randwick, NSW.
The David Clark
Passengers named Douglas (Note not Douglass)
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David Clark was launched in 1816 and may have been broken up at Batavia in 1854. She sailed one of the last voyages under charter to the British East India Company (EIC). In 1839 she carried mainly Scots assisted migrants to Australia, and was the first immigrant ship to sail from Great Britain directly to Port Phillip. In 1842 she transported more than 300 convicts to Hobart. She was last listed in Lloyd's Register in 1854.
Between 1834 and 1839 she sailed the London-Calcutta and Calcutta-China routes, but in January 1839, having left London for India, she had to put in at Cowes due to leaking; she discharged her cargo before going to Greenock for a refit.
She was under the command of Captain J.B. Mills when she left Greenock on 15 June 1839 carrying mainly Scots assisted immigrants. She arrived at Port Phillip on 27 October 1839.
This voyage to Melbourne from Scotland in 1839 with the first bounty immigrants was notable and well-recorded. As she departed on 13 June 1839, John Arthur piped her out to the tune of Lochaber No More. On 15 August 1839 she pulled in to Rio de Janeiro, where she stayed ten days. She then sailed directly to Port Phillip, arriving 27 October 1839. After a stay of about 7 weeks she departed on 19 December 1839 for Bombay.
Many of her passengers settled in the Kangaroo Ground and Heidelberg districts.
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Name |
Age |
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James Douglas |
45 |
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Mrs Douglas |
50 |
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Janet Douglas |
A |
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Agnes Douglas |
A |
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Euphemia Douglas |
C |
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James Douglas |
A |
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Robert |
A |
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Notations A and C for age are not understood.
Only 5 children are named on the
passenger list |
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Comment:
Inside a rebound 1774 King James Bible was a loose page inside its front cover are written the following details:
[Recto:]
[Name inked out]
Aprill 21st 1779
Henry Douglas
January 22nd 1828
Fareham
Hants
[Verso:]
[Written vertically on the left
next to the first two names:] Mr Bedford senr
[Written
vertically on the left next to the second two names:] Dr
Brown
Eleanor Jane Douglas
Born 7th Feby 1837
Campbelton V.D.L
____________________
Jessie Anne
Douglas
Born 29th Octr 1839
Campbelton V.D.L.
____________________
Alfred Bradby Douglas
Born 15th
May 1841
Melbourne Port Philip
____________________
Henry William Douglas
Born 1st Sepr 1843
Ravendale
Port Philip
____________________
Adye Douglas
Born
11th Sepr 1845
Red Hill Port Sorell V.D.L.
____________________
Peter John Douglas
Born July 11th
1847
Red Hill Port Sorell
I don't know if these
families are connected.
Note:
"Campbelton" is now called "Campbell Town", that V.D.L. is Van Diemen's Land (the name was changed to Tasmania in 1856), and the Port Philip District was a part of New South Wales from 1836 to 1851 which later became the colony and eventual State of Victoria.
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