I am piecing together the seaman/ship's-steward/hotelier career of my great-grandfather William Shepperd (Shephard/Shepherd). He was born in Colchester around 1842, although his stated age doesn't always suggest a birth in that year. The earliest I have him is 1868 aboard the Borealis as ship's steward in Australia and Shanghai. [And my thanks to those who helped me get this far]. BTW, 1868 was the year that his daughter, my grandmother Annie, was born back in Colchester, just about at the very time her Dad was sailing into Shanghai. Our own daughter is expecting her first child, our first grandchild, five weeks from now. The Borealis had made a long, long maiden voyage to Hong Kong, Singapore and Rangoon, starting from London on September 11th 1864 and returning home in 1866, but unfortunately I have not found William aboard. I have what appears to be an entry for him as ordinary seaman William Sheppard in the 1861 census of 'LIST of the CREW and OTHERS on BOARD of the SHIP or VESSEL called the.. William Franses...[???] of [maybe meaning 'off'?] Colchester'. I just can't read the writing of the vessel's name and hope someone can figure out who she might be. The name of the vessel and of her seven-member crew are listed in the 1861 Census at RG09 Piece 4449 Folio 58 Page 1. Any other thoughts would be gratefully received. Ian in Hong Kong
Ian, Can't help with your 19\866 query, but I note he appears on the Borealis in 1868 and on other later ships in "Ships and Mariners in Australian waters". There is a scan of the 1868 Borealis list here: http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1868/05/007bor.htm regards Chris in Canberra ----- Original Message ----- From: "kik" <laamia3@netvigator.com> To: <mariners@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2011 8:40 PM Subject: [MAR] William Shepperd - ship's steward I am piecing together the seaman/ship's-steward/hotelier career of my great-grandfather William Shepperd (Shephard/Shepherd). He was born in Colchester around 1842, although his stated age doesn't always suggest a birth in that year. The earliest I have him is 1868 aboard the Borealis as ship's steward in Australia and Shanghai. [And my thanks to those who helped me get this far]. BTW, 1868 was the year that his daughter, my grandmother Annie, was born back in Colchester, just about at the very time her Dad was sailing into Shanghai. Our own daughter is expecting her first child, our first grandchild, five weeks from now. The Borealis had made a long, long maiden voyage to Hong Kong, Singapore and Rangoon, starting from London on September 11th 1864 and returning home in 1866, but unfortunately I have not found William aboard. I have what appears to be an entry for him as ordinary seaman William Sheppard in the 1861 census of 'LIST of the CREW and OTHERS on BOARD of the SHIP or VESSEL called the.. William Franses...[???] of [maybe meaning 'off'?] Colchester'. I just can't read the writing of the vessel's name and hope someone can figure out who she might be. The name of the vessel and of her seven-member crew are listed in the 1861 Census at RG09 Piece 4449 Folio 58 Page 1. Any other thoughts would be gratefully received. Ian in Hong Kong