SS Orestes 1852-3

[SophiaLizzie]

How can I find out when this vessel left London for Australia? It was shipwrecked in the Bay of Biscay or thereabouts and limped into the Tagus (Lisbon) Portugal. It was refitted and left there 28 May 1853 and arrived at Port Adelaide 19 September. Be grateful for any help.

[wheeldon]

Hi and welcome to Rootschat 

There's a nice photo of the ship on this page

http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/miscpics/0/1/1/doc/mp011947.shtml

Also, have a go at these site they may be able to give some clues as to what to google next 

http://www.geocities.com/mppraetorius/com-or.htm

http://www.reach.net/~sc001198/ShipsO.htm

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~dicummings/Images/Ships/SAShips1853.htm

http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/shipping/mig-sa3.htm

http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/au1838.htm

Also try Rootsweb and have a search for shiplists as I'm sure there might be some info on there.

Sorry, I couldn't find a definitive answer for you but good luck with your search.

Fiona

[SophiaLizzie]

Thanks Fiona. Had most of that. The photograph is of a later vessel (1900). But did find some help. Thanks for your interest. Still looking for passenger lists both for Orestes and for Sophia Moffatt (pre 1853) ex London and dates of departure. Have the one for Orestes arr Pt Adelaide. V

[trish251]

Hello Sophia

Definitely not easy, as the Australian records seem to only show when the ship departed from Portugal. A long shot suggestion is to find someone else who was on board who kept a diary of the trip. (There are, as you probably know, many such diaries in existence for trips to Oz). I was very fortunate that one of my direct descendants kept such a diary as their ship lost a mast and the trip took almost 8 months from start to finish (1833/4)

There is an Australian site that references diaries (and I'm not sure which one - it may be the archives) but if you use google on both the ship name and/or some of the other passengers you may find some information.

Sorry I cannot be more helpful. There may be departure records at Kew, but I have never been able to make much sense of their catalogue.

Trish

[casalguidi]

Does this help?

The Times 16 Apr 1853

The bark Orestes from Gravesend bound for Adelaide, put into Lisbon on the 4th inst, leaky.  Vessel belongs to the Peninsular & Oriental company and was sent out by them to to take up her station as a coal hulk at Adelaide.  The passengers had to take to the pumps to keep the vessel free from water.  The foremast proved to be rotten and sprung on the day the ship tore up the Tagus.  The cargo of the ship was being discharged preparatory for a 2nd survey.  The Iberia has brought home from this vessel 39 bags of mail bound for the colony of Adelaide.  These were formerly shipped by the vessel Australian but were, on the return of that ship, placed on the Orestes by the General Post Office for conveyance to Adelaide.

Casalguidi

[SophiaLizzie]

Many thanks for this, Casalguidi. Both interesting and quite helpful. Now have to find out what happened to the Australian that forced its return to England, and who sailed on that.
The family story is certainly of two shipwrecks that involved a certain emigrant.
The plot thickens!

[SophiaLizzie]

Thanks Trish. That's good thinking. Will see what I can find. Have had excellent value from a diary kept by a ship's steward on a ship that another ancestor came out on.