"Waitangi"
South Canterbury NZGenWeb Project
Immigrants for Canterbury, New Zealand
The Star Thursday Sept. 25 1879
Shipping Lyttelton Arrived
Sept. 24 - Crusader, ship, 1058 tons, Davies, from London. Edwards, Bennett and Co. agents. Passengers - Saloon - listed. 12 second cabin and 163 steerage.
Up to dark last night there was no sign of the Waitangi. This ship left London five days after the Crusader, with 240 passengers and a large and valuable cargo. She was seen by the Crusader on Sunday off the Otago Coast, and was spoken the same day by the Mataura. The bad weather of Monday last probably induced Captain Hodder to give the coast a wide berth. She should show up on the course of the day.
The Star Thursday Sept. 25 1879
Sept. 25 - Waitangi, ship, 1128 tons, Hodder, from London. New Zealand Shipping Company, agents. The Waitangi was towed inside the breakwater at once. Saloon passengers listed. [Spelling differs slightly from the Timaru Herald]
The Timaru Herald Saturday 27 September 1879 page 2
Timaru Herald, 8 October 1879, Page 7
Arrival of the Waitangi at Lyttelton (Sept. 29, Press, Friday)
In excellent time, and in beautiful order, this favorite representative of the New Zealand Shipping Company's fleet, came into port yesterday afternoon from London. 236 passengers, first, second, and third, embarked by her, and after a voyage of eighty-three days from the Channel, and eighty-nine from Gravesend, the full complement landed on the pier yesterday apparently in as good health as they could wish to be. Neither increase nor decrease in their numbers occurred during the passage, no sickness other than the mal-de-mer, and no accident of a serious character happened from departure to arrival. As the vessel was being towed up the harbor and into the bay the Shipping Company, together with a number of Captain Hodder's personal friends, boarded her, the health officer, Dr. J.T. Rouse, having previously made his official visit. Mr J.E. March also made an official visit. Mr March offered those passengers who chose to avail themselves of the opportunity to make the Barracks their home temporarily until they were avail to find suitable houses, which offer was very gladly received. A turn round through the 'tween decks among the second and third class passengers, gave ample opportunity for ascertaining what kind of discipline had obtained. The inevitable chronic complainer was of course a specialty among so large a number, and would rally round him no doubt one or two admirers, but the body of the passengers made a pleasure trip of the voyage and had a good word for everything and everybody around them. Two incidents had enough sensational in them to cause them to be remembered happened on the road. One of these was that a seaman falling from aloft down upon the upper deck, an accident out of which he came with nothing worse than a heavy shake, and from which he recovered after a day's rest or so; the other was the attempt made by two of the crew, one of the under steward's and the assistant baker of the ship, to rob the lazarette at midnight. When the men were discovered by Captain Hodder, they were found to have the candle stuck directly on top of the powder magazine. Mr Mackintosh Collie, a young man making his first voyage, was the surgeon in charge, and seems to have gained the good opinion of the passengers.The classification of the passengers was-
twenty-five saloon
twenty-four in the second cabin
one hundred and eighty six steerage
The latter have paid their own passages, and from what was seen of them they appear to be a class that will do well in the land of their adoption.
Following is account of the sailing done:-
The Waitangi left the South West India Dock on the morning of the 26th of June, and brought up at Greenhithe to swing for adjustment of compasses. Proceeded to Gravesend the same day and embarked her passengers that evening. Passed the Government inspection the next day and towed away from Gravesend at 2 a.m. on the 28th. Towed as far as the Isle of Wright against fresh westerly winds; cast off the tug at 10 a.m. of the 29th. Cleared the Channel on Friday, July 4th, sighting the Lizards at 4 a.m. Favorable weather but unsteady winds were then experienced as far as the Cape, which was passed on August 20th, in lat. 41 South. The Leuwin was passed on September 10th, Tasmanian on the 16th, after which dirty weather prevailed. The worst weather during the whole voyage was experienced between Tasmanian and the coast, no observation being taken for six days. The Snares were passed at midday of the 21st September. Sighting the coast early in the morning of the 23rd. Light winds and calms thence to anchorage.
The vessels spoken during the passage were:-
July 17th lat. 16.20 N., 25.59 W., the Helen Pembroke from London to Calcutta, 22 days out
August 23, lat. 45.53 S., long.25.41 E., the ship Gateside, from London to Adelaide, 69 days out
September 21 ult, lat. 48..33 long. 168.33 E, barque Mataura, from London to Otago, 86 days out
Of the officers of the Waitangi, two remain in the positions they held when last here, Mr Barnes, chief, and Mr Hannon third. Mr Metcalf is second officer. The ship was brought in direct from the sea by steamtug, which never parted from her until the Waitangi was snugly berthed at the Gladstone Pier. The passengers will land finally this morning, the fifty or sixty of them whose destinations are in different parts north and south in the colony, proceeding thither by first opportunity. The ship will be entered at the Customs this morning and commence at once to land her cargo.The following is her passenger list:- Saloon- 25 Bidmead Miss Browne Mr C.R.B. Houlder Mr T.E., jun Homan Mr Jones Rev. J.J. Jones Mrs Murray Mr W.M. Rait Mr Robson Mrs Rutherford Mr Rutherford Mrs Rutherford Katherine Rutherford William S Rutherford John S Rutherford Jane Rutherford Ellen M Rutherford Jennett Rutherford Georgina Rutherford Rosina Rutherford James B Rutherford Annie E Sayers Miss Alice Tulloch Mr Wilberfoss Mr Wyllie MrSecond cabin - 24 Badger Thomas Booker Mr Britten Mary Curle Eleanor Dawes Jane Dawes John S Farr Herbert F Farr Henry P Garforth Charles Garforth Sydney Honeywood Cecil R Leigh Amelia Leigh Elizabeth McAllum Frederick Martin T F Rushby John Spence G W Spratt Sydney J Spratt Walter J Steele Miss A Thompson Edmund Wilkinson Edward Wilkinson Harriet Wilkinson Ada LSteerage -187 Alesbrook George Allsebrook Richard Anderson Joseph Ashley William Ashley David Asplen Mary Baxter John Benson George Best Benjamin Best Jane A Best Henry Best John F Best William E Bill W Bond Hector Brierly Thomas E Boulby Robert Bull John Bunning Edward Bunning Eliza Burns Herbert Burns James Burns Elizabeth Burns Frederick Burns Herbert Caldwell John L Carr William E Carr W J Cashman Daniel Cashman Ellen Cashman Timothy Clever John Clever Eliza Clever Clement Clever William Coleman Luke Cooksley George Cronin Patrick Cunningham Patrick Curtis John Curtis Joseph Dalton Michael Davis Thomas Davis Ellen Day James Deacon William Deacon Samuel Donald James Dowthwaite Alfred Dowthwaite Sarah Duggin Michael Ede Joseph Edmonds Edwin Edmonds Thomas Edmonds Sarah Edmonds Jane Elwood John Elwood Margaret Elwood Edward Elwood Thomas Elwood Arthur Elwood Joseph Elwood Ernest Espiner Paul E Evans Alfred Evans Sarah Fenton Thomas Fleming Richard Fortune James Franklin Alfred Garrett Ernest S Garrett Henry S Gilbanks George Goldstone Charles Goldstone Florence Griffin Martha Griffin Eliza Griffin Martha Groves William Groves Esther Gunderson Herbert Hallewell Israel Harley George Harris Charles Harrison Dorothy Hatcliffe William Hayes James Heatley John Hendry John J Henry David Henry Jane Herd Joseph Heseltine Anthony Hill Samuel D Hobson John C Hobson Susannah Holland James Hopkins Thomas Hopkins Emily Hosie William Hosie Jane Houghton Charles E Hutt Alfred Irvine Eliza Irvine Eliza Jennings Emma Jennings Herbert Jennings Louisa Jones Sydney Keeley George Keeley Ellen A Keeley May King Job Kipage Robert Kore William Lahn H Laing George Lloyd George Lynch Thomas McFall Thomas McFall Elizabeth McGowen Edward Matthews R Michael George Mitchell Alexander Moore Thomas Moore Julia Morris Isaac Morris M A Morris Sydney Morris Frederick Morris Augusta Morris Isaac Morris Arthur Morris Dudley Morris Robert Morris Ernest Nolan James O'Malley Rose Pannell George Parker Charles F Roberts William E Ross William Rowland George E Rowland Mary E Rutherford George Smith Henry Sayer William C Shipton William Smith Sydney Smith Emma Smith Kate Smith Ellen Smith Henry Smith Ruth Smith Rose Smith Frederick Smith Arthur Steele Samuel Smith Alfred Smith Sarah Smith Martha Smith Fredrick W Smith Arthur Spekesley Thomas Stringer Charles R Suttie William Swain Thomas Swain Amelia Swain Thomas Swain Sydney Tennant James Tennant Eliza Tennant Alfred Tennant Mary Tierney Richard Tiper George Tiper Elizabeth Tiper Willie Whitcombe E Whiting Charlotte Wren Benjamin Wren Juliana Wren W A Wren Matilda Younger Richard Younger Mary S
1876
The 'Waitangi' arrived at Littleton on Sept 16, 1876. There is a report
of its voyage/arrival in the Lyttelton Times of Sept. 18, 1876.
The Passenger List is available at Archives NZ in Wellington and
Christchurch. The reference is IM15/266.
Commissioners Report on Ships - Waitangi 21/9/1876 IM5/4/24 No. 271.
The Star Monday, 18 September 1876
Ship Waitangi from London, left Gravesend at 2 a.m. on Saturday, June 24, and by 10 a.m. next day was off the Start Point, when she discharged her pilot. The Equator was crossed July 19, 25 days out from Gravesend, in long 25 W. The meridian of the Cape was passed on August 17th, in latitude 41.30 South The fine clipper Waitangi, was signalled at 3 p.m. from the south. and there was considerable speculation as to whether it would prove to be the Waitangi or the Merope. All doubts were set at rest when the New Zealand Shipping Company's house flag was hoisted at the signal staff, and the s.s Akaroa started for the vessel, having the Health and Immigration officers on board, together with Messrs J.L. Coster (Chairman of the Company), J. Gould (Secretary), S. Bevans, &c. besides a number of other gentlemen from Christchurch. The Heads were reached at 25 minutes past 5, the Waitangi then being almost inside. The Akaroa steamed around the ship, which presented an elegant appearance, and after the Health officers received the gratifying report of "all well on board," the steamer's company made their tour of inspection. The vessel was passed as clear at once, and the Akaroa steamed alongside her, and as the wind was then almost calm took her in tow. Captain Hodder reported that the passage had been made in 84 days from Gravesend to the Port, or 78 days to the Snares. The ship itself appeared in the most excellent order everywhere, and brings what appear to be a first-rate complement of immigrants, numbering some 337 souls, or 282 statute adults. The majority are Irish and nearly all domestic servants. the matron, Mrs Croft, spoke in high terms of the way in which they had conducted themselves during the passage. Coming to the married people's division the same order and cleanly appearance met the eye, showing that 46 families had taken good care of their part of the floating home. A large number of children (about 80) were in this compartment. Sickness had been a stranger among them. Mr W. Harvey, was storekeeper. This gentlemen appears to have won the esteem of all the passengers in which he had discharged his duties during the voyage. Four births occurred during the passage. the division of single men contained 82. The doctor has had a very easy time of it among them, as the worst of their trouble has amounted to nothing more than sea-sickness at the commencement of the voyage. The surgeon-superintendent, Dr Dawes, who is experienced in accompanying immigrants, having been with them twice to New Zealand - in the Dover Castle to Auckland, and the Halcione to Napier - characterises the whole of them as being a thoroughly suitable class of people for the Colonies in every way. The ship anchored at 7.15 p.m. The Waitangi brings a few saloon passengers and a large quantity of general cargo for this port.Timaru Herald, 20 September 1876, Page 3
Immigrants - Six families (equal to 16 adults) 15 single men, and 15 single women, will arrive by the 6.10 p.m. train from Christchurch today. A number of them have friends here. They will be open for engagement on and after Friday.Timaru Herald, 22 September 1876
The immigrants per Waitangi will be open for engagement at the Barracks on and after to-day. The adult males comprise 1 ploughman, 16 farm labourers, 1 shepherd and 1 engine driver; the female adults, 5 servants, 1 teacher, 1 dressmaker, 1 laundress, 3 dairymaids, 1 machinist, 1 cook, 1 housemaid and 1 nurse.03 Jun 2003 Thomas Fowler passenger on the ship Waitangi 1876
The Thomas Fowler family were from West Halton in Northern Lincolnshire. His first wife died when the boys were very little and he married again not long before they left England for New Zealand. His second wife died in childbirth about five years after they arrived here, leaving him with a young girl, Lizzy, about two old, and a baby boy Harry. The older boys John, age 9, George, age 7, were in their teens by this stage. On the trip out in 1876 according to the Star newspaper account of the arrival in port of the Waitangi there were about eight children on the boat. They came by land from Lyttelton to Timaru. He a farmer and he worked as a ploughman on farms around Timaru. The Thomas Fowler were the only members of the family who came from Lincolnshire and John was the only one to marry and have a family. He had seven sons (one died aged five) and three daughters.
The Waitangi, 1128 tons, was built in 1874 by J. Blumer & Co. of Sunderland for New Zealand Shipping Company.