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In 1836, at least nine ships carried the first European settlers from England to the south coast of Australia for the establishment of the City of Adelaide and the province of South Australia.^[1] Although not all of the ships sailed together, they have been referred to as the "First Fleet of South Australia" since all were carrying the first immigrants, including the founding planners and administrators of the new settlement, all of whom were represented at the proclamation of the new province.^[2]

People

After a historic meeting at Exeter Hall on 30 June 1834, where the principles, objects, plan and prospects of the new Colony of South Australia were explained to the public, hundreds of enquiries from prospective immigrants started to arrive at the South Australian Association's headquarters in London.^[3]

The ships that sailed in 1836 would carry prospective emigrants as well as staff employed by the South Australian Company, a private business enterprise, and various appointees of the British Government to set up the new British Province of South Australia.^[4] Under the emigration scheme, labouring classes received free passage. They had to be between 15 and 30 years of age, preferably married, and needed two references. Steerage passengers paid £15-20, middle berth £35-40, and cabin class £70. Children under 14 years were charged £3 while those under 1 year were free.^[5]

Ships

In January 1836 four ships sailed from England on behalf of the South Australian Company, ahead of the planned expedition by the South Australian Colonization Commission, the board set up under the South Australia Act 1834. They developed a settlement at Kingscote on Kangaroo Island, in July 1836, but when farming proved unviable, both the settlement and the Company's operations were moved to the mainland.^[4]

Four of the ships were sent by the South Australian Company, three were chartered by the Colonization Commission, and the other two were chartered privately.^[4]^[6] The ships began sailing from England in 1836 from January until about June, and arrived on the South Australian coast (all but one initially landing on Kangaroo Island) from July to December that year,^[7] with the new province proclaimed on 28 December at Glenelg.

It is difficult for scholars to arrive at a definitive list of pioneer ships given the lack of extant primary evidence due to poor record keeping and accidental loss of records.^[8]^[a] The following list is based on the best available records,^[9]^[1] ordered chronologically by date of arrival in South Australia.

Ship	Type and burthen (bm)	Master	Departure date (1836)	Nepean Bay arrival date (1836)	Holdfast Bay arrival date (1836)
Duke of York 37 passengers	Barque,* 197 tons	Robert C. Morgan	24 February	27 July*^[b]^[1]
Duke of York 37 passengers	Known passengers:^[10]^[c] T. Hudson Beare and four children Lucy Ann Beare (died on K.I.) Charlotte Hudson Beare G. Massing Israel Mazey Thomas Mitchell John Neale Charles B. Powell Robert Russell D. H. Schreyvogel Samuel Stephens William West
Lady Mary Pelham 29 passengers	Barque,* 206 tons	Robert Ross	7 April	28 July^[d]^[1]
Lady Mary Pelham 29 passengers	Known passengers:^[c] Cornelius Birdseye Mrs Birdseye
John Pirie 28 passengers	Schooner	George Martin	22 February	16 August
John Pirie 28 passengers	Known passengers:^[c] Henry Alford Charles Chandler Mrs Martin Charles Powell Mrs Powell James Powell Mary Ann Powell Henry Simpson
Rapid 24 passengers	Brig,* 162 tons	Col. William Light		2 August
Rapid 24 passengers	Known passengers:^[c] Alfred Barker William Bell William Bradley Mrs Bradley Robert Buck, sen. Robert Bruce Buck William Chatfield Joseph Childs William Clampton John Duncan William G. Field, R.N. William Freemantle Edward Gandy Maria Gandy (William Light's partner) William Gandy Thomas Gepp George Goddard Robert Goddard Robert Keate Hill William Hodges William Jacob William Lawes James Lewis George Mildred Hiram T. Mildred George Penton William S. Pullen John Frank Thorn John Thorpe William Tuckey John Woodforde
Cygnet 84 passengers	Barque	John Rolls		11 September	5 November
Cygnet 84 passengers	Known passengers:^[c] E. Adams James Adams Mrs Adams William Adams Mrs Adams John Afford John Avery Thomas Bell Mrs Bell John Brinnan Robert Bristow Mrs Bristow Selby Brown John Cannon Samuel Chapman Mrs Chapman John Corney David Divine Joseph Finch B. T. Finniss Mrs Finniss George Friend Thomas Gilbert John Goodman William Green Mrs Green Alfred Hardy E. Harrington A. Heath James Hoare Mrs Hoare^[11] G. S. Kingston W. H. Kingston John Levey Berry Lipson T. Lipson, R.N. Mrs Lipson Emma Lipson Eliza Lipson Mary Lipson John Locket James Marshall Mrs Marshall John Morphett William H. Neale Mrs Neale Henry Osborn J. Osborn Stephen Paris Mrs Paris Charles Parrington Edmund Parsons Thomas Powis Hugh Quin Thomas W. Rogers Basil Sladden Isaac Sladden Smythett Sladden James Butler Stone James Stubbington Richard G. Symonds William Teasdale Robert G. Thomas William S. Williams^[e] Charles Wright Dr. Edward Wright^[f] Mrs Wright
Emma 22 passengers	Barque	John F. Nelson		5 October
Emma 22 passengers	Known passengers:^[c] John Bennett John Cranfield Mrs Cranfield Henry Douglas Charles S. Hare Mrs Hare William Wilkins Mrs Wilkins
Africaine 76 passengers	Barque,* 346 tons	John F. Duff	28 June	2 November	8 November
Africaine 76 passengers	Known passengers:^[c] John Demmett Bagg John Brown Mrs Brown Henry Bushell Mrs Bushell Jeremiah Calnan Mrs Calnan Margaret Clarke James Coltman Mrs Coltman Daniel Cox James Cronk Samuel East Mrs East Dr. C. G. Everard Mrs Everard William Everard Robert Fisher Arthur Gliddon Robert Gouger Mrs Gouger John Hallett Mrs Hallett Henry Hill Joseph A. Hill Andrew Jacobs Mary Lillywhite James Masters Mrs Masters Charles Nantes E. W. Osborne (died on K.I.)^[g] George Parsell Mary Parsell John E. Pollard Maria Pollard John Michael Skipper Dr. John Slater (died on K.I.)^[g] Benjamin Smith Matthew Smith Mary Smith John Snoswell Mrs Snoswell Robert Thomas Mrs Thomas W. Kyffin Thomas Frances Thomas Mary Thomas Helen Thomas Mary Vincent Benjamin Wickham William Williams James Windebank Alfred Young
Tam O'Shanter 74 passengers	Barque	Whiteman Freeman		30 November	17 December
Tam O'Shanter 74 passengers	Known passengers:^[c] Thomas Allen Mrs Allen William Bailes John Barnard Robert Botting Henry Briggs Walter Bromley Maria Catchlove Jane Catchlove Edward Catchlove, sen. Catchlove, jun. John Clarke Thomas Clarke William Finke Charles Forbes Mrs Forbes William Fouke George Freeth Henry Gilbert George Guthrie William Hardington Alfred Jaques William Jaques Philip Lee Mrs Lee Thomas Maslin Thomas Masters Henry Moseley William Moseley William Nation William Phillips Mrs Phillips Clara Rogers Fanny Rogers Josiah Rogers Mary F. Rogers Robert A. Rogers Mrs Thomas W. Rogers Robert Ross Robert Seaborne Mrs Seaborne Thomas William Skuce John Stuckey Mrs Stuckey Edward Surflen George White John White Alexander Woods Mrs Woods
Buffalo (1813) 174 passengers	Barque	John Hindmarsh		24 December (Port Lincoln)	28 December
Buffalo (1813) 174 passengers	Known passengers:^[c] Giles Abbott, jun. Giles Abbott, sen. Mrs Abbott John Abbott John William Adams Mrs Adams Frederick W. Allen Cornelius Bean Jonathan Bean James Bennett Mrs Bennett Emily Blundell Isaac Breaker Jane Maria Breaker Luke Broadbent Mrs Broadbent Samuel Chapman Joseph Chegwyn James Chittleborough Mrs Chittleborough Robert Cock Mrs Cock James Cock William Coulthard Mrs Coulthard William Croxall Mrs Croxall William Ferguson Mrs Ferguson Charles Brown Fisher Mrs Elizabeth Fisher Elizabeth "Bessey" Fisher James Fisher James Hurtle Fisher Marianne Fisher Robert Fox W. Henry Giles Osmond Gilles James Harvey Richard Harvey Mrs Harvey Henry Greig Hewett John Hill William Hill John Hindmarsh Mrs Hindmarsh Susan Hindmarsh Jane Hindmarsh Mary Hindmarsh Rev. Charles B. Howard Mrs Howard Young B. Hutchinson William Irvin James Jackson Henry Jickling R.N. Warwick Langley Philip Leigh Arthur F. Lindsay William Malcolm Joseph Middleton Mrs Middleton John Monck William Moore Henry T. Morris Richard Neville Thomas Norris Mrs Norris Josiah Oakley Samuel Oakley, jnr Samuel Oakley Mrs Oakley Thomas Oakley George Ormsby Kate Oxenham Eliza Oxenham Richard Pike Mrs Pike Frank Potts Jacob Prowse Mrs Prowse Philip M. Richards George Roberts Mrs Roberts Isabella Sladden John Sladden Mrs J. Sladden Richard Sladden Mrs R. Sladden G. Stevenson Mrs Stevenson Giles E. Strangways T. Bewes Strangways Stubbing Robert Walker Mrs Walker William Walker Wheatley

Table notes

^ The Company's barque South Australian, which brought Samuel Stephens's replacement David McLaren to Kingscote, Kangaroo Island Kingscote on 22 April 1837, is not included in the list.
^ Disagreement exists in the primary sources as to the arrival date of the Duke of York at Nepean Bay. George Kingston gives the date of the arrival as 28 July whereas Robert Russell, the second mate, gives the date as 27 July.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Passenger names included here are those which might be found elsewhere in Wikipedia and in newspapers of the 1800s. For further names, refer to the external links at the end of the article.
^ Disagreement exists in the primary sources as to the arrival date of the Lady Mary Pelham at Nepean Bay. George Kingston gives the date of the arrival as 28 July whereas Robert Russell, the second mate, gives the date as 30 July, which is probably correct, as the two vessels spoke to each other on the voyage out, and the Lady Mary was in close company with the Duke.
^ (c. 1817 – 17 August 1859) Not to be confused with William Williams aboard Africaine. William S. Williams married Maria Wickham (1820 – 17 February 1872). The death notice for Maria, 24 February 187 says ...relict of the late William Williams (who arrived in the ship Cygnet in 1836).2.^[12] She arrived with her parents aboard Africaine, on 12 August 1839. The will & probate for William S. Williams are available on FamilySearch, signed with an "X", so he was almost certainly illiterate.^[13] According to Ing (2020), p.80 (see in Further reading below) he was a groom. "William Williams had immigrated on the Cygnet as a twenty-one-year-old servant to deputy-surveyor George Strickland Kingston, but after arrival in South Australia he held the licence for the City Bridge Hotel, located opposite the Holy Trinity Anglican Church on North Terrace. He married Maria Wickham in 1839." In a lithograph of the "Old Colonists" Festival Dinner held at the rear of the City Bridge Hotel on 27 March 1851, there is a W. Williams listed as a steward.^[14] An account of this gathering mentions Williams, of the City Bridge Hotel, as caterer; and says that he was "the first [colonist] to drink Torrens water".^[15] There are many articles on Trove mentioning him, including a few in which he hosts meetings of the Oddfellows.^[16] In January 1850, Williams was charged with keeping a pig on the premises of the City Bridge Hotel, "in violation of the by-laws of the City Commissioners".^[17] There was also a third William Williams in the colony, William Brabyn Williams, who arrived in SA in 1843 after two years in Tasmania; he was a blacksmith, who lived in Brompton and Bowden, and died in 1892.^[18]
^ Dr Wright was at the meeting called on 10 Feb 1837 to discuss the location of Adelaide.^[19]
^ ^a ^b Osborne and Slater never made it to the mainland, having perished on an exploratory trek on Kangaroo Island.^[20]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Our Pioneer Ships — A Narrative of 1836". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 27 July 1886. p. 6. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
^ "Things That Happened Here a Hundred Years Ago". Sydney Mail. Vol. L, no. 1284. New South Wales, Australia. 4 November 1936. p. 7. Retrieved 9 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Brief History: Colony built on a dream". Exploring Adelaide. Tourist Information Distributors Australia. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c "South Australian Company". SA Memory. State Library of South Australia. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
^ Jaunay, Graham. "Emigrants seeking free passage to South Australia 1836–1841". Findmypast. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
^ "Majority of the Colony of South Australia". South Australian Register. Vol. XXII, no. 3509. 5 January 1858. p. 3. Retrieved 9 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "The infancy of South Australian settlement". South Australian Register. Vol. LI, no. 2, 387. South Australia. 27 July 1886. p. 6. Retrieved 6 December 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Passenger Lists". Bound for South Australia. History Trust of South Australia. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
^ "The Pioneers of South Australia". Adelaide Observer. National Library of Australia. 10 November 1877. p. 6. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
^ "The First Vessel". South Australian Register. Vol. XXII, no. 3509. South Australia. 5 January 1858. p. 2. Retrieved 12 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
^ Mrs Hoare gave birth to John Hoare near Cygnet River 7 November 1836, claimed to be the first white child born in the colony
^ "Family Notices". South Australian Chronicle And Weekly Mail. Vol. XIV, no. 706. South Australia. 24 February 1872. p. 8. Retrieved 13 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "William Williams - Will - 19 Sep 1859". FamilySearch. Retrieved 13 January 2021. (needs login)
^ "Old Colonists' Festival Dinner" (Photo + text). State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
^ "The Old Colonists' Festival". South Australian Register. Vol. XV, no. 1360. South Australia. 22 February 1851. p. 3. Retrieved 1 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Third anniversary of the Albion Lodge of Oddfellows". South Australian Register. Vol. XII, no. 833. South Australia. 10 May 1848. p. 3. Retrieved 14 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Police Court. Tuesday, January 8". The South Australian. Vol. XIII, no. 1114. South Australia. 11 January 1850. p. 3. Retrieved 14 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Death of an old colonist". The Advertiser. Vol. XXXV, no. 10655. South Australia. 10 December 1892. p. 10. Retrieved 3 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "The Colonel Light Statue". The Advertiser. Vol. XLIX, no. 15, 011. South Australia. 27 November 1906. p. 7. Retrieved 31 October 2019 – via National Library of Australia. Also see ADB and Adelaide AZ.
^ "The Tragedy of Dr. Slater and Mr. Osborne". Kangaroo Island Pioneers Association. from the Kangaroo Island Courier 9 Oct 1926.