As part of assessment task 3, I have created a table of the whaling voyages of William SMITH prior to 1877. Have also included the sources. As you can see, I am having trouble filling in the gaps of his earliest voyages.
I couldn’t find crew agreements for the blank spaces in the chart, so will need to check further sources from the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau based at Australian National University in Canberra.
On board ship | Left ship | Ship | Role on board | Captain | Source |
Venus | MB2/33/1/403 1856-1878 | ||||
Offley | MB2/33/1/301 1856-1879 | ||||
Grecian/Frances/Friends?? | MB2/33/1/170 1857-1864 | ||||
25 Jan 1858 | Calypso | Seaman | McFARLANE | MB 2/33/1/54 1856-1863 | |
Prince Regent | MB2/33/1/333 | ||||
Flying Childers | MB2/33/1/146 | ||||
Mar 1860 | Maid of Erin | 2nd mate | REYNOLDS | MB 2/33/1/250 | |
15 Mar 1860 | 16 Feb 1861 | Waterwitch | Seaman | MB 2/33/1/417 | |
23 Feb 1861 | Apr 1862 | Highlander | 2nd mate | Henry EDMONDS | MB2/33/1/194 |
24 May 1862 | Southern Cross | 3rd mate | William MANSFIELD | MB 2/33/1/374 | |
5 Jan 1864 | 28 Dec 1866 | Maid of Erin | 2nd mate | Henry EDMONDS | MB 2/33/1/250 |
28 Dec 1866 | 31 Jan 1868 | Maid of Erin | Chief mate | William GAFFEN | MB 2/33/1/250 |
16 Oct 1868 | Apr 1870 | Maid of Erin | Chief mate | Thomas SHELTON | MB 2/33/1/250 |
9 Apr 1870 | 12 Dec 1870 | Maid of Erin | Master | William SMITH | MB 2/33/1/250 |
2 Jan 1871 | 26 Oct 1871 | Maid of Erin | Master | William SMITH | MB 2/33/1/250 |
May 1873 | Maid of Erin | Master | William SMITH | MB 2/33/1/250 | |
15 Jul 1873 | 1874 | Othello | Chief Mate | Edward COPPING | MB 2/33/1/310 |
2 Nov 1874 | 6 Jun 1876 | Othello | Chief mate | Edward COPPING | MB 2/33/1/310 |
16 Jun 1876 | Sep 1877 | Flying Childers | Chief mate | MB2/33/1/146 |
Readers: Do you think including a table like this should be acceptable for the scholarly writing of our task 3?
Hi Sue, I think if it fits in with the criteria and is part of your research plan and how you are following through with your finds, you should include it.
From the bits and pieces I have read around the discussions I am not including anything more than whats required.
Cheers Tracy
Thanks Tracy – my research aims included finding dates of voyages, name of ships, his role on the ship and captains of ships.
Hi Sue,
Just to let you know that I have been following your blog page and you have inspired me to develop a blog page one day.
Also to let you know that my GGFather Captain Michael Reynolds was the Captain of Maid of Erin between August 1859-1862, whaling in the South Sea.
Kind regards Lee
I hope tables such as the one you included are acceptable in the Assessment Task 3 Report because I am following your lead by including one to show how my subject’s children have been possibly named after the ancestors of a person I believe to be him.
Hi Wendy,
I used a table because i was showing a timeline by dates and felt that was the easiest way to show it. I could also use it like a research log to fill in the blanks as I find information in other sources.
I love it Suzanne, so clear and concise. What an incredible life your William Smith has had on the sea, so many ships (all English?) Going from Seaman to a Master is pretty good. When did the Americans try to take over whaling in Tasmania? I believe there was a lot of trouble and bloodshed. I must admit until your blog on HSP105 and the above piece, I had no idea about our whalers. But now have some.. Thanks love it. Many thanks for your help from this struggling student on HSP105. Much appreciated. I am also looking at timelines for all my research subjects…more interesting.