Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Passenger Arrivals Natal per Douglas 1949 plus William Ireland


 Natal Witness 2 March 1849

The following passenger lists include well-known coastal vessels which made regular voyages between Table Bay and Natal: the Gem, commanded by W. GLENDINING, Douglas with her captain, SMERDON, and Rosebud, under A MURISON. At 100 tons and less, these schooners were small - the mere thought of the choppy passage from the Cape makes one feel queasy. (Incidentally, it was the Rosebud which brought J C BYRNE to Natal from Table Bay in July 1851 to attend the proceedings of his bankruptcy case.)

Of particular note is the arrival of Rev Wm IRELAND, the American missionary and his first wife, Jane. They had called briefly at the Cape, leaving for Natal on January 14th and reaching that port just under a month later. It's possible that the Douglas had made a stop at Algoa Bay, as this ship usually made the journey in about 8 - 11 days, weather permitting.

Rev IRELAND was destined to take over from J C BRYANT (see letter from him in article on the Aliwal) who was retiring due to ill-health from the mission at Ifume where he had laboured for two years. This mission station was 35 miles south of Durban and 6 miles inland from the sea. The first Mrs Ireland died on January 25 1862, and the widower went home to America, bringing back with him to Natal a second wife, in 1865 - he chose well: she was Oriana GROUT, daughter of the veteran missionary, Rev Aldin GROUT. [See Pictures at end of Page.] Between 1865 and 1881, IRELAND was the principal of the now famous Adams College, and 5 children of the 7 born to him and Oriana survived.

In 1885 Wm Ireland read his historical paper on the occasion of the Jubilee of the American Mission; the basis for this paper was his original "Sketch of the Zulu Mission" written some time earlier. He died in 1888, and his widow was put in charge of the girls on the Mission. She returned to America in 1897, dying there in 1902, but their daughter Lilla Lacon IRELAND is recorded as being at Adams Mission in 1900. She too returned briefly to America, but came back to Natal, remaining until the 1930s and teaching at Inanda Seminary.

Rev IRELAND's rooms are still preserved at Adams College Museum, and his name and work are remembered with gratitude and esteem to the present day. Recently two of his descendants, Isabel JACKSON and Jane McINNES, visited Natal from Michigan and were welcomed by Adams College. It was a most auspicious moment for their pilgrimage, since Adams were celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the mission.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE

ARRIVALS

Feb 8th - Gem, schooner, 102 tons, W Glendining, from Table Bay, 12th January, from Algoa Bay, 29th January. About 90 tons general cargo.

PASSENGERS

From Cape Town 
Capt Griffith 
Lieut Rollins, 45th Regiment 
Mr A Patrick 
Mrs Edwards 
Jos Helman

From Algoa Bay 
Messrs 
Kuhr 
Caldecott and son 
Mrs Webb and child 
Four Labourers in the Steerage. 
H Jargal, Agent.

Feb 15th - Douglas, schooner, 99 tons, W Smerdon, from Table Bay, January 14th. Cargo sundries. 
PASSENGERS 
Mrs Capt Shaw, 3 children, and 3 servants 
Mr and the Rev Mr Ireland, American Missionary 
Rev J Green, Rector of Pietermaritzburg 
Mr Green, Surveyor, and Mrs Green, 1 child 
and servant, Mr Whitta 
Two Steerage passengers 
GC Cato, Agent.


Feb 16th - Rosebud, schooner, 83 tons, A Murison, from Cape Town, Jan 21st. 120 tons general cargo. 
PASSENGERS Miss Simpson 
Mrs Short and family 
Mrs Brown and family 
Messrs 

Fordham 
Cannon 
Herbert 
JA Ross, Agent.

DEPARTURES

Feb 23rd - Douglas, in ballast. 
PASSENGERS 
Major and Mrs Seagram and child 
Messrs 
Marquard 
Hursthouse 
Vos 
Smuts 
Martin 
GC Cato, Agent

The Rosebud is supposed 
to have sailed yesterday.

VESSELS EXPECTED

The Norfolk, from Algoa Bay.
GC Cato, Agent. 
Workington, from Table Bay.
GC Cato, Agent. 
The Romp and the Elizabeth Jane were advertised in London to leave on the 10th or 15th November, and about 40 passengers had taken their passage for Natal. 
GC Cato, Agent.




Rev William and Oriana Ireland of
Adams Mission





No comments: