The "Echunga" Arrives

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, W
Johnston, 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 German

Children - 85 (between 1 and 12)
49 English
21 Scotch
10 Irish
  2 Welsh
  3 German

Infants - 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 daughter

Deaths-
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.

Another passenger listing

Immigrants At Timaru

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.

The Waterlily's Passengers

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).

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