The Carl Greinke Family, Germany to Australia, 1873

A Saga of the Immigrant Ship Eugenie

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Carl Greinke and his second wife Henrietta and children together with the Dargusch family boarded ‘Eugenie’ departing 16 June 1873 at Hamburg Germany arrived in Rockhampton on 30 October 1873. Shipping says Charles aged 36 years, Harriette aged 32 years, Emm aged 6 years and William aged 1 year. They travelled by free passage granted by the Government to particular categories of immigrants and their families. They paid the sum of $1.00 or a similar amount for each member of the family counted as a statute adult. To be eligible they had to be unable to pay their own passage. Together with 324 souls aboard Captain Koch’s ship ‘Eugenie’ they voyaged to Australia. He was a first class Captain and kept a clean and tidy ship. Unfortunately, because of the slowness of the voyage, the ship ran out of supplies and ran low on water. During the last two weeks of the voyage, the passengers had only ships biscuits to eat and water was rationed out in small amounts to each person, after the children had their share. Passengers on board became good friends and stayed together throughout their lives as some married into different families who were on board.

 

Partial Passenger List List shows Greinke Family	Greinke House Greinke House at Tarampa, Australia. Taken in 1999, house no longer exists.

The ‘Eugenie’ was a Hamburg Full Rigger built in 1864/65 by the Reihe-Stiegwerft in Hamburg by Rob M. Sloman in Hamburg F26/69FCRT/WRT.4/W/D = 48, 70/8, 80M/4, 90M. She was in the New York trade 1865/67 and afterwards for several years in Australia and New Zealand. At the end of the 19^th century, she served as a Tramp. In 1896 she was sold to Norwegian owners in Faudefjord. (supplied by the Hamburg Museum).

Report in Rockhampton Bulletin, 30^th October 1873.

"The ship ‘Eugenie’ from Hamburg bound for this port is now 136 days out and great anxiety is consequently felt as to her whereabouts. The only information that has reached Rockhampton respecting her voyage sInce departure from Hamburg was contained in a telegram from Melbourne on or about the 14^th instant which stated that she has been signalled in Latitude 41S, Longitude 24E, a few degrees eastward of the Cape. The date when she was signalled was not stated in the telegram, but assuming that the intelligence was brought to Melbourne by a Clipper, we may fix the date somewhere about the 15^th September.

This would give the ‘Eugenie’ 91 days for the distance from Hamburg to the Cape and, allowing for the same rate of speed (if speed it may be called) she is yet hardly due at Keppel Bay. In the event of her arrival in due course, it can only be expected from the unusual length of the voyage that there has been a great deal of sickness on board, especially as the Hamburg Emigrant Vessels have acquired an unenviable notoriety for bad management and want of cleanliness."

Arrival Keppel Bay – Report in Rockhampton Bulletin, 3^rd November 1873

"The Health Officer boarded the ‘Eugenie’ in Keppel Bay on Saturday morning at eight o’clock, and found the ship in first rate order, the passengers all looking clean and healthy, and with no sickness among them except for a few cases of scurvey consequent upon the long and tedious passage. There were in all five deaths, four of children and one adult male from inflammation of the lungs. There were also three births. Dr Salmond immediately granted pratique, and at once ordered the immigrants to pass onto the Mary S. This was accomplished by noon, when she steamed away for Rockhampton, having in tow the Government Punt, which was laden with luggage, part of it belonged to the immigrants per "Landsborough". On arriving at the Railway Wharf, about seven in the evening, the Police under the superintendent of Sub-Inspector Isley had everything in readiness, and the people were landed without accident, and marched in the most orderly manner to the Depot. The punt was towed down from the flats, and was exceedingly useful if bringing up the whole of the luggage. On arriving at the wharf, the immigrants gave three cheers, which were re-echoed from the people living the River Bank, the whole scene, no doubt, favourably impressing the new arrivals with their future home."

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