Primeiron Grant is one of my most mysterious, brick wall ancestors and he continues to fascinate and foil me in my research.

Born in London in November 1820, when he was baptised in March 1821 he was given the name Primeiron Frank Harris. His parents were named on his baptism record as John and Rebecca Harris, and there was no occupation given for his father.

For reasons unconfirmed, when he was ten years old Primeiron travelled aboard the cutter Jolly Rambler with his uncle and aunt, William and Harriet Harris, and two cousins, arriving at the Swan River settlement in Western Australia on 18 November 1831.

“MOST EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMANCE.–A boat, with one mast, and a crew of only four persons, named the Jolly Rambler, has performed the voyage from this country to Van Diemen’s Land.”

“SWAN RIVER–Letters have been received from this Colony from a settler….A small cutter, the Jolly Rambler, not larger than a Gravesend boat, with one mast and four men, performed the voyage from this country to the Swan River, and took out letters and newspapers. It is the smallest vessel that ever performed so hazardous an excursion.”

William Henry Harris was co-owner of the Jolly Rambler and the 1831 ship’s registration lists him as a gentleman, although he is recorded as a jeweller in 1822, goldsmith in 1833, and later as a watchmaker.

Nothing further is known about Primeiron’s parents though, just supposition. No vital records have been able to be confidently linked to them. There are family stories and rumours about why Primeiron came to Australia, none of which have been able to be substantiated. One is that he was sent away by an uncle so he couldn’t inherit. A related story said there was money in Chancery. Primeiron’s daughter Eliza went to London in search of these connections in the 1920s, without success.

Changing names

It’s in a letter from Primeiron’s uncle applying for land, soon after their arrival at the Swan River settlement, that Primeiron’s surname is first found recorded as Grant, not Harris. The reason for the name change is unknown. They didn’t stay long in the Swan River region. In 1833 the Harris family including Primeiron travelled from the Swan River to Port Jackson in New South Wales. Primeiron and his uncle’s family went their separate ways at some point after that, although exactly when is not known.

Primeiron spent the rest of his life in New South Wales. By 1843, he appears in the Araluen region when his first daughter was born to Julia Collins. His marriage to Julia is registered in Bungonia (Goulburn) in 1844 and other children born to Primeiron and Julia are recorded at Goulburn, Braidwood, Majors Creek, and Araluen over the years to 1872. Thirteen Grant children have been identified in total.

Primeiron spent some time in gaol at Darlinghurst in Sydney in the early 1870s, after being charged with larceny, but returned to the Braidwood region. He moved to live with his daughter Rebecca at Warialda in western New South Wales at some point following his wife’s death, and he died at Warialda in 1916.

Can you help? I have a lot of information about Primeiron, but haven’t been able to pin down his parents, despite using a range of strategies. If you’ve been researching him as well, and have evidence related to his parents, or other Harris relatives, please get in touch.

Selected references

‘Shipping Intelligence’, Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser, 8 July 1831, p. 4.

‘Shipping Intelligence’, Morning Advertiser, 8 July 1831, p. 3.

‘Extract of a Letter from the Swan River’, Morning Post, 27 April 1832, p. 2.

‘Swan River’, Bell’s Life in London and Sporting Chronicle, 29 April 1832, p. 2.

‘Most Extraordinary Performance’, North Devon Journal, 3 May 1833, p. 3.

‘Local & General News’, Warialda Standard, 23 Oct 1916, p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article214471881.

WH Harris to Colonial Secretary, letter, 28 November 1831, General Correspondence, Colonial Secretary’s Office, State Library of Western Australia, CSR Vol. 25/119.

New South Wales, Australia, Unassisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1826-1922, Ancestry.com, accessed 28 December 2023.

New South Wales, Australia, Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930, Ancestry.com, accessed 28 December 2023.

New South Wales, Australia, Criminal Court Records, 1830-1945, Ancestry.com, accessed 28 December 2023.

Baptism register entry of Primeiron Frank Harris, born 26 November 1820, baptised 14 March 1821, London, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1923, Ancestry.com, accessed 28 December 2023.