RootsChat.Com

My copy of the 'History and Postal History of Tristan Da Cunha' has arrived, and it does have a great deal of information in it.

However, my particular family are not mentioned at all.  The author does quote the very book where I found that information, but does not mention my person which is a pity.  There would have been no proof that he existed, I might have doubted it myself if I did not have proof from Hobart.

What I have learned, though, is that only one of the five women came with children:  this was the lady who married Swain.  I cannot in either book find a first name for Swain, but I've only just learned this much.

Swain came from "The Cape" although not sure if that was his origins or only his residence prior to Tristan Da Cunha.   

In the 1840s at Tristan D'Acunha (or Tristan Da Cunha) were the nine families which are listed everywhere on the internet.  There was also a deserter from a whaling ship, name of Lind.  There are not many references to this man.  From all I have learned, he was not accepted by the nine families and eked out the existence of an exile, not allowed to trade with passing ships and not participating in the island's social life.

A small book titled 'The Utmost Parts of the Earth' by the Rev William F Taylor says that in 1826 there were five single men on the island:  surnamed Riley, Cotton, Peterson, Pert and Swain. (Also some married men including Governor Glass).  They made a bargain with a Captain Amm who agreed to fetch five wives from St Helena for the single men.  The five islander ladies arrived on the island on 12th April 1827.  It appears there were children too, at least some daughters, who came with the women. 

Some time in circa early/mid 1830's the sailor Lind arrived and though living in isolation, he took as a wife one of the daughters of the islander women.  They had at least six, maybe seven children.  It appears the wife and children were also kept in exile from the other inhabitants.

On 29 March 1850 the sailor Lind's body was found and the story was he took his own life.  Possibly this is true, information is too sketchy.  His widow and children suffered greatly over the next several months, almost starving to death.  Possibly some of the children did starve.

In late 1850 the whaling ship Bengal from America, captained by a man named Philips, stopped at Tristan D'Acunha and discovered the plight of Mrs C Lind and her children.  He took them on board and brought them to Hobart.  They were described in the arrivals list as being 'in a state of great destitution'. 

The book by Rev William Taylor says, following the description of Lind's death, "His worthless partner soon after went away with her children in a whale-ship bound to Hobart Town."

In Hobart, three of Mrs C Lind's daughters were placed in the Queen's Orphanage.  The others were presumably older and able to find positions of employment.  There is no further reference to Mrs C Lind, I've no idea what happened to her. 

My questions:

Is there anyone who has researched the families of this island group who has names for the five islander women and/or the islander daughters who came with them from St Helena?

Has anyone come across my Mr Lind?

Is there any record anywhere of United States whaling ships which might list deserters or declare them as criminals or some such?  (I gather most though not all whaling ships were American so worth investigating)

I've found a few online forums for people studying this island but last posts were all about 8 years ago and I've not managed to contact anyone through them.

Irene

This family:

Mr Lind
Mrs C Lind

Lucinda born 1836
Agnes   born 1841
James   born 1843
Clara     born 1845
Three other children Margaret, John and David listed as arriving but no further information located.

Hi all,

I am stuck with this one.  I am seeking this lady's children in England - or elsewhere - hopefully in census or BDM parish or civil 1830 - 1852.

Ann/Anne Orton daughter of John (presumably John Orton but no guarantees) said she was born in Northampton in 1819 (or 1817), but in 1851 her father, brother James and sister Margaret were in Coventry, Warwickshire.   This from Anne's convict transport record.  She was a shoebinder and laundress.  She was apparently a widow. 

She had six children (several sources reference this) and at least some of them were surnamed Hingley.  The father's name was given as Samuel Hingley.

A newspaper report (Coventry Herald 04 July 1851) says she was committed on 20th May 1851 in Coventry which matches convict records, for stealing clothing from a child.   She was listed as Ann Orton alias Ingleby.   

She made a plea for leniency due to having "six darling children".  She is reported in the paper as being a "big, hardy-looking Irishwoman".  Her plea did not help as she had previously been remanded in Birmingham for abandoning her children in Wolverhampton.  While detained for this earlier offence she committed a felony and now the new theft was a second confirmed conviction.  No dates provided.  Earlier offenses are recorded on her convict record too but no dates again.

Four children travelled to Hobart, Tasmania, Australia with her arriving Jul 1852 , being - according to convict record - Denis born 1843, Caroline (really Catherine) born 1845 (or 1843 or 1841 marriage and death records respectively), James born 1847 and John born 1849, all with surname Orton.  Upon arrival in Hobart 3 of the children were admitted to the Queen's Orphanage with surname Hingley but mother's surname Acton.  Their father was given as Samuel Hingley. 

Ann never settled as a convict.  She was constantly assigned to a post and returned routinely every three months as disobedient, disorderly, sometimes drunk, always neglectful of duty.  She completed several stints of hard labour, had an illegitimate child (no idea what happened to that one), had an application to marry refused and her application for ticket of leave was also refused. 

Denis the eldest was apprenticed to a businessman in Hobart and absconded in 1858.  He probably left the state and may have returned to England.  Ann absconded later in the same year and possibly they went together.

I have not located James or the little one John who most likely did not survive the voyage, but Catherine the daughter is my ggg grandmother and remained in Hobart. 

Ann could read but not write. 

I believe the 1851 census was taken on 30 March and Ann was in court on 20th May so I was hoping to locate her, either in gaol waiting for trial or loose near Allesley or Coventry.  The children, I thought, would be in the workhouse if they were abandoned not long ago.  They were clearly located before she set sail.

I can't find any of the above - three generations worth - in the 1851 or the 1841 census or birth or death records, except possibly Samuel Hingley in 1848 in the deaths.

Does anyone have any tricks for finding people in Warwickshire/Staffordshire?  I notice Hingley is a name from towns called Dudley and Tipton but no Samuels amongst them.  Not sure if the Northampton data is valid or not. 

All ideas welcome!

Irene

Passenger no. 884 Margaret Fettes 3rd Class Occupation Domestic Adult Not Accompanied by Husband or Wife Age 21 Country of last permanent residence Scotland  Country of Disembarkation Australia

That's all it says, I'm afraid.  She is in the middle of a whole group of similarly aged young women, all with occupation 'Domestic'.  She is one of very few Scottish ones in there. 

Irene