THE SHIP “ROCKHAMPTON”
by Fitroy 1920
There is little doubt that Premier Herbert, to whom Rockhampton people complained because the Persia had been sent to Gladstone Harbour instead of Keppel Bay, must have laughed up his sleeves at the speed with which the Emigration Agent in London was pouring immigrants into Rockhampton. The Utopia arrived in Keppel Bay on November 6, 1862, and on October 12, 1863 – in little more than eleven months – no fewer than five vessels had brought their living cargoes to the Central city, then very much in its infancy. The five ships were the Utopia, Beejapore, Hannah More (or her passengers), Saldanha, and the Rockhampton. The last four being from June 28, to October 17 inclusive – less than four months.
The ship Rockhampton, 1065 tons, Captain Joseph Brough, with Dr. A. Bouthron, as Surgeon Superintendent, sailed for Keppel Bay on June 18th, 1863, and cast anchor off Seaview Hill on October 12, a voyage that lasted 116 days, by no means a quick passage. There were about twenty deaths during the voyage of whom five died from diphtheria. Measles also occurred during the voyage but no case of contagious sickness having occurred for some time prior to her arrival. Dr. Callaghan did not place the vessel in quarantine.
This was just as well for many of the immigrants were in a dissatisfied, not to say rebellious, state of mind. As the writer has endeavoured to show, though passengers had plenty of annoyances, and almost invariably a shortage of proper food to complain of, once they were in sight of their new homes, they cast their sufferings behind them, and made up their minds to make the best of things. There was the proper spirit, of course though such cheerfulness by no means exonerated the authorities from their responsibilities.
The passengers of the Rockhampton complained bitterly of both the captain and the purser, attaching the blame for the poor supply of food and medical comforts to them, or to at least the latter. Possibly neither was to blame but those in authority in the London office. The accommodation in all parts of the vessel was very bad, and the ventilation quite inadequate.
The passengers left the ship on October 17 and were safely landed in Rockhampton. Before leaving the vessel they found a way of showing their resentment to the captain by calling for cheers for the chief officer, Mr. Christeaseu, and other officers, whom they cheered to the echo. As for the purser they groaned and hooted when cheers were called for him. Poor fellows no doubt it relieved their feelings a little and they will not be blamed by the many who suffered similarly.
“A good class of immigrants” was the general opinion of those who arrived by the Rockhampton. There were 134 English, 134 Scottish and 186 Irish, and in spite of the large number who had previously landed in Rockhampton, the new arrivals went off apace, though no doubt the current wages offered was less than the immigrants had been led to expect. Single girls, except in special cases were offered and accepted from 8s. to 10s. per week, whilst the single men were glad to receive £50 per year for station work, or £1 per week at other avocations.
The five vessels the writer has enumerated had distributed in excess of 2000 immigrants in Rockhampton and Central Queensland, and with the addition of those who had come to the district from vessels that had arrived at Brisbane and elsewhere, it will be clear that by Christmas Day 1863, the whole town and district was richly peopled with new chums from the old countries.
Passengers by the Rockhampton include some who are well known and a good number of those who were young are still living. The chief families that came within the cognisance of the writer by this ship were as follow:-
Peter and Mrs. Sellars and a young family, all of whom became well known in the town. The eldest son, Harry Sellars, has been stationmaster for many years at Melbourne-street, South Brisbane, and prior to that at Clermont and other towns. Mrs. W. Bennett was the eldest daughter, now of Sydney. R. R. Sellars, well known in connection with the Brisbane markets is another son, while George, William, and Arthur are dead. A daughter, Mrs. J. W. Jones still resides in Rockhampton.
A and Mrs. M’Celland and family consisting of several sons and two daughters. The sons included Ringan M’Clelland, as well known in the town and district as an alderman and member of the Livingstone Shire Council. He like most of the family have been dead some years, mainly through being heedless in preserving their health. The eldest daughter, Mrs. James Howe, was living when the writer last heard of her. Just the woman for pioneering and the last of her family – a good wife and estimable mother.
William and Mrs. Charlton and family. Their son William has been alderman of Rockhampton for many years and has occupied the Mayoral chair.
Robert Warnock, who married a shipmate, led a happy life, and left a numerous family.
Samuel and Mrs. M’Cullough and family.
Andrew and Mrs. Graham, a worthy couple who will be remembered as being the custodian of the Fire Brigade Station.
Mrs. Alexander Anderson; James and Mrs Nixon; William and Mrs Mill, long residents at Lake’s Creek. John and Mrs Banks and family, John lived to a great age, as did also James Nixon.
Passenger List
James BANKS 4
Janet BANKS 36
John BANKS 30
John BANKS 7
Samuel BANKS 23
Thomas BANKS
John BARNFATHER 30
George Walter BECK 23
Myles BECK 21
- (Mrs) BONTHORN 25
A (Surgeon) BONTHORN
A (Surgeon) BONTHRAM
Annie BOWDEN 22
Samuel BOWDEN 34
Samuel BOWDEN
Philip BRADY 26
Alexander BRENNAN 30
Isabella BRENNAN 32
Abraham BRIERLY 23
James BRIERLY 16
John BRIERLY 24
Martha BRIERLY 49
Mary BRIERLY 25
Nancy BRIERLY 18
Samuel BRIERLY 19
Sarah BRIERLY 26
William BRIERLY 49
Ann BROGAN 21
Sarah BROGAN 19
James (Captain) BROUGH
Thomas CAMPBELL 23
Alice CARROLL 27
Alice CARROLL Inf
Hannah CARROLL 6
James CARROLL 31
Mary Hannah CARRUTHERS 12
Mary Hannah CARRUTHERS 43
Robert CARRUTHERS 7
Sarah Jane CARRUTHERS 14
William CARRUTHERS 40
Eliza CASSIDY 22
Mary COLTON 22
Eliza CONLIN 15
Isabella CONLIN 13
Joseph CONLIN 37
William CONLIN 20
Michael CONNELL 21
Mary CONNELLAN 24
Joseph COPELAND 24
Richard DAVIS 36
Jessie DEWAR 27
George EKINS 19
Rebecca GALLAHER 18
James GEARON 24
Andrew GILLESPIE 24
John GILLIES 19
Alexander GILLMORE 38
Eliza GLENNY 27
Mary GLYNN 27
David HODGSKINSON 13
William HODGSKINSON 38
Thomas JACKSON 21
William JARDINE 20
James KELLY 23
Patrick KELLY 24
Thomas KELLY 28
James KEMP 33
Andrew KENNEDY 29
John KENNEDY 19
Michael KEOGH 23
Edward KERMODE 24
Eliza KERMODE 26
Emily KERMODE 3
Louisa KERMODE 1
Ann LEAROYD 32
Elizabeth LEAROYD 16
James LEAROYD 33
James LEAROYD 12
Ambrose MADDEN 7
Ambrose MADDEN 38
Edmund MADDEN 4
Jane MADDEN 32
Patrick MAGRATH 18
Helen MAITLAND 8
Jane MAITLAND 34
John MAITLAND 11
John MAITLAND 36
Margaret MAITLAND Inf
Thomas MAITLAND 6
Barbara MANSON 11
Christina MANSON 20
Eliza Tait MANSON 52
George MANSON 18
George MANSON 55
Janet MANSON 15
John MANSON 16
Sinclair MANSON 9
Ellen MATHEWS 33
John MATHEWS 34
Ellen McALLOON? 27
Ann McARDLE? 21
Jane McBRIDE? 19
Mary McBRIDE? 22
Mary McBRIDE? 24
James McLAVNEEN? 25
Neil McLEAN? 23
Thomas McLEAN? 21
Alexander McLELLAN? 6
Allen McLELLAN? 14
Archibald McLELLAN? 36
Isabella McLELLAN? 4
James McLELLAN? 12
Mary A McLELLAN? 8
Mary A McLELLAN? 36
Ringen McLELLAN? 10
William John McLELLAN? 2
Julia A McMULLAN? 20
Mary Jane McMULLAN? 17
Thomas McNAMARA? 35
Archibald McPHAIL? 42
George McPHAIL? 14
John McPHAIL? 16
Andrew MILLER Inf
David MILLER 36
David MILLER 4
Ellen MILLER 14
Ellen MILLER 35
Henry Thomas MILLER 23
Robert MILLER 11
William MILLER 9
Elizabeth NEADHAM 33
Ellen NEADHAM 6
Emily NEADHAM Inf
George NEADHAM 36
Sarah NEADHAM 20
Amos NEDEN 22
Daniel NEDEN 9
Elizabeth NEDEN 11
Isaac NEDEN 33
Ann NEIL 23
Arthur NEIL 21
Hugh NEIL 18
James NEIL 16
Margaret NEIL 5
Margaret NEIL 40
Thomas NEIL 44
William OBRIEN 22
John ODEA 21
John PATTENSON 19
John PATTENSON 20
Hugh PATTERSON 20
John PATTERSON 22
Henry (Dr) - see note PEDGRIFT
Robert RAFFIN 21
Joseph RAWLING 31
John REDPATH 24
- (Mrs) REID 38
George REID 8
James REID 15
James REID 50
John REID 11
Mary REID 13
William REID 10
Francis REILLY 21
Patrick REILLY 24
John REMY 20
Charles RENNISON 20
Christopher SALMON 22
Peter SALMON 23
Martha SCOTT 28
Henry SELLARS 4
James SELLARS 8
Maria SELLARS 27
Peter SELLARS 28
Samuel SELLARS Inf
Sarah SELLARS 10
Ann SMITH 23
William SMITH 25
John SPENCER 24
Henry TAYLOR 21
John THOMAS 21
Andrew THOMSON 17
Andrew TODD 29
Ellen TODD 22
Grace TODD 24
William TODD 2
Edward TOMBS 19
Ann TONER 30
John TONER 29
Mary A TONER 6
Michael TONER 4
Patrick TONER 1
- TROTTMAN Inf
James T W TROTTMAN 39
Julia E TROTTMAN 28
Julia E W TROTTMAN 4
Malvina TROTTMAN 5
Christopher WALSH 4
John WALSH 6
Joseph WALSH 2
Joseph WALSH 39
Mary WALSH 33
Thomas WALSH 48
Thomas WALSH 8
Ann WARD 21
Ada WARDLEY 1
John WARDLEY 30
John WARDLEY 3
Mary WARDLEY 27
Robert WARNOCK 25
William WATERS 22
Ann WATSON 8
Jackson WATSON 40
Joseph WATSON 20
Robert WATSON 23
William WATSON 10
Thomas WESTDROP 21
James WILKINSON 29
Mary WILKINSON 24
Andrew WILLIAMSON 1
Eliza WILLIAMSON 11
Elizabeth WILLIAMSON 40
Hugh WILLIAMSON 43
Mary WILLIAMSON 23
Sarah WILLIAMSON 16
Sarah WILLIAMSON 8
Thomas WILLIAMSON 32
Charlotte WILSON 22
William WILSON 22
John WINNINGTON 22
Joseph G YATES 23