Background to the Voyage of the ‘Beulah’

Early in May 1851, 152 girls from the workhouses of Ballyvaughan, Ennis, Ennistymon & Kilrush travelled on board the three-masted, 507-ton sailing ship ‘Beulah’ to Van Diemen’s Land under the Orphan Emigration Scheme. On arrival at Plymouth from Dublin, the girls were joined by ten more from the Portsea Island Workhouse in Hampshire. On 15 July 1851 all 162 workhouse girls together with seven married couples and eight children embarked on their journey, which would last for a day short of sixteen weeks and finish at the Old Wharf at Hobart in Van Diemen’s Land.

The Commander was Capt. William Linton. The Surgeon-Superintendent was John Arthur, Esq.

Their voyage by all accounts was relatively uneventful; a newspaper report in the ‘Hobart Courier’ on Saturday 30 August 1851 gave the following account:

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The Immigrants per ‘Beulah’

‘THIS fine vessel, with female immigrants, arrived in our harbour on the evening of Thursday, after a good passage from Plymouth, having on board 204 persons, one of whom has come out to join her husband in this colony.
The Surgeon-Superintendent, John Arthur, Esq , and Capt. Linton, the commander of the Beulah, speak highly as to the conduct and character of the immigrants, who are all of a very healthy appearance, and in good spirits. Of the single females, whose ages vary from 18 to 23, 44 are from Kilrush, 50 from Ennistymon, 55 from Ennis, 2 from Ballyvaghn, in Ireland, and 10 from Portsea, in England. The others, about 40, consist of the schoolmaster and wife, a matron, four submatrons, and married immigrants with their families.
The general arrangements of the ship appear to have been carried out with great credit to all parties.
These immigrants have been sent out by the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners, and the expenses are to be paid out of the sum of the £10,000), which has been specially voted by the House of Commons for Emigration to Van Diemen's Land.
'The Committee of the Tasmanian Female Immigrtion Association hope to be enabled to land them early next week, as the Building on the Old Wharf will be ready for their reception. We are further enabled to state that the Committee do not purpose hiring any from the ship, but Immediately upon their landing, and the arrangements are completed, due notice of hiring will be given. In the meantime applications may be forwarded to the Honorary Secretary, at Capt. King's Office, where many have been already (been) received.
We may mention that the Lieutenant-Governor has received a despatch from Earl Grey, under date 15th April last, suggesting the formation of a Committee, as the colonists have already done.’

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Note: The Surgeon-Superintendent notes one death on the Voyage, identified as Mary Howard. No one of that name appears on the manifest. However a Mary Ryan from Ennis is marked on the original document with an X , I am assuming it was her who passed away.

Ian Beard
10 April 2013