The Sir William Eyre loaded it’s passengers on December 1st 1862 but did not put out to sea until the 12th due to bad weather. This progress was short lived as a gale blew the mizen topsail away & the ship was “put back to Rothesay Bay”. It finally made it out to sea on December 21st visiting the Cape of Good Hope on March 10th for a week to replenish the water supplies. The ship arrived at Bluff on April 23rd1863 & was put in quarantine due to the presence of typhoid fever on board. In May Captain Blackey was charged with breaches of the Passenger Act 1855. The charges proven were “not providing sufficient space for a hospital during the voyage”, “defective private accommodation” & “not providing proper ventilation apparatus”. The fines totalled £120.

Southland Times – April 24th1863
“The Sir William Eyre arrived at Bluff Harbor yesterday. This vessel left the Clyde on the 21st December last, and finding that she was running short of water, bore up for the Cape of Good Hope. She anchored there on the 10th March and sailed from thence on the the 18th of the same month. The passage from the Bluff was accomplished in 35 days, during which she experienced moderate breezes. She sighted the Solanders at 8 a.m. on the 22nd inst. ; sighted the Aldinga 200 miles due west of Solanders on Monday evening last. There were 22 deaths viz: 5 adults and 17 children, and at present there are two cases of fever on board, but not considered dangerous. She shipped originally 409 passengers; there were five births on the passage and 22 deaths; five left the vessel at Lamash Bay, leaving the total number of immigrants that arrived at Bluff Harbor, 387.”
On the 23rd the Southland News reported that “two more deaths have occurred among the passengers by the Sir William Eyre within the last few days – one on board ship on Monday last, of diptheria; and the other yesterday morning, at the Immigration Barrocks, at the Bluff.”

The names have been sourced from newspaper reports & the birth & death records for the ship. Birth dates are, mostly, approximate.

Captain C Blakey
First Mate Birch
Second Mate Copland
Doctor John Rutherford Ryley
AITKENHEAD Andrew

ALLISON John 1821 - 1904
ALLISON Jane nee Killoch 1825 - 1913
ALLISON Jane 1855 - 1926
ALLISON John 1859 - 1948
ALLISON James 1861 – 1943

ANDERSON James

BAIRD William 1818 – 1863
Wife Annabella nee Mathieson 1827 - 1901
Margaret 1858 - 1951
William 1860 – 1922
Thomas Birch 1863 – 1944 Born on board the ship on January 9th

BAKER James d 1918
wife Mary d 1874
John William 1861 – 1923
Walter 1862 – died on the ship on January 31st 1863

BALFOUR William
BALFOUR Mrs
BALFOUR James

BARR George 1837 - 1863 (with Paterson party) brother of Marion PATERSON nee Barr

BOYD Margaret

BRENNER S

BROWN Thomas 1840 – 1919 Founder of the firm Brown Ewing & Co.

BROWNLIE William 1838 – 1926 Brother of Mrs Wm Corbett
BRUCE Margaret 1837 - 1924
Married Alexander Kerr Christie 1864

BRUERTON J

John Bryimer

BRYSON Agnes mother of Francis & James 1822 - 1889
BRYSON Francis 1842 - 1868
BRYSON Agnes nee Merrie 1840 - 1913
BRYSON Mary daughter of Francis & Agnes 1862 – 1863
BRYSON James 1853 - 1911

CADENHEAD David 1834 - 1909
CADENHEAD Mary nee COCHER 1832 - 1871
CADENHEAD Mary Duncan 1858 - 1942
CADENHEAD Ellen Inverdale 1860 - 1949
CADENHEAD John Kerr 1862 - 1940

CALLENDER Thomas
Wife Jane nee BAIRD
Margaret Moodie Ormiston 1851 – 1931
Thomas Archibald 1852 – 1925
Archibald Baird 1854 – 1898
Charles 1855 –
Jane Baird 1858 – 1934
Eliza 1859 – 1930
James 1862 – 1863 died on board the ship on January 21st

CAMERON Hugh

CAMPBELL George Hyde 1837 – 1894

CARMICHAEL Mrs Mary Jane nee MCDOUGALL 1825 – 1884
Her children;
CARMICHAEL Duncan 1841 - 1909
CARMICHAEL Mary 1843 – 1875
CARMICHAEL Allan McDugall 1844 - 1920
CARMICHAEL Annie Stuart 1846 - 1938
CARMICHAEL Margaret Stuart 1850 - 1920
CARMICHAEL Isabella Marquis 1852 - 1938

CARMICHAEL Hugh 1853 -
CARMICHAEL Angus Beveridge 1855 - 1927
CARMICHAEL Donald John 1857 - 1941

CARROL John
CARROL Mary
CARROL John

COATS William 1838 - 1914
COATS Jane nee MASTERTON 1840 – 1901

BROWNLIE William 1838 – 1926 Brother of Mrs Wm Corbett

CORBETT William 1826 - 1903
CORBETT Janet nee BROWNLIE 1827 – 1917 sister of Wm BROWNLIE
CORBETT Marion 1849 - 1928
CORBETT John 1853 - 1914

COOK James 1833 – 1927 siblings from Morayshire, Scotland
COOK Jessie 1834 - 1921
COOK Margaret 1837 - 1902

CORMACK Agnes
CORMACK Alexander

CRAIG Andrew
CRAIG Robert

CRAIG James

CRAIG Bryce

Cross

CUMMING Robert 1814 - 1869
CUMMING Agnes 1846 - 1907

CUMMING Elizabeth 1820 - 1907

DEACON John 1835 - 1884
DEACON Elizabeth Janet nee Reid d1935
A daughter was born on the voyage on February 2nd – she died on April 5th

DEACON Agnes – sister of John 1832 – 1909 married William Cubbin

DOUGLAS James

DYKE Rachel

EDWARD James
EDWARD Catherine
EDWARD Christina
EDWARD Margaret

ELLIOTT James 1844 - 1923

FERGUSON James – gave evidence at the enquiry regarding the conditions on the voyage.

FORSYTH Joseph

FRASER Alexander

FREELAND John 1843 - 1895

FULLARTON James 1828 - 1917

GARDINER George

GEDDES William

GIBSON Andrew d 1901
GIBSON Catherine nee LOVE d 1917
GIBSON Sarah 1854
GIBSON Mary 1855
GIBSON Catherine 1861 died on board the ship on April 18th 1863

GIBSON Robert
GIBSON Mrs

GILCHRIST William Mitchell 1840 - 1884

GOODSIR William Tulloch 1840 - 1915

GREY John

HAMILTON Robert 1821 - 1885
HAMILTON Marion nee STEWART 1835 - 1874
HAMILTON Jeanie 1856 - 1876
HAMILTON John 1857 - 1930
HAMILTON James 1859
HAMILTON Robert 1860
HAMILTON Elizabeth 1862

HAMILTON Margaret

HARVEY Robert
HARVEY Mrs

HENDERSON Elizabeth

HENDERSON James
HENDERSON Mary

HUFFADINE Edward 1834 - 1908
HUFFADINE Eliza nee BIDDLE 1830 – 1874
Also travelling with the Huffadine’s were ;
TAYLOR Samuel Biddle 1843 - 1884 Eliza’s nephew
DYKE Rachel 1850 - 1879 – Edward’s half sister
BRUERTON John Bell 1843 – Eliza’s brother in law’s nephew.

HISLOP John 1838 - 1892
HISLOP Mary 1833 - 1880 – wife of John
HISLOP Margaret

HOHET John

HUTCHEN James 1840 - 1930
HUTCHEN Jessie nee PATTERSON 1841 - 1920

JACKSON James 1818 - 1911
JACKSON Isabella nee KNOX 1813 - 1902
Possibly Isabella’s father George KNOX 1786 - 1870

JAMIESON John

JOHNSTONE J

LANCHRE John – possibly LAMBIE
LANCHRE Mrs

LAVERTY Ezekiel 1835 - 1928
LAVERTY Rose nee MCCORMICK 1826 - 1886

LECKIE John 1834 - 1886
LECKIE Elizabeth Rose 1836- 1915
James Alexander 1857
Eliza Scott 1859 - 1943
Catherine Fletcher 1861 - 1862
John’s obituary says he came on the Sir William Eyre but the family gravestone records the death of their daughter Catherine/Katrine Fletcher LECKIE at sea on December 23rd1862. There is no record of her death in the records for the ship. There is however the death of a Thos Mackie on January 23rd which could be a transcription error.

LIND William 1833 - 1904

LINDSAY David
LINDSAY Jane

LIVINGSTONE Duncan

MCCARTNEY William Thomas 1840 - 1921

MCCASKIE Caroline married John MCLEAN (Arrived Robert Henderson 1862) in 1864

MCDONALD Mary

MCFARLANE Peter 1832 - 1910
MCFARLANE Jane nee Reid 1837 - 1897
MCFARLANE Isabella 1859 –1952
MCFARLANE Donald 1962 - 1941

MCGREGOR James

MCKINVEN Neil 1834 - 1899
MCKINVEN Ann nee MCMILLAN 1842 - 1906

MCKELLER Archibald

MACLAUGLIN John – died on the ship on February 19th1863 from typhoid fever – aged 26.

MCLEAN John 1822 - 1897
MCLEAN Isabella nee MCLACHLAN 1821 - 1905
MCLEAN Mary 1848 -
MCLEAN Sarah 1850 - 1904
MCLEAN Duncan 1852 – 1918
MCLEAN Isabella 1855 -
MCLEAN Margaret 1856 - 1943

MCLEAN Janet 1858 – 1927
MCLEAN John 1861 – 1863 died aboard the ship on January 9th
A son was born on board on March 9th1863

MCLEAN James

MCLELLEN Robert

MCLENNAGHAN William

MCLEOD George 1839 - 1905

MANSON James 1829 – 1907 Ironmonger
Wife Elizabeth 1829 - 1889

MCPHERSON John
MCPHERSON Anne

MAILER William

MASON Alexander –Masson?

MELVIN John 1835 - 1909
MELVIN Margaret nee CAMERON 1843 - 1897

MOFFAT John 1841 - 1921

MORTON James Fairley married 1862 1838 - 1882
MORTON Isabella nee Jamieson 1843 - 1922


MORTON Grace 1844 - 1887 sister of James Fairlie MORTON
Married Charles Robert FENWICK 1863

MUNRO Catherine
MUNRO John

NICOL Catherine

PATERSON Hugh 1822 - 1912
PATERSON Marion nee Barr 1826 - 1918
PATERSON James 1854 - 1936
PATERSON Samuel Barr 1856 - 1914
PATERSON John Barr 1858 - 1943
PATERSON Hugh 1861 – 1863 died on board the ship on February 14th
PATERSON George Barr 1863 – 1950 born on board the ship on February 14th
(According to James Hutchen’s diary George was born 4 hours after Hugh died)

PORTER William Pringle 1833 - 1882
Wife Rebecca nee WOODSIDE 1837 – 1901
Son Robert Woodside 1862 – 1931
Possibly also William’s mother Isabella who died in 1877, aged 86

ROBERTSON Ellen 1832 – 1911 married Thomas Fairley 1870
From Errol, Perthshire

ROBERTSON Robert 1797 - 1879 father of James
ROBERTSON James 1828 - 1910
Wife Agnes nee FORREST 1835 – 1879
James 1860 – 1879
John 1861 – died on board the ship February 18th1863
William Eyre was born on board the ship December 23rd 1862

ROSS John
ROSS Mrs
ROSS Mary Anne

ROSS Peter

RUSSELL P

SCOTT John 1908
SCOTT Jane nee WHITE 1835 - 1898
SCOTT Douglas Murray 1858 - 1881
SCOTT Andrew White 1860
SCOTT Jane 1862 - 1876

SHARP David died on board the ship from typhoid fever on February 28th 1863 – aged 30.

SHAW James
SHAW Mary
SHAW Elizabeth
SHAW Mary Anne

SIME/SYME Robert – steerage passenger gave evidence at the enquiry regarding the conditions on the voyage.

SMITH S

SMITH William b Scotland 1819
SMITH Charlotte nee PRICE b Shropshire 1831
SMITH William Henry 1854
SMITH James Joseph 1859 – 1933 d NSW
SMITH Jane Catharine 1862

SMITH Margaret

SMITH Alexander 1842 – 1902 from Fifeshire
SMITH John Alexander’s brother

STEEL Thomas 1835 - 1909
Wife Ann nee HAMILTON 1836 - 1907
John Maxwell 1860 - 1911
Thomas 1862 - 1946

STEWART Robert 1832 - 1898
STEWART Alice nee SWAN 1838 – 1911- her parents were on the voyage
STEWART Peter 1859
STEWART James 1861 – 1863 – died on the voyage.
3 children born in NZ

John STEVEN 1806-1869
His wife Agnes nee STIRLING d1890 their children
John 1843 - 1889
James 1846 - 1909
Janet m Charles DEANS 1851 - 1879
Robert 1854 - 1885
Allen 1858 - 1914
Agnes 1861 – died on board the ship on January 1st1863.

STEVENSON William b Scotland 1840 - 1919

SWAN Peter 1809 – 1868
SWAN Isabella nee ANDERSON 1807 - 1892
SWAN Mary 1834 - 1902
SWAN Jane 1851 - 1922
SWAN Ellen/Helen Anderson 1846 - 1911

TAIT Robert 1814 - 1892
TAIT Margaret nee TAIT 1823 - 1904
TAIT John 1844
TAIT George 1846
TAIT Helen 1848
TAIT Robert 1850
TAIT Janet Fife 1853
TAIT William Thomas 1855
TAIT Alexander 1857
TAIT James Andrew 1860

TAYLOR Samuel Biddle see HUFFADINE Edward

TANNOCK James 1834 - 1884
TANNOCK Mary nee MERRIE 1835 – 1921 sister of Agnes Bryson
TANNOCK William Weir 1858 - 1943
TANNOCK Margaret Ferguson 1862 - 1952

THORBURN James

TURNBULL James – from Perth. He started the voyage accompanied by his wife & two young children. The children caught measles when the ship was at Rothesay & their mother took them back to Perth while James re-joined the ship.

Vail Mr – attended the reunion of passengers in 1883

VALLANCE Peter Dods 1840 – 1863 Died on board the ship on January 9th 1863
Son of James Mentland VALLANCE, a surgeon, & Margaret DODS.
From the diary of James HUTCHEN “Another death on board today or last night”, “a doctor about 24 or 25 years of age”. ”He had ruined himself with drink and his friends had paid his passage out to New Zealand to get him out of the road.” ”He died last night in delirium”.

WALKER James
WALKER Mary
WALKER John

WATSON Andrew 1811 – 1863 died on board the ship from typhoid fever on April 1st.
William 1842 – 1863 died on board the ship from typhoid fever on February 6th.
Andrew 1846 – 1863 died on board the ship from typhoid fever on February 8th.
Alexander 1850 – 1863 died on board the ship on February 19th.
When Elizabeth DEACON was interviewed about the voyage in 1927 she said “there were some sad cases – one that of an elderly man coming out with three children to join his daughter. You can imagine the shock that she had got on being told that they had died during the passage”.


WEIR Archibald 1828 - 1903
wife Isabella nee McKinnon 1831 - 1914
WEIR Isabella 1850 - 1918
WEIR William 1851 - 1922
WEIR Archibald 1852 - 1921
WEIR Albert 1854 - 1946
WEIR Jessie 1856 - 1879
WEIR John 1857 - 1928
WEIR Joan Symons 1861 – died on the ship January 21st 1863

YATES John Davidson 1830 - 1907
His second wife Mary nee BEATH 1842 - 1907
His children;
John Davidson 1855 - 1935
Isabella 1857 - 1935
Jessie 1861 – she died on board the ship on February 14th 1863 & according to James Hutchen’s diary was “buried on shore at Cape Town”.

YOUNG Hugh