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Welcome to

Irene Schaffer's Website

Lady Nelson (replica) off Stanley, Northern Tasmania 1998

© Irene Schaffer

IN Hobart 2007-2008

I have set up this page to share with others what I have discovered over the years while researching early Tasmanian and Norfolk Island history. I have published a number of books and small leaflets, but there are other interesting subjects sitting in my files that I would like to share with you.

Some of the leaflets I will place on this website, some I have updated, others I have copied as they were first printed. Please feel free to comment, or, if you wish to add or correct anything.

Contents

Irene's Background

My books, leaflets, etc.

Favourite sites

Current Projects

Research interests

Indexes I am compiling

My Stories of early Tasmania

Lady Nelson (updated)

Irene’s Background

I was born in Stanthorpe Queensland in 1932 and spent my childhood in Toowoomba, where I married in 1951. I came to Hobart in 1960 with my husband Mervyn and my two daughters Chris and Glenda. Life in Toowoomba was quiet, we were kept busy building our home and having children. It was not until we arrived in Tasmania that our more adventurous life began. We explored the island at every opportunity, camping, fishing, over the next twenty years. We saw our first flood in 1960 and went through the bush fires in 1967. My son Craig was born in Hobart in 1963.

In 1982 I began what was to become my full time hobby – family history. It started after my mother died in Hobart in 1977 and my stepfather Charles Jordan returned to Queensland. I knew that he always wanted to trace his family, and I decided to try and do this for him. He knew his father was born at Carrick and the names of his grandmother and grandfather, but that was all.

First I had to find the Archives (then on the 10^th floor of the State Library) and learn how to go about this family history business. A couple of years later when I finished the research I wrote a small book for him about his Jordan family. What a wonderful way to discover early Tasmanian history, I found James Jordan was a third fleeter, who had arrived in VDL from Norfolk Island in 1813 and his wife Mary Butler, a second fleeter (she died on Norfolk Island c1812. )

From my research I found that over 700 people had arrived in VDL (Tasmania) from Norfolk Island between 1807 and 1813. Unfortunately there wasn't a great deal written about this era at this stage.

During my research on the Norfolk Islanders I discovered many exciting stories dealing with first, second and third fleeters. On completion of the Jordan story I found I did not want to give up this intriguing pastime. I also met many wonderful people who were the descendants of those Norfolk Islanders, Over the years they have became my work mates and my friends.

I started the VDL & NI Interest Group in 1986; the members were the descendants of the first Norfolk Islanders and those interested in early Tasmanian history. I took them on excursions over many parts of Tasmania for many years, only stopping these excursions and closing the group, when I put all my time and energy into the "Lady Nelson".

Local history has become my work and I have been an historian and private researcher for many years. Over the past fifteen years I have made an effort to record some of the interesting stories I have found, and print them for all to read and enjoy.

My own family history takes second place, but every now and again I catch up and add some more information. On my mother's side I have both English and Irish - Townson, Shepherd, Cooke, Barrett. My father's side is Danish and German - Wohlsen, Horn, Jentz.

I hope you will find something of interest on this site.

Irene

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My books

Over the past 15 or so years I have researched and written a number of books on early Tasmania and have collaborated on others with members of the VDL & NI Interest Group.

I have also organised day excursions to centres within Tasmania, that featured in early history of our state, and from these excursions have produced a number of booklets.

For a list of the books, please click here.

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Favourite Sites

Lady Nelson

Tasmanian Family History Society (formerly Genealogical Society of Tasmania)

Tasmanian Family History Service

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The Original "Lady Nelson" 1798-1825

The Lady Nelson was built and launched in the River Thames, She was commissioned to sail to the Colony of NSW. The story of her incredible voyage via Cape Town through Bass Strait to Sydney (the first ship to sail from west to east is recorded in a journal written by her captain Lt. James Grant.) Her story relates her many survey voyages along the east coast of Australia, and the roll she played in the first three settlements in VDL. Her untimely end in the Timor Sea, where she was captured by pirates and her crew murdered and the Lady Nelson burnt and sunk.

INTERESTS

Van Diemen's Land & Norfolk Group

This group was formed in September 1986 for descendants of the Norfolk Islanders who arrived in Van Diemen's Land between 1805 and 1814. There were some like myself who did not fit into this group but were interested in early Tasmanian history.

The group exchanged information, and I organised excursions to parts of Tasmania where the Norfolk Islanders had settled. Our membership reached 200 before I found it necessary to close, because of my commitments to the Lady Nelson.

Over the past six years while I have been involved with the Lady Nelson I have kept in touch with many of the descendants and help them whenever possible. Exiled Three Times Over was published with Thelma McKay as my co-worker, this book is now out of print but can be seen at most libraries. This book contains the profiles of the first people who came on the Lady Nelson and the Porpoise in 1807-8 from Norfolk Island. We had intended to continue the profiles of those who came on the next five ships but other commitment got in the way, and now I feel that most of these have been researched by their descendants.

Anyone wishing to contact me about the Norfolk Islanders can do so on my email. schafferi@optusnet.com.au

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Research Interests

[1] Norfolk Islanders who arrived on the island from NSW from 1788 and later came to VDL (1807 - 1813)

[2] Convicts (men and women) who came to VDL

[3] Military (early Regiments)

[4] Early Land Grants

[5] Early orphan children

[6] Early free settlers and Immigrants to VDL

[7] Original "Lady Nelson" 1798 -1825

I do private research for the above, contact me on my email for details.

schafferi@optusnet.com.au