On February 11th 1990 a reunion for descendants of passengers who arrived on the "Java" on February 6th, 1840, was held in the Partridge House Gardens at Glenelg. This had been organised by Neil Thomas and the author and was very successful with over 200 people attending. The Reverend Arnold Hunt, also a descendant of a passenger, gave a thanks giving prayer.

In 1991 the author communicated with Mrs. Glenda Richards, who in researching her husband's family history had located my first edition at the Mortlock Library of South Australiana. The Richard's family Bible came into Glenda's hands in June 1991 and has provided much useful information for later editions of this work.

It is now clear that the so called George Richards diary should be more accurately called the William Richards diary or perhaps even more safely just called the Richards diary! I had based my information for the authorship of the document from two sources, firstly that of the records of the Mortlock Library of South Australiana (MS D4718) and secondly that of the late archivist Colin Kerr in his chapter about the "Java" in his (sic) "An Exelent Coliney, The Practical Idealists of 1836-1846) " (1968).
The family Bible gave us the following information, which I will briefly outline: William Richards born 19/3/1796 in Cornwall married Esther Watts, born 1/2/1800. They had the following issue:

1. Edward (died in Cornwall)
2. William Frederick born 18/1/1824 in Cornwall died 24/9/193 at Gawler
3. Mary Louisa (died in Cornwall)
4. Alfred (died in Cornwall)
5. George born 13/3/1830 died 27/1/1917
6. Laura
7. Cyrus born 4/7/1835 died April 1901
8. Caroline born 8/1/ 1837 died on voyage to South Australia Francis Watts born 16/61842, died 9/2/1866
9. Henry Michell born 1/6/1844 died about 1925 at Angaston.

It is obvious from the dates that George at 9 was far too young to be the diarist and William Frederick would only have been 16 years of age. I can only then agree with Glenda Richards that the probable author was William Richards senior. William Richards senior died in South Australia on the 17/6/1866 and his wife Esther died on 7/2/1876.

William Frederick Richards moved to Angaston where he had the occupation of tailor, joined the Police force on the first of January 1852 (a time of great movement out of the Police Force because of the rush to Victoria for gold), and he resigned in July 1858 and married on 8/8/1858. He spent the rest of his life in Gawler as a baker to 1892. A clipping held by the family indicates that William Frederick Richards was associated with another infamous South Australian ship-the Admella. He acted as organiser of the benefit evening held on September 13th, 1859 for victims of the shipwreck. He died on the 24/9/1893.

The author also corresponded with Ms Norma Trangmar, great -granddaughter of James Trangmar and received a copy of a photograph of James in his uniform as a member of the Volunteer Artillery and additional information about James and his sister Mary Ann who according to her diary was friendly with Governor Gawler's wife and saw the first bread baked in the colony from wheat grown here. James had acquired land but this was sold when he followed his sister and her husband, George Godwin Crouch to Launceston and then to Portland.