Migrant Ship "Great Tasmanian"

This is a copy of the "Descriptive List of Immigrants" for a voyage of the vessel "Great Tasmania".

The Passage Makers

The Great Tasmania was purchased while under construction. The designer and builder was Donald McKay and the owners Baines & Co. She was delivered in March 1855. Her cost being approximately £24,000 and was mortgaged to a Liverpool merchant called Robert Dixon for £12,000 at a rate of 5.0%.

Registered length - 203 feet
Breadth - 42.3 feet
Depth - 28.6 feet
Tonnage - 1964 tons

She was built as a cargo-carrier rather than as an extreme clipper. Unfortunately, her line plans and half-models have not survived, but her under-deck co­efficient of 0.80 indicates relative bluntness, as does her interior lines set down in the curve books of the Liverpool Registers of Shipping.

Her huge size and her speedy passages excited enormous admiration and attracted increasing numbers of fare-paying passengers.

Michael Stammers notes regarding the McKay ships:-
"They were also beautiful ships, but theirs was not the airy, graceful beauty of a yacht or of a tea clipper. They were very heavily sparred aloft and their deep black hulls and bold sheer, their flaring bows and their heavy counters, all conveyed an impression of power and strength."
In October 1864, she was condemned as unseaworthy in Calcutta. Whether this was the result of an accident or of decay is not stated.

Since commencing this page people have contacted me
and I have recorded the messages below:-

1989 From Max
On November 14, 1856, the migrant ship "Great Tasmania" sailed from Liverpool for warmer climes under the command of Edmond Brewer. On board were Thomas and Sarah Wills.

The "Descriptive List of Immigrants" discloses that Thomas and Sarah were married, both aged 22 both could read and write and of Church of England religion. They paid £16.00 each for the voyage and travelled under ticket No.310. Thomas' trade or calling was "groom and house servant", Sarah was a "good (?) servant". (The writing is a little difficult to read.)

The ship's surgeon, John Henry Patrick Oldminder, described the young marrieds as follows - Thomas Wills, "Well looking, fair complexion, oval face, brown hair." Sarah (Davis) Wills, "Oval face, very light hair, red lips, well looking, lost upper tooth on right side of mouth".

The "Great Tasmania" arrived at Hobart Town on January 27, 1857, the ship may have been one of the new steamers operating at that time for 74 days was a speedy trip.

4 Mar 2001 From: Wendy, Brisbane
My family travelled to Hobart on the Great Tasmania in 1857 too - Thomas Hogarth and family. We have some information on them and their descendants. Our ancestors probably met on board!
Do you have any information on the Great Tasmania? I look forward to hearing from you.
 
6 Nov 2001 From: Peter, Tasmania
I have just realised something quite uncanny. I was just reading how your ancestors arrived in Hobart on "The Great Tasmania" on 27.1.1857. The ship name rang a bell with me so I checked our family history. Would you believe that my Great, Great Grandparents, William and Isabella WYLIE were on the ship with your family members. What a coincidence!
 
12 Feb 2004 From: Mike, Lansing, MI USA
I see from your web page that you have a ancestor (Thomas Wills) who came to Tasmania on the "Great Tasmania" on 27 Jan 1857. I have recently discovered that my 2nd great grandfather James Smart also arrived on this ship at the same time. Would you happen to know if there is a copy of the passenger list, and if so, how I might obtain a copy? Any help would be appreciated.
 
9 Apr 2004 From: Mary, New Zealand
I am currently researching my family history, and I was amazed to find that when I clicked onto your family history web site, I found that one of your ancestors came to Tasmania ( Hobart) on the ship 'Great Tasmania' in 1857. This was the ship that bought my Great, Great Grandmother, and her brother, on also. Her name was Sarah Holmes, and she was only 16 years old. I have no details about her brother. I was hoping that you may have knowledge of how to obtain a passenger list.
 
1 Nov 2007 From: Nola
I found your email address on the site 'Ships That Carried Wills Families to Australia'.
This note was on the page:- "6 Nov 2001 From: Peter, Tasmania I have just realised something quite uncanny. etc. etc....."
My Great, Great Grandparents, were also William and Isabella WYLIE. I have no idea at all who Peter is and wondered if you had an email address for him. I know it is a very 'long shot', but genealogists are renowned for trying 'long shots'!!!
Our relatives possibly had met on the 'Great Tasmania'.
 
16 Jun 2009 From: Graham
Tom, It is a small world, I am researching an ancestor of mine who, I believe, arrived on the Great Tasmania in 1857 they are Robert and Louisa Young. At this stage I cannot find any passenger list, perhaps you have one. I await your response.
My response was simple. I met Graham at our local coffee shop and discussed what we should do. We both live in a small town (4,000 population) in NSW and although we speak frequently, this is our first contact regarding family history.
We think we may have to compile a passenger list for this particular voyage of the Great Tasmanian. . . .
More later.
This is a start:-

• Edward Anderson, Franny Anderson, Edward Anderson, Alfred Anderson, Frederick Anderson
• Edward Barrett, Mary Matilda Barrett
• Charlotte Bass
• Anne Batten
• Henry Boyd
• Martin Breen, Honora Breen, Dennis Breen, Mary Breen, John Breen, Patrick Breen
• John Brewer
• Daniel Cairy, Rose Anne Cairy, William Cairy, John Cairy
• Thomas Castle
• Martha Clarke, Wm Sam Clarke, Eliza Clarke, Frederick Clarke
• Mary Cleaver
• Garratt Darcey
• Phillip Dickens
• Edward Dillon, Anne Dillon, Patrick Dillon, Thomas Dillon
• John Faulkner, Elizabeth Faulkner, Thomas Faulkner, Robert Faulkner, Daniel Faulkner, Mary Anne Faulkner, George Faulkner
• Nancy Grimes, Patrick Grimes, Ellen Grimes
• William Gruby
• John Haddock
• John Hartnett, Ellen Hartnett, James Hartnett, John Hartnett Jnr., Mary Hartnett, Dennis Hartnett
• Judith Herlihy, Margaret Herlihy, William Herley
• Julia Hill, Anna Hill
• Patrick Hoase, Bridget Hoase, Thomas Hoase, John Hoase, Michael Hoase, James Hoase, Margaret Hoase, Mary Hoase
• Mary Hogan, Michael Hogan, Ellen Hogan, Winifred Hogan, Margaret Hogan
• Thomas Hogarth, Marion Hogarth, Agnes Hogarth, William Hogarth, George Hogarth, Janet Hogarth
• Sarah Holmes
• Mathew Howard, Mary Howard, Margaret Howard, Susan Howard, Thomas Howard, Bridget Howard
• Frances Jeffries, Jane Jeffries
• Ellinor Johnstone
• Mary Keayes
• Mary Keily, Catherine Keily, John Keily, Patrick Keily
• Mary Kelly
• James Landers, Bridget Landers
• John Lewis
• Levi Long
• John Malony, Thomas Malony, Michael Malony, Catherine Malony, John Malony, Johanna Malony
• Daniel Martin
• James McBean, Ellen McBean, Jane McBean, Catherine McBean
• Mary McCabe
• Edward McCann
• Mary McGee
• John Meer
• Margaret O'Keeffe, Daniel O'Keeffe, Johanna O'Keeffe
• Mary Quinn, Patrick Quinn, John Quinn, Mary Quinn, Bridget Quinn
• George Richmond
• Charles Ridge, Jane Ridge
• Michael Ryan
• James Scott, Margaret Scott, Walter Scott, James Scott, Andrew Scott, George Scott
• Job Senior, Sarah Senior, John Senior, Grace Senior, Mary Senior, George Senior
• James Smart, Henry Smart
• Hannah Smith, William Smith, Joseph Smith, James Smith, Amelia Smith, John Smith, Mary Anne Smith, Rosana Smith, Frederick Smith
• Thomas Tracey, Elizabeth Tracey, Margaret Tracey, Ellen Tracey
• William Turner, Mary Turner, Rosanna Turner, Elizabeth Turner
• Benjamin Turner, Maud Turner, Rebecca Turner, John Turner
• Richard Wain
• Francis Walsh
• William West, Fanny West, Ellen West
• Thomas Wills, Sarah Wills
• Daniel Woods, Ellen Woods, Lewando Woods
• William Wylie, Isabella Wylie
• Robert Young, Louisa Young