Prince of Wales

Arrival findings

1. Thomas Chapman + Mary Anne (Hicks) Chapman — Prince of Wales 1842 Nelson

   Resolves the medium-confidence cluster placement for Thomas Chapman + Mary Hicks (both candidates Prince of Wales OR Clifford). Also implies their son John Chapman (b.1827 Detling Kent, @I202221797884@) was on the same voyage as a 15-year-old. This is the same Prince of Wales 1842 fever voyage that killed Ellen Bentley (Bentley-527). LESSON: FamilySearch collection 1609792 (NZ Archives Passenger Lists) covers 1839-1974 NOT 1886+ as an earlier agent claimed; many of our pre-1886 'blocked' direct ancestors are likely findable in it via bare-name Google → WikiTree → FamilySearch source chain.

   Confidence: high · Discovered: 2026-05-30
2. Elizabeth Gledhill — Prince of Wales London→Nelson 1842

   Direct ancestor — third confirmed Prince of Wales 1842 ancestor alongside Ellen Bentley (Bentley-527, died at sea) and Thomas Chapman + Mary Hicks (finding thomas-chapman-mary-hicks-prince-of-wales-1842). Married into the Chapman line in 1855 — those families converged in NZ after sharing the same voyage.

   Confidence: high · Discovered: 2026-05-30
3. Ellen Bentley — died at sea aboard Prince of Wales, 1842

   Should have been logged earlier — GEDCOM already had her death PLAC as 'At sea onboard Prince of Wales' which is unambiguous primary-source evidence of the voyage. Gen 8 direct ancestor.

   Confidence: high · Discovered: 2026-05-30