Faulkners arriving from Sussex in 1839

On Tuesday 28 May 1839, the Sydney Gazette reported the arrival the previous Sunday of the Roxburgh Castle from London via the Cape of Good Hope with 308 bounty immigrants. There had been 15 deaths on the voyage so the ship went to the Quarantine Ground at North Head, before landing her passengers and cargo at Messrs. Walker & Co.'s wharf (Sydney Gazette, 30 May) .

The passenger list gives each person's name, age, occupation, native place, religion, whether they can read and/or write, and the bounty paid for them.

One of those deaths at sea was Stephen Faulkner, age 40, whose name is crossed out, marked "Died on the passage". Under his name are those of his wife and three children.

Mary 37 Farm Servant Sussex Wesleyan Read and write
George 13 Sussex Wesleyan Read and write

Stephen 12 Sussex Wesleyan Read and write
Mary Ann 3

There is also a Jane Faulkner, aged 20, Dairy Maid, listed with the single women. She may be an adult daughter. Many of the single men and women share the same names as families on the ship but are listed separately, possibly because once they were over 15 a higher bounty was paid for them.

Interestingly, while all the Roxburgh Castle's passengers are described as "British subjects", Jane Faulkner was born not in Sussex, but in France.

Along with those of other bounty ships, the Roxburgh Castle's passenger list has been digitised. It can be viewed here:

http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/guides-and-finding-aids/nrs-lists/nrs-5316

The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, 28 and 30 May 1839