Crossing in the Gilded Age: SS California Saloon Passenger List, London to New York – 17 May 1879

Front Cover of a Saloon Passenger List from the SS California of the Anchor Line, Departing 17 May 1879 from London to New York, Commanded by Captain James Donaldson. | GGA Image ID # 15985655d5

🚢 Review & Summary — SS California Passenger List, 17 May 1879

The Ship & Voyage

The SS California, a proud vessel of the Anchor Line, departed London on Saturday, 17 May 1879, bound for New York. She was under the experienced command of Captain James Donaldson, a senior officer with a respected reputation in the transatlantic trade. This late spring crossing was typical of the era, attracting a blend of businessmen, emigrants, families, and society travelers taking advantage of improving seasonal weather.

The route followed the established southern steam lane, as recommended by Lieutenant Matthew Fontaine Maury’s system, designed to reduce collision risks and avoid heavy weather by separating eastbound and westbound lanes across the Atlantic.

Key Facts about the SS California

• Launched: 1872 by the Glasgow shipbuilders London & Glasgow Engineering and Iron Shipbuilding Co.
• Operator: Anchor Line (a Scottish-owned company specializing in the Glasgow–New York and London–New York services).
• Tonnage: ~4,800 gross tons.
• Passenger Capacity: Designed for Saloon (First Class), Second Cabin, and Steerage.
• Typical Route: London (or Glasgow) – Queenstown – New York.
• Notable Features: Iron-hulled steamship with auxiliary sail rig; used compound steam engines; part of a fleet that served both passenger and U.S. Mail contracts.
• Service Period: Operated until scrapped in the early 20th century.

Senior Officers and Staff

• Commander: Captain James Donaldson
• Chief Officer: J. Swayne
• Second Officer: W., Hardie
• Third Officer: C. Porionet
• Chief Engineer: A. Tasker
• Surgeon: P. R. Piews
• Purser: G. Scott
• Chief Steward: J. Salter
• Stewardess: Mrs. Forsyth

Saloon Passengers

1. Miss H. J. Barkenstein, Hartford, CT
2. Mr. Elijah Boyden, Boston
3. Mrs. Boyden, Boston
4. Mr. R. H. Brimley, London
5. Mr. R. N. Brooke, Virginia
6. Mr. A. Copp, New York
7. Mrs. Copp, New York
8. Miss Copp, New York
9. Miss Olive Copp, New York
10. Mr. R. L. Crowder, Chicago
11. Mrs. Crowder and Infant, Chicago
12. Miss E. L. Crowder, Chicago
13. Mrs. Curzon, London
14. Mr. R. H. Davis, London
15. Mrs. Davis, London
16. Mr. Alfred Douthwaite, London
17. Mr. D. M. Ford, Bristol
18. Mr. Alexander Forrest, London
19. Mrs. Gleason, London
20. Miss E. Gorringe, London
21. Master F. Gorringe, London
22. Mr. H. W. Griffin, London
23. Mr. Griswold, London
24. Mr. William Hamilton, London
25. Mrs. Hamilton, London
26. Mr. T. Hayselden, San Francisco
27. Mrs. Hayselden, San Francisco
28. Mr. T. Henderson, London
29. Mrs. Hubbard, New York
30. Miss Hubbard, New York
31. Mr. David Langridge, London
32. Mr. J. Miller, London
33. Miss Nunns and Niece, London
34. Mr. Thomas O'Connor, London
35. Mrs. Emily Philips and Two Children, Elmira, NY
36. Mr. L. W. Powell, London
37. Miss E. P. Prout, New York
38. Mr. George A. Rudd, US
39. Mrs. Rudd, US
40. Mrs. Smith, London
41. Miss Smith, London
42. Mr. C. F. Stevens, London
43. Mr. James Stewart, London
44. Mr. A. Taylor, London
45. Mr. W. Taylor, London
46. Mrs. Taylor, London
47. Miss Taylor, London
48. Mrs. Ugland and Infant, Charlton, Kent
49. Mr. O. Watson, London
50. Mrs. Watson, London
51. Miss Watson, London
52. Mr. G. Wicks, London

Notable Individuals & Historical Context

Although no titled nobility or internationally famous entertainment figures appear in this list, several passengers stand out for their likely social and professional importance:

American Travelers

Mr. Elijah Boyden & Mrs. Boyden – From Boston, possibly connected to mercantile or shipping interests. Boston in the 1870s was a hub for international trade, and such voyages often combined leisure and business.

Mr. George A. Rudd & Mrs. Rudd – U.S. nationals whose presence on a London–New York voyage may indicate transatlantic business partnerships or property interests.

Long-Distance U.S. & Canadian Travelers

Mr. T. Hayselden & Mrs. Hayselden – From San Francisco, representing one of the longest overland journeys to connect with a transatlantic steamer in London. Their travel suggests significant wealth and social standing, given the cost and time involved.

Miss H. J. Barkenstein – From Hartford, Connecticut, potentially connected to the city’s industrial or insurance elite.

Midwestern & Southern Representation

Mr. R. L. Crowder, Mrs. Crowder & Children – From Chicago, symbolic of the post–Great Fire rebuilding era when Chicago was emerging as a powerhouse of commerce and culture.

Mr. R. N. Brooke – From Virginia, traveling at a time when Southern states were still recovering from the Reconstruction era.

Families & Social Travelers

The Copp Family (Mr., Mrs., Miss, and Miss Olive Copp, New York) — likely a prominent New York family engaging in extended European travel, a hallmark of upper-middle-class status in the Gilded Age.

Mrs. Emily Philips & Two Children – From Elmira, New York, perhaps indicative of family relocation or long-term overseas stay.

Information for Passengers

Notice: To obviate the risk of Collision, lessen the dangers of Navigation, and ensure finer weather, the owners of the "Anchor" Line have adopted Lieutenant Maury's System of separate Steam Lane Routes for the Outward and Homeward Passages of their Atlantic Steamers, whereby the most Southerly Route practicable will be regularly maintained throughout all seasons of the year.

Berths are not considered Reserved unless Deposit is paid or Return Ticket exchanged, which should be done as early as possible.

Atlantic Steamers of the Anchor Line

• Alsatia
• Anchoria
• Anglia
• Australia
• Bolivia
• Caledonia
• California
• Castalia
• Circassia
• Devonia
• Elysia
• Ethiopia
• Italia
• India
• Trinacria
• Utopia
• Victoria

Most Engaging Content

The 1879 SS California passenger list is engaging because it captures:

A transatlantic society in motion — business leaders, affluent families, and individuals from both coasts of the U.S. traveling together.

The geographic spread of passengers, from California to Connecticut, Virginia to Chicago, showing how interconnected the Atlantic world had become.

The Anchor Line’s emphasis on safety through Maury’s separate steam lanes, a direct reflection of evolving maritime navigation science in the late 19th century.

Relevance for Teachers, Students, Historians & Genealogists

Teachers can use this passenger list to demonstrate travel patterns before the dominance of massive ocean liners in the Edwardian era.

Students gain insight into the infrastructure of transatlantic travel, including safety innovations like Maury’s steam lane system.

Genealogists can connect passenger names to census, immigration, and local history records on both sides of the Atlantic.

Historians see a microcosm of post–Industrial Revolution mobility, linking British ports to American cities across the socioeconomic spectrum.

Final Thoughts – Why This Passenger List Matters

The 17 May 1879 SS California passenger list offers a snapshot of late-Victorian transatlantic travel, where the Atlantic passage was both a social event and a logistical undertaking. It shows the diversity of passengers in terms of geography, social status, and purpose of travel — from industrialists to families, from East Coast elites to West Coast pioneers. For genealogists and historians, it’s a primary source linking personal narratives to the larger story of U.S.–British connections during the Gilded Age.