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Archiver > SOUTH-AFRICA > 1999-05 > 0925699394
From: Pat Smith <>
Subject: SAILING SHIP HAIDEE AND YORKSHIRE EMIGRATION TO NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA - 1850
Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 04:43:14 +0200
Hi Anne,
Oh how I wish I had almost completed my family research. I am stuck on my
great great grandfather and with the surname of SMITH, I am sure you can
imagine the difficulties I am encountering.
On to the Haidee and the emigration scheme. The references to the group who
travelled over on the Haidee are wide and varied but here goes.
According to Dr. John Clark in his book entitled Natal Settler Agent: the
career of John Moreland, agent for the Byrne emigration scheme of
1849-1851, Cape Town, Balkema, 1972, Henry <<BOAST and his friend Benjamin
LUND, backed by a small group of tenant-farmers, organised a co-operative
scheme of emigration to Natal for agricultural workers drawn from the North
and East Ridings.>>
>From Shelagh O'Byrne Spencer's volumes on the British Settlers we read
<<The committee assisting Henry BOAST consisted of Samuel CORDUKES, Robert
SMITH (1804-1881), Richard BROUGH, Joseph SMITH, William LUND, and James
TUTIN. The latter two preceded the main party on the Herald in order to
find suitable land.>>
It appears they were successful as I have a note to the effect that the
company acquired 6000 acres of land to the north of Pietermaritzburg.
Dr. Clark's book on John Moreland states <<The emigrants deposited two
thousand pounds with the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners and
chartered a ship, the Pallas, from a Hull shipowner, Joseph RYLANDS.
Arrangements for sailing were complete and passengers converging on Hull
when the official emigration-officer at the seaport condemned the Pallas as
unseaworthy. Accommodation and food were needed for the 240 stranded
emigrants until Rylands could get a substitute ship, the Haidee, ready.>>
A court case ensued, Henry BOAST was found liable and, it seems, the
anxiety was too much for him and he passed away before the Haidee sailed.
His wife, Mary BOAST, daughter of Joseph SMITH, <<a well-to-do merchant of
Market Weighton, Yorkshire>> took over the scheme and was joined by her
father and another emigrant, Dr. Charles Bird BOAST - the latter being a
cousin of Henry BOAST.
According to a diary reputedly written by Jane PLUMMER but, which is
believed to have been actually written by her sister, Amy, it seems that
passengers boarded the Haidee as early as 14 May 1850 but did not set sail
until 10 July 1850.
There seems to be a discrepancy with regards to the date on which the
Haidee actually set sail. One of my great Uncles, William SMITH born c.1837
and died 29 July 1920, states in a letter which is in the Kit Bird
Collection <<We left Hull on the 7th July 1850 and arrived off the Port on
the 7th October 1850.>>
I have not personally seen the PLUMMER diary but have read extracts and
there is a wealth of information in these extracts about conditions during
the voyage. There is also a diary written by one Betsy GILDER which
contains a lot of information about York, outside Pietermaritzburg during
the years 1870 to 1879. Shelagh O'Byrne Spencer has a detailed reference
on pages 113 to 117 on Henry BOAST in Vol. 2 of the Biographical Registers
on the British Settlers which will also give you further information.
Lastly, and for the edification of all descendants of Haidee passengers, it
appears that John Moreland was quite impressed with the Haidee Settlers
apparently remarking in 1852 <<The only exception to his remarks about the
town-dwellers who arrived in Natal was the company of settlers who came by
the Haidee from Hull. These people, exactly the class recommended by the
Government were all highly satisfied with the Colony and making rapid
progress.>>
At his meeting with the York Settlers and Moreland paid them the following
compliment
<<Your party was the only one that as a body could be looked upon as really
useful immigrants. You have not only been accustomed throughout your lives
to agricultural pursuits in England but have been engaged now nearly two
years in following the same occupation in Natal...>> Quoted from Dr.
Clark's book on John Moreland
Hope you and other listers find this interesting.
Pat Smith
Anne from Somerset West, South Africa wrote
Hello Pat
My gt gt grandfather Francis Clarkson and his family came out to Natal on
the Haidee. My information on the family is fairly complete, but I would be
very interested in any information on the actual scheme and its organisers.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Anne
from Somerset West, South Africa
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