Chatham (1855)

This page contains the descriptive list of immigrants from the ship Chatham. The ship sailed from England in November 1854 and arrived in Hobart, Van Diemen's Land in February 1855. Apparently many of the passenger were bound for work in the coal mines;

Coal.—We observe that the Douglas River Coal Company have imported about one hundred men, women, and children, by the Chatham, comprising a superintendent, an engineer, blacksmith, &c. &c., and that they are accompanied by a clergyman. 1

Some of the miners were quickly in trouble as they sought to let off steam after so many months at sea.

Sailors and Immigrants. -- The neighborhood of the New Wharf was the scene of continual disturbance on the night of Wednesday. A number of the immigrants by the Chatham got drunk, and conducted themseIves in a most disorderly way, by shouting, attacking tho police, and otherwise. Among the rest .Mr. D. C. Watson, while conveying a man to the station, was assaulted violently by one of the newly arrived, who, with his companions were secured for the night, and on being brought up at the police office yesterday, the principal assailant, William Lamb, was fined £4 and costs, and sent to gaol in default. Others by the same vessel received sentences proportioned to their demerits. 2

The following descriptive list of immigrants was provided by Ian Byers, and is also available in Portable Document Format.

• 1"General Intelligence." The Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859) 22 February 1855: p2 Web. 3 Mar 2016
• 2"Local Intelligence." Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857) 23 February 1855: p2 Web. 3 Mar 2016