Thomas and Emily's Family

In the last few posts, we've traveled with my great great great Uncle Thomas Rankins from San Francisco to Australia; met his wife to be, Emily Stanbury; and learned about her voyage from England to Geelong, Victoria, Australia. 

Thomas and Emily married in Victoria in 1855. Thomas was 25 and Emily was 19. Over the next 23 years, they had nine children:


William Stanbury Rankins, 1856-1932

Thomas Reginald Rankins, 1858- ?

Mary Florence "Minnie" Rankins, 1860–1944

Joseph Edward Rankins, 1862–1947

Emily Stanbury Rankins, 1864–1953

Ernest Rankins, 1867–1943

Ada Rankins, 1870–1951

Eva Evangeline Rankins, 1872–

Mabel Edith Rankins, 1879– ?

Beyond these bare statistics there are, of course, a great many stories to be told. I think of all those children, growing up as pioneers in that raw great land. But then I read a newspaper story like this one about Mabel Edith, which doesn't sound at all raw and pioneer-ish:

Yes, Mabel sounds like she lives in a very civilized manner. But, wait! One of her brothers and his wife had previously appeared in a great many newspapers, and their story certainly raised some eyebrows...

Next time: Australia, 1901: Alice Makes a Name For Herself

Emily's Long, Long Voyage: More About the Ship Osprey and Her Captain

I was searching around in Trove, a wonderful online resource of the National Library of Australia, and came across three old letters of interest. 

You will recall that our Emily Stanbury (see last post) and her family traveled from England to Victoria, Australia aboard the ship Osprey, 1848-49. The first letter would seem to be from a fellow passenger on that voyage, remembering his trip as a two year old "kiddy."

First letter:

Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), Saturday 17 February 1934, page 6The Ship Osprey.TO THE EDITOR OF THE AGE.

Sir, I have read with interest, the history of pioneer ships and pioneer men connected with Australian life and trade, but saw no mention of the ship Osprey that came from Liverpool to Melbourne in 1849. My parents come out in her, and brought me with them, a kiddy of two years. We started from Liverpool in September, 1848, and landed at Melbourne in March, 1849.

I think the captain's name was Merriman [CZ note: It was Honeyman]. Could any of your correspondents tell me anything of the history and fate of that ship? I would like to hear from any passengers who sailed in the Osprey in 1848. and may be alive to-day. I am in my 88th year. If alive next month will be a colonist of 85 years, having spent only one day out of Victoria during that time. There will be few, if any, of my shipmates living, but I would like to know the fate ot those that brought me here. 

Yours,W. C. WILLIAMS. Cheltenham, 6th February. 

With regard to a later voyage in 1850, I found a letter to the ship's Captain from his grateful passengers at the end of the voyage, and his response to them. 

The first was published in the newspaper on June 8, 1850 and the Captain's reply appeared a few days later on June 11. The June 8th letter was republished 74 years later, in one of those "look how far we've all come" retrospectives that newspapers like to share with us. 


From the passengers:

Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW: 1888 - 1950), Tuesday 2 December 1924, page 4[Published] 74 Years Ago 

The Ship Osprey, Circular Wharf, Sydney, 8th, June, 1850. To Captain Honeyman, Commander of the Osprey, Liverpool. 

Dear Sir, Being now in the providence of God, arrived in the land of our destination, a land which, so far as we can see and learn, offers the reward due to industry and enterprise, we, the passengers by your ship, before finally leaving for our new residences; beg to express our feelings of gratitude called forth by your very great kindness and urbanity of manners on all occasions, since we left the port of Liverpool. 

Our remarkably quick passage of 101 days speaks for your abilities, watchfulness, and attention, for we too had some severe gales to contend with. We regret exceedingly that we have it not in our power to give you more tangible proof of our high esteem and regard, but trust you will accept our sincere wishes for your future health, happiness, and success. 

We commend you to the care of Almighty God, and may he protect you in your [hollesearde?] and all other voyages, ad eventually brlng you to that haven of eternal bliss. It is the sincere prayer and heartfelt wish for you Dear Sir, Yours very faithfully, 

(Signed in the hand and on behalf of the passengers).,, Messrs. Stokes and Atkinson

The Captain's response:

Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Thursday 13 June 1850, page 2
SHIP OSPREY.
Circular Wharf, June 11, 1850.

GENTLEMEN,
It affords me a great degree of pleasure to reply to your very feeling letter published in the Sydney Morning Herald of this date.

l am happy to think that my conduct during the voyage was such as to meet your approbation. Now that you are safe in this your adopted land, I sincerely wish you every happiness that it can afford.

And believe me to be,
Gentlemen,
Your sincere friend,
A. P. HONEYMAN,
Commander.
To Messrs. Stokes and Atkinson, and passengers per Osprey, from Liverpool.

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Next Post: Thomas and Emily's Family 

The Thomas Rankins Story Continues: Emily's Long, Long Voyage

My great great great Uncle Thomas Rankins was born about 1830 in Maine. As we've seen in the two previous posts (Where Thomas Went, and Thomas and Friends), he sailed from San Francisco to New South Wales, Australia in 1852.

Three years later (1855) when he was 25, he married 19-year old Emily Stanbury. Her parents, Mary Murray and William Stanbury, together with Emily and her younger brother, George, had emigrated from England to Victoria, Australia in 1849.

By the time Emily and Thomas got married, they each had traveled thousands and thousands of miles across the world to begin their new lives in Australia. We've seen previously that Thomas' ship took two months to sail from San Francisco, but Emily's voyage was much, much longer. 

The Stanbury family had made their trip on the ship, Osprey, which traveled for 117 days at sea--without touching land once! They left Plymouth, England on November 24, 1848 and arrived at Geelong, Port Phillip, Victoria on March 22, 1849. 

Here is a report from Emigration: Papers Relative to Emigration to the Australian Colonies (In Continuation of House of Commons' Paper No. 593, July 1849).(1)

Now we come to the sad part. During that long sea voyage to a better future, eleven passengers died: 2 adult women and 9 children aged 14 and under. On a more positive note, there were 6 babies born during those interminable 117 days. 

This chart gives us an idea of the makeup of the passenger population--how many shepherds were on board, as well as laborers, servants, mechanics, and tradespeople. Emily's father, William, was a butcher, so he was no doubt making some helpful business contacts along the way. 

The report for the voyage ends with these cheery remarks which were no doubt written by someone well used to living a life forever at sea. 

Next Post: Emily's Long, Long Voyage: More About the ship Osprey and Her Captain

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Sources

1. All Osprey reports are from Emigration: Papers Relative to Emigration to the Australian Colonies (In Continuation of House of Commons' Paper No. 593, July 1849). You can read more about emigrant ship reports online at google books (link below). 

I have to say there are some amusing bits, such as this comment by an immigration agent for another ship: "With the exception of 19 boys from the Ragged Schools of London, the immigrants by this vessel appear to be of a very respectable description and likely to be a valuable acquisition to the colony." (page 85)

https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=24pPAQAAMAAJ&rdid=book-24pPAQAAMAAJ&rdot=1