'South Canterbury - A Record Of Settlement' Oliver A. Gillespie, published by
South Canterbury Centennial History Committee, 1958. Reports 121 landed at Timaru because
accommodation had not been provided for.Departed London 10 Sept.1862 and arrived in Timaru 16 Dec. 1862 102 days. Capt. Landed 130 immigrants.
From the "Lyttelton Times" December 24, 1862
Arrived - Dec. 23, ship Echunga, 1007 tons, Cooper, from London, via Timaru.
Passengers-
First Cabin-
Mr and Mrs Martin
Mr and Mrs Tipping
Mr and Mrs Sparrow and six children. Miss Sparrow.
Messrs Tipping (4), H. Ingle, Sparrow
Misses Louisa Porter, Frances Burke, Dooden, Martin, Tipping (3)
Steerage -
Bargain J.
Barrett. M
Battley, Jane
Betson, R.
Board, W.
Brosnahan, J.
Brosnahan, Margaret
Brown, S.
Crawford, R.
Danie, P.
Grant, D.
Grant, WJohnston, J.
Johnstone, J.
Mills, J.
Milne, D.
Napier, J.
Palmer, F.
Shea, Margaret
Slater, W.
Standoven, J.
Stevenson, P.
Stokes, E.
Tenman, J.
Walsh, E.Government Immigrants
Surname First name Sex Sps Chd Occupation Abberseth Gilbert M Y Farm Labourer Adams Thomas M Farm Labourer Anderson Bessie F Domestic Servant Anderson Robert M Y 4 Farm Labourer Annandale Jessie F Domestic Servant Baker James G. M Y Schoolmaster Bargfredo Johann M Y Farm Labourer Barr John M Y Farm Servant Betson Caroline F Domestic Servant Blackmore Abraham M Y 1 Labourer Blunt Wm. M Y 6 Labourer Boyd Robert M Y Farm Labourer Bryant George M Y 2 Farm Labourer Burnett David M Y Shepherd Campbell Hugh M Ploughman Carter Benjamin M Y 1 Labourer Coffey Catherine F Domestic Servant Coffey James M Farm Labourer Collins Joseph M Y Labourer Connor Elizabeth F Domestic Servant Craigie Jane F Dairymaid Craigie Jesse F Dairymaid Duan James M Farm Labourer Edwin Margaret F Dairymaid Eord John M y 4 Cooper Fisher Joseph M Y Labourer Fitzgerald John M Labourer Fitzgerald Wm. M Labourer Forsfall Wm. M Y 3 Labourer Fox Benjamin M Y 3 Labourer Frejaring Bennett M Y 2 Farm Labourer Frejaring Michael M Y Farm Labourer Fyffe Thomas M Y Mechanic Galvin Julia F Dairymaid Garrett Anne F No occuptions Garrett Florence F No occupation Garrett Mary F No occupation Gathin Ann F Farm Labourer Gilfillan Robert M Y 2 Ploughman Gillandris Hector M Y Shepherd Gilmore John M Y 2 Shepherd Gilmour Ellen F Domestic Servant Gilmour Jane F Domestic Servant Gould Samuel M Gardner Grangey Eliza F Domestic Servant Groggin John M Farm Labourer Hamilton Thomas M Farm Labourer Hancock Thos M 2 Gardner Hayes Samuel M Y 2 Farm Labourer Henderson Wm. M Labourer Hislop Janet F Domestic Servant Hislop Jessie F Domestic Servant Hislop Joseph M Farm Labourer Hislop Maria F 2 Hoare Dennis M Farm Labourer Co. Kerry Hoare Patrick M Y 1 Farm Labourer Co. Kerry Hoft Hirman M Y 1 Farm Labourer Hogg Thomas M Shoemaker Hunter Agnes F Domestic Servant Hunter Margaret F Domestic Servant Irwin Henry M Farm Labourer Irwin Robert M Y Labourer Irwin Robert M Y Farm Labourer Jewell Wm. H. M Y Carpenter Jifford Abraham M Y Farm Labourer Jorvey Janet F Dairymaid Kennedy Judith F Domestic Servant Kerr Agnes F 2 No occupation Kerr Ellen F No occupation Kerr Margaret M Domestic Servant Kershaw Wm. M Y 3 Shoemaker King Wm. M Carpenter La Bar Ann F Dressmaker Letford Wm. M Lewis Joseph M Y 3 Farm Labourer Linard Esther F Domestic Servant Linme Jane F Domestic Servant Lodan John M Miller Luke George M Y 4 Farm Labourer Mahoney Denis M Farm Labourer Martin Jane F Domestic Servant McCann John M Ploughman McConnell John M Y 3 Shepherd McGin Edward M Labourer McGucken Esther F Domestic Servant McKay Donald M Ploughman McKensey Anor F Domestic Servant McKnight George M Y 1 Farm Labourer McQuilland Ellen F Dairymaid Miles Mary F Domestic Servant Miller James M Y 4 Labourer Miller Margaret F Laundress Milne David M Farm Labourer Missen Harriet F Needlewoman Missen James M Mitchell George M Farm Labourer Mobby Louisa F Domestic Servant Moore John M Y 4 Domestic Servant Morrison Alex. M Farm Labourer Murphy Johanna F Domestic Servant Murphy Margaret F Domestic Servant Newell Thomas M Y Labourer Palmer George M Y 1 Gardner Pope Mary F Domestic Servant Pope Mary F 2 No occupation Pope Patrick M boy Powell John M Y 7 Labourer Quin Judith F Dairymaid Rapsey James M Y 3 Labourer Reed Hannah F Nurse Rice Edward M Y 4 Labourer Richards Elizabeth F Farm Servant Rourke John M Y 4 Farm Labourer Rule Wm. R. M Y 2 Farm Labourer Saddler Thomas M Farm Labourer Shaw Wm. M Y 1 Shepherd Shea Margaret F Domestic Servant Shields James M Y 2 Ploughman Silverton Wm. C. M Y Bricklayer Smellie Wm. M Y 3 Ploughman Smith Elizabeth E. F Farm Servant Smith Emily E. F Farm Servant Smith Fanny F Domestic Servant Stewart Mary F Domestic Servant Sutherland Alex M Y 2 Ploughman Sutherland Angus M Y 5 Ploughman Tayler George M Y 2 Carpenter Thomson John M Y 2 Farm Servant Trew Alex. M Y 3 Ploughman Tyrrell Judith F Dairymaid Vallance Robert M Ploughman Walker James M Y Farm Servant Walker Margaret F 1 Domestic Servant Webster Alex M Blacksmith Webster Charles M Farm Labourer Wood James M. M Mason Young Alex. M Labourer (name appears in the newspaper but not on the passenger list)Single adults with children:
Margaret Walker's son - James Walker
Maria Hislop's children - Geo. W. & Henry Hislop
Agnes Kerr - James & John Kerr
Mary Pope - John & Wm. Pope
Thom. Hancock was a single man with two sons.Summary
Adults - 231
87 English
81 Scotch
56 Irish
3 Welsh
4 GermanChildren - 85 (between 1 and 12)
49 English
21 Scotch
10 Irish
2 Welsh
3 GermanInfants - 16
5 English
5 Scotch
3 Irish
1 Welsh
2 German
Total- 332, equal to 273 1/2 statue adults.The Echunga, from London (10 September 1862), via Timaru, arrived in Lyttelton on Saturday last. She arrives at Timaru on Tuesday morning, the 16th inst., after a fair passage of 102 days from Gravesend. Lost six at starting, having to beat down the Channel. Left Start Point astern on September on September 10. and sighted Stewart's Island on December 12. On the 14th inst. encountered a heavy gale from the north-west, and had to lay to under close reefed topsails. The passengers speak in the highest terms of kindness and attention experienced at the hands of the captain and doctor. The Echunga landed 130 of the immigrants at Timaru. Several of the others who intended to have been landed there declined to do so as they did not consider themselves bound to land where no sufficient provision had been made for their reception. The following births and deaths occurred during the voyage-
Births-
October 7, Mrs Robson, of a daughter
October 13, Mrs Carter, of a son
October 13, Mrs Jewell, of a son
November 7, Mrs Millar, of a son
November 21, Mrs Palmer, of a daughter
November 21, Mrs Rice, of a son
December 13, Mrs Rule, of a daughterDeaths-
October 7, Martha Horsfell, an infant of acute hydrocephalus
October 29, Herman Hoft, an infant, of marasmums
November 24, Ann Sutherland, an infant, of aptha intantum
December 3, John Barr, aged 69 years, of bronchitis senilis
October 16, Edward Butters, the cook's mate, washed overboard and perished.
Total - Births 7, deaths 3 infants, 1 adult and 1 seaman lost overboard.
'South Canterbury - A Record Of Settlement' Oliver A. Gillespie, published by
South Canterbury Centennial History Committee, 1958. Reports 121 landed at Timaru because
accommodation had not been provided for.
Otago Witness, 31 January 1863, Page 2
A melancholy and fatal accident occurred at Timaru on Wednesday the 14th inst. A
party of public works people were engaged in widening and improving the Bench
road at Timaru by cutting deeper into the fence; off the cliff near Mr Beswick's
store. A huge mass of cliff suddenly gave way whilst a man named Henry Gillespie
was in the act of undermining it and before he could escape crushed him to the
ground ; when extricated he was found by Dr Butler (the district provincial
surgeon), to have sustained such injury that no hope could be entertain of his
recovery: all the ribs on one side being broken, besides suffering main severe
contusion. The unfortunate man, who was a passenger by the Echunga, lingered
between two and three hours, when death put an end to his sufferings; he leaves
a wife and infant unprovided for. An inquest, we understand, will be held on the
body. — Lyttelton Times.
TREGONING, Michael b near Penzance, Cornwall 1832-33 son of Archelus(Miner) & Mary GOLDSERY. Came to New Zealand from the Australian Gold Mines, for the Gold Rush at Gabriel's Gully, Otago. Then went back to Cornwall to marry Mary Jane BOSANKO in 1861 of Redruth, Cornwall, landed at Timaru, ship "Echunga" 16 Dec 1862 & arrived Waimate in early 1863. One of the earliest settlers in Town and District. Roadbuilder , Farmer, Brickmaker. Children Michael b Timaru 1868, William 1865, Mary Ann(Polly) 1868,Catherine Elizabeth (Bessie)1869 later Mrs G J Shackelton.
Sutherlands railroad goods shed between Cave and Pleasant Point is named after Alexander Sutherland. Reference: 'High Endeavour' William Vance. Published by author 1965. The goods shed is no longer standing.
Thomas Francis Fyfe was a painter who lived at Heaton St., Timaru. His son Tom Fyfe took part in the first ascent of Mt Cook in Dec. 1894.
Shipboard Diaries at the Canterbury Museum.
Passenger ticket, embarkation order and a diary by Wm. H. Jewell are
held at the Canterbury Museum archives. The diary can only be read at the Museum Library,
and may not be photocopied.
Groves, James M: The Echunga Diaries : London to New Zealand by Sailing Ship 1862 (2004) [see www.echungadiaries.com] in index pages 140 - 149 are passenger names. In September 1862, the barque 'Echunga' sailed from London to Timaru and Port Lyttelton crowded with 332 passengers and a crew of 38. She was only 172 feet long and 36 feet wide. The book by James M Groves, is the story of the voyage. It is told through the diaries of two of the passengers - young Cornishmen who carefully kept daily accounts of their experiences. In addition to telling the daily stories of the voyage, this book contains biographical information about each passenger and the crew members.
Looks like the diaries are by Wm. H. Jewell and William Henry Rule.
From the "Lyttelton Times" December 24, 1862
It is stated that a considerable number of the immigrants on board refused to be landed at Timaru, in opposition to the wishes of the Resident Magistrate, who appears to have stood in place of the Government on this occasion. On the part of the immigrants, it is said that there was no accommodation provided, and that there contract tickets were made out for Canterbury and did not bind them to be landed at Timaru. We have heard it stated that the barracks which were supposed to have been provided for these same immigrants months ago, had only risen about three feet from the ground: that tents were begin put up only after the landing or the first batch, which took place during heavy rain; that no drains had been dug around these tents to carry off the surplus water; that no firewood had been provided; and that there was not even a proper supply of dry straw for the people to lay down and rest upon. We do not vouch for these particulars, though we have no reason to doubt the general tenor of our information, which goes to prove that though the authorities knew as far back as May last that a large batch of immigrants would be landed at Timaru, they were caught on December 16 almost totally unprepared. Under these circumstances if we had been in the position of these immigrants we should also have very firmly but respectfully declined to land.
From the "Lyttelton Times" December 13, 1862
Arrived - December 12, barque Waterlily, 595 tons,
Bolt, from London, via Nelson Passengers:-
Cabin- Miss Hoskeyns, Miss Cairns.
Steerage- Messrs Smith, Bromwick, Gammon, Barrett, Taafe, Otrance,
M'Cann, Moon, Jones, M'Solven.
The barque Waterlily, from London, arrived at Lyttelton yesterday morning, having called
in at Nelson to land seven valuable thoroughbred horses, shipped by Mr Robinson, which arrived at Nelson in perfect health and
condition. She has made rather a long run, having been 115
days out between the Channel and Nelson. She brings a quantity of general cargo for
this place.
Reference: Page 76, W.H. R. Dale Album, Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, New Zealand (W.H. R. Dale Album is a book with newspaper clippings from The Lyttelton Times, passenger lists and voyage reports are in chronological order, photocopying is permitted from this album).
This page may be freely linked to but not duplicated in any fashion, wholly or in part, except for private study. Email © 1998- 2006Olwyn Whitehouse
