RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: Renatha on Tuesday 21 May 19 07:23 BST (UK)
-
My grandmother arrived in Sydney from the UK on 27 August 1912 and by 15 September 1912 was in Darwin to marry at first sight, which went ahead. ::) Does anyone know how she would get there? From the research I've done, train was not an option. Thanks in advance for any thoughts on the matter...
-
1912 advert for 'E and A Mail Line' steamers that called at Darwin from Sydney
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/228828019
M
-
Thanks Matthewj64 - it looks like that could be the only way she could get there.
-
Assuming that grandmother left Sydney the next day, 28th, a cargo / passenger ship, making several stops on the way, with time in port for freight handling, would get to Darwin in 19 days?
Where did grandmother meet her husband -
** on the ship that arrived 27 Aug in Sydney....
Why did they not marry in Sydney, and why did they go to Darwin?.
** or on the ship arrived Darwin 15 Sep?
One or both of them arrived in Sydney with the intention of travelling on to Darwin?
Can you list all the information on the marriage certificate please.
-
It was an arranged marriage and he was already living 200 km south of Darwin on a farm. Presumably they agreed to meet in Darwin to marry. This occurred (from certificate) on 15th September 1912 at the Registrar-General's Office, Darwin. Her name was Harriet Button Padfield, 28 years from Bath, England. I've tracked her trip from Southampton to Singapore then from Singapore to Sydney. I don't expect to find any record of this last leg of the journey, (I've looked...) just wanting some informed suggestions as to how she might feasibly have done it. :)
-
I wonder why she travelled from Singapore all the way to Sydney only to back track back to Darwin. The voyage from Singapore direct to Darwin would have been a better option. Perhaps her ship of arrival had ticketed her all the way to Sydney, or perhaps that was the voyage's end destination, but perhaps she may have disembarked Darwin rather than coming through to Sydney and then to return to Darwin. It would have given sufficient time for her to lodge any Intention to Marry papers with the Registrar in Darwin. etc.
JM
-
So many good questions. That's why I'm almost done with this line of research, it's doing my head in! ??? I've attached Passenger List which shows they go from Southampton to Singapore via Yokohama. How could that happen? I found her name on the "Montoro" from Singapore to Sydney, but makes no sense when Darwin is much closer. But then I know nothing about the shipping routes of the time.
-
I think your lass was perhaps expecting to land in Darwin direct from Singapore, but if on the voyage departing Singapore early August, then would have been prohibited from calling into Darwin, due to an outbreak of smallpox on board.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3268814 9 August 1912, Northern Territory Times.
A cable received by the local agents … states that the ss Montoro will not call in here on her way south, due to an outbreak of smallpox on board. This case was landed at Soerabaya and the vessel is proceeding direct to Sydney…
I think she has been mis-recorded on the following list (GADFIELD)
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/15347884 15 August 1912 SMH
So not only was she unable to land in Darwin, but they did not stop at any other port either. So in effect the passengers already onboard were able to be quarantined.
BUT GOOD NEWS ... it turned out not to be smallpox...
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/15333929 22 August 1912 SMH
.... was found to be non-infectious. The passengers were released in the afternoon and the steamer will go to a harbour berth to-day.
JM
-
Thank you so much majm! Explains a lot!
Could have been worse, originally she wanted to get here via the Titanic...but it was all booked out.
-
SS Montoro took her back to Darwin, and she arrived there 14th September. phew, although the newspaper got her name wrong, again. Burns Philp Shipping co was a significant organisation, and perhaps their telegraphic offices were needed to make sure all the paperwork was sorted in Darwin for the marriage 15th Sept. :)
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3269122 19th Sept 1912 Northern Territory Times.
Shipping
ARRIVED.
Sept. 14.-... ss Montoro from-south. Passengers-Misses J. Odgers and Gadfield ...
JM
-
Ah, the final piece of this part of the puzzle. You certainly know your way around Trove majm.