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Australian Society of the

Lacemakers of Calais Inc.

 

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ANDROMACHE

Andromache, which is sometimes spelled Andromachie (because this is how it is pronounced) was, like the Agincourt, a 3-masted barque. In Greek mythology, Andromache is portrayed by Homer as the epitome of the perfect wife. This sailing vessel was 468 tons old measure, 119’2” long; 29’7” wide at her broadest point and 6’8” ‘tween decks. She was built in 1828 at Scarborough; was under the control of Master Michael Passmore and Surgeon Superintendent James McKechnie. Andromache was owned by Tebbut & Co of London. She commenced her long voyage at London on 8 July 1848, sailed from Plymouth on 17 July 1848 and arrived at Point Henry near Geelong carrying 233 immigrants on 8 November 1848 after 131 days at sea.

A book by Florence Chuk, The Somerset Years: Government Assisted Emigrants from Somerset and Bristol who arrived in Port Phillip, Victoria, 1839-1854, Pennard Hill Publications, Ballarat, 1987 (ISBN 073160136X) is believed to contain a chapter (starting page 100) on the 1848 voyage of the Andromache.

The State Library of Victoria's collection contains a ship's diary written by W. Jackson on board Andromache, on a voyage from Deptford to Melbourne, 22 August 1849 to 24 December 1849.

The voyage of the Andromache of most interest to lacemakers, however, is the one which arrived at Geelong on 8 November 1848.

In Tulle, February 2012, ASLC member Rosie Wileman  wrote:

“There's usually something (in Tulle) that sends me scurrying off to check my research too! - such as Charles BARTON, 19, whitesmith, who sailed on the Andromache - I think you might want to keep him in the "family", as the 1831 Census for Saint-Pierre-Lès-Calais gives James BARTON, mécanicien, wife Elizabeth WYATT [elsewhere WAIT] + 3 children, William, 8, James, 6 and Charles, 2. In 1836 (Ref: 2936-644) James BARTON and Elizabeth WEAT have 6 kids, including Charles who is now 8.” “In 1841, when we get addresses, the very large family is living in Rue des Fontinettes; father is a "fabricant de carriages", as is William; of the 9 children at home, Charles is now 12. (3347- 4- 764)”.

“In 1851, they are still living in the Rue des Fontinettes (415- 2- 15) but only the six youngest are at home- Charles has left and is nowhere in Calais. Incidentally, James BARTON snr always signs, as does son William, but son James does not! They were a very important lacemaking family, from Nottingham and they mostly stayed in Calais - James (mécanicien) married Eugénie Tronet, and William (also mécanicien) married Françoise Eugénie Saint-Georges and founded something of a dynasty.”

An article by Michaela Morgan on Rootsweb in February 2005 states that also aboard the Andromache in 1848 were lacemaker George Lamb, his wife Mary Ann Hawkridge and probably six of their eight children. George Lamb (born in Nottingham in 1817) and Mary Ann Hawkridge were married in Nottingham in 1837. Their children aboard Andromache included Charles Henry Lamb (b. Nottingham 1836); Cecilia (b. Nottingham 1838); Arthur (b. Nottingham 1839); Adel (b. Nottingham 1841); Martha (b. Calais, 1844); and Francis (b. Calais, 1846). Two other children were born in Victoria - Ann Machin Lamb at Geelong in 1849 and Mary Ann Lamb at Pigoreet in 1851.

Gillian Kelly confirms Michaela's contention in her book, Well Suited to the Colony.

 

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