Storm King Clipper

The story of the Clipper Ship Storm King's voyage from London to Australia ( Moreton Bay) in 1869-70, the Black Ball LIne and its role in immigration in early Queensland colonisation, and details of Thomas Wood's Hawson's life, family and descendants. Could there be a 150 year reunion of the ships decendants in Jan 2020?

Where are the Vidler, Smith and Jeffrey families?

Geoff Albert Thomas Hawson, Orville Clarence Vidler, Phillip John Smith, William Jeffrey March 27, 2019November 18, 2019Anniversary gathering, Family Tree, Vidler Smith Jeffrey descendants 0 Comment

Where are the Vidler, Smith and Jeffrey families?

Missing one third of my Family – from Albert Thomas Hawson and Lucy Ellen Jones.

Thomas Wood Hawson had six children.

I am familiar with my Grandfather Cecil Robert Hawson and his sister Agnes Mary Dora who married a Ginn and I have been in contact with the Ginn family over the years.

Joseph Walter married Ada (known as aunty Ada and adored) but no children. She visited us in our homes over the years. Unfortunately, I did not write down or remember the stories she told us of the family

Charles Ernest married but had no children and died at age 37 the third generation to have a male die at age 37. Elisabeth (Auntie Bessie) never married and we visited her often.

Albert Thomas Hawson

married Lucy Ellen Jones in November 1905 and had 4 girls and the Hawson name disappeared. It became Vidler, Smith and Jeffrey and by now many other surnames I presume. For some reason, this side of the family never featured in my dad’s visiting like his sisters and Ginn cousins. Why? I don’t know.

Now with the 150 year anniversary of Thomas Wood coming to Australia, I would like to touch base with this side of the family.

Where are they?

Does anyone know them?

If so, go to my contact page and let me know.

Breaking News November 2019

I have had contact from Kathleen T from the Vidler side & Phillip K from the Smith side. How great. I am waiting on contact with the Jeffrey line now. Once I have that there will be an element of completion and catch up.

I will eventually try the newspapers and historical societies, but if there is a family member, who is keeping the records, please contact me.

Just for information here is a photo of the family (minus Thomas Wood Hawson of course as he died in 1885. Believed to be September 1913 at the wedding of Joseph & Ada. (Both babies born May 1913)

The legend to the lineup is as follows.

BACK ROW (L to R)

William G Ginn, Walter Hawson, Ada Hawson (nee Williams, wife Walter), Albert Hawson, Ernest Hawson (Later married to Mary Dobbin), Cecil Hawson.

SITTING (L to R)

Dora M.A.Ginn (nee Hawson) & Doris E.Ginn, Lucy Hawson (wife Albert)& Dora Hawson*, Catherine Hawson (Mother & Grandmother), Elizabeth Hawson(Sister) & Irene Hawson* (with Dora, children of Albert and Lucy), Cis Hawson(nee Patrick wife Cecil) & Victoria Hawson.

Was my ancestor a passenger on the Storm King Clipper?

Geoff Anniversary gathering, Genealogy Research, Storm King January 12, 2019January 12, 2019Anniversary gathering 0 Comment

Was your ancestor an immigrant to Queensland (Qld.) on board the Storm King arriving Jan 1870

There were 5 visits of the storm King.

They were in 1868; 1870; 1871; 1872 & 1874.

The full passenger lists for these voyages are detailed in the Queensland Family History Society CD; Queensland Customs House Shipping 1852-1885: Passengers and Crew available on line.

The list that is available on this website is only for the 1870 arrival of the Storm King and is provided courtesy of QFHS and has been modified a little to make it easier to search.

Who was the most famous individual to come on that arrival?

For most of us, it is our own ancestor. For me it was Thomas Wood Hawson, hidden for years because of a typo in his name preventing me from finding him by a simple search on a resource such as this.

However, undoubtedly it was Alfred Midgely, engineer, Methodist minister, poet and a member of the legislative assembly in Queensland. It is also because of his journal that we know about the trip from England despite my GGF not having written anything. It also points out some of the information about events on board that did not make it in to the light of day of either the courts or the newspapers. Information not generally known for the last 148 years.

Please feel free to access this database courtesy of QFHS.

Please go to the list by clicking on this link!.

If you find your ancestor, let me know on my contact page.

If you are interested (in whatever way) of celebrating the 150^th anniversary of the arrival of the Storm King in Jan 1870, please sign up to receive more details