THE CATARAQUI DISASTER (1845)

On 20th April 1845, a ship called the Cataraqui set sail from Liverpool, bound for Melbourne (Australia). Of the 408 passengers on board, a quarter of them came from Oxfordshire.

Sadly, on 4th August, the Cataraqui was shipwrecked on the uninhabited King Island, located in the Bass Strait (between Tasmania and mainland Australia) - they were just one day short of reaching their destination. Only 9 people survived, 8 of whom were crew members.

If it weren't for a man called David Howie, who happened to be on the island collecting animal furs at the time, even more lives would surely have been lost; he helped passengers escape their stricken vessel, and managed to attract the attention of a passing ship to ferry them to Melbourne. Mr Howie even used his own money to fund the burials of all of those who died, having them interred in 5 mass graves on King Island.

The memorial below was erected on King Island, to commemorate those who perished in the disaster. David Howie's great granddaughter, Greta Robinson, unveiled it in 2020.

The Oxfordshire parties included families from Tackley, Kiddington, Rousham, Stoke Lyne, Stonesfield, Wootton, Chesterton, Fringford, Fritwell and Great Haseley.

THE TRANSPORTATION OF SAMUEL DAGLEY (1842)

Remember my recent post about George Dagley of Stratton Audley, who abandoned his wife and children, leaving them chargeable to the parish? (Click here and scroll down to find the story!). 

Well, I've just discovered that George's brother - Samuel Dagley - was also 'a bit of a lad'!

On 21st April 1842, at the age of just 22, Samuel was transported to Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania) aboard a ship called 'Susan'; he arrived on 25th July the same year.

He had been convicted of stealing a pony at Bletchley (near Milton Keynes), and was subsequently sentenced to 10 years' transportation.

According to his convict record, Samuel was single, had a fresh complexion, was roughly 5ft 9 inches tall, and had dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He had several visible scars, was single, Protestant and literate. His occupation at the time of his arrest was 'quarryman'.

After serving 5 years of his sentence, Samuel was granted leave in order to marry Mary Gibbons in Launceston, Tasmania. In 1851, after Samuel was officially granted his freedom, the couple travelled to Melbourne, Australia, aboard the 'Shamrock'. They settled in Little Eltham, not far from Melbourne.

Unfortunately, Samuel did exactly as his brother George had done back in England - he left his wife and children in February 1864! He went on the run, with another woman called Louisa Boswell. They were believed to have travelled to Yackandandah, roughly 300km away.

In December 1865, with no sign of Samuel, his abandoned wife Mary was forced to put their property and land up for lease, in order to support herself and the children.

It appears that Samuel evaded capture, and although no death record can be found for him, a registrar in Melbourne granted a letter of administration to the estate of a deceased man called Samuel Dagley in July 1885 - perhaps this was him? He left the sum of £150.

The image below shows the ship upon which Samuel Dagley was transported.

THE TRANSPORTATION OF MARTHA BUSBY (1838)

In 1836, Martha Busby of Bicester was charged with stealing a £30 post-bill and £100 in bank notes from The Crown Inn, Bicester, where she had for some years been employed as a charwoman. She was imprisoned, and subsequently sentenced to transportation for life.

She was sent to New South Wales, Australia, aboard a ship called the John Renwick on 25th April 1838, arriving at her destination on 27th August that same year.

The John Renwick was one of two ships exclusively tasked with transporting female convicts; a total of 333 women arrived in New South Wales in the same year as Martha Busby.

Source: https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/busby/martha/48338