Emma MEAD

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1861, Foxton, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
• Census: 1871, Foxton, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
• Immigration: 11 Jan 1887, To Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, aboard Merkara

Notes:

Death entry for Emma Nunn, 11 Oct 1956, gives her parents as James Mead and Mary Ann Stock

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THE British-India Company's steamship Merkara arrived at Port Alma on Saturday morning, and came to an anchor for the purpose of transhipping immigrants and cargo to the Taldora.
The latter vessel, under the command of Captain Brand-and which, by the way, has suffered not the slightest injury
from her recent accident at Sea Hill-left the wharf at five o'clock in the morning, conveying the Health Officer and a few other passen-gers and one tender.
When the Taldora arrived at the Bay the Merkara could be seen in the offing about five miles off ; consequently there was no delay in getting alongside. Before going on board, Dr. Thurston hailed the medical officer of the Merkara, Dr. Collins, and enquired if there was any sickness on board. The reply was in the affirmative, and on enquiring the nature of the malady he was informed there were three cases of measles.
Dr. Thurston hesitated about admitting the vessel to pratique, but Dr. Collins stated they had prevailed on board all down the coast, and there had been no difficulty at Townsville or the other ports. The doctor, however, went on board, and examined each individual case before he would allow any further direct communication between the two vessels, and finding the disease was in a very mild form, and that all the patients had been isolated, he allowed the vessel pratique, remarking that as a precedent had been established at Townsville and other ports, he did not care to undertake the responsibility of delaying the vessel.
There were 160 tons of cargo to be transhipped for Rockhampton, and forty of these consisted of railway material. The work of slinging these consignments into the Taldora was necessarily slow, as not more than four or five could be slung at a time, The last was got on board about half-past six. There were 407 emigrants on board, twenty-eight of these being for Rockhampton. There was an extremely large number of Germans, and most of these being of the lower classes some difficulty had been experienced in some of the quarters in maintaining cleanliness.
The immigrants for Rockhampton consisted mainly of single girls and married couples with young children. There were only three young men, which is rather fortunate, as previous to their arrival there were over one hundred persons in the depot. There had been no deaths during the whole voyage, and beyond the measles-which broke out soon after starting-those on board had been singularly free from sickness.
There were two births. Captain Withers was in command of the Merkara, having left the Quetta after commanding her on several voyages to Queensland. The saloon passenger who is said to have attempted suicide soon after the vessel left Thursday Island was in custody. The passengers speak very highly of the rescue effected by Lieutenant - Colonel Wilahan, and it is certain that had the gallant officer not acted as he did the man must have lost his life.
The following is a brief record of the voyage : The K.M.S. Merkara sailed from Gravesend at 1 a.m. on the 17th November, with a full complement of saloon passengers and emigrants. A S.W. gale was encountered in the Channel. After this fine weather was ex-perienced to Malta, where she arrived at 7:30 a.m. on the 26th. Received coal and fresh provisions, and sailed again at 5 p.m. same day. Reached Port Said at 6:35 a.m. on the 30th, and passed Suez at 11:45 a.m. on 2nd December. Arrived at Aden on the 7th at 2:55 p.m. ; received mails early the following morning, and proceeded at 5:25 a.m. Experienced fine weather across to Batavia, which port was reached at 1:30 a.m. on the 22nd. There she received coal and discharged cargo, under strict quarantine, and sailed again at 4:20 p.m. on the following day.
Arrived at Thursday Island at 6 a.m. on the-1st January, and sailed same day at 1:30 p.m. Arrived at Cooktown at 7 a.m. on the 3rd; left at 2:45 p.m. same day. Reached Townsville at 4 p.m. on the following day, and sailed at 1 p.m. on the 6th. Arrived at Bowen at 1 a.m. on the 7th, and left at 2 a.m., reaching Flat-top Island at 1:40 p.m.; left at 3:40 p.m., and arrived at Port Alma at ll a.m. on the 8th.
Source: 1887 'The Morning Bulletin, ROCKHAMPTON.', Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954), 10 January, p. 4. , viewed 05 Jan 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52067331

Immigration:
NOTE: Official immigration record from http://www.archives.qld.gov.au: MEAD Emma 26 Merkara 11 Jan 1887 5 18484 Z1963 M1702 M1703

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The Morning Bulletin Newspaper of Wednesday 5 Jan 1887 reported thus:
"THE British-India Company's steamship Merkara arrived at Cooktown yesterday morning from London via ports-two days in advance of contract time, and sailed again in the afternoon. She is due in Port Alma tomorrow night. The Merkara has twentyseven immigrants and 160 tons of cargo for Rockhampton, and carries English mails to the date of November 26."
Source: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52068092
NOTE: The vessel actually arrived on Saturday 8 Jan 1887, so it may have been the next day, the 9th, that Emma first arrived in Rockhampton.

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Buried:
Burial record Rockhampton Cemetery: NUNN, Emma, female, aged 96, Friday, 12 October 1956, denom: SA, Sec 29 grave 210

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Emma married Thomas Herbert NUNN on 19 Jan 1887 in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. Thomas (son of Warren NUNN and Mary Ann WEBB) was born in Apr 1860 in Cambridgeshire, England, UK; died on 11 Jul 1892 in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia; was buried on 12 Jul 1892 in South Rockhampton Cemetery, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
https://www.bdm.qld.gov.au: 1887/C1579 Mead Emma and Nunn Thomas Herbert

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1. Thomas Herbert NUNN was born on 21 Oct 1889 in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia; died on 9 Nov 1925 in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
2. William Albert James NUNN was born in 1888 in Queensland, Australia; died on 21 Mar 1910 in Bajool, Queensland, Australia; was buried on 22 Mar 1910 in Rockhampton Cemtery, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
3. Mary Ann NUNN was born on 1 Mar 1891 in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia; died in 1973 in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.