Sheather's & Colony of New South Wales

"ROYAL GEORGE" - 1839

(Photo with thanks to Colin J. Potter - 2nd Great Grandson of James & Mary Jane)

By the late 1830’s, early 1840’s, convict labour had virtually ceased to be

sent out from England to the colony of New South Wales. There were

huge areas of land being opened up for settlement and there was a

desperate shortage of agricultural workers and tradesmen. Emigration to

New South Wales was being widely promoted.

Macarthur wrote “..the true object of emigration, is to have more of the

necessaries and conveniences of life, than can be had at home, for the

same amount of money and labour, so that the becoming and being

called an Emigrant, neither adds to or takes away the respectability of any one.

If those who become Emigrants, have not quitted their country, without

due consideration, if they are exemplary in their conduct, and if they

have besides some knowledge of the place to which they intend going,

from the good reports of friends, who have gone before them, there is

every reasonable ground to believe they will greatly benefit themselves

and families, and be of more real service to their country, than had they

continued at home all the days of their life, particularly, when the place of

the Emigration belongs to their own Nation.” (CY 1710 M1)

Each migrant had to obtain from the Church of England Rector in their

parish a reference that had to state their ability to read and write, their

state of health, and their expected usefulness in the colony. Under this

scheme the Macarthurs of Camden Park brought out 40 families between

1837 and 1839. Included in these families were James Sheather (47)

labourer, able to read and write, from Beckley, Sussex, his wife Mary, a

farm servant, their children Edward 14, Augusta 12, Samuel 10, William 6,

George 5, Frederick 2 and his two older sons from his previous marriage,

John Henry 20 (house servant), and James 18 (farm servant). Mary also had

a son, Thomas Milham 18. (Mary also had a child at sea).

Jame’s brother Henry also migrated, he was (40) a labourer, he could read

and write, and was also from Beckley, Sussex. With him came his wife

Mary (nee Button) 38, skills washing and brewing. Their children, Harriet

17, Silas 16, Eliza 14, Reuben 12, Edgar 9, Lewis 7, Julia (or Judith) 5 and

Ellen 3.

In a letter dated 25^th September, 1838 from London, Edward Macarthur

wrote to his brother William. “..many kind thanks for your affectionate

letter dispatches to me from Camden on the day the Germans were taking

possession of their cottages. (He goes on to list the Emigrants sailing on

the “Royal George”). She ought to sail from Port on the 10^th October. It

may be the 15^th. We are al quite well and as busy as bees. (Macarthur

Papers.ML)

James Macarthur's contract with the ships Captain, George Richards.

James and Mary Jane with children; Edward, Augusta, Samuel,

Spencer, William, George Frederick & Mary Jane (born on the

voyage, Jan 24 1839). James' sons from his first marriage to Celia

Wilson, John and James were also on board as was Mary's son

Thomas Williams born prior to her marriage to James.

Henry and Mary Ann with children; Harriet (Hannah), Silas,

Eliza, Reuben, Edgar, Lewis, Julia (Judith), Ellen and Henry born

on the voyage).

An agreement was reached between George Richards, Commander of the

“Royal George” and Edward Macarthur on behalf of James Macarthur. We

find that Richards agreed to take twelve passengers in cabins and

provide them with provisions of the best kind, live stock, wine, spirits, ale

and beer as was the custom in first rate ships, heading to the colony of

New South Wales; also fourty steerage passengers (bounty emigrants),

with their children, and to provide them with provisions of the best

quality, to be cooked by the ships cooks, and issued to them daily.

(Macarthur Papers. ML)

An English Magazine article tells us that the “Royal George” sailed from

Portsmouth in October 1838….every family had a separate cabin: with a

sleeping berth. Single men, or boys of more then ten years, slept in

hammocks. The bedding was of better quality than usually possessed by

the emigrants and was intended to be used in their dwellings on shore.

All bedding and utensils numbered according to the cabins, and a list put

up in each of the several articles in it. The bedding was to be taken on

deck each day. They were not required to take part in ordinary duties of

the ship, except to assist in washing decks, and were subject to no

molestation in passing the equator, or during any part of the voyage.

Their provisions issued daily and cooked from them. Materials supplied

for their occupation at sea. Bagging and twine for the men, and shirting

for the women; and the same prices paid for work as on shore. The value

of their work could be taken out in linen, or little additional comforts, as

coffee, flour, raisins, thus many families, who embarked with scanty

supply were enabled to provide themselves with and excellent stock of

apparel: for every 7 shirts made up by the women, they could keep 2: and

out of every 4 shifts, they kept 1, The children also had this opportunity.

There was divine service every Sunday, and books for their mental,

moral, and religious instruction as well as a school for the children

during the voyage. They all assembled daily for family prayer, a book of

which was given to each person. It was reported that the voyage usually

took from fifteen to eighteen weeks, during which time the vessel

traversed a space of sixteen thousand miles.” (The Saturday Magazine May 11 1838)

We also learnt that on board the ship she carried James Macarthur and

his bride Emily, the daughter of a London banker. Some of the families

quarreled and in mid-Atlantic they were lectured by Macarthur on the

theme “Where women are, mischief is sure to exist”.

"The Saturday Magazine" article on the voyage of the Royal George

Walter Leslie, a passenger wrote to his family, “..They landed at Cape

Town in January 1839 all the passengers are living on shire. The

emigrants are not allowed on shore because some of them got drunk the

first day and there has been fever on board the “Juliana” which dad has

told you off the government emigrant ships are crowded to excess and

not well of in general. They are mostly children that died on board the

Juliana. There is a court being held today to inquire into the

circumstances of the Juliana going on the rocks. When we came near we

could not make out what any ship had to do in such a place. The Captain

soon saw she had struck so we kept clear of her and the rocks together.

There are three wrecks besides ours here…” (ML DOC1414b)

James’s wife Mary gave birth to a daughter, Mary Ann while at sea. The

“Royal George" arrived in Sydney 10^th March, 1839 and then the families

were taken to Redbank on the Parramatta River by steamer. They then

traveled in wagons to Camden Park, the journey took about 24 hours.

And, what happened to the "Royal George"........?

(Photo with thanks to Colin J. Potter - 2nd Great Grandson of James & Mary Jane)

Note: Also aboard the Royal George was the Fuller family of

William and Mary including James Sheather's future daugher-in-

law Eliza Jane

The above advertisement probably relates to the Warship "Royal George" which was wrecked off Portsmouth in 1839 and broken up.

(Following article copyright "The Times, London"

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