RootsChat.Com

Thanks! I can confirm that Geo Connor is not him - wrong age and George Connor was listed alongside Charles Cannon for the NZ war medal. Charles Cannon if he was on the ship would have been listed as 40-41. If it's George, who was older than this, I believe he selected that age because the age limit for enrollment in this militia was 40, and he used his birth name Charles because 'good character' meant he wanted to obscure his convict past or perhaps any other misdemeanours. 'Charles Cannon' left the militia the day George Cannon's daughter was born in Dunedin.

Thanks so much for doing this and the helpful links!

Certainly in her later years the family leant towards evangelical churches - my grandmother recalls Catherine as being Plymouth Brethren in later years. Maud became a missionary to China and wrote a book to help combat the enslaving of girls in Yunnan. She describes how a child slave could be beaten to death on the street and no-one would interfere.
Catherine, George and Gertrude returned to Tasmania in 1890s where George passed away 1 Aug 1895 in the 'benevolent institution' in Launceston. Gertrude was a governess for JP Kenworthy in LaTrobe, I believe, until 1896 or thereabouts when she and her mother went to Melbourne. I'm not worried about that travel.

The key piece for me is the shipping to NZ to confirm whether a key piece fits: I believe George reverted to his birthname Charles to join the Waikato Militia (which lines up with the story of him being wounded in the Maori wars) - but to do that he had to travel to Sandhurst, Vic in 1863 (he had travelled there at least twice previously) between his wedding on 5 July 1863 and when the regiment with Charles Cannon departed Melbourne on the Caduceus on Sep 10th 1863. If so, is there a record of him travelling to Melbourne (as George or Charles)? And when did Catherine and Maud travel to NZ to join him?
If this Charles Cannon in the militia wasn't him, when did George travel to NZ? if George Cannon travelled separately to NZ, I can eliminate Charles Cannon.

Thanks again - very helpful. I've posted in the Australian site.

I need some help with shipping - the arrival in NZ for the following people between July 1863 and May 1865:

George Cannon, b.c.1811 Great Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, England.
Catherine Cannon, nee Jordan, b. 1837 White Hills Tasmania.
married 5 Jul 1863. Launceston Tasmania.
Maud Marie Cannon, b.c.1861-1863 Tasmania no birth record.

In Dunedin by 1865 - birth of Gertrude Lillie Cannon 20 May 1865, Dunedin.

The complicating factor (see posts above) is that George's wife and daughter said he was in the Maori wars. He appears to have been born Charles, changed his name when arrested because of previous trouble. I can't find a George Cannon in militia, but there is a Charles Cannon. He may have reverted to Charles and lied about his age to be able to join the Waikato Militia. I assume they arrived on north island. If it is him, Charles Cannon signed up 3 Sep 1863 from Sandhurst, Vic (George occasionally travelled to Sandhurst), his unit was in NZ by 1863 and got himself discharged by exchange on 20 May 1865 the day his daughter was born. Yes, complicated. If this was him I assume his wife may have been shipped over with him or on a different ship.

1. If it was Charles Cannon, he sailed on the Caduceus, departing 10th and arriving on 25th Sep 1863. A ship carrying 40th Regiment had wives and children, but no suggestion they were aboard Caduceus. One of the volunteers was hauled before courts for attempting to leave without providing for his wife. Colonel Pitt organised for volunteers to remit funds.
2. If not aboard, it is highly likely Catherine Cannon sailed from Launceston - although potentially via Melbourne. I know she had at least one brother, Robert Jordan, in Dunedin. I don't know when he arrived.

Delightful piece of colour on the sailing. "we were uncommon spry for grub."
THE VICTORIAN CONTINGENT ON
BOARD THE CADUCEUS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS.
Sir,-Feeling that many of my comrades'
friends will be anxious to hear how we get
on " down the bay," I beg to offer you a little
narrative of our doings since our departure
from Queen's Wharf, on Friday morning. I
pass over the rather monotonous trip down
the river, the beauties of which are, I con-
fess, difficult of discovery, and beg your
readers to imagine us still on board the tug,
and alongside the good ship Caduceus; the
party being told off in squads of twenty men.
each squad in charge of a non commissioned
officer, assisted by two orderly men, whose
duties are to draw rations, blankets, &c, for
the ten men of their mess. The officer in
command of the detachment places himself on
the gangway, and having passed the volun-
teers on board in the order of their squads,
proceeds to the issue of necessaries-i.e., a
pannikin, knife, fork, spoon, plate, and
blankets ; and we are sent below to find our
bunks-in our search for which we were
greatly aided by the precautions taken
to mark each ten beds with the number
of the mess and squad to which they were
appropriated. By these arrangements, we had
all shaken into our place by eleven a.m.,
when, as our orderly, an old tar, said, we
were "uncommon spry for grub." Soon after
Colonel Pitt came off with the second draft,
and then came dinner.
Plenty of good humour went to make up
for a scarcity of salt; but even this want
was quickly removed by the efforts of the
orderly officer, who silenced our grumbles as
much by his soldierly bonhommie as by his
promptitude in supplying our necessities.
After dinner most of us set to scrawling our
letters; some made impromptu draught-boards,
with chalked squares and buttons for men;
some smoked and yarned; while others, of
a Tapleyan turn, made up the audience of a
flute-player. Then we had the excitement
of the arrival of other additions to our num-
ber. Then supper, at which the inspecting
officer met one jolly fellow, who said he had
no complaints ; but that he "expected, when
he signed his attestation, that he would have
had 'cream cheese, or at least marmalade,
supplied him." To-morrow I commence
operations, and hope to give as much satis-
faction as any of the staff. " ' ,
Your obedient servant, '
THE BARBER'S MATE.
Ship Caduceus, Sept. 5.
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Tuesday 8 September 1863 p 5 Article

I can start a new post on that topic perhaps. People don't have to wade through so much.