Hi, I have posted to both lists because the questions covers both personnel and ship questions. I found this entry by accident and this question is just to satisfy my curiosity. I didn't think that they had stewardesses on ships in the 1800s. As the captain/master and the ship was the same on both voyages is it possible that the stewardess was a relative, or did they actually exist. I thought back then men went to sea and only females on board were the wives/families. I found the following on the NSW mariner records The GEELONG appeared to be a passenger ship. The second voyage had a crew of about 211 including Lascars and Natives. What size ship would have taken a crew of 211 in 1870 and 102 in 1869? Would it have been becauee about 160 of the crew were Lascars/Natives and they "didn't rate a mention" when recording incoming people. How else could a ship use 211 crew one voyage and 102 in the next? GEELONG of London, ROBERT T. DUNDAS, Master, Burthen 1219 Tons from the Port of POINT DE GALLE to SYDNEY, New South Wales, 24th Dec. 1869 BILLOWS AMEE STEWARDESS GREAT BRITAIN CREW No age was given in this entry - maybe it was not polite to ask a female her age? On this voyage was PEMBROKE LORD PASSENGER & SERVANT GEELONG of London, ROBERT T. DUNDAS, Master, Burthen 1217 Tons from POINT DE GALLE to SYDNEY, New South Wales, 1st Sept 1870 BILLOWS ANNE STEWARDESS 38 DORSET CREW On this voyage was CANTERBURY H. E. VISCOUNT PASSENGER CABIN CANTERBURY VISCOUNTESS PASSENGER CABIN Thanks for any answers I might get, hope this hasn't upset the administration, if so, I apologise. I thought it would be the right sites to find answers seeing as how the questions relate to sailors and ships. Have a good day. Sue in Australia