Richard Rowland
For Richard, and his wife, Elizabeth Rowland's continuing life and their descendants, following their arrival in the Colony,
Click the button below:
Click the button below:
Wednesday, 3 February 1830
Wednesday Morning - " Bore down again near to land and discovered it to be Garden Island. Turned the ship as soon as this discovery was made and sailed round Rottennest [sic]. Discovered several reefs and breakers, but were fortunate enough to avoid coming near any of them.
Entered Guages [sic] (Gage's) Roads a little afternoon. And were safely piloted opposite to Swan River Mouth where we came to anchor about 3 Oclock in the afternoon."
Dr Thomas Brownell records that; "Cap'n Scott, the Harbour Master came on board, and conducted us to our anchorage."
Entered Guages [sic] (Gage's) Roads a little afternoon. And were safely piloted opposite to Swan River Mouth where we came to anchor about 3 Oclock in the afternoon."
Dr Thomas Brownell records that; "Cap'n Scott, the Harbour Master came on board, and conducted us to our anchorage."
Exactly 21 weeks after leaving Hull
Tuesday, 12 January 1830
George Johnson writes today: "Between 11 & 12 Oclock A.M. Richard Rowland was united in the solemn bonds of Matrimony to Elizabeth Johnson. The ceremony was performed in the Cabin in the presence of several passengers. Mr Leach officiated as Clergyman, Mr Brownell as Clerk."
|
Richard and Elizabeth were bound to start their new life in the Colony as a married couple.
Friday, 25 December 1830
Christmas Day on board - The weather today was squally with rain. The Tranby travelled 140 miles in an easterly direction today.
George records; "Christmas Day kept as Sunday. Afternoon - Mr Leach preached from Luke Chapter 2 Verse 8-9 & 10" |
"8. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. |
Saturday, 19 December 1829
The ship's anchor was weighed around noon. The wind was light and weather fine. Tranby sailed smoothly out of Table Bay.
Tuesday, 8 December 1829
" Dec. 8 Tuesday morning, between one and two Oclock were safely anchored in Table Bay. After which we retired for a little while to rest. When we arose had a fine view of Cape Town."
Wednesday 4 November 1829
We crossed the Equator today with a steady breeze and pleasant weather. 109 miles covered today. The temperature at noon was 83'F in the Cabin. We are heading in a SSW direction.
Currently the closest land is South America which is 1,100 km away and to our left is the nearest point of Africa at 1,900 km away. King Neptune shaved most of the men on board.. Have been at sea eight weeks today. |
Monday, 5 October 1829
While working for the Clarkson brothers continuously on board the Tranby, Richard is involved daily looking after their cattle and horses. Today, George Johnson reports: " One of Mr Clarkson's mares ill, has been unwell two or three days. She begun with a fast cough, has now lost her appetite, her eyes appear glossy, and dull, her ears hang down, her body quite in a state of perspiration, her heart fluctuates in it's beating, her pulse more than 60."
"She has been bled twice, has had a dose of Salts (1/2 lbs) and bran mashes with nitre." "Died about midnight. A little before her death, her breath had a very unpleasant smell. She was hoisted upon deck as soon as dead, and thrown overboard without being skinned or opened, fearing the smell should infect the other Cattle. The place cleared as much as possible and smeared with lime water. Think her complaint was inflammation proceeding from heats, and cold. She was the oldest mare on board."
"She has been bled twice, has had a dose of Salts (1/2 lbs) and bran mashes with nitre." "Died about midnight. A little before her death, her breath had a very unpleasant smell. She was hoisted upon deck as soon as dead, and thrown overboard without being skinned or opened, fearing the smell should infect the other Cattle. The place cleared as much as possible and smeared with lime water. Think her complaint was inflammation proceeding from heats, and cold. She was the oldest mare on board."
Tuesday, 15th September 1829
The Tranby is today anchored off Dungness, in Kent. Fourteen of the ship's passengers have hired a small boat, were rowed ashore, and are exploring the countryside. Richard would have remained on board Tranby tending the animals.
|
Saturday, 12th September 1829
Now underway and sailing on the Tranby in the North Sea heading south towards the English Channel.
Generally everyone sea sick in these rough seas. Otherwise, Richard is looking after the Clarkson brothers livestock, both penned on deck and below.
Generally everyone sea sick in these rough seas. Otherwise, Richard is looking after the Clarkson brothers livestock, both penned on deck and below.
Wednesday, 9 September 1829
Richard Rowland departed Kingston-upon-Hull on the Tranby. He was never to return.
The vessel was towed down the Humber by a steam tug and entered the North Sea by nightfall.
For a newspaper's coverage of the Departure. [Click Here]
The vessel was towed down the Humber by a steam tug and entered the North Sea by nightfall.
For a newspaper's coverage of the Departure. [Click Here]
Sunday, 6 September 1829
"On Sunday afternoon, the Rev. Thomas H. Squance, late missionary at Ceylon, preached to a large concourse of people on board the ship and on the quay."
Nearly four thousand persons were assembled on this occasion, so great was the interest excited.
[See here for a full description of the Service]
Nearly four thousand persons were assembled on this occasion, so great was the interest excited.
[See here for a full description of the Service]
Friday, 4th September 1829
As an Indentured Farmer for the Clarksons, Richard is looking after the livestock and assisting to load the goods, for the voyage and new life in the Colony, onto the Tranby at the Old Dock, in Kingston upon Hull.
Before Departure from England
(For Richard's 'After Arrival in Fremantle' information [See Here])
Richard Rowland was born in the small village of Foggathorpe, Yorkshire, on the 28th February 1803. Foggathorpe is a village that is now located on the A163 road in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The village lies between the towns of Selby (14 km to the west) and Market Weighton (13 km to the east) on the Foulness River. Currently, there are about 35 houses in the centre of the village, a post office in Station Road, a pub called the Black Swan.
In Richard's time, Foggathorpe only had a few houses and a total of around 100 people living in the area.
The soil is stiff; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat, beans and oats. Brick and drain pipes were manufactured here.
In Richard's time, Foggathorpe only had a few houses and a total of around 100 people living in the area.
The soil is stiff; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat, beans and oats. Brick and drain pipes were manufactured here.
Foggathorpe was home to a small community of Wesleyan farmers. It's said that John Wesley himself stayed in the town, in Foggathorpe Manor, in the 1750s. In the year of Richard's birth, a Wesleyan chapel was built in the village. It doubled as a school under the management of the Holme-on-Spalding Moor United District School Board. It was almost certainly where Richard would have had his schooling. (The building was demolished in the 1920s).
Richard's father was William Rowland (b.1778) and his mother, Jane (nee Pritchard) Rowland (b. 1774). Young Richard was christened in the St Crux Church, York on the 20th of March 1803.
In August 1829, Richard was then aged 26 years, still single, and was listed as an “agricultural labourer” or “Farmer” and as working in the Market Weighton district. The East Riding district files contain much descriptive comment on farming practices. On lighter soils, four and five-course rotations were recorded and most often were wheat or oats, turnips, barley and then seeds for either one or two years to complete the course.
Richard would have been hard working but was most probably very poorly educated. (Later in life, Richard was described as illiterate).
Around this time, Richard committed himself as an “Indentured Servant” to Messrs. Michael and James Clarkson of Holme House, near Market Weighton, in Yorkshire.
The two young Clarkson brothers were preparing to migrate to the Swan River Colony.
Richard had been engaged for three years, at 10 pounds per year, at the expiration of which, Richard would be allocated 200 acres in the new colony, be given all his first stock and would then pay 1/3 of his produce as rent. This must have been a terrific incentive for a farm labourer to leave home, kith and kin, and travel to the opposite side of the world.
Richard's father was William Rowland (b.1778) and his mother, Jane (nee Pritchard) Rowland (b. 1774). Young Richard was christened in the St Crux Church, York on the 20th of March 1803.
In August 1829, Richard was then aged 26 years, still single, and was listed as an “agricultural labourer” or “Farmer” and as working in the Market Weighton district. The East Riding district files contain much descriptive comment on farming practices. On lighter soils, four and five-course rotations were recorded and most often were wheat or oats, turnips, barley and then seeds for either one or two years to complete the course.
Richard would have been hard working but was most probably very poorly educated. (Later in life, Richard was described as illiterate).
Around this time, Richard committed himself as an “Indentured Servant” to Messrs. Michael and James Clarkson of Holme House, near Market Weighton, in Yorkshire.
The two young Clarkson brothers were preparing to migrate to the Swan River Colony.
Richard had been engaged for three years, at 10 pounds per year, at the expiration of which, Richard would be allocated 200 acres in the new colony, be given all his first stock and would then pay 1/3 of his produce as rent. This must have been a terrific incentive for a farm labourer to leave home, kith and kin, and travel to the opposite side of the world.
Indentured Servant
Background: The Indentured Servant system saw over 900 people arrive in the Swan River settlement between 1829 and 1832. The indentured labour scheme was a key building block in the foundation of the Swan River Colony. Significantly, Swan River was the only Australian colony to import indentured workers en bloc to provide the foundation of a white labour supply. Britain's first group emigration scheme of the 19th century using indentured labourers was in 1817 when 200 young, single Scottish skilled labourers were sent to the British Cape colony in South Africa.
The Swan River Indenture Scheme was devised some 11 years later.
Under this scheme, investors were offered an allowance of land at the rate of 15 pounds - for 200 acres - for the passage of every labouring person they paid whilst most of the indenture contracts required labourers to bind their labour to a master's service for five to seven years.
In many cases in Western Australia, the system failed the indented person.
The scheme is critically examined by Valerie Fitch in her 2003 book: "Eager for Labour".
The Swan River Indenture Scheme was devised some 11 years later.
Under this scheme, investors were offered an allowance of land at the rate of 15 pounds - for 200 acres - for the passage of every labouring person they paid whilst most of the indenture contracts required labourers to bind their labour to a master's service for five to seven years.
In many cases in Western Australia, the system failed the indented person.
The scheme is critically examined by Valerie Fitch in her 2003 book: "Eager for Labour".
For Richard's 'After Arrival at Fremantle' information [Click Here]
Copyright © 2019