Newsletter of the Swan River Pioneers 1829 - 1838
from Issue No.7, June 1996
Parmelia
The barque Parmelia, built in Quebec, Canada in 1825, 117 feet long and of 443 tons, was hired to transport Lieutenant-Governor James Stirling and the first group of free settlers to Swan River to establish a colony there in 1829. Escorted by H.M.S. Sulphur she left England in early February 1829 and hove to off Garden Island on the 31st May.
Two days later "Parmelia" was nearly lost when she ran aground on the southbank which bears her name. She was destroyed by fire in an English dockyard on the 1st May 1839.
The Barque "Parmelia" Arrived Swan River 31st May 1829 Captain J H Luscombe
| Names of Passengers | Quality | Ages of Children |
| Captain STIRLING | Governor | |
| Mrs Ellen STIRLING | ||
| Andrew STIRLING | His Son | 3 yrs |
| Geo MANGLES | ||
| Geo ELLIOT | ||
| Thomas BLAKEY | His Servant | |
| Sarah do | do | |
| John KELLY | do | |
| Elizabeth do | do | |
| Mr P BROWN ** | Colonial Secretary | |
| Mrs Caroline BROWN | His Wife | |
| Macbride BROWN | His Child | |
| Ann BROWN | do | |
| Richard EVANS | His Servant | |
| Margaret McLEOD | do | |
| Mary Ann SMITH | do | |
| Mr John MORGAN | Storekeeper | |
| Mrs Rebecca MORGAN | His Wife | |
| Rebecca MORGAN | His Child | |
| Ann SKIPSEY | His Servant | |
| Commander MJ CURRIE RN | Harbour Master | |
| Mrs Jane do | His Wife | |
| Frederick LUDLOW | His Servant | |
| MK LUDLOW | do | |
| Jane FRUIN | do | |
| Mr Jno S ROE | Surveyor | |
| Mrs Matilda do | His Wife | |
| Chas D WRIGHT | His Servant | |
| Mr Hy SUTHERLAND | Asst Surveyor | |
| Mrs Ann do | His Wife | |
| Mr Wm SHELDON | Clerk to the Colonial Secretary | |
| Mr Jas DRUMMOND | Horticulturalist | |
| Mrs Sarah do | His Wife | |
| Thos DRUMMOND | His Child | 18 yrs |
| Jane do | do | 16 yrs |
| Jas do | do | 15 yrs |
| John do | do | 13 yrs |
| Johnson do | His Child | 9 yrs |
| Eufi do | do | 3 yrs |
| Elizabeth GAMBLE | His Servant | |
| Chas SIMMONS | Surgeon | |
| Mr Tully DALY | Ass Surgeon | |
| Mrs Jane do | His Wife | |
| Jessie Jane do | His Child | 8 yrs |
| Jos R do | do | 6 yrs |
| Hy Jno do | do | 4 yrs |
| Ed N do | do | 2 yrs |
| Eliza Rose Daly | do | 2 mths |
| Jas ELLIOTT | His Servant | |
| Patk MURPHY | do | |
| Alex FANDAM | Cooper | |
| Mary do | His Wife | |
| Wm HOKING | Bricklayer | |
| Mary do | His Wife | |
| Wm do | His Child | 14 yrs |
| Jno do | do | 12 yrs |
| Mary do | do | 10 yrs |
| Thos do | do | 8 yrs |
| David do | do | 5 yrs |
| Chas do | do | 2 yrs |
| Thos DAVIS | Smith | |
| Catherine do | His Wife | |
| John do | His Child | 3 yrs |
| Charlotte do | do | 2 yrs |
| John do | Nephew | 13 yrs |
| James C SMITH | Boatbuilder | |
| Sarah do | His Wife |
Source: Passenger List Transcribed from AJCP Reel 294 CO18 Vol 3/19-20
NOTES:
- ** Peter BROWN appears on this document, a name he used for 15 years in the colony only to revert to the old family name of BROUN in 1843. For further information on this, see The Western Australian Historical Society, Journal and Proceedings Vol. II 1935 Part XVIII.