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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Ayrshire => Topic started by: b1gf00t on Friday 10 August 18 07:15 BST (UK)
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A recent contact in Australia has shared with me a memoir written by her grandfather, George Patrick Archibald Buchanan. In this document, he has written about how his grandfather, Archibald Hugh Buchanan, came to New Zealand aboard a ship owned by his uncle. This arrival, in Port Chalmers, Otago, is alleged to have occurred in 1860.
Now, this cannot be true as evidence provided by a previous contact shows that he and his brother were still in Scotland in 1861. Charles born about 1840 is recorded as living with his parents, up until the 1861 census and entered as 21yr old “seaman.”
Archibald Buchanan born 8 June 1845 is recorded as living with his parents in 1861. He was 15 yrs old and an “Apprentice Ship’s Carpenter.”
My questions are who was the ship owning uncle? Is there any way we can find who that was and thus what ship it might have been? I have found that a ship, the "Robert Henderson" made regular voyages to New Zealand and particularly to Port Chalmers. I notice that his brother, John, married the daughter of David Henderson – I wonder is this the ship owning uncle? Shipping lists do not list any crew members apart from the master of the ship. Is there a register of crew members anywhere? If he was still in Scotland in 1861 I would suspect that the earliest we could expect him to arrive in New Zealand would be 1862. With no knowledge of the name of the ship, it is a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. The "Robert Henderson" did arrive in Port Chalmers, Otago, in 1862 but no passenger list can currently be found.
It has been suggested to me that he would have been required to declare on his intention to marry just how long he had been here in New Zealand. So I intend to follow that one up. I have searched Papers Past for clues but have found nothing. Do you have any other suggestions? I should add that my previous contact does not appear to be around or may, perhaps, have changed email address.
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The ship ROBERT HENDERSON Official number 20198, was built in 1857 at Aberdeen. 552 tons.
In 1862/1863 she was owned by "Henderson" and registered in Glasgow. I don't know if this is your man.
Her 1863 log books and crew agreements (crew lists) are available from.
https://www.mun.ca/mha/holdings/viewcombinedcrews.php?Official_No=20198
Her 1862 logbooks and C/A's should be stored in National Maritime Museum Greenwich.
https://www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum/caird-library/crew-lists-agreements-official-logs-request-form
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Hi,
John Buchanan married Margaret Henderson in 1862
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT2M-Y6X
Their first daughter Isabella Drinnan Buchanan is born 15th Aug 1863 and going by the tradition of calling first daughter after the maternal grandmother , it does appear that Margaret Henderson was the daughter of David Henderson and Isabella Drinnan
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYP8-K6X - Isabella Drinnan Buchanan's birth
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT29- - David Henderson and Isabella Drinnan's marriage.
The couple David and Isabella Henderson are on the 1851 Census in Dundonald Parish -Troon Village - Portland Street
David Henderson Head age 50 Plasterer
Isabella Henderson Wife age 43
John Henderson Son age19 Plasterer
David Henderson Son age 17 Ship Carpenter
Isabella Henderson Dau age 15 Muslin Seamstress
Elisabeth Henderson Dau age 13 Muslin Seamstress
Margaret Henderson Dau age 11 Scholar
Robert Henderson Son age 9 Scholar
All are Ayrshire, Troon born.
Interesting that David Henderson jnr is a ship's carpenter too and youngest brother is Robert :P
Big co-incidence ? ;D Possibly
Looby :)
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http://www.angelfire.com/ok2/cbluff/roberthenderson1862.html
The above link states that the Robert Henderson was built for P.Henderson's Albion Line.
A bit of background here -
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/British_and_Burmese_Steam_Navigation_Co
The family behind P.Henderson & Co - were 4 Henderson brothers from Pittenweem, Fife.
Patrick, Thomas, George & Robert - at least 2 brother were deceased before the Robert Henderson took to sea ( Patrick and George).
It's interesting that your contact's ancestor (who wrote the book) is named George Patrick Archibald Buchanan. :o
Looby :)