Australian Packet Ship, Ben Nevis

British Packet Ship - Ben Nevis

Investigating this further, research shows the expected result of the Ben Nevis being a ship of the White Star Line, constructed in England with final fittings for sailing at the Salthouse Dock (Port of Liverpool) and first launched from Liverpool.

With its maiden voyage being to Australia, to transport over 600 emigrants, it is easy to understand the mistake made by a reporter at "The Illustrated London News" upon the Ben Nevis' exciting departure of 4 Sept 1852 for Australia.

This is may be a common phrasing of a ship's first voyage (or not), but to me, I would then wonder why the Mayflower has not been recorded as an American ship. Were the Nina, Pina, and Santa Maria American vessels, or Spanish vessels?

In 1845, The White Star Line (or Aberdeen White Star Line) was founded in Liverpool by John Pilkington and Henry Wilson. The aim was to provide a service to Australia, serving the gold rush. These men were not Australian - they were entrepreneurs.

The following graphics display this fact quite clearly:














I believe that, once again, we are seeing the spread of misinformation due to false reporting. Or false interpretation of the English language. With coffee mugs, prints, and T-shirts available galore celebrating "The Australian Packet Ship - Ben Nevis" or "The Australian Emigrant Packet Ship - Ben Nevis".

To view the excerpts and articles from where they were found on the web, please see http://turnerstreettopics.blogspot.com/2013/10/a-voyage-to-b...

In any case, the Ben Nevis continues to be a key piece of history. For Wendish emigration to both Australia (first) and the U.S. (second). Let's be thankful for the absence of North Atlantic icebergs during those voyages!

It would be a worthwhile effort to cross-check the descriptions of the Ben Nevis here, with existing diagrams of the ship.

I note that the descriptions above tend to debunk the common viewpoint that the Ben Nevis was a small, cramped ship rife with uncomfortable lodging and hardships.

Or so one might surmise, given comments like "In short, no expense has been spared to render the Ben Nevis a perfect passenger ship, and second to none as a first-rate conveyance for emigrants". And "... pronounced her to be the finest and most perfect emigrant vessel which had ever fallen under his notice."