Vanstones round the world

Migration, including Transportation

Vanstones in the USA

New York and Boston Passenger Lists 1820-1957

Ports of Departure

Southampton	86
Liverpool	104
London	17
Glasgow	8
Queenstown	3
Cardiff	2

Distribution of British-born Americans in 1920.

Illinois	27
Massachusetts	24
Connecticut	20
Pennsylvania	15
Indiana	13
Idaho	10
New Jersey	10
New York	9
Colorado	5

Ships sailed on

Olympic	23
City of Berlin	18
Majestic	11
Britannic	9
Cedric	9
Adriatic	7
City of Manchester	7
Queen Elizabeth	7
Berengaria	6
City of Montreal	6

Early Vanstone Emigrants to the USA

Name	Departure	Ship	arrival
Elizabeth	London	Hannibal	17-9-1836
Henry	London	Philadelphia	30-5-1842
John	Glasgow	Pathfinder	12-4-1852
William	Glasgow	Pathfinder	12-4-1852
Margaret	Glasgow	Cosmo	12-12-1853
Samuel	Glasgow	Cosmo	12-12-1853
Edwin	Liverpool	Empire State	19-7-1854
John	Liverpool	Empire State	19-7-1854
Thomas	Liverpool	Ontario	4-4-1857
William	Liverpool	City of Baltimore	19-3-1864

Vanstones in Canada

Distribution of British-born Vanstones in 1891

Ontario	134		New Brunswick	14
Manitoba	6		British Columbia	2

Vanstones in Australia

Vanstones eligible to vote 1834-1836

New South Wales	12		Victoria	11
Queensland	8		Western Australia	6

Australian Immigration Records (thanks to Robin)

Transportation

Among the Vanstones sentenced to transportation was James Vanstone, who was convicted at Exeter Quarter Sessions and sentenced to 7 years transportation (see crime registers). He sailed on the Eden on 27th August 1836, and arrived at Van Diemen's land.

The Eden was built in 1826, and James Vanstone was on her first convict voyage, She sailed from Portsmouth under the captaincy of Alex L MOLLISON, and travelled via Cape Town, taking 113 days to reach Hobart. She carried 80 male convicts, or whom 3 died on the voyage. Her surgeon, Gilbert King, wrote an account of the voyage:

The Eden, “Convict Ship”, (having the Guard on Board, and the usual arrangement for receiving the prisoners being completed) left Deptford on Sunday the 14th of August 1836 and anchored off Woolwich shortly afterwards. On the following day, One Hundred and Eighty Convicts, the number intended for immediate Embarkation, were examined on shore, and as they were sent on Board without any delay, we were enabled to get under weigh next morning, and in compliance with our Orders, proceeded to Portsmouth.
The voyage to Portsmouth occupied five or six days for the wind during that time was generally foul, nay sometimes boisterous, and as it occasioned an … motion of this ship almost all the prisoners, in consequence, suffered very much from sea sickness.
On the 22nd of August we received One Hundred Convicts from the hulks in Portsmouth Harbour, (middle aged and athlet men, many of them soldiers) and this completed our stipulated number of Two Hundred and Eighty.
Having received the Government despatches on the 30th August, we endeavoured to get to sea, but did not succeed until next day; perhaps it would have been better had we remained at Spithead for more favourable weather, for we had a foul wind with a head sea until we got as far as Scilly, when part of the stern of the ship having been carried away, by heavy pitching, we were obliged to bear up for Plymouth Harbour. In this short course the prisoners again suffered much from sea sickness, and I have been … particular in pointing it out because I am satisfied the seeds of future disease were sown here, and that the debility induced by the continuance of so distressing an affliction were an in no small degree the predisposition to scurvy arising from other causes …
In the present ship, the Eden, the disease commenced shortly after we had passed the Equator and became so general among the prisoners (although not in an aggravated form) that I considered it absolutely necessary to go into Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, for the purpose of obtaining fresh beef and vegetables. Our stay in Harbour was unnecessarily short, but its beneficial effects were sufficiently obvious – and exceeded the most sanguine expectations; the countenance which before was pale, sallow, and dejected now became clear, the cheeks assumed a healthy bloom, the appetite returned and cheerfulness pervaded every part of the ship.

[22 more convicts were taken on board at Cape Town]

On leaving the Cape we were supplied with two live bullocks, a certain number of sheep and a suitable allowance of vegetables, and although scurvy again made its appearance before we reached Van Diemen’s Land, its character was mitigated …

The measures I adopted for preserving the health and promoting the comfort of the people entrusted to my charge, may be specified in a few words. The prisons were washed only once or twice during the voyage but they were kept very clean and wholesome by dry holly stoning the decks and using occasionally the scrapers. I allowed no foul or damp cloths between decks; had windsails constantly in the hatchings for the purpose of ventilation, and in moist and cold weather clean burning stoves were placed, for a short time, in the prisons. My orders respecting personal cleanliness were peremptory, and although a certain number only in rotation could bathe in the tub, yet all were required to appear every morning with clean hands and faces and every Sunday they were mustered for church with a clean shirt at least. Lastly, I encouraged every kind of innocent amusement and recreation; and the singing and dancing which we had every evening when the weather permitted, had (I am confident) a salutary tendency not only as a physical, but moral prophylactic.

thanks to Robin for this.

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