PIONEERS AND SETTLERS BOUND FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA DUKE OF YORK 1836 From London with Captain Robert Clarke Morgan. One source says she left England on February 24th and another says April 5th, 1836

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The Board of Commissioners in London had allowed the South Australian Company to list both the passengers and crew of the DUKE OF YORK, and several other ships, as emigrants. Thus the passenger lists include the names of crew members. Source: Opie, E.A.D., South Australian Records Prior to 1841, Hussey and Gillingham, Adelaide 1917, Facsimile 1981, p.15 A "correct" list of passengers of the DUKE OF YORK compiled by W.L. Beare is in the OBSERVER, January 9th 1858, page 6h. Information on its crew and passengers is in the REGISTER, June 28th 1894, page 4h. Information for the DUKE OF YORK's crew and passengers is in the REGISTER February 25th 1911, page 49e. The Log Book for the DUKE OF YORK's voyage in 1836 by Captain Robert Clarke Morgan available to view in the South Australian Archives.

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMPANY On January 2nd 1836, the S.A. Company was formed. The original directors being George F. Angas (chairman), Raikes Currie, MP, James Hyde, Charles Hindley, MP, Henry Kingscote, John Pirie, John Rundle, MP, Thomas Smith, James R. Todd and Henry Waymouth. Once formed the company turned its attention to practically every outlet for energy in connection with the development of the colony. As was to be expected by reason of its purchases the company snapped up many sites in the city which today are worth thousands of pounds. The first of the South Australian Company's ships, the 110 ton schooner JOHN PIRIE, left England on February 22nd 1836. Two days later, on the 24th, the DUKE OF YORK left St Catherine's Docks, London, under Captain Morgan, having had to go back to dock in London twice for repairs after encountering fierce storms. THE PASSENGERS One of the seamen on board the DUKE OF YORK was William Holmes Hamilton, son of Richard Hamilton who came to South Australia onboard KATHERINE STEWART FORBES in 1837.      http://www.hamiltonewell.com.au/history/ William had just turned sixteen. It is not surprising that he became a sailor, as his uncle William Read Holmes was a Cinque Ports Pilot, his aunt Sarah Holmes married a pilot, while his great uncles, Captain John Hamilton and Luke Smithett were men of the sea. His brothers John and Richard were also seamen. In fact, anybody born in Dover could hardly be unaffected by the sea. An obituary notice in Adelaide Observer, Saturday 13 January 1917, is recorded for William Holmes Hamilton, a seamen on board the DUKE OF YORK which arrived in 1836. He was the son of Richard Hamilton who came to South Australia onboard KATHERINE STEWART FORBES in 1837. Sir George Kingston took a great interest in preserving the names of the early vessels and their passengers. "On July 27th 1836 there came into Nepean Bay (Kangaroo Island) a smart looking vessel, and brought with her the first colonists for South Australia - 42 passengers (38 adults, 4 children)." His list was published in 1877 in the South Australia Gazette and Colonial Register, and we are indebted to him for part of the following list:

WHALE BOATS Whale boats were hired and/or borrowed from the Kangaroo Island sealers and whalers to meet the newly arrived ships carrying emigrants to the colony. 1. DUKE OF YORK from London with Captain Robert Clarke Morgan, arriving Nepean Bay (Kangaroo Island July 27th, 1836 - 42 passengers 2. LADY MARY PELHAM from Liverpool with Captain Robert Ross and 29 passengers (29 adults), arriving Nepean Bay (Kangaroo Island July 30th, 1836)     Whale boats [un-named] were used to look for deserters from the crew of the LADY MARY PELHAM on August 20, 1836;     and were also used to take Samuel Stephens to the LADY MARY PELHAM; 3. JOHN PIRIE from London with Captain George Martin, arriving Nepean Bay (Kangaroo Island Aug 16th, 1836) - 28 passengers     Whale boats [un-named] were used to meet the JOHN PIRIE on August 16, 1836; 4. RAPID from London with Captain William Light, arrived Nepean Bay (Kangaroo Island Aug 20th, 1836 24 passengers.     Whale boats [un-named] were used to meet the RAPID on August 21, 1836. A Whale boat [un-named] were used to visit Salt Lagoon with Samuel Stephens [passenger onboard the DUKE OF YORK] and Captain George Martin [Master of the JOHN PIRIE] on August 18, 1836. These boats were used extensively during the first months of life in South Australia. A Mr Thompson was paid £1.15 on August 23, 1836 for the hire of his boat. Walker's Whaleboat could often be seen in St Vincent Gulf in 1837. Bradley's Whaleboat frequently sailed between Kangaroo Island and Holdfast Bay in 1837. Stephen's Whaleboat (this might have been the one hired by Samuel Stephens from William Wright) was used to ferry Mr. H. French, the owner of the grounded WILLIAM HUTT, from the ship to the shore at Nepean Bay on January 15, 1837.

Two Ship Reports Report 1 and Report 2 - published in the Adelaide Observer, July 31st 1886

THE WRECKING OF DUKE OF YORK For a vessel invested with so much historical interest, we who look back to that time cannot but regret that she closed her career on a treacherous reef in the following year (1837). An account of the shipwreck by the second mate of the DUKE OF YORK (quoted in G. Edith Wells, Kangaroo Island of South Australia, Cradle of the Colony, p.61; Australian Shipwrecks, pp.124-125) gives the date as 14 July 1837. Letter from Garnet Bell, PO Box 328, Kingscote, S.A., to Sandra Shaw, 11 May 1995, quoting G.Edith Wells, Kangaroo Island of South Australia, Cradle of the Colony, p.61.