the ship "Martin Luther"

[audrey69]

Can anyone tell me if the emigrant ship named "Martin Luther" and owned by Duncan Gibbs of Liverpool, England was the same "Martin Luther" that was used to transport female convicts from Dublin to Australia in 1852?

[seaweed]

Could you tell us, the dates you are looking at when MARTIN LUTHER, official number 7000, was maybe used as an emigration ship. Could you confirm the country in question.

[audrey69]

My dilemma is that I can only references to one ship called the "Martin Luther" but I'm struggling to believe that this one ship could have left Australia in April 1852 and arrived in Dublin early June, 1852 and then picked up a load of female convicts and taken from June until early September, 1852 to return to Australia.  It makes me think there must be 2 ships with the same name but I can't find any evidence for this.  If it is one in the same ship surely it was a record quick trip from Australia to Dublin taking only app. 6 weeks.

[seaweed]

There was one other vessel with the name MARTIN LUTHER which, according to Lloyd's Register, made at least one voyage in 1852 London UK to Hobart Town. Built in Greenock in 1840, a Barque of some 409 tons owned in 1852 by Carter and son of London. Master K Ross. Registered in London UK
I did a quick search of British Newspapers and as far as I could make out she sailed from London UK on Sunday May 23  1852 bound for Hobart Town.
To be absolutely clear, you would need to look at her crew agreement for this voyage available from here
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4067405
But I guess that would be a problem.
Alternately, you should look at "Lloyd's List" for the time scale. "Lloyds List" records the losses sailings, arrivals etc of ships worldwide, on a daily basis.
You can obtain on line with a free 14 day trial from here.
http://newspaperarchive.com/uk/middlesex/london/london-lloyd-list/1855/09-27/

There were 2 other vessels with the same name but I have discounted them as being to small and the fact that LR only gives near water voyages for them.

[t mo]

just did a google search for martin luther convict ship as far as I can see she only made the one trip leaving dublin 8 june  arriving Hobart vdl 1 sept 1852  with 212 females on board  masters name ken ross  surgeons name Thomas Crawford  made only one trip .
fastest trip I can see was by the Rodney from cork to vdl in 80 days from 24 nov to 2 dec 1853 .
regards
trevor
ps seaweed beat me to it the above dates taken from Tasmanian convict records .
trevor

[cath151]

A piece in the newspaper 1854 has an advert for several ships owned by Duncan Gibbs, 31 Strand St., Liverpool. They are described as a "celebrated line of packets" and "1st Class A 1"
Martin Luther is mentioned as 2200 tons, Captain M'Keachie. Other similar adverts give the tonnage as between 2200 and 2500.
In 1857 the passenger ship Martin Luther had an incident and had to be towed into Liverpool.
In google books thereis a small mention in "Parlimentary Papers" of the convict ship Martin Luther of 400 tons.
So possibly not the same ship.
Cathy

[audrey69]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to  help.  I think I've got enough from that to say there were 2 different ships.  Much appreciated.

[audrey69]

Hi 'Seaweed'.  I've had a look at what you sent through and am now more confused than ever.  The master of the ship that came over in June 1852 from Dublin to Australia is listed as K. Ross as is the one you've mentioned as leaving England in late May of 1852.  Something definitely does not add up unless she left UK in May, 1852 then headed to Dublin and then departed for Australia in June 1852.  I wonder if that could have been possible???

[seaweed]

Yes. It can be confusing with ships having the same name. Think yourself that you have only two to contend with. In 1852 Lloyd's Register lists 250 odd vessels with the name MARY or a derivative of that name
After 1855 a system of "Official Numbers" was introduced which gave every individual British and Empire vessel a unique recognition number.
Small compensation for you.

I never considered the possibility of the vessel registered London may have sailed to Dublin and hence to Australia. It may be the scenario but it's speculative.
If you cannot view the Crew agreements then the other link I gave, re Lloyd's List, may give you your answers.