Time saver... enter a name or any word(s) to
search for in this page, click 'Submit' once.
[ Press ALT + S to repeat your search ]

ARRIVAL OF JOHN GIBSON : Natal Witness November 2 1849

On 27th October 1849, the John Gibson "drawing 9 feet 9 inches, entered through the new channel" at Port Natal. This was not one of Byrne's emigrant ships but was a special charter by promoter Dr Charles JOHNSTON whose Natal Land & Colonization Company had arranged a scheme to bring out the 36 souls on board - including JOHNSTON himself. He had been a surgeon in the Royal Navy and remained in Natal to farm.

The Witness remarks that the passenger list is copied "as well as it could be deciphered" from the Port Captain's Return, and there are certainly some mis-spellings of the settlers' names e.g. OFTERBER was OFTEBRO, the German missionary, and PINSON refers to Savory PINSENT.

Theophilus IRONS who travelled on the John Gibson was the brother of William Josiah IRONS, whose Christian Emigration Company brought out Wesleyan settlers to Verulam.

It's interesting to note mention of the schooner Gem being despatched to take off the cargo of the Henry Tanner which was then lying out in the roads, being too heavy to cross the bar. It took just over a week for the Gem to load the cargo and emigrants' baggage and return to port.

BAPTISM,
on Sunday, 21st instant, by the Rev James Archbell,
a son of Mr Charles McDonald, baptised Donald Archbell.
D'Urban, 25th October, 1849.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE

October 24th - Gem, schooner, W Glendinning, crossed out over the bar to convey the cargo and emigrants' baggage from the Henry Tanner.

October 27th - John Gibson, drawing 9 feet 9 inches, entered through the new channel, having 12 to 16 feet water.

October 29th - Arrived, the schooner Gem, Captain W. Glendining, with the cargo of the Henry Tanner, emigrant ship, having been chartered for the purpose, the Henry Tanner being of too heavy a draught of water to cross the bar. Favoured with extraordinary fine weather, the Gem was exactly one week from the day she sailed, to that of her return into the bay, in taking in about 170 and 180 tons of cargo. The John Gibson came in on Saturday, through the new channel, so did the Gem. The old channel sounded this day, and only 9 feet on the bar.

Outer Anchorage
Henry Tanner, for Mauritius, ready for sea in four days.

IN PORT
Inside the Bar
Oct 29th - Lalla Roohk. for Mauritius, to sail today.
Gem, for Cape Town
John Gibson, for Mauritius.

LIST OF PASSENGERS
Per "John Gibson," copied (as well as it could be deciphered) from the Port Captain's Return.
Messrs
Ofterber (Oftebro)
Waland
Lorsen
German missionaries
Mrs Lorsen
Mr Charles Johnston, surgeon, and family
Mr JB Barnett, agriculturist and family
W Bales, mechanic and wife
Robert Elliott, mechanic, and family
Savory Pinson (Pinsent)
John Cox
Theophilus Irons
Clerks
Mr William Gorrod, surveyor
Edwin Twyman
Josephine and Jessie Ockerby
Edmund Jaques
John Griffiths
ER Hormay, mechanic, and wife
Mrs Hiscock and family
John Crowder, carpenter
Jane Bright, servant
Total - 16 males, 8 women, 12 children.
In all 36 lives.
(Signed) George Freeman.
"Port Office, Port Natal, October 23rd, 1849."