Stephen White was an able bodied seaman abroad the "Blenden Hall" a 450 ton ship built in Southampton (UK) in 1811. She was owned and Captained by Alexander Greig. The ship was a purpose-built Indiaman and was charted to the East India Company. The "Blenden Hall" sailed from Gravesend (Kent) on 6th May 1821 heading towards India with 84 passengers aboard, including Margaret Vass, listed in the passenger list as Peggy, a Portuguese/Indian half-caste of Madras (or Bombay) maid to Mrs Lock, wife of a doctor resident in Bombay. They were returning to India after a holiday in London.
The ship was wrecked on Tristan D'AchunaIn misty conditions on the 22 June 1821 at 10 am the Blenden Hall ran aground on Inaccessible Island which lies approximately 97 km SW of Tristan du Cunha Island. A Lloyd's of London register describes the shipwreck and the fate of the passengers as they survived on the uninhabitable island from 23 July 1821 to 8 November 1821
Loss of the Ship Blenden Hall - Extract of a letter from the agents to Lloyd's at Deal and Ramsgate, dated Deal April 19 1822:
The Blenden Hall, captain Greig, from London to Bombay , was totally lost on Inaccessible Island, one of the group of Tristan D'Acunha, inthe South Atlantic Oceaon, on 23rd of July last. The commander, officers, and passengers got safe on shore, but eight of the crew perished. They remained on the island, exposed to the cold and rain, until 8th of November, on which day the carpenter and three or four ofthe crew embarked in the small punt made out of the wreck with surgical instruments which were washed on shore, and reached Tristan D'Acunha, where they procured two whale boats, and brought those that remained on Inaccessible Island away. On the 9th of January, a brig from Brazils put into Tristan D'acunha for water, and took them all away, and on the 18th of January they arrived safe at the Cape the island, they had no food but penguins and their eggs. Out of some bales of cloth washed on shore they made tents; an iron buoy cooking utensil. They were for four days exposed to heavy rains and intense cold before they could procure fire. The ladies and passengers suffered severely, for nothing was saved but the clothes they wore, and the ship went to pieces two hours after she struck The survivors were in terrible condition cold hungry, some naked and without shelter and it is reported that many of the survivors argued, fought, stole and behaved abominably. They managed to eke out a living on wild celery, seals and penguins. An attempt to reach Tristan da Cunha was made by the cook and 5 seaman, they were never heard of again. Later another boat made an attempt and succeeded, and on 10 November 1821, the islanders on Tristan da Cunha rescued them. When the Brig Nerinae arrived at Tristanda Cunha it took away all but seven of the survivors to Cape town. Stephen and Peggy chose to remain and marry. A ships Captain married them in 1821 upon their rescue to subsequently had their first child, Stephen in 1822. Nigel Wace (1996) writes in his history of the Tristan da Cunha:
'Two of the survivors, a young sailor, Stephen White, and a lady's maid, Peggy, joined the small band of Tristan Islanders. There were a few Yankee sealers and a Scots Soldier who had settled there with his family five years before. Stephen signed an agreement with the others that allowed no property, with everybody working for the benefit of the community. He and Peggy left Tristan later and returned to England, but emigrated with their children to Tasmania where their descendants are still living. They may be surprised, or even embarrassed, to hear that Stephen White had joined a communist mini-state on Tristan in 1821, 27 years before such a political notions were formalised in the communist Manifesto.'
Another visitor was the artist Augustus Earles he was stranded on the island for about eight mouths after the boat he was on sailed off with out him. During his enforced stay on the island he painted many pictures. One painting titled 'Governor Glass and Companions' which hangs in the Canberra National Gallery, includes Stephen and Peggy in the painting. Augustus Earles wrote of Stephen in his journals:
'The youngest of our party is named White. There is nothing very particular in his history. He is an excellent specimen of a young English sailor; and has all their characteristic warmth of feeling, and desperate courage, added to a simplicity almost childish. He was always the companion of my rambles whenever he could be spared from his toil, his manner of expressing his admiration of what he saw being highly amusing.'
They remained on Tristan da Cuhna until 1823. They returned to Hastings, Sussex, England for several years, where they had four more children. They were remarried on 5 July 1827 in Hastings after the birth of their second child. They immigrated and arrived in Van Diemen's Land on the "Rubicon" 19 June 1832.
The arrival of the Rubicon was noted in The Courier newspaper on Friday 22nd June 1832:
'Arrived on Monday the 18th inst. the bark Rubicon, 304 tons, Captain T.B.Danials from London 6th February, with general cargo of merechandize. Passengers......Mr. and Mrs. White and 5 children...'.
Also in the paper was an advertisement:
TO LANDED PROPRIETORS, COUNTRY GENTLEMEN AND OTHERS
The undersigned who has just arrived with wife and family from England by the Rubicon, would be happy to engage with any gentleman to manage a farm. He is well qualified with the most approved practices on Agriculture in England, understands sheep, cattle and horses, and can turn his hand generally to anything useful about a farm. His wife is well accounted with management on a dairy.(Apply to by letter post paid) to the undersigned on board the Rubicon. To Capt. Daniel's or the Courier office.
An 1842 census shows Stephen White living in the Spring Bay area. He was living at Prossers Plains in a house owned by Thomas Cruttenden. Margaret White had been buried in Hobart on 3 August 1841. He tried to find his fortune in Ballarat, Victoria and died there 19 March 1854.