1863 arrival of the Orient in South Australia (SA) - original document?

[Kate-Birchtree]

Hi everyone

I've come across a frustrating problem regarding the incoming passenger list for the 1863 Orient ship (which sailed from London and arrived in Port Adelaide on 11/12 July 1863).

I've found multiple references to the fact that a few of my ancestors arrived on this specific ship and voyage. I've also found a couple of indexed transcripts about the individuals.

One fleeting reference to one ancestor's arrival was in the Biographical Index of South Australians. The other (index) was from a passenger list record on MyHeritage, and the other was from a passenger list record on the SA Maritime Museum "Passengers in History" online database.

What I REALLY want to do is examine the original documents for this voyage, as I need a little more context and (hopefully!) detail about these people and their relatives, which I can't glean from the scant and disconnected information I've already found.

Trouble is...

I've trawled through FamilySearch, Ancestry, FindMyPast, the State Records of SA website (which offers scans of hundreds of passenger lists), and all of the free passenger list websites that seem to be available (e.g. Bound for South Australia, Graham Jaunay's website, The Ships List). I've also been to the SLSA and looked through the bound documents for that year, in person. I've also searched Trove for a list of arrivals for that voyage.

In all of these instances, for the year 1863, there is no trace of the Orient.

I've tried calling a couple of places to enquire about this 'gap', but I haven't really been given any specific pointers.

Does anybody know whether the original passenger list for this voyage even exists, and/or whether it's available for viewing in some form, somewhere (and if so, where?)

Thanks (and crossing my fingers for your help!)

[Neale1961]

Sorry, can’t help with a passenger list. However you might find this letter, written in the voyage, of interest. It is rather long, but does mention names of some passengers.

https://collections.sea.museum/en/objects/42133/an-account-of-a-voyage-on-the-orient-from-plymouth-to-adelai;jsessionid=4AE0D17B223B92FFE877D8450FB0C4FD

[wivenhoe]

Where have you found these -

"indexed transcripts about the individuals."

South Australia Archives passenger lists, 1863, has ships -

1. Morning Star
2. Mary Shepherd
3. Adamant
4. Sir John Lawrence

South Australian Register  9 Jul 1863 p. 3
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/50159704?

"Government Emigration Board"  names five ships, Orient plus the four named above.

South Australian Register 9 Jul 1863 p3
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/50159705?
"Emigration Office for South Australia 5 Copthall Court Feb 19 1863 "

ships already dispatched— the Sir John Lawrence, Castle Eden, Morning Star, and Mary Shepherd...it will be our duty to proceed with the next two charters— making in all six vessels.

This is a state emigration scheme, which would be well recorded. Archives do not show "Orient" or a sixth ship for 1863.

From newspaper ship arrivals, and South Australia archives passenger records -

1. Morning Star              (arr. Adelaide 13 Mar 1863)
2. Mary Shepherd           (arr. Adelaide 15 April 1863)
3. Adamant                    (arr. Adelaide 17 Sep 1863)
4. Sir John Lawrence      (arr. Adelaide 19 Dec 1863)

[HistoricalGenealogy]

There is an Orient mentioned in a Newspaper (Arrivals section) which arrived in South Australia on July 13th, 1863. Sadly, I believe the original passenger lists do not exist anymore as they could have been destroyed.

[wivenhoe]

South Australian Register 15 Jul 1863 p2
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/50159358?
The Orient.— The name of Mrs. Cooke was by mistake omitted from the list of passengers by the
Orient.


That would encourage you to look for a newspaper list 15th to 17th July 1863?

What name for the ship's master?. That name should be with a passenger list.

[wivenhoe]

South Australian Advertiser 13 Jul 1863 p2
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/31825698?
...list of passengers........

I suspect this is a selected list, not all passengers.


South Australian Register 13 Jul 1863 p2
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/50160967?
....list of passengers......

[Kate-Birchtree]

Hi wivenhoe

Thanks for your replies and your help!

Here are the places containing references to and/or indexes of individual passengers:

https://passengers.history.sa.gov.au/node/942652
https://www.myheritage.com/research?s=1&formId=collection_20265:searchFormDef&formMode=1&useTranslation=1&exactSearch=&colId=20265&p=1&action=query&view_mode=card&qdeparture%2F1arrival=Event+et.immigration+ey.1863&qship%2F1name=Custom+v.Orient&tr_id=m_b9w6yj4o7k_itpz4ptjj3 ($$)

I've searched Trove (both nation-wide and SA-specific) without success in finding an actual passenger list. (Of course, it looks as though I've missed the one you posted - presumably based on search term differences!) There are however isolated references to individuals having arrived in SA aboard the Orient (e.g. in obituaries/family notices).

Another isolated reference was found next to an ancestor in the Biographical Index of South Australians.

I also found this account of the voyage (which is entertaining even if it didn't, unfortunately, refer to any of my ancestors!) https://www.michaelandnorma.com/family/the-clipper-ship-orient/.

The Orient's captain was Captain Harris.

[Kate-Birchtree]

Hi Neale1961

This is a great resource - thanks for the tip! 

[Kate-Birchtree]

Hi HistoricalGenealogy

I have a feeling this might turn out to be the case, though I'm retaining a sliver of optimism just in case! The one voyage I need...sigh