Index to Agreements Between Masters of Vessels and Crews Signed on at Hobart, Tasmania 1850 - 1860

Publication No. 14   Size: A4   Weight: 312 grams

INTRODUCTION

This Index has been compiled as an aid to family historians and genealogists who may be searching for the birthplace of an ancestor who arrived in Tasmania in the middle of the last century. It is not known how many of the seamen included in the Index actually settled in Tasmania (or another Australian state) but it is known that many of the same names can be found in Tasmanian Pioneers Index to Births, Deaths and Marriages 1804 - 1899.

Before departing the Port of Hobart, all ships' captains and crew members were required to sign a pro forma document agreeing to not only the general nature and probable length of the voyage, but also to the specified regulations for preserving discipline on board. Agreements between Masters of Vessels and Crews signed on at Hobart 1846 - Oct 1935 (Reference MB 2/33/1-101) have been deposited by the Marine Board at the Archives Office of Tasmania. This Index, however, includes information from only those ships for the early period 1850-1860. There are many gaps in the records - for some vessels numerous documents have survived covering many years of sailing from Hobart, and for others there are very few; indeed sometimes only one Agreement now exists for a particular ship. Most of the vessels included in this Index were registered at the Port of Hobart - exceptions include: