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unclepete
Starting member
Australia
23 Posts |
 Posted - 31/07/2007 : 08:21:55
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My Grandfather George (Jorg) Emil Leth came to Australia at about age 16 when he jumped a ship captained by his Grandfather, Hans Helmer Leth.
The ship was most likely owned by Hans father Isaac Leth from Arendal Norway who married Marte Willumsen or Villumsen, daughter of a wealthy ship owner around the late 1700s early 1800s
George told my mother, as a young girl in Sydney, that he ran away once in Adelaide at age 9 as a cabin boy but was caught. He returned age 16 on his Grandfathers ship and escaped successfully. He was born in 1855. This story rings true as Georges father, a ships carpenter called Samuel Nicholas (Nicolai) Leth, died around the time George was 8 y.o.
Hans Leth had 2 brothers, Federik and Nils. One was a ship broker from Riga, the other a customs officer in Norway. Their sister Caterine married Consul Kallevig. My m84 y.o. mother believse that at a later date Hans Helmer Leth may have captained the Josef Conrad.
In an effort to confirm this story of Georges escape I need to discover the name of the Norwegian ship that came to Port Adeleide, Australia during that time. This ship reportedly took part in the wheat race and was a large sailing ship.
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unclepete |
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Ships to Australia 1855 to 1880
