The Mimosa
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The Mimosa
The Mimosa was a clipper ship best known for its voyage to Patagonia in Argentina in 1865, carrying the first Welsh emigrants. Their aim was to establish a Welsh colony which would preserve the Welsh language and culture, which they felt were under threat in Wales.
By the time Mimosa made the voyage, it was already past its prime as a clipper, having been built in 1853 at Hall's shipyard in Aberdeen. It had not been designed to carry passengers, and had been converted for the purpose. The cost of fitting provisioning and chartering the ship was £2,500 and the passengers paid £12 per adult or £6 per child for the journey. [1]
Prior to the voyage the emigrants assembled at various points to prepare for the journey, including Aberdare, Birkenhead, Rhosllannerchrugog and Mountain Ash, but these were not always the places of origin of the passengers.
The Mimosa sailed from Liverpool, England on May 28 1865 to Patagonia, with a group of about 153 passengers with Captain George Pepperell and a crew of 18. Thomas Greene, an Irishman from Kildare, had been appointed as ship's surgeon. They landed on July 28 1865 and named their landing site Porth Madryn (or Puerto Madryn in Spanish). They were met by Edwyn Cynrig Roberts and Lewis Jones, two Welshmen who had already arrived in Patagonia in June 1865 to prepare for the arrival of the main body of settlers.
The proposed site for the colony was in the Chubut River valley. On September 15 1865 the first town in the Chubut colony was named Rawson, and the settlers went on to build the settlements at Gaiman and Trelew.
The exact number of emigrants who sailed out to Patagonia on the Mimosa remains uncertain. Although one of the original settlers, Richard Jones (known as Berwyn), maintained a register of births, marriages and deaths for many years, most of these original records were lost in the great flood in the Chubut Valley in 1899.
In 1875 the Argentine government granted the Welsh settlers ownership of the land which encouraged hundreds of others from Wales to join the colony.
The colony became known, in Welsh, as Y Wladfa.
The Advance Party[edit | edit source]
| Name | Notes |
|---|---|
| Roberts, Edwin Cynrig | Born c1838, Nannerch, Flintshire. Emigrated with his family to Wisconsin, USA in 1847. Left for Buenos Aires on the Córdoba on 12 Mar 1865. Married Ann Jones, 19 Apr 1866. Eventually returned to Wales. Died 1893, Bethesda, Caernarfonshire. |
| Jones, Lewis | Caernarfon. Married Ellen Griffith, 1859, Anglesey. Left for Buenos Aires on The Córdoba on 12 Mar 1865. Died 24 Nov 1904, Trelew, Patagonia. Buried in Moriah Cemetery in the town. Publisher. |
| Jones, Ellen | Born c1840, Anglesey. Wife of Lewis Jones. Left for Buenos Aires on The Córdoba on 12 Mar 1865. |
The 1865 Settlers[edit | edit source]
| Name | Notes |
|---|---|
| Austin, Thomas Tegai | Born: 1854, Mountain Ash, Glamorgan. An orphan living with Daniel & Mary Evans. Married Mary Elizabeth Williams, 27 May 1875, Patagonia. |
| Austin, William | Born 1852, Mountain Ash, Glamorgan. An orphan living with Daniel & Mary Evans. Married Jane Hughes, 19 Jun 1873, in Rawson, Patagonia. |
| Davies, Evan | |
| Davies, Ann | Wife of Evan Davies. |
| Davies, Margaret Ann | Daughter of Evan & Ann Davies. |
| Davies, James (Iago Dafydd) |
Born c1847, Brynmawr, Breconshire. Died Feb 1866, Patagonia. |
| Davies, John (Ioan Dafydd) |
Born c1847, Mountain Ash, Glamorgan. |
| Davies, Lewis | Born c1841, Aberystwyth. |
| Davies, Rachel | Wife of Lewis Davies. |
| Davies, Thomas G. | Son of Lewis & Rachel Davies. |
| Davies, Robert | |
| Davies, Catherine | Wife of Robert Davies. |
| Davies, William | Son of Robert & Catherine Davies. |
| Davies, Henry | Son of Robert & Catherine Davies. Later emigrated to Saskatchewan, Canada. |
| Davies, John | Born c1864, Llandrillo. Son of Robert & Catherine Davies. Died 27 Jun 1865 aboard The Mimosa. |
| Davies, John E. | |
| Davies, Selia | Wife of John E. Davies. |
| Davies, John | Son of John E. & Selia Davies. |
| Davies, Thomas | |
| Davies, Eleanor | Second wife of Thomas Davies. |
| Davies, David | Son of Thomas Davies (1st marriage). |
| Davies, Hannah | Daughter of Thomas Davies (1st marriage). |
| Davies, Elizabeth | Daughter of Thomas Davies (1st marriage). |
| Davies, Ann | Daughter of Thomas Davies (1st marriage). |
| Davies, William | |
| Ellis, John | |
| Ellis, Thomas | |
| Ellis, Richard | |
| Ellis, Frances | |
| Evans, Daniel | Married Mary Jones |
| Evans, Mary | Wife of Daniel Evans. Born 1836, Pyle. Died 1912, Patagonia. |
| Evans, Elizabeth | Daughter of Daniel & Mary Evans. Born c1860, Mountain Ash. |
| Evans, John Daniel | Son of Daniel & Mary Evans. Born c1862, Mountain Ash. Died 6 Mar 1943. |
| Evans, Thomas Pennant (Twmi Dimol) |
Born c1836, Pennant Melangell, Mongomeryshire. A member of the crew. Married Elizabeth Pritchard, 30 Mar 1866. Lost at sea in Feb 1868 aboard The Denby. |
| Greene, Thomas William Nassau | Born c1844, County Kildare, Ireland. Ship's surgeon for the voyage. Died in Jan 1922 in Ireland. |
| Harris, Thomas | |
| Harris, Sara | Wife of Thomas Harris. |
| Harris, William | Son of Thomas & Sara Harris. |
| Harris, John | Son of Thomas & Sara Harris. |
| Harris, Thomas | Son of Thomas & Sara Harris. |
| Harris, Daniel | Son of Thomas & Sara Harris. |
| Hughes, Catherine | |
| Hughes, Griffith | Born c1829, Llanuwchllyn. Coal miner. Living in Rhosllannerchrugog, Wrexham, Wales Genealogy. |
| Hughes, Mary | Wife of Griffith Hughes. Born c1834, Llanuwchllyn. |
| Hughes, Jane | Daughter of Griffith & Mary Hughes. Born c1853, Llanuwchllyn. Married (1): Richard Howell Williams, 15 Jun 1867 in Porth Madryn; (2): William Austin, 19 Jun 1873 in Rawson. |
| Hughes, Griffith | Son of Griffith & Mary Hughes. Born c1856, Llanuwchllyn. |
| Hughes, David | Son of Griffith & Mary Hughes. Born c1859, Llanuwchllyn. |
| Hughes, John | Born c1835. Died 13 March 1866, Patagonia. |
| Hughes, Elizabeth | Wife of John Hughes. Born c1826. |
| Hughes, William John | Son of John & Elizabeth Hughes. Born c1855. |
| Hughes, Myfanwy Mary | Daughter of John & Elizabeth Hughes. Born c1861. |
| Hughes, John Samuel | Son of John & Elizabeth Hughes. Born c1863. |
| Hughes, Henry | Son of John & Elizabeth Hughes. Born c1864, Rhosllannerchrugog, Wrexham, Wales Genealogy. Died 5 Aug 1865, Porth Madryn, Patagonia. |
| Hughes, Hugh J. (Cadfan) |
Born c1825, Anglesey. Carpenter. |
| Hughes, Elizabeth | Wife of Hugh J Hughes (Cadfan). Born c1820, Caernarfonshire. |
| Hughes, Jane | Daughter of Elizabeth Hughes. Born c1843, Caernarfonshire. |
| Hughes, David | Son of Hugh J & Elizabeth Hughes. Born c1854, Caernarfonshire. |
| Hughes, Llewelyn | Son of Hugh J & Elizabeth Hughes. Born 1861, West Derby, Liverpool, England |
| Hughes, Richard | |
| Hughes, William | |
| Hughes, Jane | Wife of William Hughes. |
| Hughes, Jane | Daughter of William & Jane Hughes. |
| Hughes, William | |
| Humphreys, Maurice (or Morris) | Born c1838, Ganllwyd, Dolgellau, Merionethshire. Married Elizabeth Harriet Adams, 1864, West Derby, Liverpool, England |
| Humphreys, Elizabeth Harriet | Born 1844, Cilcain, Flintshire. Wife of Maurice Humphreys. |
| Humphreys, Lewis | born Ganllwyd, Dolgellau, Merionethshire. |
| Humphreys, John | born Ganllwyd, Dolgellau, Merionethshire. |
| Huws (or Hughes), Rhydderch | |
| Huws (or Hughes), Sara | Wife of Rhydderch Huws. |
| Huws (or Hughes), Meurig | Son of Rhydderch & Sara Huws. |
| Jenkins, Aaron | Born 1 August 1831, St Ffagans, Cardiff. Married (1) Mary James Davies, 27 Jan 1855, Merthyr Tydfil; (2): Rachel Evans, 14 Sep 1860, Merthyr Tydfil; (3): 12 Sep 1868, Coednewydd, Patagonia. Died 17 Jun 1879, Chubut, Patagonia. Coal miner. |
| Jenkins, Rachel | Second wife of Aaron Jenkins. |
| Jenkins, James | Son of Aaron & Rachel Jenkins. |
| Jenkins, Richard | Son of Aaron & Rachel Jenkins. Born 5 May 1861, Troed y Rhiw, Merthyr Tydfil. Married Mary Evans 22 Jun 1895. Died in Esquel, Patagonia. |
| Jenkins, Thomas | Born 3 Dec 1862, Mountain Ash. Died 11 Jun 1865 aboard The Mimosa. |
| Jenkins, Rachel | Daughter of Aaron & Rachel Jenkins. Born 26 Jun 1865 aboard The Mimosa. Died 22 Sep 1865, Rawson, Patagonia. |
| Jenkins, William | |
| John, David | |
| John, Mary Ann | |
| Jones, Evan | Son of Eleanor Davies (1st marriage). |
| Jones, Thomas | Son of Eleanor Davies (1st marriage). |
| Jones, David | Son of Eleanor Davies (1st marriage). |
| Jones, Elizabeth | Daughter of Eleanor Davies (1st marriage). |
| Jones, Elizabeth | |
| Jones, Anne | |
| Jones, George | |
| Jones, David | |
| Jones, James | |
| Jones, Sarah | Wife of James Jones. |
| Jones, Mary Anne | Daughter of James & Sarah Jones. |
| Jones, James | Son of James & Sarah Jones. |
| Jones, John (Snr.) | |
| Jones, Elizabeth | Wife of John Jones (Snr.) |
| Jones, Richard | Son of John & Elizabeth Jones. |
| Jones, Ann | Daughter of John & Elizabeth Jones. |
| Jones, Margaret | Daughter of John & Elizabeth Jones. |
| Jones, John (Jnr) | Son of John Jones (Snr.) |
| Jones, Mary | Wife of John Jones. |
| Jones, Thomas Harries | |
| Jones, Joseph Seth | |
| Jones, Joshua | |
| Jones, Mary | |
| Jones, Stephen | |
| Jones, William R. (Bedol) |
From Bala, Merionethshire. |
| Jones, Catherine | From Bala. Wife of William R. Jones (Bedol). |
| Jones, Mary Ann | Daughter of William R. & Catherine Jones. |
| Jones, Jane | Daughter of William R. & Catherine Jones. |
| Jones, Richard (Berwyn) |
Born c1838, Tregeiriog, Denbighshire, into a family from the Berwyn Mountains. Emigrated to New York, USA. Ship's Purser. Married Elizabeth Pritchard, 25 Dec 1868, in Rawson, Patagonia. Died 25 Dec 1917. |
| Lewis, Anne | |
| Lewis, Mary | |
| Matthews, Abraham | Minister. |
| Matthews, Gwenllian | Wife of Abraham Matthews. |
| Matthews, Mary Annie | |
| Morgan, John | From Pen-y-Garn, Aberystwyth. |
| Nagle, Robert F | Born: c1833, Barmouth, Merionethshire. Passenger steward for the voyage. Lost at sea in Feb 1868 in the sinking of The Denby |
| Owen, Ann | |
| Price, Edward | |
| Price, Martha | Wife of Edward Price. |
| Price, Edward | Son of Edward & Martha Price. |
| Price, Martha | Son of Edward & Martha Price. |
| Price, Griffith | From Ffestiniog, Merionethshire. |
| Pritchard, Elizabeth | |
| Rhys, James Berry | Born c1842. Married Grace Roberts, 3 Jul 1868, in Glan Camwy, Patagonia. |
| Rhys, William Thomas | |
| Richards, William | |
| Roberts, Elizabeth | |
| Roberts, Grace | From Bethesda, Caernarfonshire. Married James Berry Rhys, 3 Jul 1868, in Glan Camwy, Patagonia. |
| Roberts, John Moelwyn | From Ffestiniog, Merionethshire. |
| Roberts, John, | From Ffestiniog, Merionsthshire. |
| Roberts, Mary | Wife of John Roberts. |
| Roberts, Mary | Daughter of John & Mary Roberts. |
| Roberts, Thomas | Son of John & Mary Roberts |
| Roberts, John | Son of John & Mary Roberts |
| Roberts, William | |
| Solomon, Griffith | Born c1841, Dolbenmaen, Caernarfonshire. Married Elizabeth Edwards, in Ffestiniog, 1861. |
| Solomon, Elizabeth | Wife of Griffith Solomon. Born c1835, Ffestiniog, Merionethshire. |
| Solomon, Elizabeth | Daughter of Griffith & Elizabeth Solomon. Born 1864, Ffestiniog, Merionethshire. Died 18 Jul 1864 on board The Mimosa. |
| Thomas, John Murray | From Bridgend, Glamorgan. |
| Thomas, Robert | From Bangor |
| Thomas, Mary | Wife Robert Thomas. |
| Thomas, Mary | Daughter of Robert & Mary Thomas. |
| Thomas, Catherine Jane | Daughter of Robert & Mary Thomas. |
| Thomas, Thomas | |
| Williams, Amos | Born 1841, Llangïan, Caernarfonshire. Passenger's cook for the voyage. |
| Williams, Eleanor | Wife of Amos Williams. |
| Williams, Elizabeth | Daughter of Amos & Eleanor Williams. |
| Williams, Dafydd | From Aberystwyth. |
| Williams, Jane | |
| Williams, John | |
| Williams, Elizabeth | Wife of John Williams. |
| Williams, John | Son of John & Elizabeth Williams. |
| Williams, Elizabeth | Daughter of John & Elizabeth Williams. |
| Williams, Watkin William | Born 1832, Barmouth, Merionethshire. |
| Williams, Elizabeth Louisa | Sister of Watkin William Williams. Born 1838, Barmouth, Merionethshire. |
| Williams, Watkin Wesley | Brother of Watkin William Williams. Born 1838, Barmouth, Merionethshire. |
| Williams, Catherine | |
| Williams, Robert Meirion | Born c1814, Llanfairfechan, Caernarfonshire. |
| Williams, Richard Howell | Born 1847, Llanfairfechan, Caernarfonshire. Son of Robert Meirion Williams. Married 15 Jun 1867, Porth Madryn, Patagonia. |
| Williams, Thomas | |
| Williams, Mary, | |
| Williams, William | |
| Wood, Elizabeth |
Podcast Bara Brith on the Pampas: The Welsh in Patagonia.
Bibliography[edit | edit source]
- Susan Wilkinson - Mimosa: the life & times of the ship that sailed to Patagonia, Y Lolfa, 2007 (ISBN: 9780862439521)
- Susan Wilkinson - Mimosa's Voyages: Official Logs, Crew List and Masters, Y Lolfa, 2007 (ISBN: 9780862439835)
(Susan Wilkinson is the great-great niece of Thomas Greene, the ship's doctor for the voyage)
References[edit | edit source]
1841, 1851 and 1861 censuses for Wales and England
- ↑ Buenos Aires Herald, September 1998
