Silk Gloves and Cast Iron Boilers: A Study of Cargoes from Scotland to Australia, 1820-1824

Between 1820 and 1829 over 240 vessels carrying goods and passengers arrived in Van Diemen’s Land from Britain and Ireland. Most came from London, but a significant number had commenced their voyages from Leith, the port of Edinburgh, Scotland. A wide range of merchandise and emigrant property exported from Leith was landed at both Hobart and Sydney. This paper aims to add to the existing body of knowledge of British colonial trade in the early nineteenth century. It specifically focuses on the period between 1820 and 1824 and examines customs and newspaper sources and the methods of recording or reporting shipments. The paper also explores the types and varieties of goods shipped. These are linked, where possible, into the complexities of Leith’s coastal trades and colonial and foreign re-exports. Through cross-referencing with other sources they are also connected to the people who shipped, crafted or manufactured them.