John Nelson
Shipwright
1858 - 34 yrs, 5ft 6ins, Blue eyes, Brown hair, Florid complexion, C of E, Single, English.
Served on 'HMCS Victoria' including the Maori Wars in 1861.
Crew member of HMCS Victoria 1860-61. See Victoria & Australia's First War, Ian MacFarlane & Neil Smith, Mostly Unsung Military History, Brighton 2005.
Listed as a member of the crew of HMCS Victoria in 1858.
Cumulative Index on members of Water Police Williamstown, Victorian Naval Forces etc with sources. Collected by Ada Ackerly, Directory Williamstown Museum, commencing 1986.
aka John Neilson
Details provided by Mick Cannon
Served on 'HMCS Victoria' till 1877, Joined 'HMVS Cerberus' in 1877. Resigned in 1881 where he joined the Port Phillip Bay Water Police. He retired in 1902 after 21 years of 'Excellent Service'. Died in 1921 & is buried at Williamstown.
Article in Journal of Police History, vol. 3 no. 1, March - May 1995 written by Ian MacFarlane.
John Nelson (anglicised from Neilson) was born 16 May 1843 at List, Island of Sylt, Denmark (since 1864 part of Germany).
Mentioned in Deeds not Words, Wilson P. Evans,The Hawthorn Press, Melbourne 1971 as John Neilson.
Chief-Carpenter Nelson after serving on Victoria in 1877 stated that he had served on Victoria from 1858 until 1869.
The Argus, 9 October 1878 | 