Transcribed and submitted to TheShipsList by Robert Janmaat, Adelaide, from a variety of sources, cited below.
Return to SA Passenger Lists,1847-1886 see also SA German Lists

ship Sir John Lawrence, 700 tons, Captain Ellery, from London 20th August, Plymouth 5th September, 1863 arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia 14th December 1863

The South Australian Advertiser, Tuesday 15 December 1863 p. 2

Monday 14th December:— Sir John Lawrence, ship, 700 tons, Ellery, master, from London and Plymouth September 5.
Passengers—Dr. W. Barker, Surgeon-Superintendent, in the cabin, and 312 Government immigrants in the steerage Elder Smith, and Co., agents.:—

. . . . — 4th ship from England to S.A. with government passengers for 1863 ; —4— births and —2— deaths on the passage ; Dr. W. Barker, surgeon-superintendent.

The Passenger List indicates the class of Emigrants, so in the list below, I have combined those lists, but have made notations alongside the family name, thus, General Emigrants = GE and Assisted Passage = AP and Remittance Emigrants = RE and Colonial Nominees = CN. — Robert

Miscellaneous Shipping

The Sir John Lawrence was anxiously anticipated during last week, and a sharp look-out was kept for her, but she only arrived at the anchorage early on Monday morning, having left London on August 20th, and Plymouth September 5th. After leaving the latter port a fortnight was spent before clearing the Channel, and 36 days passed before the line was crossed. On October 24th sighted Tristan d'Achuna, and from there to latitude 44° 30', longitude 75° 48', fine weather prevailed : but being in that position on the 20th November, she fell in with a hurricane of unusual violence, which swept away the quarter boats, and volumes of water poured on deck, causing havoc and destruction to the deck gear, while aloft the maintopsail was blown away, foretopsail split in ribbons, and it continued with such fury as to oblige the captain to heave to under a tarpaulin in the mizen rigging. For 48 hours the the gale raged and the vessel laboured very heavily, but without making water beyond what was shipped over the rail. Finally, the wind veered from N.E. to W.S. W., and moderated so as to enable her to be kept away on her course. On November 26th she picked up a ship's lifeboat, longitude 24° 6', painted white, without name or other indication of ownership, but supposed by Captain Ellery to have been washed from some vessel during the continuation of the gale, as she did not appear to have been in the water for any great length of time. Accident.—The Shipping Reporter, in leaving the Sir John Lawrence, fell between the boat and the vessel, but the activity of his crew prevented any serious results, though had the accident occurred at night the danger would have been imminent. Vessels Spoken.—By the Sir John Lawrence—On September 10, the ship Aminta, from Calcutta, bound to London ; on October 17, in latitude 21° 5', longitude 31° 17', the Hamburg barque Caesar Godeffroy, homeward bound, departure unknown.

ARRIVAL OF THE SIR JOHN LAWRENCE WITH GOVERNMENT IMMIGRANTS.

The Sir John Lawrence having been here before with immigrants, there remains but little to be said with regard to her adaptability for such a purpose. Having fine roomy 'tween decks and ample space for promenading on the poop, with due regard to ventilation below, and every recent improvement, it is not surprising that although a long voyage has been accomplished, yet no sickness of any serious character has manifested itself. There were two deaths among the juveniles, and four births increase the number of the voyageurs. Unfortunately, however, during the mouth of October, the Surgeon-Superintendent was so indisposed as to be confined to his berth from a severe attack of diarrhoea, and in consequence the strict discipline of the ordinary routine was in a measure broken, causing some unpleasant feelings, which have led to complaints and counter charges calculated to occupy the attention of the usual Board of Enquiry ; but beyond this the voyage seems to have passed away in harmony and good feeling. Immediately on arrival she was boarded by Dr. Duncan on his visit of inspection, and subsequently the Commissioner of Crown Lands, accompanied by a staff of police, boarded. At a casual glance the vessel is in a cleanly state, and the people appear to be of a class well suited for colonists. Among the single men especially there are stalwart frames of farm labourers, who will prove an acquisition if conduct is in keeping with appearance. A great portion of the immigrants are under the assisted passenger regulations, and as soon as the vessel was known to be at anchor outside numbers of friends were at the Semaphore Jetty awaiting the termination of Dr. Duncan's duties ; after which all except the single females are free to disembark, but for those it is necessary to procure an order from the Health Officer at the Port, or the Commissioner in Adelaide. Should the weather moderate, it is probable the vessel will be towed into the stream this morning, but from appearances this is unlikely.

GRG 35/48/2 Crown lands and Immigrant ships papers Surgeon Superintendent report. " Deaths on the voyage"
Name	Age	Date of Death	Cause of Death	Where buried
James, Samuel	18 mo.	October 9th, 1863	Diarrhoea	at sea
Rundle, William	8	October 15th, 1863	Infantile remitting fever	at sea

Surgeon Superintendent Report "Births on Board"
Name of Mother		Date of Birth	Sex of Infant
	Four births but no record's found

note: where maiden name of wife is indicated, it has been included in the given name column within ( ) ; the passenger list comprises three sections arranged alphabetically, i families, ii single men, iii single women & children ; transcriber notes

Sources: State Library South Australia, official passenger lists, mainly of immigrants arriving in South Australia under United Kingdom assisted passage schemes, 1847-1886 GRG 35/48a (formerly ACC 313); Sydney Shipping Gazette; South Australian Register; The South Australian Government Gazette; GRG 35/48/2 Crown lands and Immigrant ships papers; Biographical index SA 1836-1885 (the B-index column indicates individuals who may be found in that index, with corresponding reference ; FreeBMD ; UK census'

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