Evan Gray Griffith (1820 - 1893)

Born 1820 in Cemaes Bay, Isle of Anglesey, Wales

Husband of Charlotte (Parry) Griffith — married 12 Jun 1863 in Chalmers' Church, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Died 2 Apr 1893 at about age 73 in Kew, Victoria, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Norm Gray [send private message]

Biography

Evan was born in 1820. He arrived in Port Philip, Victoria, in August 1853 aboard the sailing vessel 'Intelnia'.^[1] The ship's register suggests that he and two were taken off another vessel called 'Princess Victoria' that had been "blown ?" He married Charlotte Tabley (nee' Parry) in 1863.^[2] Notice of the marriage was published in The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Saturday 13 June 1863, Page 4, Family Notices, and reads ...
GRIFFITHS—TABLEY.—On the 12th inst., at Chalmers' Church, East Melbourne, by the Rev. Dr. A. Cairns, Captain Evan Griffiths (barque William Watson), of Cemaes, Anglesey, N. Wales, to Charlotte Tabley, of Llangled, same county, relict, of the late Mr. Jno. Tabley, Liverpool. Home papers please copy.^[3]
A letter describing shipwrecks and mentioning Captain Griffith was published in The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) Monday, 19 February 1866, Page 2, with the heading of WEST COAST OF THE MIDDLE ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND, and reads ...
Sir,-Would it not be advisable to call the attention of the colonial government and people to the necessity of sending a searching party to the West Coast of New Zealand Middle Island, with a view of relieving human suffering? Two vessels lately, the Mary Williams and Sangalier, and I do not know how many others, are supposed to be wrecked about that quarter. The character of a great portion of the West Coast of the Middle Island is calculated to cage men up, as it were, in the many harbors it affords for shelter, yet prevent them from walking to any settlement on account of the mountainous and rocky nature of the Fareshore; we know from experience it is not unusual for both ships and boats to be ground up by the sea; when in the Providence of a compassionate God! His creatures have been spared. Since the trade opened up with Hokitika, the number of both small and large vessels, also open boats, passing along this coast, have been considerable, and very possibly the crews or part of the crews of the missing ones, maybe at this present feeling something like, what the poor fellows suffered but lately at the Auckland Islands, and so giving unto a benevolent people another opportunity in their lifetime of doing good, in holding out a helping hand to the castaway sailor; could one human life be saved by such a course, or information gained how others have gone, it would be ample satisfaction for the little expense it would take to carry the whole thing out To have this very interesting coast surveyed without further loss of time is a public duty. From the degree of south latitude 43deg. 33scc. to 46dcg. 10sec, a distance of 160 miles of said coast affords fifteen places of shelter, where vessels in distress, when put to the last push, in case of shifting ballast or cutting away part of their spars, would try and make, rather than experience a hopeless end on the open shore. Within the said 16 J miles there ii an inlet,' or bay, or sound, on an average every ten miles, beginning at the north end with Milford Sound, Bligh Sound, George Sound, Looking glass Bay, Caswell Sound, Charles Sound, Nancy Sound, Thompson Sound, Doubtful Inlet, Gaol Sound, Dagg Sound. Breaksea Sound, Dusky Bay or Sound, Chalky Inlet, and Preservation Inlet; in nearly the whole of these places, a vessel under jury-masts, and often in full gear, would seldom gain an anchorage, both because of the wind falling light, changeable, and becoming calm on approaching the high land, and the soundings being so deep that vessels cannot find anchorage close up to the rocks, unless by getting to a cove at the head of one of those extensive inlets of the sea, which in most cases can only be done by towing or steam; unlike the whale-ship coasters can do little at towing, and would only become a wreck after the last strain of seamanship in picking out a soft place, which too often proves hard enough to grind the strongest ship up in a few minutes. It is about four months ago since the above-named vessels left Uokitika, and have not been heard of since. The Mary and William, barge, of Williams Town, Captain Evan Griffiths, left Uokitika about the same time as the Sangalier, also bound to the Molyneaux, arrived safe, and left the Molyneaux again on 16th December. Captain Griffiths reports that there were heavy westerly gales blowing for several days after the Sangalier left Uokitika, and it is just likely that the Sangalier may have got as far south before the gale began, as to get one of the said harbors formed between the mountains under her lee, where her crew may yet be unable to get away of themselves. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, THOS. F.T. BROWN, Master Mariner. ' Hobart Town, February 17th, 1863. ^[4] One of several articles published in The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) Thursday, 13 June 1867, Page 2, SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE reads ...
The Gratitude, schooner, Captain Evan Griffiths, from Lyttelton, New Zealand, dropped anchor in the Cove yesterday evening. Captain Griffiths reports that he left Lyttelton on the 21st ult., with southerly winds, and on 26th experienced a very heavy gale from S.E. Had then S.E. and southerly winds until within 400 miles of land, when the wind changed to northerly and northwesterly. Made Cape Pillar at 1 p.m. on the 9th instant, with a south-westerly wind. The schooner was boarded on 11th inst., at 11 a.m., by Mr. Pilot Bleach, five miles E. S. E. of the Iron Pot, and had variable winds up. Captain Griffiths reports that the Crishna barque, Captain Thompson, would be ready to leave Lyttelton, for Newcastle, New South Wales, on the 28th ult. The Gratitude, which is a stranger to this port, belongs to Mr Dunsford, ship chandler, Lyttelton, and has come here to load with assorted timber for Lyttelton, and is consigned to Messrs, Belbin and Dowdell.^[5]
He passed away in Kew, Victoria, in 1893^[6] and his remains were interred in the Williamstown Cemetery, Victoria.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑

   Victoria Australia Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists 1839-1923.
   Name:	Evan Griffiths
   Arrival Age:	34
   Birth Date:	abt 1819
   Departure Place:	Leith
   Arrival Date:	20 Aug 1853
   Arrival Place:	Port Phillip Bay, Australia
   Ship:	Intelnia

2. ↑ Registry of BDM, Victoria.
   Marriage certificate
   Record information
   Event: marriages
   Registration number: 1849 / 1863
   Family name: GRIFFITH
   Given name(s): Evan
   Personal detail
   Spouse's family name: TABLEY
   Spouse's given name(s): Charlotte
3. ↑ Trove (Australian National Library) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/6486514?searchTerm=%22Captain%20Evan%20Griffith%22
4. ↑ Trove (Australian National Library). https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8837707?searchTerm=%22Captain%20Evan%20Griffith%22
5. ↑ Trove (Australian National Library). https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8846359?searchTerm=%22Captain%20Evan%20Griffith%22
6. ↑ Registry of BDM, Victoria.
   Death certificate
   Record information
   Event: deaths
   Registration number: 6459 / 1893
   Family name: GRIFFITH
   Given name(s): Evan
   Place of event: Kew, Australia
   Personal detail
   Mother's name: Unknown
   Mother's family name at birth: UNKNOWN
   Father's Name: Unknown
7. ↑ Find-a-Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/153563905/evan-griffiths