The original lists did not include the occasional sailor who stayed in Dunedin. For instance, Robert McDowall, an apprentice seaman on the Mooltan, remained in Dunedin and became the town's third schoolteacher. As information on sailors who remained in Dunedin comes available, they are being added to the lists. A good deal of Hocken's information regarding later professions, marriages, places of residence etc, was based on other people's recollections, and mistakes were certainly made. For example, in the course of researching the Mooltan's passenger list from my own book, 'Going Abroad', I made quite a few corrections, based on information given to me by descendants of the ship's passengers, and from cross referencing with the New Zealand company embarkation lists.
Ages given are as at the date of embarkation in Britain.
In spite of their limitations, Hocken's lists are are useful starting point for people seeking basic information about the arrivals of Otago's earliest settlers. A version of the lists containing some corrections, and additional information such as wives' maiden names, and death dates, is now available in a database held by the Otago Settlers Museum in Dunedin. These corrections have been incorporated in the lists in these pages, and thanks are due to to Eleanor Leckie and the Otago Settlers Museum for providing the information. Thanks also to the many descendants of passengers who have contacted me to supply corrections and additions to the lists. The format of these lists is changed from that employed by Hocken, to improve clarity.