Mariners and ships in Australian Waters

Movement of mariners and passengers into Sydney

Records NSW has made available a valuable collection of records on microfilm known as the Genealogical Research Kit.

The area of special interest for us is Arrivals in the Colonies of New South Wales, Morton Bay and Port Phillip. More particularly, within that section, Unassisted Passengers, 1826-1900, and again within that section, the lists of Passengers arriving, 1854-1900 - NRS reels 399-560.

These lists record name of ship and master; tonnage, where from; date of arrival; seamen's names, station, age and nation and passengers' names and very occasionally occupation.

It is noted that not all clerks / masters who entered the information onto these lists were uniform in their presentations. In some instances scant details are included, e.g. Lucey & family, servants rarely had their names recorded, some crew members are listed with all details and others with just their name, whereas in other cases a researcher will have cause to rejoice, for all details are recorded and maybe a seperate special document will also be available.

These lists were completed as each vessel arrived in Sydney Harbour. Therefore we expect that the information is as accurate as was possible in those circumstances.

You maybrowse or search the currently transcribed lists, or if you have a date of arrival you may wish to check the reel numbers for the time period and personally retrieve the lists from the relevant microfilm reel.

Every care possible has been taken with these records but, as usual, remember to check original sources of **everything** for yourself. And . . all puns found are intended !!

G'luck and g'looking from Mary-Anne Warner.