The Stag was one of those square-rigged ships that made a number of trips to the Australian colonies in the nineteenth century bringing emigrants and returning with cargo. Later in the century there were some sleeker and faster vessels but the square-riggers were the work horses continuing to bring most of those emigrants who came under assisted passage throughout the century. The Stag was a medium size square-rigger built in Sunderland in 1842. The story of the Stag is told in my book: The Stag Diary- Passage to Colonial Adelaide 1850. The book includes a transcribed diary of one of the steerage passengers written during the 111 days of that passage from England to Adelaide. It also contain
For those people who are fans of Tom Roberts paintings the cover of recently released book: 'Farewell to Old England Forever' incorporates a copy of the Roberts painting 'Coming South' painted in 1886.The painting (oil on canvas 63.5 x 52.5 cm) is in the National Gallery of Victoria. The Gallery supported my use of it on the book cover. It looks great and is particularly relevant to the story in the book about nineteenth century emigration to the Australian colonies.
