Edwin Williams and his family (wife Sarah and children Susanna, Fanny and John) sailed to Australia aboard the S.S. Liguria in 1882. Details of the voyage are as follows:
SMH (Sydney Morning Herald), Monday August 28, 1882 – “LONDON August 26 – The Orient Steam Navigation Company’s s.s. Liguria sailed from Plymouth to-day at 3pm with a full passenger and cargo list for Australia”.
SMH, Thursday September 21, 1882 – “CAPE TOWN September 18 – The Orient Company’s steamer Liguria left here this afternoon for Australian ports”.
The Argus (Melbourne), Wednesday, October 11, 1882 – “The steam ship Liguria, of the Orient Line, arrived at the Heads on Sunday afternoon from London, via Plymouth and the Cape, and went into quarantine. This was in consequence of her having called at Simon’s Bay, a Cape port. The health officer at the Heads, Dr Bulmer, having satisfied himself with regard to the matter, the Liguria was re-leased last evening to the great delight of the passengers and left for Hobsons Bay at 6 o’clock last evening. The voyage of the Liguria on this occasion was quick and pleasant, and the only breaks in its enjoyableness were the loss of a man overboard and the detention at the sanitary station. The following is a brief outline of the passage: -The Liguria left Plymouth at 35 minutes past 2 pm on August 20, with 407 passengers, of whom 62 were in the saloon, 100 in the second saloon, and 225 in the third cabin and steerage. The Liguria also had 16 bags of mail and large cargo for this port. In the latter there is a quantity of railway iron to the extent of 400 tons. On the run to St Vincent the Liguria had favourable winds and weather. The island was reached at 4 pm on the 2nd night, and after taking in some 800 tons of coal, the voyage was resumed at 20 minutes past 8 am on the 4th night. The Liguria had thus some 2 300 tons of coal on board to enable her to steam to Melbourne without taking in coal at Cape Town. In consequence of the prevalence of smallpox at Cape Town the Liguria went on to Simon’s Bay, where she anchored at 5 pm on the 17th night. Some fresh provisions were taken on board at Simon’s Bay, but no intercourse was allowed with the shore, and all possible precautions were taken by Captain Conlan to ward off the danger of infection. Active efforts will be made to get the Melbourne portion of the cargo out as speedily as possible, in order that the Liguria may proceed to Sydney without delay”.
The Argus, Thursday, October 12, 1882 – “The steamship Liguria, from London, which arrived in the bay on Tuesday night, had quite a busy time yesterday landing passengers and their luggage. It was in consequence of the knowledge which Captain Conlan had acquired at St Vincent of the spread of small-pox at Cape Town that he decided on taking in the extra amount of coal, which would enable him to dispense with coaling at Capo Town. As it was necessary, however, that he should call at a Cape port, he avoided Table Bay and pushed on to Simon’s Bay, but had as little communication with the place as possible. In crossing the Southern Ocean the steamer was in the vicinity of a cyclone, and in order to give it a reasonably wide berth, and thus study the comfort of the passengers, Captain Conlan edged away to the northward into the 38th parallel of south latitude, and came along with tolerably fair weather, thus avoiding a good deal of hard steaming against heavy adverse weather. During the voyage an able seaman named Chas Brownfield, while sitting astride the maintrysail boom, was jerked overboard. Life-buoys were at once thrown to him,and the life-boat, in charge of Mr Tailor, second officer, with a crew of seven volunteers, pushed off towards him. There was a dangerous sea running at the time, and although a splendid effort was made by Mr Taylor and his boat’s crew to reach the spot where the poor fellow disappeared, their exertions were hopelessly unavailing. Captain Conlan remained near the spot for two hours, but nothing was seen of Brownfleld. In order to mark their sense of the gallant effort made to rescue the man, the passengers on board presented an address to Mr Taylor, and subscribed a sum nearly equal to 6 guineas for each of the boat’s crew. At the close of the voyage Captain Conlan was presented by the passengers with a complimentary address and a purse of sovereigns. The Liguria has a large quantity of steel rails on board – nearly 700 tons, it is said – and to effect discharge of these it is intended to take her alongside the railway pier, Williamstown, this afternoon. In order to equalise the effect of this removal of cargo the steamer Woonona has brought round about 700 tons of Bulli coal and this was being shipped yesterday. The Liguria, it is expected, will be able to leave here on Friday next”.
SMH, Tuesday, October 17, 1882 – “The Orient steamship Liguria arrived to-day from London, via Melbourne, with general cargo”.
