William Banks Moon, Free Settler "Maitland" 1838

William was born in England but emigrated to Australia with his wife Hannah and five children (including Frank) on the "Maitland". They had a further 5 children born in Australia.

The "Maitland" was converted to barque rigging for its one and only voyage to Australia with emigrants in 1838. Prior to this it was used for the transport of convicts.

The ship was chartered under Admiralty control, and the charter organisers were able to cram 205 adults, 111 children and some livestock (for fresh food) on board for this journey, under the care of Ship's Master Marshall Baker and Surgeon John Smith. Most passengers were being "assisted" to emigrate from England by their Parishes, who paid around Five Pounds in sponsorship in order to remove their commitment to support these poorer families.

Most of the emigrant families came from south-eastern England, notably Kent and East Sussex. Added to the crowded and unhygienic conditions, the effect of typhus and scarlet fever infections resulted in a very high mortality rate amongst the passengers.

On this particular voyage, the "Maitland" departed from Gravesend, which is on the southern bank of the Thames, in Kent, just west of the river's mouth. It raised anchor on 24 June 1838, and newspaper reports show that it arrived in Sydney, Australia on the night of Monday 5 November 1838. However, the Ship's Log records the date of arrival as 6 November 1838 so this could probably be a result of the ship's Captain not formally reporting to the harbour authority until the following morning (office hours?).

Due to presence of disease on board, the ship was placed in quarantine at Manly Cove, some passengers and crew on board and some "under canvas" on shore. They could not be accommodated at Sydney's North Head Quarantine Station in Spring Cove, due to the fact that the passengers of the ship "William Roger" filled the available spaces in that area, and the groups had to be kept separate. The passengers and crew of the "Maitland" were dispersed from quarantine as soon as they were assessed as not being infected.

On board were:

MOON: William, Hannah and children

MOON: William and Harriet

• Biddenden/Rolvenden, Kent

The Moon family travelled from Sydney to the "Towns Estate" at Shellharbour on the NSW south coast where they lived and worked before moving further south to Gerringong where they stayed until 1848. At this time they moved even further south to Ulladulla.

Hannah Moon died 1888 (4914/1888) in Paddington NSW but still not sure that this is same Hannah. Father was William Mother Ann. 1890 (10077/1890) also lists William Moon died in Paddington, NSW

Immigration Register: arrived by the Ship Maitland:

Married Male Immigrant:

William Moon, a native of Benenden, Kent, son of John Moon, farm labourer of same place; calling: farm labourer; age on embarkation: 34 years, 23 June 1838; state of bodily health, strength and probable usefulness: good; religion: Protestant; remarks: reads and writes; not any complaints

Married Female Immigrant:

Hannah Moon, a native of Rounden (sic), Kent, daughter of William Care of same place; calling: house servant; age in embarkation: 34 years, 1 December 1838; state of bodily health, strength and probable usefulness: good.

Male children:

William, 14 years, 25 January 1838

Josephus, 12 years, 20 December 1837

Allgaston (sic), 7 years, December 1837

Frank, 2 years, 9 November 1838

Female children:

Anne, 10 years, 27 December 1837

William became a farmer at Vermont, Camden, 1840; held at clearing lease at Alne Bank, Gerringong, 1844; subsequently of Milton, Ulladulla; conveyed property on Croobyar Road, Milton (Lot 2, Section A) on 28 July 1881 to daughter and son-in-law, Eliza and Thomas Booth, in consideration of the sum of £13 per annum, to be paid by weekly instalments, reserving the right for him and his wife Hannah to occupy the land and premises for the rest of their joint lives free from rent (Book 229, Entry 544); died at 43 Kent Street, Sydney, 23 April 1890, aged 85; buried at Rookwood cemetery (Anglican Section A, corner of Necropolis Circuit & William Drive); married at Rolvenden, 16 November 1823 Hannah Care, born 1 December 1804; surname pronounced “Carr”; daughter of William Care and Ann née Brown, of Rolvenden; fourth cousin of Thomas Goble – vide infra; baptised at Rolvenden, 10 February 1805; died at 22 Bent Street, Sydney, 13 September 1888, aged 83; buried at Rookwood cemetery.