Author Topic: Marchioness Mail Ship-Melbourne to Nelson to Wellington Passengers Help Please  (Read 9964 times)

Offline marsbar60

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Hi I have traced my family history back to 1856(or 1857) when they arrived in Wellington. The only family members that I have confirmed together in the same generation at that time were Thomas Meagher born 1839 in Tipperary and his brother Michael born 1842. I have confirmed them through their probates etc. as being brothers. An article from The Cyclopedia of New Zealand about Michael who was the station master at Upper Hutt around 1880 states that the Meagher family arrived in Wellington on the Mail Schooner Marchioness in 1856 (link http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc01Cycl-t1-body-d4-d70-d2.html). I would like to search the Marchioness passengers lists to identify the whole family including Thomas and Michaels parents who I have so far failed to find, but I can't find any lists for the Marchioness(if the ship name is correct). Any ideas would be very much appreciated.

Offline spades

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Hi Marsbar60,

Is the surname spelled MEAGHER or MAHER (as per the Cyclopedia of New Zealand biographical entry linked to above)?

The Marchioness arrived at Wellington on 30 May 1856 from Melbourne (see Wellington Independent, 3 June 1857, Page 2). The passanger list does not include either of those names.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01k63/

I can't find a listing for either the Marchioness or passengers with those names on the Petone Settlers Database. Note that this database suffers from poor original quality data-entry so results (or lack of)  should not be considered accurate without independent research.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01hqw/

Spades
ELLERKER - Beverley ERY ENG
HEALEY - IRL?
MURDOCH - Wigtownshire SCT, Otago and Westland NZ
PALING - Nottinghamshire ENG
RILEY - Flamborough; Cottingham; South Dalton ERY, Manitoba CAN, & London ENG
STURTON - Arnold, Nottinghamshire ENG
SUTTRON - All, NRY & DUR ENG
TAYLOR - London ENG
TYLER - London ENG
TERNAN/TIERNAN - Dublin IRL

Offline marsbar60

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Thank you for having a look for me, I have also been trying to find passenger lists in Papers Past. In an affadavit in my great great grandfathers probate (Thomas Meagher) my great grandfather thought that the family arrived "around 1857" so it is possible that in the article on Michael in Cyclopedia the dates may not be accurate, although they got his place of birth correct as Clonmel County Tipperary and he was born in 1842 (from his own probate). In case you were wondering Michael also supplied an affadavit in Thomas's probate and spelt his name "Maher". A few members of the family switched from the Meagher to the Maher spelling at that time, so I have been careful to verify each family member.

Offline spades

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Hi again,

This .pdf file, The Meagher Family, provides some background the surname MEAGHER/MAHER. I can't see any obvious connection to your line.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01k64/

Can you provide the names of Thomas and Michael's parents, and any dates of birth marriage or death for any of them?

Finding the vessel they arrived on might be easier if we can search for the parents.

Spades
ELLERKER - Beverley ERY ENG
HEALEY - IRL?
MURDOCH - Wigtownshire SCT, Otago and Westland NZ
PALING - Nottinghamshire ENG
RILEY - Flamborough; Cottingham; South Dalton ERY, Manitoba CAN, & London ENG
STURTON - Arnold, Nottinghamshire ENG
SUTTRON - All, NRY & DUR ENG
TAYLOR - London ENG
TYLER - London ENG
TERNAN/TIERNAN - Dublin IRL


Offline marsbar60

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Thank you for the PDF, it is quite interesting. I really don't know why some of the family changed the spelling from Meagher to Maher in NZ perhaps it is just easier to spell. Michael and Thomas were quite close, Thomas gave Michael power of Attorney over his large property in Takapu Porirua while he was overseas in Argentina. Michael spelt his name Maher in an affadavit in his brother's probate, Thomas always used the spelling Meagher. I don't know Thomas and Michael's parents names that was why I was trying to find Michael and Thomas in passenger lists. I am guessing that their parents would have spelt their name Meagher which I think was more traditional.
So far I haven't found a record which identifies their parents when they lived in Wellington, I have done a NZ probate search, and electoral roll search with no luck so far, but only looking for Meagher

Offline spades

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Thanks, I've just re-read your first post and realised that you did say you didn't know their parents' names. :-[ ::)

Thomas and Michael's death certificates should give their names, however, but that can remain a last resort. ;)

Spades

ELLERKER - Beverley ERY ENG
HEALEY - IRL?
MURDOCH - Wigtownshire SCT, Otago and Westland NZ
PALING - Nottinghamshire ENG
RILEY - Flamborough; Cottingham; South Dalton ERY, Manitoba CAN, & London ENG
STURTON - Arnold, Nottinghamshire ENG
SUTTRON - All, NRY & DUR ENG
TAYLOR - London ENG
TYLER - London ENG
TERNAN/TIERNAN - Dublin IRL

Offline Fresh Fields

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Thank you for having a look for me, I have also been trying to find passenger lists in Papers Past. In an affadavit in my great great grandfathers probate (Thomas Meagher) my great grandfather thought that the family arrived "around 1857" so it is possible that in the article on Michael in Cyclopedia the dates may not be accurate, although they got his place of birth correct as Clonmel County Tipperary and he was born in 1842 (from his own probate). In case you were wondering Michael also supplied an affadavit in Thomas's probate and spelt his name "Maher". A few members of the family switched from the Meagher to the Maher spelling at that time, so I have been careful to verify each family member.

Hello.

With regard to the Cyclopedia Editions, they were made possible by pre sale to prominent people and institutions, so while some of the content was editorially generated, most of the write up's including bio material and photographs, was supplied by the subscriber to that edition.

Therefore if the copy was supplied to the publisher, in written form, the content thereof represented the information the subscriber wished to make public. In most instances they would represent the true facts, as they understood them, of their heritage. No doubt there would have been other self made men, who choose to be economical with the truth.

- Alan.
Early Settlers & Heritage. Family History.

Offline maddys52

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What years did the brothers die? I'm assuming you've looked for death notices or obituaries on paperspast?

Offline matthewj64

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There is a MAHER family of ten travelling Melbourne to Wellington on the Marchioness in 1858 on the outwards passenger lists here:

https://www.prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/passenger-records-and-immigration

Parents are Patrick and Mary, children include a Thomas and Michael