Emigration, Plymouth Cattewater

The clipper "Samuel Plimsoll" loading emigrants for Australia summer 1884 - a major painting

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Plymouth Cattewater (older spelling Cat Water) has seen the start of voyages too numerous to list including many of the most famous names in English history; Drake, the Pilgrim fathers in the Mayflower, Captain James Cook, Admiral Horatio Nelson and more recently flying boats to patrol for U boats and part of the American D Day forces.

Less known The Emigration Depot reconstructed here from extensive research stood on the Phoenix Wharf site previously used by the Navy for victualing. For almost 100 years the depot assisted thousands of people from all over the British Isles departing to many parts of the world. Plymouth was the third busiest point of departure from Great Britain. Plymouth was much favoured by emigrants having the best facilities for those waiting a ship and sparing people the some times long voyage down Channel or down the Irish Sea.

Here we see a famous clipper the Samuel Plimsoll. This ship was launched and named by and for Samuel Plimsoll MP. Samuel Plimsoll was a renowned campaigner for sailor's rights and safety at sea. Most ships today world wide carry the Plimsoll load line mark, a great achievement. The dark green hulled clipper Samuel Plimsoll was built by W. Hood & Co, Aberdeen in 1873 for the Aberdeen White Star line. The Samuel Plimsoll was sailed out bound under government contract specially fitted to the highest standards of the time for the emigration trade. Her first voyage took 180 souls from Plymouth on 19 November 1873 arriving at Sydney in the smart time of 68 days. She made regular departures from Plymouth for Australia returning with wool racing among others the Cutty Sark. Our further reading section about this painting will (yet again!) read like a short sea novel!

Credit where it is due:
Our particular thanks to Bob Brennan for tireless research and encouragement, to David Folley for the use of his facilities, Captain Tim Charlesworth of / and the Cattewater Harbour Commissioners, Ian Criddle of Plymouth Naval Reference Library, Nigel Overton Heritage Officer of Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, Alan Collie in New Zealand who provided information unknown in Plymouth from the 1884 WESTERN FIGARO newspaper including drawings, David Meale who's ancestor Richard James Stead who emigrated in the Samuel Plimsoll and kept a diary (see Further Reading) and to the Australian National Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour in Sydney.
All helped enormously and willingly, giving authority to this magnificent painting "Emigration, Plymouth Cattewater".)

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Further Reading: useful facts + excellent stories about Emigration, Plymouth Cattewater.

By Gordon Frickers 762 x 1219mm (30" x 48"), Oils, Price of the original on application

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