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ARRIVAL OF THE KING WILLIAM Natal Witness February 1 1850

Captain Benjamin Avery of the King William couldn't have foreseen the nightmare voyage ahead when his ship sailed for Natal on 20 October 1849. Overcrowded with more than 270 passengers and crew, scarlet fever broke out and claimed the lives of sixteen children during the 91-day journey. Adding to the death toll, two seamen were lost overboard.

The vessel was the first to bring a separate group of Wesleyan Methodists, under the auspices of W J Irons, among them being the GARLAND and STARR families. Spare a thought for Anne IRELAND, whose husband Robert died on board, leaving her with 7 children - plus an infant named Ocean Robert, born at sea. The Wesleyans were to settle at Verulam.

Other now famous names on the passenger list included BLAMEY, CULLINGWORTH and ROBINSON. Richard GODDEN was later one of the contractors who supplied rock from the Bluff quarry for the Natal harbour works begun by John Milne.

BIRTH - Mrs JF Kahts, of a son, D'Urban, Jan 24th, 1850.

ARRIVED, Jan 23, the King William,, 463 tons, Benjamin Avery, master, with emigrants.

PASSENGERS
C Attwood and family
T Addison and wife
J Blamey and family
H Bowness and family
HD Bayley
J Cullingworth and family
WF Coles and wife
G Dimock and family
F Dimock and wife
J Diston
F Downey
J Davidson and family
J Eckersley and family
FN Edwards
FB Fynney and family
John Furnivall
F Fuller and family
T Galloway and family
J Glover and family
R Godden and family
J Gavis and family
Margaret Hosking
J Harris and wife
W Holmes
R Ingall
F Kaye
J Leadbetter
W Lovatt
J Nelson
Mary Pattison
E Prettyman and wife
R Pateman and wife
A Pearson and family
H Perkins
J Rothwell
JA Rich and family
S Rose
C Rosier
G Rosier
G Robinson and son
G Saker and family
H Spilsbury and family
R Stredder
J Spruce
Margaret Thompson
G Trow and wife
D Thomson
T Thomas
J Thomas
J Vialls
W Waters and wife
D Wymark and wife
J Wood and family
J Wood, jun. and family
G Weston

Sent out by the Christian Protestant Emigration Society
T Champion and family
W Dore and family
TW Garland and family
T Hayes and family
Ann Ireland and family
R Langford
CG Moss and family
W Starr and family
S Starr and family
W Todd
J Todd
D Taylor and family
G Trenouth
John Wicks and family
Mary Wicks

Total 127 adults and 93 children.
The former are described as being mostly farmers, labourers, carpenters, shoemakers, tailors, gardeners, and similar industrial occupations.

The Sovereign was to be despatched on the 15th Nov., and a larger vessel of 800 tons, the Stag, was to follow in the same month. A vessel was also to sail from the Clyde, on the 10th November, with about 100 emigrants.

DEPARTURE

23rd instant - Brig Duo, in ballast

Passengers
Messrs
Proudfoot
Galloway
Walker
Cloete
Moodie
Rev. G. Parsonson
Breda
Mr and Mrs Wicht
and three in the steerage
Cargo 130 kegs Butter, 540 Tusks, 3 csks, 2 bxs, 2 bgs Ivory; 125 Hides, 84 Horns, 65 bls Cotton, 1 cs Books

27th instant - Gem,W. Glendinning

Passengers
Messrs
Peel
Bergtheil
Baker
Brickhill
six in the steerage
15 Invalids, of Her Majesty's 45th Regiment

ARRIVED
On the 23rd, the Barque King William,from London, with 275 emigrants. On the 27th, the Brigantine, Lara, left London on the 18th October, and Algoa Bay on the 23rd inst.

Passengers from London
Mr Davis and two children

From Algoa Bay
Mrs, Miss and Master Cato
Rev. Mr and Mrs Pierce and two children
Dr Gibb
Mrs Pentry
M Rennaud

Reported in The Times - November 1849
"The bark, King William, Captain Avery, which came in from London on the 30th ult., sailed this morning for Port Natal. She had on board 120 emigrants, selected by Mr JC Byrne, of London; and 30 from Plymouth, selected by Mr JB Wilcocks. These emi1grants, who go out under the auspices of the Natal Colonization Society, are all possessed of means, having among them more than £25,000 in money, besides goods. The King William, which registers 463 tons, has for the colony an entire cargo of British manufactured goods, consisting of six iron houses, with glazed windows complete, wooden houses, and agricultural implements, such as drays, carts, waggons, ploughs, etc.
Wind easterly: fresh breeze."