Captain kemp
William Henry Kemp was the Captain of the Emigrant.
He took his wife, (Frances) Sarah Kemp, and five-year-old daughter, Fanny Hannah Kemp, on the voyage with him. Below is a timeline of Kemp and his family's life.
Captain Kemp's account of the voyage and his career up to 1850 may be found here: Moreton Bay Courier, 7 Sept 1850, p.3.
His wife's account was published in the Emigrant's Penny Magazine and has been transcribed on this website. A digital version of the original may be viewed through the State Library of NSW’s catalogue.
timeline
1810 or 1811: William Henry Kemp born in Chatham. Parents William and Hannah Kemp.
1811, 31 May: Baptised in Chatham: (Parish registers for St. Mary's Church, Chatham, 1568-1974; FHL film number 1473647).
c1832: Kemp first had command of a ship. (According to him in 1850 he had been in command of ships 18 years).
1833, 03 (or 4) Jun 1833: Married in York to Frances Sarah Denny at Holy Trinity, Kingston Upon Hull, York, England. (Parish register, accessed through Ancestry.com).
1835, 18 Nov: Master of ship Maria from Port of Hull.
1836, 14 May: Master of ship Reward of Whitby.
1837: Master of ship Trio (Liverpool to Alexandra).
1838: Master of ship Catherine.
1839: Master of ship Catherine, sailed to Quebec and Miramichi.
1841: Voyage to Sydney (according to his letter); arrived Feb 1842 Marchioness of Bute.
1843, 26 July: Signed on to the Reliance.
1843, 18 Aug: Sailed from Liverpool to Bombay on Reliance.
1844: Sailed again (a few times?) from Liverpool to Bombay on Reliance.
1845, March: Kemp on Reliance arrived in St Helena, sailed from Ichiboe (Africa).
1845, 5 June: Reliance (with Kemp) arrives in Liverpool, from Mobile.
1845: Birth of Fanny Hannah in Liverpool. Baptised 14 June. Living at 31 Wesley St, Liverpool.
1845: Gore's Trade directory shows Kemp as living at 191 Bedford St, Tox. Park, Liverpool.
1846: Voyages Ireland to Quebec during typhoid epidemic - 500 on board, only 1 died (according to his letter).
1847: Voyages Ireland to Quebec during typhoid epidemic - 500 on board, only 1 died (according to his letter). The ship was probably the New York Packet, left Liverpool 24 May 1847, arrived Quebec 27 June 1847, 2 sick, 9 dead. (see Ship's list and Lloyd's register 1848).
1849, 31 Jan: awarded 'first class certificate' at Liverpool (Master's certificate).
1849: Voyage to Port Jackson (according to his letter & shipping record) - on Emigrant, arrived 8 June, wife and daughter with him.
1850: Emigrant incident; conduct on ship found to be 'deserving of the very highest commendation' (See Col Sec letters).
5 Oct: Anchored at St Helena: ‘The ship Emigrant has been anchored near St. Helena. Captain Kemp will probably rejoin his vessel to-day, and we hear that it is his intention to proceed to the northward in search of guano’. Moreton Bay Courier, 5 Oct 1850, p.2.
3 Nov: Arrived in Sydney from a 'cruise to the north' The Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List 9 Nov 1850, p.294 .
Returned to Sydney after unsuccessful search for guano, caught lots of turtles Moreton Bay Courier 18 Nov, p.1 Moreton Bay Courier 18 Nov, p.1 .
Seamen deserted in Sydney: Sydney Morning Herald 18 Nov, 1850, p.3.
Cleared to leave for Hokianga The Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List 23 Nov 1850 p.306 .
1851:
Arrived in Hobart from NZ with cargo of timber Hobart Guardian 15 Feb 1851 p.2.
Arrived in Adelaide from Hobart 24 March Sydney Morning Herald 23 April 1851 p.2.
Insubordinate seaman Adelaide Times 16 April 1851 p.3.
8 May, sailed to Port Jackson on Emigrant with wife, daughter and maidservant, (see shipping record).
Left for Hokianga, NZ Empire 27 May 1851, p.2 and Sydney Morning Herald 27 June 1851, p.2.
1852:
Feb: Left Plymouth for Portsmouth, taking spars with him (Argus 17 June 1852, quoting London Times Feb 16)
March: Got masters and mates certificate at Portsmouth.
August: Arrived Port Phillip (See unassisted immigrant passenger lists)
Sept: Arrived Port Jackson: Empire, 9 Sept 1852, p.2.
11 Dec - Sydney Packet from Melbourne expected in Sydney, master Kemp: Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List, 11 Dec 1852, p.343
Left Port Phillip 7 Dec, arr 16 Dec: Empire, 17 Dec 1852, p.2.
Dec: Sailing the Sydney Packet from Sydney to Melbourne, to leave on 22nd Dec.
Dec 23: Sydney Packet from Sydney to Melbourne, to clear customs 'tomorrow' (24 Dec) and sail the following morning (25th): Sydney Morning Herald, 23 Dec 1852, p. 1. Possible reason for the delay: a seaman was accused of stealing from a passenger: Sydney Morning Herald, 22 Dec 1852, p.3. Or: the conditions for selling the barque had changed: Sydney Morning Herald, 24 Dec 1852, p. 4.
Dec 24: The Kemps were living in Upper Fort Street in Sydney (apparently having decided to move to Australia). A fire broke out and they were badly injured. Mrs Kemp never recovered. WH Kemp’s hands were injured as he tried to douse the fire.
1853:
Frances Sarah Kemp died in Sydney: ' On the morning of the 6th instant [January], in her 39th year, after protracted suffering from severe injuries received in the fire which occurred on the 23rd December, 1852, at their residence, Upper Fort-street, deeply and deservedly regretted by her friends, the beloved wife of Captain W. H. Kemp, late of the ship Emigrant.' Details of the fire can be found at:
Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, 12 Jan 1853 p. 2
Empire, 27 Dec 1852, p.2
Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, 1 Jan 1853, p.4
11 Aug: William Henry Kemp, age 42, Master Mariner, widower, of Stepney, son of William Henry Kemp, gentleman, married Elizabeth Burcham, 41, widow of Yarmouth, daughter of William Harper, Master Mariner, in Stepney, Middlesex.
1858: Still on register of masters. WH Kemp probably died in 1858. He was dead by the census of 1861, which shows his widow, Elizabeth Kemp, living with Fanny Kemp at St Pancras. Elizabeth is 'Independent by a legacy'.
1871: UK census shows Fanny Hannah Kemp and Elizabeth Kemp living together at Hackney
1872: Fanny Hannah Kemp died. Details from her death certificate below:
Where and when: 2 Nov 1872, 20 St Philips Road
Name: Fanny Hannah Kemp
Sex: female
Age: 27 years 11 months
Occupation: supported by friends
Cause of death: Phthisis Pulmonalis 6 months certified
Signature, description and residence of informant: Richard Lane Hills in attendance 140a Richmond Road Dalston
When registered: 2 November 1872
Signature of registrar: Thomas Coates.
Shipping history taken from UK and Ireland, Masters and Mates Certificates, 1850-1927, Lloyd’s Registers, Mercantile Navy List, Merchant Navy Seamen Lists available through FindMyPast, newspaper shipping reports. Some details obtained from Books Boxes & Boats Maritime and Archive Research, Liverpool, England.