Abyssinian
- Emigrant voyage of 1859, England to Australia:
Departing Plymouth on 22 June 1859, the Abyssinian reached
Sydney on Tuesday 20 September after a passage lasting 89 days.
The ship's logs describe her as 1072 tons, and built in ?Restigrucke.
The Abyssinian brought 409 immigrants to the colony, earning
£5332/11/81/2 for the voyage. Two male passengers died en
route, while a boy and three girls were born on the voyage, and
another boy in harbour. Upon arrival in Sydney, passengers were
examined by the Immigration Board officials on Friday 23 September
.
Among the assisted immigrants were the Batchelder family from Warwickshire. John Batchelder (30), was a sawyer from Cubbington, son of Joseph (living in Cubbington) and Elizabeth (deceased). His wife Jane (28), was the daughter of Thomas and Mary [Worrall] of Kenilworth, both living in Warwickshire. The couple brought their children William (7), Joseph (4), and John (9 months). Assisted immigrants, their passage was sponsored in part by John's brother James, a resident of Fish River Creek near Bathurst. All were members of the Church of England; both Jane and John were literate.
Also aboard the Abyssinian were housekeeper Catherine Armstrong (48) and farm labourer William Armstrong from Fermanagh, perhaps related to some of the families who settled near Oberon NSW. Both members of the Church of England, Catherine could read while William was able to both read and write.