James Weeks/Weekes

Story

In the 1830’s, it became a custom in England that Parishes would raise money to assist their poor to emigrate. At Peasmarsh in Sussex in 1838, a committee was appointed to raise £200 for emigration, and at a subsequent meeting the committee recommended that James Weeks 38, wife Sarah (nee King) 36, and 4 children (James 18, Sarah 15, Thomas 13 and John 11) be assisted to emigrate to Australia.

The family sailed from Gravesend England on 20 Oct 1838 in the 549 ton barque Juliana under the command of Captain Francis Wilkins Lodge. There were 244 migrants on board.

The voyage to Sydney was to prove a most eventful one.

The Surgeon Superintendent, Dr Henry Kelsall, had no power to enforce his regulations regarding cleanliness below decks. The method used to get the emigrants to go up on deck to allow a “cleansing by water” to take place was to close the hatches and smoke the people out with fumes of sulphur and cayenne pepper. This rather drastic action was repeated frequently on the voyage to the Cape of Good Hope. As there were many weak and convalescent emigrants on board, the surgeon instructed the Captain of the Juliana to put in at the Cape.

The ship arrived within sight of Cape Town at five o’clock in the afternoon on 19 Jan 1839 and while the passengers were admiring the fine houses on the shore at Greens Point about a mile from Table Bay, the ship struck some rocks on Mouille Point.

Everyone was soon taken by boat to shore, and although the ship was totally wrecked there was no loss of life and all their belongings were restored to them within a day or two. The family subsequently arrived in Australia on 20 Apr 1839 in the Morayshire which, with the Mary Hay, was chartered to transport survivors to NSW.

On their arrival in Sydney, the family established themselves in Parramatta.

< Back to the Stories