New Plymouth - New Zealand Bound
New Plymouth - New Zealand Bound
Taranaki was for the English what Otago was for the Scottish
Port Taranaki is located on the west coast of the North Island. New Plymouth was foundered by the Plymouth Company of New Zealand, which purchased 50,000 acres from the New Zealand Company who had purchased the land from the Maoris. Mr F.A. Carrington, who was surveying the site for the town in 1842, took shelter in Dickie Barrett's whare, as he was stopped by Maoris decided to name the settlement after Plymouth in Devonshire. The first emigrant vessel the William Bryan departed Plymouth 19 November 1840 and arrived at Moturoa Beach 30 March, 1841 with one-hundred and forty settlers from Devon and Cornwall who displayed in the founding of Taranaki the English colonising character at its best.
Waitara - one mile north of the mouth of he Waitara River, 11 miles east from New Plymouth. Here in 1839 Colonel William Wakefield persuaded the Maori chiefs to sign various deeds which effectively transferred ownership of most of the tribal land to the New Zealand Company. The sale of this land was disputed by the Native tribes and the dispute culminated in the Taranaki war. In Taranaki in the early days the rifle was always close to hand. There was a Maori rebellion in Taranaki from 1860-1865. Many settlers moved to the South Island due to the Maori friction. Many men decided to stay but sent their family to Nelson or elsewhere. In 1860 Great Britain was appealed to for assistance and ten British Regiments and all their staff and transport corps were located here and in the Auckland district. On March 28 1860, 300 men of the 65th Regiment under command of Sir Harry Atkinson, with militia and volunteers marched from town and defeated the Maoris at Waireka Hill. This was the first action fought by colonial troops, many of who were under 20. The first military settlers landed at Taranaki in August, 1863.
The History of Taranaki: A Standard Work on the History
of the Province - Page 310
by Benjamin Wells - Taranaki War, 1860-1861 - 1878 - 311 pages
and Taranaki Herald, 11 July 1874,
Page 2
SHIPS WHICH VISITED THE COAST OF TARANAKI IN EARLY TIMES. Yacht Heemskirk Captain Tasman, December 1574 Fly-boat Sea-hen Captain Tasman, December 1574 Barque Endeavor, Captain Cook, January ... ... ... 1770 Ship Mascarin, Captain Marion du Fresne, February ... 1772 Barque William Stoveld, Captain Davidson, anchored off the Waitara and traded with the natives, who came out of the river in large canoes ... ... ... ... ... 1823 Bombay, whaler, anchored off Ngamotu, and landed Heberley and others ..................... 1828 Schooner Currency Lass, of Sydney, traded at Ngamotu February ..................... 1832 Ship Tory, Captain Chaffers, landed Dr. Dieffenbach at Ngamotu, November 28 ............ 1839 Brig Guide ..................... 1840 Barque Brougham, February 11 ... ... ... ... 1841 Barque William Bryan, March 30 ............ 1841 Barque Amelia Thompson, September 3 ... ... 1841 Schooner Regina, October 3 ............... 1841 Ship Oriental, November 18 ............... 1841 Barque Timandra, February 24 ... ... ... ... 1842 Barque Jupiter ... ... ... ... ... ... 1842 Barque Blenheim, November 7 ............ 1842 Barque Essex, January 23 ... ... ... ... ... 1843 Barque Thomas Sparks, May 29 ............ 1843 Barque William Stoveld, October 26 ......... 1843 Barque Himalaya, December 23 ... ... ... ... 1843 Barque Theresa, March 19 ............... 1844 Barque Bella Marina, May 27 ............ 1844 Government Brig Victoria, June 31 ... ... ... 1844 Barque Raymond, August 29 ... ... ... ... ... 1844 H.M.S. Hazard, August ............... 1844 Barque Slaines Castle ... ... ... ... ... ... 1845 Paul Jones, April ............... 1845 Marianne, June ... ... ... ... ... 1846 Barque Madras, September ... ... ... ... ... 1846 Barque Ralph Bernal, October ... ... ... ... 1846 Barque Elora, January... ... ... ... ... ... 1847 H.M.S. Inflexible, February 26 ............ 1847 Barque Cornwall, August 18 ... ... ... ... ... 1849 Barque Poictiers ............ 1849 Berkshire .................. 1850 Zelso .................. 1850 Mariner ... ... ... ... ... ... 1850 Eden, ..................October 1850 Phoebe Dunbar .................. 1850 H.M.S. Acheron .................. 1850 Victory, ..................May 1 1851 Lord William Bentinck, ......... January 6 1852 William Hyde, ..................March 1852 Barque Cresswell, July 25 . ... ... ... ... 1852 from Auckland Capt. Williams Barque Gwalior, August 18 ... ... ... ... 1852 from Auckland Capt. Davidson Ship Joseph Fletcher, October 8 .......... 1852 from London Capt. Foster Camilla, 200 tons, Plant, from Twofold Bay 1852 Oct. 15 with 70 head of cattle St. Michael, December 2 ... ... ... .. 1852 from London Capt. Prance H.M.S. Faintome [Fantome].........16 December 1852 from Wellington Capt. Gennys Tasmania, April 19 .................. 1853 from Wellington Capt. McWilliams Lony, 600 tons, Row, from Wellington June 15 1853 from Wellington Capt. Row Barque Cashmere, July 7 ... ... ... ... ... 1853 from Auckland Capt. Pearson Simlah, August 6 .................. 1853 from Auckland Capt. Turnbull Sir Edward Paget Aug. 16 ................. 1853 from Auckland Capt. Chapman Barque Cresswell, Barnett.......... 25 August 1853 from London Capt. Barrett Ship Joseph Fletcher, September 17 ... ... 1853 from London Capt. Foster Ship John Taylor, November 28 1853 from Wellington Capt. Cawkett Barque Hamilla Mitchell, February 3 ... ... ... 1854 from Auckland Capt. Bradley Mountain Maid, 250 tons, Peacock, from WTN 1854 March 18 with 40 tons general cargo India, 270 tons, Wilson, from WTN 1854 march 27 for New Zealand produce Barque Lady Clarke, April 25 . ... ... ... ... 1854 from Auckland Capt. Toney Barque Eclipse, June 17 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1854 from London Capt. Laing Barque Cashmere, August 6 .. ... ... ... ... 1854 from London Capt. Pearson Ship Joseph Fletcher, October 5 1854 from London Capt. Foster Barque Monarch, October 29 .. ... ... ... ... 1854 from Auckland Capt. Duff Ship Josephine Willis, January 25 .. ... ... .. 1855 from London Capt. Conney Onkaparinga, 260 tons, Berthease, from WTN 1855 Feb. 1 from Wellington H.M.S. Pandora, March 26 1855 from Auckland Capt. Donny Alice Brown, 172 tons, Hay, from Twofold Bay 1855 April 19 with 60 head of cattle Barque Cresswell, June 3 ... ... ... ... ... 1855 from London Capt. Barrett Barque Rock City, July 1855 from Auckland Capt. Cubbons Barque Duke of Portland, Sept. 6 ... ... ... 1855 from Wellington Capt. Seymour Ship Egmont, November 7 .. ... ... ... ... 1855 from Auckland Capt. Gibson Barque Cashmere, November 22 . ... ... ... ... 1855 from Canterbury Capt. Pearson Gazelle, 285 tons, Downie, from Sydney 1856 March 24 with 103 horses Barque Ashmore, March 26. ... ... ... ... 1856 from Auckland Capt. Ginder Barque Chatham, May 19 ... ... ... ... ... 1856 from London Capt. Cole Barque Inchinnan, July 5 .. ... ... ... ... 1856 from Nelson Capt. Ennis Barque Euphemeus, March ... ... ... ... ... 1857 from Auckland Capt. Harwood Barque Gipsy, October 11 . ... ... ... ... 1856 from London Capt. Bolton Barque Cashmere, April 5 . ... ... ... ... 1857 from London Capt. Pearson Barque Kenilworth, July 8 .. ... ... ... ... 1857 from Auckland Capt. Thome Barque Melbourne, August 31 . ... ... ... ... 1857 from Nelson Capt. Robertson Ship Dinapore, October 10 . ... ... ... ... 1857 from Auckland Capt. Louitt Barque William Watson, December 29 ... ... ... 1857 from London, Capt. Brown Brig Duchess of Leinster, January 20 ... ... 1859 from Nelson, Capt. ewton
Arrival dates were: William Bryan 30 March 1841 Amelia Thompson 3 September 1841 Oriental November 1841 Timandra 23 February 1842 webpage Blenheim 19 November 1842 Essex 20 January 1843The Amelia Thompson followed landing 187 passengers 3rd September, 1841. The journey took five and a half months. Regina, a newly built schooner, sheathed in yellow metal in 1841, of 164 tons (140 tons using new measurements), sailed from Plymouth on 12 April under the command of Captain N. Prouse and arrived Wellington August 31st, sailing for New Plymouth on Sept. 12th arriving Oct. 3rd but was driven ashore in a gale on 5th October 1841. Her cargo, stores for the new settlement was salvaged. The Kelso, 560 tons, was dispatched by the New Zealand Company from the jetty, London Dock, on 2 or 5 July 1849, under the command of Captain John Innes, reached New Plymouth on 20 October, Nelson on 27 October, and Wellington on 4 November. A mutiny took place on the Kelso in August 1850; two of the mutineers were E Couzens and Mr E. Neil. Two other mutineers were killed during the mutiny (Mr Blanchard and Mr Palmer). Reference: Timeframes
The barque William Bryan, of 312 tons, was built at Southhampton in 1816. Originally owned by Messers Domett & England she was sold to Tullock & Company in 1844 and subsequently to Frampton & Company. She made various voyages to the Black Sea and West Indies and was finally wrecked in 1859.
In October 1840 William Bryan was contracted to the Plymouth Company to transport prospective settlers to New Zealand. She sailed from Plymouth in 19 November 1840 and arrived off the newly selected site of New Plymouth, Taranaki on March 3 1St 1841 with the first 148 Company settlers.Essex 329 tons, 114 passengers.
Arrived at Moturoa, sailed from Plymouth, England at half past 5 p.m. on 3 Sept. 1842 with 116 passengers. Arriving Wellington, New Zealand 4 Jan 1843, for New Plymouth on 16 Jan. 1843, arriving 20 Jan. 1843. The ship continued it's journey arriving Nelson, New Zealand on 30 Apr. 1843 with cattle. Then sailed 21 May 1843 from Nelson arriving 9 Jul. 1843. She was the sixth emigrant vessel to arrive at New Plymouth. The 'Blenheim' sailed Plymouth 2 July 1842 arrived New Plymouth 19 Nov, 1842. Reference: White Wings by Brett.Ruahine
Leith Hutton's unique presentation of the transcription of the Samuel Percy How's journal written during the voyage from England to New Zealand in the New Zealand Shipping Company Steam Ship Ruahine leaving London June 27th 1893 and arriving seven weeks later at Breakwater on 15 August 1893. This is three miles from New Plymouth and known as Moturua. A list of passengers on the RUAHINE, deposited with British customs officials upon departure, should be in the Public Record Office, Kew, BT 27/136: Passenger Lists Outwards, London, April-June 1893. A photocopy or microfilm of this list can be obtained from the PRO.Many New Plymouth residents first landed in Wellington and came up by coastal shipping. Others landed in Nelson, trans-shipped to Wellington, then later journeyed on to New Plymouth.
Rutherford, James, & Skinner, W. H. The Establishment of the New Plymouth settlement in New Zealand, 1841-1843: New Plymouth, N.Z.: [2d ed.] New Plymouth, Thomas Avery & Sons. 274 p. [1969] List of vessel arrivals between 1841-1860 and passenger lists for the first six ships.
Taranaki Herald, 2 July 1891, Page 13 LIST OF NAMES OF THE EARLY SETTLERS.
New Plymouth's library-museum, Puke Ariki.
Puke Ariki - a $20 million integrated museum-library and visitor information centre for Taranaki, opened June 15 2003. The development of Puke Ariki has enabled the region's extensive and historically significant museum collection to be displayed appropriately in a stimulating, educational and recreational complex. The Taranaki Research Centre can provide assistance with historical and genealogical research. The website includes a free, online searchable database of passenger arrivals between 1852 and 1885.
The three permanent exhibitions, Taonga Maori Gallery, Taranaki Naturally and Taranaki Life, can be found on the foyer level and upper level of the museum. The foyer level also houses Arborio restaurant, a theatre and a visitor information centre. Across the overbridge, the library will provide the Taranaki Research Centre, Discover It, a children's educational and interactive area, and The Daily News Cafe. This complex "a woven basket for holding our knowledge and stories" is significant for the Maori people because it means their taonga can be displayed to the best effect. "For more than 100 years a lot of history has been buried" in storage in the old museum."Puke Ariki" means "Hill of the Chiefs". It refers to a papakainga and pa site that was located where the new museum/library now stands between New Plymouth's foreshore and the central business district. It was levelled by the British for building and later became the administrative heart of the newly-established New Plymouth town, and was an important landfall for Maori and Pakeha.
Contact details: Puke Ariki
1 Ariki Street
PO Box 48
New Plymouth 4620
New ZealandPhone: +64 (6) 759 6060
Fax: +64 (6) 759 6073
Email: [email protected]Holdings include:
Immigration & shipping records, passenger lists
Obituaries, dairies, letters, scrapbooks, maps, local newspaper copies
1846 & 1852 Census of New Plymouth
Taranaki Photographic Archive (30,000 photographs);
Indexed Butler collection of newspaper cuttings, 1852-
A family descendents record of most of the families that arrived on the first six ships, names only, no places or dates, up to 1940, but records are incomplete. A few family lines may have additional data. Passenger lists for these ships can also be found passenger at Archives New Zealand, and Rutherford's book.
Biographical card index
AJHRs (indexed to 1920)
BDM microfiche to 1990
Electoral rolls on microfiche
New Plymouth Shipping indexed to 1880
Cyclopaedia of NZ
Taranaki Almanacks
Taranaki Herald, Budget & Weekly Herald, and some newspapers on microfilm. Many passenger lists were published in the local newspaper, which in the case of New Plymouth is the "Taranaki Herald". These passengers are indexed by surname from 1852 to 1880.
Early maps
New Zealand Company passenger lists and immigration records on microfilm
North Taranaki cemetery records
NZSG microfiche, including cemeteries
Old telephone directories
Family trees of original immigrants.
NZ 1991-1995 BDM Index on CDNew Plymouth Genealogy Branch
Denise & Peter's site passenger lists
Lindels Pad
Sole familyTaranaki Herald, 24 May 1856, Page 2
Arrived. May 10 Chatham, ship, 530 tons Cole, from London. Passengers Mr G. Oliver, Mrs Oliver, Mr and Mrs Atkins, Mr and Mrs Purnell, and 6 children, Mr and Mrs Tucker and 5 children, Pierce. Watt, agent.Taranaki Herald, 11 April 1857, Page 2
ARRIVED. April 5. Cashmere, ship, 800 tons, G. Pearson, from London. Passengers Thomas Waller, wife, and child, Thomas Penwarden, wife, and eight children, James Jones, wife, and child, William Sands, wife, and child, John Perry, wife, and five children, Emily Scost, Samuel Tulford, J. Wright, T. Okey. Llewellyn Nash & Co., agents.Taranaki Herald, 5 January 1888, Page 2
Jan. Wanaka, s.s., 286 tons, J. Grant from Wellington. Passengers Mrs. W. S. Douglas, Mrs. Lomas, Misses Macleay, Cole (4), Orford, Mr and Mrs. Moran and family, Mr. and Mrs Jackson and family (6), Messrs Harrison, Courtney, Brewis, Gore, Atkins, Tripp, Bryan, Vicary, Cooper, Jones, Chevalier, North, Horton, Wilkine, Wrigley, Hamilton, Little, Clark, Stockwell (2), Howlands, Moore (2), Knightly, Long, Inglis, Drew, Wallace, Montefiore, Ricketts, Badler, Giles, Pearce, Dodson, Mackay, Corlet, and Thompson.
Dalziel, Raewyn Emigration and Kinship - Migrants to New Plymouth 1840 - 1843
King, John 1836? Log book of Mr. John King of Grimsby, kept when going to New Zealand : sanctioned and confirmed by Mr. John Jackson of Hatcliffe, and the other Lincolnshire passengers by ship "Chile", which sailed from London in June, 1875. Facsimile reprint reproduced from an original copy presented to the Taranaki Museum, published by H. Watson, Laceby, Lincs., Grimsby [England] 1875. 21p. illus. New Plymouth : Chile Committee, 1975. Ships often carried passengers for multiple destinations e.g. On the voyage to Nelson in 1875 the "Chile" called at New Plymouth and landed 105 immigrants, then sailed with 63 for Westland, Nelson and Marlborough. Reference: 'White Wings' by Brett.
Alexander Turnbull Library reference section has on microfiche passenger lists for New Plymouth 1841-1860.
Wood, R. G. (Russell George) From Plymouth to New Plymouth : A.H. & A.W. Reed, 1959.
Latest information from the settlement of New Plymouth, on the coast of Taranake, New Zealand : comprising letters from settlers there: with an account of its general products, agricultural and commercial capabilities &c.: London : Smith, Elder and Co., 1842. "Published under the direction of the West of England Board of the New Zealand Company." U of Waikato has a copy.
Shipping Index 1852 - 1880, Arrivals and Departures New Plymouth
This is an alphabetical index of names taken from the Intelligence Column of the `Taranaki Herald' of persons arriving and departing. Set of 9 fiche - $NZ28 (overseas add $2 for postage) available: New Plymouth Genealogical Computer Group c/- Ann Evans
Deaths in Taranaki 1960's-1970's
The place name... Moturoa, The name means "tall islands." This was the site during the Maori war of a strong pa, with rifle-pits capable of holding 500 Maoris; and here during the Maori rebellion British troops were beaten back at a great battle fought under Col. Whitmore in 1867, when of his troops 21 of his were killed and 20 wounded, Major W. Hunter being killed. Now a peaceful suburb of New Plymouth two miles from the centre of New Plymouth. The Breakwater and Sugar Loaf Rocks are here. An obelisk is erected here to commemorate the landing of the pioneer settlers of Taranaki at Moturoa in 1841 and 1842.
With tallow casks all dunnaged, with tiers on tiers of
bales,
With cargo crammed from hatch to hatch, she's racing for the sales;
A clipper barque, a model ship, a "flyer" through and through,
O skipper bluff! O skipper brave! I would I went with you!
E. J. Brady (1869-1952)