I am enormously grateful to my cousin, Pat Hocking, who in stellar fashion has performed the role of unofficial Veitch family historian for many years, and whose impressive archive of letters and documents pertaining to James William Henry Veitch she made available to me. I have never learned so much about my family in such a short time.
Thank you to my brother Simon for sourcing and restoring some of the images used, particularly tracking down the original portrait of our ancestors James and Annie Veitch. Thanks also to my sister Kate for her encouragement and editorial support.
Likewise, thanks to the small but dedicated team at the Point Nepean Historical Society in Sorrento, just a stone’s throw from the old quarantine station itself. Thank you especially to Janet South, who prepared several large folders of wonderful information regarding the Ticonderoga, her passenger list, and an extensive history of the station, where a great deal of the drama of the story took place.
Thanks particularly to Mary Kruithof, whose pioneering interest and research in her 2002 book Fever Beach brought the story of the Ticonderoga to public light for the first time in 150 years.
And finally, and most importantly, profound thanks to my wonderful partner, Brook, who from the very beginning has been, and continues to be, an indispensable source of support and encouragement.