Genealogy Chat

TWO OF MY ANCESTORS TRAVELLED FROM ENGLAND BY BOAT - PORT LINCOLN IN JULY 1919 AND ARRIVED IN SYDNEY IN SEPTEMBER 1919. WHEN THEY LEFT ENGLAND THEY ONLY HAD ONE CHILD WHO IS NOT RECORDED ON THE LIST OF PASSENGERS. IT APPEARS THAT THEY HAD A SON WHO WAS BORN IN 1919. HIS NAME WAS CHARLES ERNEST LINCOLN COWCHER AND SO IT IS POSSIBLE THAT HE MAY OF BEEN BORN DURING THE VOYAGE. DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THERE IS ANYWHERE I CHECK FOR BIRTHS WHILST ON THE SHIP.

Do you know the name of the ship?

the name of the ship was PORT LINCOLN

I believe that when a birth takes place at sea, the captain of the ship has to record it and send particulars to the Registrar of Births when the ship lands at the next port, but I'm not absolutely sure. The NSW BMD registry's online, but births only go up to 1906. Passenger lists certainly give details of births at sea, but not all lists have survived, and they're not all online. Ancestorsonboard/Findmypast has passenger lists going up to 1919, so with a bit of luck you might find the Port Lincoln list. Bernice Marsden on the Records Office board's offering look-ups - ask her to have a look for you.

I've now found his date of birth on the Australian government site which gives brief details of his military service: COWCHER CHARLES EDWARD LINCOLN : Service Number - NX126176 : Date of birth - 04 Sep 1919 : Place of birth - PERTH WA : Place of enlistment - GRETA NSW : Next of Kin - COWCHER FLORENCE http://www.naa.gov.au/The_Collection/recordsearch.html and his death notice: COWCHER Charles Edward Lincoln Funeral notice 25AUG2003 Funeral late of Railway Estate, formerly of Ayr Townsville Bulletin 23AUG2003 http://www.rootsweb*com/~nswsdps/dpsindex.htm (replace asterisk with dot) Perth is in Western Australia; their birth index goes up to 1935, but he doesn't seem to be on it. There are lots of other Cowchers, though: http://www.justice.wa.gov.au/_apps/pioneersindex/default.aspx

A few more details of his military service here: http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/script/veteran.asp?ServiceID=A&VeteranID=233507#summary1

Thank you so much for that information. Bit strange the birth was recorded in Perth. Would the ship go to several ports. It was going from London to Sydney.

Very likely, a lot of ships stopped at other ports before their final destination.

Because of the long journey, stopping at Perth (Fremantle actually as that is Perth's port) was vital as they'd need to renew stores. Ozi.

The NWS Index to Vessels Arrived, 1837 - 1925, shows the following arrival: 1919 Sep 20 PORT LINCOLN STEAMER Page 551 1901_1926 http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/indexes/searchform.aspx?id=49 Passenger lists for that year aren't on the NSW government site yet, though.

I would definitely ask Bernice for a look-up if I were you. Her thread on the Record Office board's entitled: **LATEST & NEWEST THREAD Ancestry & findmypast & Passenger LOOK UPS BMD's up to 2005 There's a thread on the same board that I started called Passenger Lists, but I don't think you'll find any 1919 lists in it.

I do have access to ancestry and findmy past. I have the passenger record which shows Ernest Cowcher and Mrs Cowcher with one infant. The ship arrived at sydney on 20th September and so Charles Ernest Lincoln (named after the ship) must of been born on the ship. Thanks everyone for your help

Hi Found this for you: PORT LINCOLN / CAMBRIAN BARONESS / CLAN GRAHAM / MARITIMA 1912 7,243 gross tons, length 426ft x beam 54ft, single srew, 13 knots. Carried 600-steerage class passengers in 'tween deck dormitories. Built in 1912 by Hawthorn Leslie, Newcastle for the Anglo-Australasian SN Co, transferred to Commonwealth & Dominion Line in 1914. 1927 sold to William Thomas Shipping Co, London renamed CAMBRIAN BARONESS. 1929 Became CLAN GRAHAM for Clan Line. 1938 Sold to Neil & Pandelis, London renamed MARITIMA, 2nd Nov.1942 torpedoed and sunk by U.522 500 miles NE St Johns NF. Jackie