LAUNCHED Wednesday Oct. 14/1851, at Campbellton, from the shipyard of Messrs. Ritchie & Co., a fine ship named Credenda, 921 tons, new measurements. Campbellton use to be a very active port in days gone by. Campbellton is in New Brunswick, Canada (Source: http://members.tripod.com/~GenNB/ships_names.htm )
The Credenda sailed from Southampton on the 6th of August 1853 and arrived at Geelong, Victoria on the 3rd of November having lost only 3 of its passengers: an infant who died of hydrocephalus, a 19 year old woman with Rheumatis, and a 30 year old woman who was "exhausted by diarrhea after premature labour." Maria Ellis was one of the 181 single women aged 14 to 45 on the ship, most of them domestic servants from England or Ireland who had been engaged by residents of Australia and had to serve 3 to 6 months on their arrival. Maria was 24 years of age, Church of England and could read and write. She was engaged by "Mr Austin Esq." from Geelong, for a term of 6 months for 40 pounds "with rations". Only one of the other women was from Devon, a Susan Sleerman aged 31 who was engaged by a Mrs Pulhohe in Autumn Street, Ashby. The other English women came from Somerset, Middlesex, Cambridge, Cornwall and Norfolk. A fellow passenger on the ship wrote a diary which is held in the National Maritime Museum in Sydney. Of the other passengers, there were 13 single men aged 14-45, 51 married men aged 14-45, and one over 45, 50 married women aged 14-45 and one over 45. Of the children, there were 4 girls aged under one year, 13 aged 1-7, and 13 aged 7-14; 4 boys aged under one year, 5 aged 1-7 and 6 aged 7-14. The families were mainly agricultural labourers. [Note: Bridget Ellis, on the Credenda, was not related - she was Irish.]
George Charles Bannister & Rebecca Bannister Journey to Australia - 1853, National Maritime Museum, Sydney, Australia, transcribed by G.M. Hopkins
August 7th 1853 Sunday Hoisted sail 5 a.m. passed around the Isle of Wight
saw land as far as Shanklin. 344 passengers on board altogether.
August 8th 1853 Out of sight of land very smooth and pleasant.
August 9th 1853 Sighted Portland Bay at 12 a.m., still very pleasant. Four of
the single girls found to have the small-pox and removed to hospital. Fair wind.
August 10th 1853 Cleared the coast of England. First attack of sea-sickness,
nearly all on board sick very bad. Rebecca the same. The ship put about trying
to make for Cork to land the sick girls, could not make it and obliged to go
on our way. Fair wind going nine knots an hour.
August 14th: ...Ships Cook got drunk and was put in irons and put in the hold,
the Crew asked for him to be taken out and placed in some other place, the Captain
refused; they said if he did not they must, he came amongst them with a brace
of pistols and the powder was got ready from the hold. The doctor asked the
Captain to let him out and put him in some other place and the men were satisfied.
The women were very much alarmed when one of the pistols was fired off (but
not at the men.)
August 17th: Captain gave three of us canvas to make trousers.
August 26th Steward put in irons for being found below in married berths at
night. Saw several Albacore's a large fish about 4 ft. long, they jump out of
the water after the flying fish.
August 30th The girl who was sun struck died this morning and was thrown over
the side, the sub-matron said prayers over her. A head wind making very little
progress.
August 31st Wind still against us, making very little progress. Biscuits turning
mouldy.
September 2nd Wind the same. Began to rain about 8 oclock this evening and blew
very hard, the roughest night we have had. Royals and gallant sails taken in.
September 4th Fine the sea had a most splendid appearance this evening, around
the ship it looked like a body of transparent snow and the whole sea looked
like the lights of a town, no-one had ever seen it so beautiful before.
September 6th Fine. The boxes were brought up from below, some of the clothes
were mouldy.
September 7th Fine. One of the children died this morning and was thrown overboard
before 6 a.m.
September 8th Crossed the line this morning at 2 a.m. the captain gave every-one
a glass of grog. Got the South East trades winds. It gets dark directly the
sun sets and that is about six, and does not rise before six a.m. Saw the Southern
Cross this evening, beautiful weather and moonlight nights.
September 10th Very fine. A great noise on board some of the girls have written
letters to the sailors, the Doctor found it out, two of the sailors were taken
on to the poop and searched, and one of the girls ordered to stay below the
rest of the voyage.
September 30th: Fine 10 ships in sight, ... to the Lily a french ship .. days
from Bordeaux, we ran away from most of them, one beat us. Rained through the
night.
October 2nd: ... Captain gave us a nice piece of loin of pork...
Assisted immigrants from the UK, 1839 -1871, book 10: "Credenda", Southhampton to Geelong, 1853.
Book 10 p. 159: "Credenda", 901 tons, Master, Culliton. Left Southhampton 6th Aug 1853. Arrived Geelong 3rd Nov 1853. p. 163: Record no. ? Maria Ellis. Calling: Domestic servant. Rel: CE. Can read and write. Age: ? By whom engaged/name, address: ?? Esq., Geelong. Wages: 40. Term: 6 mo. With or without rations: with.
Notes from David Morrison on the master of the Credenda, Patrick Culliton.
He was born Patrick Culliton in 1816 in Wexford town,Wexford.He was awarded
his Master's Cert.in Plymouth in 1849,and I know that he captained ships all
over the 7 seas for at least the next 20 years.He was master of the Credenda
for @3 years so I assume he journeyed to Australia a number of times-I still
have a lot of searching to do.
You will also find him at www.bondstore.co.nz/inconstant. His daughter Mary
Frances married Alexander Neil Morrison, from Govan, Scotland, who was David's
grandfather.
David Morrison: david.morrison90@ntlworld.com