George Pont b. 1844 Seaford, Sussex

[NZMack]

Hello I am wondering if someone can point me in the right direction to find from where and what ship that my great great grandfather left and sailed to New Zealand.

He was George Pont born 10 Jan 1844, Seaford, Sussex.  He was the son of James and Sarah Pont.  He married Eliza Adeline Henty/Green on 15 July 1865 and their first four children were born in England, Lizzie, Dennis, George and Sarah born 24 July 1872

Their next child Eliza was born 24 Feb 1874 - so they had most likely sailed 1873?  This fits in with his 65 years lived in New Zealand on his death certificate - death 8 Jan 1938.

I have looked at all the on line records on my Ancestry subscription (not a World one) but can not find them mentioned in any emigration/immigration records.  There was a mention of "a customs event in Lewes New Haven" but there was no date or any other details other than a transcriber saying that he thought that this was related as the family names matched - that was on a FamilySearch.

As I live in New Zealand it makes going to view records/documents impossible.  So does anyone have any suggestion as to how I could make any head way with my missing passenger records. I would be very grateful for any help as I have been trying to solve this mystery for a long time.

Many thanks in advance.

[mckha489]

Have you looked at Familysearch

https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1609792

And the newspapers at Paperspast?

[NZMack]

Yes they were my first port of call.  I have also searches all the card catalogues and paper based shipping lists here at my local library. 

I was wondering if he could have been a Brogden's Navvie as there was one group who came out around a similar time but the record just states the number of individuals - which included some families.

I read books that mention different immigration schemes but still have found no clues.

I am a qualified Family History Librarian - so believe I have searched quite thoroughly.

[mckha489]

 

[rosie99]

I have looked at all the on line records on my Ancestry subscription (not a World one) but can not find them mentioned in any emigration/immigration records.  There was a mention of "a customs event in Lewes New Haven" but there was no date or any other details other than a transcriber saying that he thought that this was related as the family names matched - that was on a FamilySearch.

As I live in New Zealand it makes going to view records/documents impossible.  So does anyone have any suggestion as to how I could make any head way with my missing passenger records. I would be very grateful for any help as I have been trying to solve this mystery for a long time.

Many thanks in advance.

There are no passenger records in the UK prior to the 1890's.

[NZMack]

OK so what could a "customs event" possibly refer to then?

Puzzled?

[rosie99]

There was a mention of "a customs event in Lewes New Haven" but there was no date or any other details other than a transcriber saying that he thought that this was related as the family names matched - that was on a FamilySearch.

Could you give a link to it please.


When Dennis was born the birth was registered Lewes reg district, was he born in Newhaven 
https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/lewes.html

Births Jun 1868
PONT    Dennis        Lewes     2b   169

In 1871 they were living in Blatchington, When Sarah was born in 1872 they were in Brighton, where Eliza was apparently born.  Does Sarahs birth give an address

[rosie99]

There are reports in online newspapers of families emigrating to New Zealand from London around that time under the assisted emigration scheme

[NZMack]

I have re-read the message on FamilySearch and it is an "Event Registration" so more than likely relates to a birth of a child or the 1871 census.  They were living at Blatchington, Sussex in the 1871 Census and the surname has been transcribed as "Pent".