The following is a list of known ships into Lyttelton, New Zealand between 1851 - 1885.
Sources include:
* Angelfire, for Lyttelton & Port Cooper
* Canterbury Association Manifest
* Christchurch City Libraries
* dustydocs
* Immigrant Ships to Lyttelton
* NZ Bound, with multiple links
* New Zealand Shipping
* White Wings
And, of course, Papers Past

* The page, CANTERBURY PROVINCE tells of:
* Some Very Early History
* Well-Prepared Welcome
* Pioneer's Interesting Diary
* Why The Women Wept
* Other Ships Arrive
* Mr Pavitt's Reminiscences

other Ship INDEXs I'm working on
into AUCKLAND
into LYTTELTON (Christchurch)
into NAPIER (Hawkes Bay)
into NELSON (Marlborough)
into NEW PLYMOUTH (Taranaki)
into PORT CHALMERS (Dunedin)
into WELLINGTON

.. NOTES ..
I There were many other ships into port during this period, some with freight only, or no reliable online info and many were from Australia & American which I have not yet undertaken, so these have been left off this journal for now. Also note, lists of passengers are those available online, they are not guaranteed complete, accurate, nor truly reliable. It seems every list online has conflicting number of immigrants per ship. Use this journal as a guide only to your own further research.

II The first ships to Lyttelton, the Charlotte Jane, Randolph, Sir George Seymour and Cressy, together carried an estimated 790 passengers. In addition, about another 60 worked their passage on the ships or deserted and disembarked. The first of the vessels, Charlotte Jane, landed at Lyttelton Harbour on the morning of 16 Dec 1850. When she reached port she found there two vessels at anchor, the Government brig Fly with Governor George and Lady Grey on board and a merchant vessel, the Barbara Gideon, which had sailed from Plymouth two months before 'the first four ships' and was probably the vessel by which the Canterbury Association had sent out the material used in preparing for the arrival of the pioneers. Governor Grey and the settlers, afterwards had differences, but his welcome of the newcomers seems to have been most courteous and his presence on the spot smoothed over many difficulties that might have arisen through the sudden influx of such a large number of new settlers. Not the least appreciated act of his was the remission of all Customs duties on the belongings of the immigrants. There was going to be some trouble over the interpretation of 'personal belongings,' which were admitted free, but the Governor was higher than red tape and everything went ashore free of toll.
Randolph followed that afternoon. Sir George Seymour arrived 17 Dec, followed ten days later by Cressy on 27 Dec. Cressy had taken longer because she had sprung her foremast south of the Cape of Good Hope and had to reef those sails.
By the end of summer the colony had been joined by settlers from the Castle Eden, which arrived on 17 Feb 1851 and then the Isabella Hercus on 1 March. Between March 1851 and early May 1853, a further 22 shiploads of settlers had arrived from England. By then the colony had an estimated population in excess of 3,000. (This figure may be an under-estimate because various lists of passengers didn't always agree, there were also ships arriving from Australia with both passengers and animals, movement within New Zealand was unrestricted and ships also stopped at other New Zealand settlements before or after visiting Canterbury, but immigrants were registered at their first port of entry).
The 'colonists' who travelled in the relative luxury of the cabins, included those men and their families who could afford to buy land in the new colony. 'Immigrants' included farm workers, labourers and tradesmen who made the journey in steerage, some having assisted passage. Each ship carried a chaplain, a doctor and a schoolmaster and included in the cargo was a printing press, a library of 2,000 books, a church organ and several pre-fabricated houses in sections. Cabin passengers paid £42 and cheaper berths were £25, whilst steerage passengers paid £15.
A marble plaque in Cathedral Square in Christchurch lists the names of the Canterbury Pilgrims, as those who arrived on the first four ships are known.
Passenger lists of the 'First Four' ships to Lyttelton.
* The first expedition of colonists consisted of 1200 passengers in six vessels; for though the 'first four' sailed from England at the same time, they were so closely followed by the Castle Eden and the Isabella Hercus that the whole of the first colonists really emigrated as a body.

. . 1851 . .
BANGALORE, barque 877 tons, Captain William Morgan, sailed Gravesend 9th May 1851, arrived 21st Aug. The largest ship chartered by the Canterbury Association . passengers. On 14 Sep, having discharged its passengers and freight, she sailed for Wellington. On the 8th of Oct she sailed for Bombay. It was reported in the Lyttelton Times 3 July 1852 that she had been totally wrecked. Captain Morgan bought 50 acres on the plains, returned to England to fetch his wife and returned here to settle.

CASTLE EDEN, 930 tons, Captain Thornhill, sailed from Plymouth 3rd Oct 1850, arrived 14 Feb 1851 with 204 passengers, including Dr Jackson, Bishop designate of Lyttelton & his family. The ship encountered heavy weather and was compelled to return to the Sound, from which she finally sailed on the 18th . passengers

CANTERBURY, new ship 970 tons, Captain Edwards, sailed East India Docks, London 18 June 1851 on her maiden voyage, arrived 18 Oct. This ship was christened by Lady Lyttelton a month before she sailed. The ceremony took place after a public breakfast given at the East India Docks to the first portion of the main body of the Canterbury settlers. She carried a sixteen ponder cannon, sometimes used to salute ships coming into port . passengers

CHARLOTTE JANE, 720 tons, Captain Alexander Lawrence, sailed Plymouth 7 Sept 1850, arrived Dec 16 1850. When the 'Charlotte Jane', the first ship, entered the harbour, Her Majesty's sloop of war, 'Fly' was lying at anchor, having on board His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand and Lady Grey, who had come down in hopes of being present at the arrival of the first body of colonists (see link above) . passengers . another list

CORNWALL, barque 580 tons, Captain Davison, sailed London 15 Aug 1851, arrived 10th Dec then on to Nelson & Wellington . passengers

CRESSY, 4th of the 'first 4,' barque, 720 tons, master Bell, sailed from Plymouth 8th Sep with 27 cabin, 23 intermediate and 105 steerage passengers, arrived 27 Dec (see link above)

DOMINION, 547 tons,Captain William S. Drake, sailed 8 May 1851, arrived 30 Aug . List of Persons whom the Canterbury Association have authorized to embark for Canterbury

DUKE of BRONTE, 500 tons, Captain John Thomas Barclay, sailed London 10 Jan 1851, arrived 5th June . passengers

DUKE of PORTLAND, 533 tons, Captain W. J. Cubitt, sailed Portsmouth 19 June 1851, arrived 26th Sept . passengers

FATIMA, 521 tons, Captain Sproul, sailed London 12th Sep 1851, arrived 7th Dec . part list

ISABELLA HERCUS, full rigged ship 618 tons, Captain Peter Houston, sailed Gravesend 24th Oct 1850, arrived 1 March 1851 . passengers

LABUAN, barque 547 tons, Captain Walter Scott, sailed London 8 April 1851, arrived 14 August . passengers

LADY NUGENT, built 1813, 668 tons, Captain John Parsons, sailed London 30th May 1851, arrived 18 Sept . passengers

MIDLOTHIAN, barque 530 tons, Captain Gibson, sailed Gravesend 21st June 1851, arrived 8 Oct, then on to Nelson . passengers

ORIENTAL, barque 506 tons, was one of the first five ships sent out by the New Zealand Land Company. From London, Captain Macey, arrived at Lyttelton during August. After landing passengers and cargo, she was employed trading between Australia and New Zealand. On the 26 Nov she brought over 80 horses, 150 head cattle and 1,500 sheep for Wellington and Lyttelton.

RANDOLPH, 2nd of the 'first 4', same day as Charlotte Jane, 761 tons, master Dale, sailed from Plymouth 7th Sep 1851, with 34 cabin, 15 intermediate and 161 steerage passengers, arrived 16th Dec (see link above).
On Thursday the 20th Dec, one of the steerage passengers, named John Williams, who had been walking out to Riccarton and Christchurch, was found lying dead near the bridle-path on the top of the hill above the town, by some other travellers on their return. Medical assistance was quickly procured but it was ascertained that life had been for some time quite extinct. The cause of his death appears to have been of an apoplectic nature and was probably hurried on by the excessive hear of the weather and the unusual fatigue, to which, in his praiseworthy endeavors to find a suitable spot on which to locate his family, the deceased had exposed himself. The remains were brought into town and buried in the cemetery on the following day by the Rev E. Packle. He bore a high character with all who had an opportunity of knowing him. He left a widow and eight children.

SAMARANG, barque 582 tons, Captain Escott, sailed London 26 March 1851, arrived 31st July . passengers

Sir GEORGE POLLOCK, 630 tons, Captain Withers, Dr Moore Surgeon-Superintendent, sailed 17 July 1851, arrived 10 Nov with 145 passengers, including Felix Wakefield (1807-1875). Felix was the 7th child, 6th son, of Edward Wakefield (1774–1854), a distinguished surveyor and land agent and Susanna Crush (1767–1816) of Felstead. His grandmother, Priscilla Wakefield (1751–1832), was a popular author for the young and one of the introducers of savings banks. He was the brother of: Catherine Gurney Wakefield (1793–1873), the mother of Charles Torlesse (1825–1866); Edward Gibbon Wakefield (1796–1862); Daniel Bell Wakefield (1798–1858); Arthur Wakefield (1799–1843); William Hayward Wakefield (1801–1848); John Howard Wakefield (1803–1862); Priscilla Susannah Wakefield (1809–1887); Percy Wakefield (1810–1832) and an unnamed child born in 1813.
When he left school Felix began working with his father and training as a surveyor and civil engineer. This was interrupted, however, in 1826 as a result of the scandal surrounding his brothers, Edward Gibbon Wakefield, William Wakefield and his stepmother Frances Wakefield who hatched the plan and abducted, the heiress Ellen Turner, daughter of the High Sheriff of Cheshire. When he eventually finished his training he rejoined his father, now in exile in Blois, France. Soon afterwards he impregnated a servant girl, Marie Bailley and was required to marry her. In 1832 the young family emigrated to Tasmania where Felix was employed as a surveyor. Although initially successful, Felix's work did not impress the authorities and such was his personality that when criticised he usually resorted to litigation and argument. As a result of this, he became extremely unpopular and eventually unemployable. Various attempts to recoup his fortunes were unsuccessful and by 1846 the family was destitute. Abandoning his wife and youngest child in Tasmania, Felix took the other eight children and returned to England.
Most of the responsibility for supporting the family fell on his older sister, Catherine Torlesse, mother of Charles Torlesse and brother Edward Gibbon, who was himself recovering from a major stroke. But Edward Gibbon was also involved in the promotion and planning of a new scheme for the colonisation of New Zealand, the Canterbury Association, under the auspices of the Church of England and he persuaded himself that his brother Felix and his surveying skills had a contribution to make. The plan that Felix drew up for surveying the Canterbury Plains was largely adopted and contributed significantly to the early success of the colony. However, it was not easy, as Felix was just as hard to work with in England as he had been in Tasmania. Eventually, relations between the brothers were so bad that Edward Gibbon more or less wrote off his brother's debts, paid him a substantial sum of money, and sent him off to New Zealand. So it was that he arrived in 1851 with his wife Marie Felice Elizabeth Baillie and 6 of their family of 9, 6 sons & 3 daughters.
Immediately on arrival he began feuding with the agents of the Canterbury Association about the land allocated to him. There were also questions about various sums of money that he was unable to account for satisfactorily. A few months later he leased the store at Redcliffs, installed his children in the care of his eldest daughter, Constance, now twenty years old, and departed for Wellington.
In Wellington, he met up with another brother, Daniel Bell Wakefield, resumed his campaign against Edward Gibbon and started a new campaign aiming to have the administrators of the Canterbury Settlement replaced. Then at the end of March, after less than five months in the colony, he returned to London. There he continued his vendettas with such vehemence that he was summoned to appear in court, charged with uttering threats against the Canterbury Association's Land Agent, John Robert Godley. And then, just as precipitately, he returned to New Zealand.
He arrived in Nelson in 1854, bringing with him two red deer. They thrived in New Zealand and went on to destroy much of the country's native forests. Felix returned to Canterbury where his welcome was very cool. By August he was again in trouble, this time for attempting to evict the tenant from a building owned by his nephew, Jerningham Wakefield. Shortly afterwards he quit Canterbury, this time taking his children with him and returned to Nelson where they stayed for a short while before sailing once again back to England.
He stayed away from New Zealand for ten years, during much of the time he was involved in litigation over various issues about land in New Zealand. He also served in the Crimean War, acting briefly as an engineer on the construction of the Balaclava Railway. He may also have been involved in the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Finally in Jan 1864, he returned to NZ, this time bringing with him a flock of skylarks. He settled in Nelson for a while, tried Canterbury for a period and then moved on to Wellington and then back once again to Nelson where in 1870 he was employed as a post office clerk until he retired in 1874. Wakefield died of a heart attack in Sumner (Christchurch) on 23 Dec 1875. He is buried at Barbadoes Street Cemetery.His son Edward Wakefield was a New Zealand politician and journalist.

Sir GEORGE SEYMOUR, 3rd of the 'first 4' 850 tons, master Goodson, sailed from Plymouth 8th Sep with 40 cabin, 23 intermediate and 164 steerage passengers, arrived 17th Dec (see link above).

STEADFAST, barque 524 tons, built 1847. Captain Thomas Spencer, Dr John Gundry Surgeon-Superintendent, sailed London 27th Feb 1851, arrived 8th June. Dr Gundry established a medical practice on Cashel St, between Colombo Street & Oxford Terrace. He moved back to England in 1858 and became the Vicar of Honiton, Devon. Also on board was Horace Hodgkinson (1821-1851), 4th son of George Hodgkinson, Solicitor of Newark. He took Holy Orders and was the curate for a time at Silkstone near Barnsley, later curate of Ollerton, Notts in 1850. He came to NZ on the Steadfast as Chaplain and was to take charge of the Lyttelton settlement. He died 3 weeks after landing .
the voyage & passenger list

TRAVANCORE, 562 tons, Captain Henry Brown, sailed from Gravesend at noon on 6 Dec 1850 with 173 passengers 18 were chief and 17 fore-cabin. On Sunday, 8 of Dec, she lay in the Downs, detained by contrary winds. Early in the morning of Monday however, she sailed with a gentle breeze and soon left the shores of England among the remembrances of the past. Arrived 31 March 1851 with 149 settlers.


. . 1852 . .
AGRA, 1 of 2 ships named Agra, 900 tons, built 1851, Captain McLean, sailed Gravesend 17 Nov 1851, arrived 19 March 1852 via Wellington with 150 passengers for Wellington & 100 for other parts. Two babies born, 1 infant died . full list not yet found . passengers to Wellington

CORNWALL, barque 580 tons, Captain A. Dawson, sailed London 12th Aug 1852, arrived 10th Dec. One of the earliest vessels to bring immigrants to New Zealand. Captain Dawson had made previous trips to the Colony in the Amelia Thompson and Slaines Castle. He died at Hong Kong in 1858. The Cornwall made her first voyage to New Plymouth, arriving there on the 18th Aug 1849. After discharging cargo, the barque proceeded to Nelson, arriving 25th Aug and then went on to Dunedin, arriving 23rd Sep, landing a number of passengers .. passenger list

COLUMBUS, barque 650 tons, Captain Holton, sailed London 2 July 1851, arrived 19 Jan 1852. Passengers; Mr & Mrs Hornbrook & children and 15 in the steerage. A good deal of cargo.

DUKE of PORTLAND, 533 tons, Captain William John Cubitt, sailed Portsmouth 19th June 1852, via Port Victoria. The Government brig Victoria, bound for Wellington, sailed from Port Victoria in company with the Duke of Portland, arrived 24th Sep with 151 . passengers. She sailed on to Auckland 24th Oct 1851

GWALIOR, barque 404 tons, Captain James Davidson, via Auckland, sailed London 10 Dec 1851, 6 months later, 15 June 1852, she arrived in Auckland. A remarkable story was told .. It had been a most wearisome, uncomfortable passage and everybody was heartily sick of the sea and the ship. She was unseaworthy, had a decided list. To add to this the craft had a drunken captain and in the latter part of the voyage the food was scarce and unpleasant. Even in the cabin the passengers had only a little salt fish, weevily biscuits and the water was nearly as thick as oil. A month before reaching Auckland the food was so scarce that in desperation the cargo was broached and some salt fish and bags of rice were freely used. During the passage the captain had spent seventeen days in irons, as he was suffering from delirium tremens, during which he threatened to stab the mate with a carving knife. He frequently strode about the deck with a drawn sword, terrifying all the passengers. In his sober moments he was a first-class sailor; but when on a drinking bout he was the terror of the ship. Captain Davidson threw himself overboard on 16th April. Barque hove to and all efforts made to save him failed. Chief Officer Mr Taylor took command and brought the ship into port. This vessel was 200 days making the voyage to Auckland and the unfortunate Captain underwent considerable mental anxiety which he endeavoured to alleviate by resorting to stimulants. Many immigrants were sick of the voyage and disembarked at Auckland . passengers

PERSIA, 669 tons, Captain Broadfoot, sailed London 22 Feb 1852, arrived 1 Sep . passengers

SAMARANG, barque 582 tons, Captain Escott, sailed 26th March 1852, arrived 31st July with 121 passengers.

STAG, 678 tons, Captain Clarke, built in Sunderland, Scotland in 1842, sailed from the London Docks 4th Jan 1852, arrived Lyttelton 17th May. During the voyage there were 6 deaths among the young children . voyage & passengers

WILLIAM HYDE, 532 tons, Captain Applewaite/Applewhaiten, sailed from London 21st Oct 1851, arrived 5th Jan 1852 with passengers and cargo and later proceeded to New Plymouth . the journey & passengers


. . 1853 . .
HAMPSHIRE, 627 tons, Captain Reynall, sailed 10th Dec 1852, arrived 6th May via Port Victoria .. part list

JOHN TAYLOR, 800 tons, Captain J. M. Cawkitt, sailed London 10 July 1853, arrived 18 Oct with 140 passengers. Extracts from link .. Rev John Moir, being a Free Church minister, was very scathing about the ship's Chaplain and his sermons and he preached at the request of many passengers. The Captains wasn't too keen but didn't forbid him and John points out to him that 'card playing and many such were allowed and the preaching of the Gospel surely might be tolerated also.' Things got pretty bitter between the different doctrines. Several children died of diarrhea and are 'cast overboard'. During the Hurricane the Captain 'when he saw the bowsprit under the water and the sea rushing over the forecastle exclaimed "All is lost". Several sharks were caught. There was a fight between the black cook and several seamen, the cook ended up with a cracked skull, broken arm etc. Passengers were outraged and the sailors were to be prosecuted for the attack. John Moir and other passengers make a presentation (money) to the Captain for his 'ability as a commander, his urbanity and kindness and attention to all our wants.'

MINERVA, 830 tons, Captain Johnston, sailed from Plymouth 12th Oct 1852, arrived at Port Cooper 2nd Feb on her 113th day. A few calms had slowed her down otherwise the voyage was uneventful. Among the passengers in the Minerva was Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who realized his long cherished project and arrived in New Zealand with the intention of becoming a colonist. A great deal of Edward and his family scandal can be seen at the top '1st 4' story .. passengers


. . 1854 . .
ASHMORE, 512 tons, Captain Edwards, arrived 16th Nov 1854 .. passengers

BALNAGILETH, 461 tons, Captain Arthur Smith, sailed London 12th Dec 1853, arrived 22nd April 1854. This vessel was bound for Auckland, but owing to ship's stores running out, the Captain was forced to make for Lyttelton.

DOLPHIN, 370 tons, Captain Turnbull, sailed London 1 June 1854, arrived 8th Nov . passengers

DUKE of PORTLAND, 533 tons, Captain George F. Seymour, sailed Plymouth 19 Nov 1853, arrived 27th March 1854, via Wellington.


. . 1855 . .
CAROLINE AGNES, 580 tons, Captain James Ferguson, sailed 19th April, arrived 16th August. Passengers, 187. Among the passengers was Mr William Taylor, who was responsible for great pioneering work in Christchurch, which, when Taylor arrived, was only a flax swamp with a few scattered tents . passengers

CASHMERE, 640 tons, Captain Pearson, sailed London July 1855, arrived 23rd Oct. The Cashmere brought many early settlers to the Dominion. She made 5 voyages to Auckland, 2 to Lyttelton and one each to Nelson and Dunedin. She was more comfortable than many other vessels coming out in the 1850s and many pioneers chose this ship when making a trip to the Homeland . passengers

GRASMERE, 455 tons, Captain John Yeo, sailed London 9th Jan 1855, arrived 4th May . passengers

ROYAL STUART, 723 tons, Captain Frederick George Tadman, sailed Plymouth 9th Oct 1854, arrived 4th Jan 1855 with 29 first, 37 second and 36 steerage passengers, also 650 tons of general cargo in unprecedented speed. We understand the voyage was passed most agreeably by the passengers, who enjoyed excellent health, the only melancholy casualty being the health of the Surgeon, Mr David F. Twining, who died on entering the harbour. He suffered much all the passage from a broken rib (caused by a fall some years since) pressing on his lungs. We hear he was nearly sixty years of age. Messrs Young and Co. acted very unwisely in committing the charge of so many valuable lives to a gentleman who, however great his professional skill, owning to his age and infirmities, would have been unable to attend to any serious illness if such had unfortunately broken out. This is more culpable when so many young and capable men can be easily obtained in England . voyage & passengers. The Royal Stuart was wrecked on the Capricorn Reef, Torres Strait in 1864 while on passage from Auckland to Madras

SOUTHERN CROSS, topsail schooner 100 tons, Captain Susten, built especially for Bishop Selwyn for £1,500, funded by subscriptions provided by supporters of the Melanesian Mission. She was built by Messrs Wigram of Blackwall Yard, England in 1855, the first of 9 ships named Southern Cross, the name given to each of a succession of ships serving the Melanesian Mission of the Anglican Church and the Church of the Province of Melanesia. She succeeded the Undine, a 21-ton schooner built at Auckland and in service from 1849 to 1857. She sailed 28th March 1855, arrived 20th July. Was wrecked 18 June 1860 at the mouth of the Ngunguru River, during an easterly gale.


. . 1856 . .
EGMONT, 767 tons, Captain Gibson, sailed London 11th Sep 1856, arrived 23rd Dec . passengers, including Bishop Henry John Chitty Harper (1804-1893) & Rev George H. Eyre and their families

ISABELLA HERCUS, 618 tons, Captain William Sewell, sailed London 18th Sept 1855, arrived 5th Jan 1856. Two births, 8 deaths . passengers

Sir EDWARD PAGET, 482 tons, Captain Wycherley, sailed London 21st Feb 1856, arrived 2nd July . passengers


. . 1857 . .
BELLISSIMA Barque, 431 tons, Captain Rowett, sailed Gravesend 6 11 1856, arrived 14th Feb 1857 with 6 passengers

CORNUBIA, 459 tons, Captain Ellison, from London, via Auckland, arrived 14th October.

GLENTANNER, 610 tons, Captain Benjamin Bruce, sailed London 11th June 1857, arrived 3rd Oct. A very rough experience on the voyage. She ran into a very heavy gale and was thrown on her bean ends. The mainmast-head gave way also the mizzen topmast and jibboom, which carried away the foretop gallant mast and foretopsail yard. Nearly all the sails were carried away. When the masts went down the ship righted herself, but it was not until the following day that she could be got before the wind and then she could only spread her foresail and foretop mast staysail. By this accident one of the seamen was killed . 163 passengers

PHILIP LAING, wooden barque, 459 tons, Captain Cadenhead, sailed from London 1856, arrived 13th Feb 1857 via Wellington. She was approx 180ft long, a beam of 39 feet with square rigs on the foremast & mainmast and fore and aft rigging on the mizzen mast. She was built with the yard number 167 by the James Laing yard at Deptford in Sutherland for Laing & Ridley of Liverpool and was launched 23 July 1846. During the voyage to Lyttelton she caught fire just after having called at Cape of Good Hope, but it was quickly extinguished. When leaving Lyttelton, bound for Singapore, she was struck by a squall and nearly capsized, but she righted herself, not before it had been mistakenly reported that she had sunk with the loss of all of her crew. She made several trips between UK and the East. On one occasion she was stranded on an island in the Java Sea for 36 hours, until the crew were able to refloat the ship.
The Philip Laing had made a number of trips to NZ, brought 247 immigrants in 1847 and Port Chalmers in 1848. She is last mentioned in the Lloyd's Register with her captain given as J. S. Cadenhead. The ship ended its days as a coal hulk at Hong Kong.

SOLENT, 732 tons, Captain Martin Brooks, sailed from London 27 April 1857 and, via Auckland, arrived in Lyttelton on 8th Sep with 21 passengers.


. . 1858 . .
ASHBURTON, 589 tons, Captain King, sailed London 7th Aug 1857, arrived, via Wellington, 15th Jan 1858

HASTINGS, 597 tons, Captain Carew, sailed London 18 Nov 1857, arrived via Wellington, 20th March 1858 . made 3 trips to NZ

INDIANA, barque 852 tons, Captain McKirdy, sailed London 2nd Aug 1858, arrived via Wellington 23rd Nov . passengers

NOURMAHAL, 846 tons, Captain L. C. Brayley, sailed London 6th Feb 1858, via Otago, arrived 16th June . passengers

ROEHAMPTON, 469 tons, Captain Chandler, sailed London 5th Nov 1857, arrived, via the Cape of Good Hope, 7th March 1858 . passengers

WESTMINSTER, 731 tons, Captain Westgarth, sailed London 13th Oct 1857, arrived 9th Jan 1858 . passengers


. . 1859 . .
ASHBURTON, 600 tons, Captain King, sailed London, arrived 19 Dec 1859 via Nelson . passengers

BURMAH, 718 ton wooden ship, Captain Turnbull, sailed London 26th Aug 1859 with 36 crew, 22 passengers, the largest and valuable consignment of first-class, breeding livestock ever shipped to the colony, a thoroughbred colt, 4 thoroughbred fillies, a thoroughbred mare. Four Clydesdale stallions, 2 Clydesdale mares, 2 Yorkshire stallions and a Yorkshire Colt. Four Ayreshire bulls & 2 heifers and a short-horn bull & 2 heifers and other general cargo. She was due Lyttelton 20 Dec 1859 but never arrived. She was seen by the Regina on 17 Nov, about 14 days sailing distance west of NZ, at 48°S 97°E. Regina passed icebergs the day after they spoke. Burmah was officially declared lost by Lloyds on 6 May 1860 .. passengers

CAMEO, barque, 785 tons, Captain J. Pole, sailed London 1st March 1858, arrived 11 July .. passengers

CASHMERE, 640 tons, Captain john Byron, sailed London 16th June 1859, arrived 11th Oct . passengers

CRESSWELL, 570 tons, Captain Barnet, sailed 27th May 1858, arrived 12 Sep . Five deaths during the voyage . passengers

CATHERINE PEMBERTON, 319 tons, Captain Harris, sailed 24th June, arrived 26th October.

MINERVA, 874 tons, Captain Merryman, from London, via Wellington, arrived 16th August.

REGINA, Captain Thornton, sailed 2nd September, arrived 4th December. Passengers, 283.

STRATHALLAN, 551 tons, Captain Williamson, from London, via Timaru, arrived 21st January, making the passage in 90 days. Passengers, 259. One half landed at Timaru.

VALISNERIA, 243 tons, Captain Webb, from London, via Mauritius, arrived 13th November. The vessel encountered severe storms and was compelled to put into Mauritius for repairs. The voyage occupied six months.

VICTORY, 579 tons, Captain Stevens, arrived 14th May. Passengers, 174.


. . 1860 . .
AMBROSINE, Barque, 437 tons, Captain Parsons, sailed from London 29th Oct 1859, arrived 15th Feb 1860. She two days after the wreck of the Royal Charter and met with terrific gales in the Channel. Shipping generally suffered severe damage during these gales. The barque sailed finally from the French Island Ushant on 9th Nov and made a run of 29 days to the Equator. Captain Parsons reported heavy gales throughout the voyage .. passenger list

GANANOQUE, 785 tons, Captain Norris, sailed London 14 Feb 1860, arrived 9th May. Crossed the Line in 21 days and arrived in port 85 days from the Docks, landing 215 passengers

HARWOOD, Captain Forsayth, sailed 2nd Sep 1860, arrived 14th December.

JOHN LAWSON, barque, Captain Bell, sailed 30th Oct 1859, arrived 8th Feb 1860.

PERSIA, Captain Smith, sailed 1st May 1860, arrived 17th Sep after a rough passage of 139 days.

ROMAN EMPEROR, 739 tons, Captain Dewar, sailed 1st Oct 1859, arrived 27th Jan 1860 with 213 passengers.


. . 1861 . .
CHRYSOLITE clipper ship 1129 tons, Captain D. McIntyre, sailed London 15th April 1861m arrived 27th July. We perhaps do not always remember what an important part the United States played in the evolution of the clipper ship. In the early sixties the fastest ships were almost without exception built in the States and it was only after the British builders had learned the lessons of the daring American designers and applied what they had learned to building in iron instead of wood, that Britain again won supremacy at sea. Some of these American wooden ships were very beautiful craft and they were almost invariably fast. Such a one was the Chrystolite which made a number of voyages to the colonies under Captain D. McIntyre, a popular master. In 1861 she arrived off Lyttelton Heads when only 74 days out from London, a passage that was at that time marvellously fast . passengers

DERWENTWATER, barque 567 tons, Captain Thomson, sailed London 11th July 1861, arrived 26th Nov . passengers

MINERVA, 827 tons, Captain Merryman, sailed 17th Nov 1860, arrived 27th Feb 1861.

RHEA SYLVIA arrived 6 May, Captain Evans

SEBASTOPOL, 992 tons, Captain Frazer, sailed 6th Sep 1861, arrived 14th December.


. . 1862 . .
ECHUNGA 1000 tons, sailed London 2nd Sep 1862, arrived 22 Dec. The Echunga was a large ship, but she was not a clipper. Her record passage to NZ being 103 days to Lyttelton. This was her 1st voyage out. She sailedwith 332 immigrants for Timaru and Lyttelton. At Timaru it was discovered that no provision had been made for their reception, although the Government knew as far back as May that a large batch of immigrants would arrive about that time. The barracks, which should have been ready, were only just started. When the first batch of passengers. When landed in heavy rain they found men preparing to erect some tents and the voyagers had to lay down and rest on the grass, as not even straw had been provided. The consequence was that a large number refused to go ashore and demanded to be taken to Lyttelton, as their contract tickets were made out for Canterbury and did not bind them to land at Timaru. Four deaths occurred during the voyage . passengers

EVENING STAR, 811 tons, sailed 13 Sep 1861, Captain A. W. Norris, arrived 3 Jan 1862

KENSINGTON, Captain King, sailed 6th Feb 1862. Put into Cape of Good Hope and arrived 18th July after a long voyage of 162 days.

QUEEN of the MERSEY, 1226 tons, Captain Atkins, sailed London 3rd July 1862, arrived 19th Oct with 349 passengers, making the passage in 108 days. Ten deaths occurred, mostly children from measles. She was American built in 1860 for Mr H. Melvain, of Newcastle. During the passage a serious mutiny took place among a portion of the crew. On arrival five of the men were brought up at the Police Court and sentenced to a term of imprisonment. In 1862 she was chartered for two voyages to New Zealand.

ROYAL STUART, 761 tons, Captain Cornwall, sailed 3rd July 1862, arrived 8th Oct with 190 passengers. One of Willis, Gann and Co's line.


. . 1863 . .
ACCRINGTON, 1,900 tons, Captain Christie, sailed Plymouth 18th June 1863, arrived 5th Sep with 12 saloon & 310 assisted immigrants. The Accrington was a remarkably fine ship. She had a flush deck of 280 feet in length and was specially fitted up for the conveyance of passengers. Nothing of note occurred during the voyage except a continuance of gales and squally weather after leaving the Cape. 12 deaths occurred. This was the only passage made to New Zealand ..passenger list

BAHIA, Captain Le Fann, sailed 26th July 1863, arrived 7th December.

BRITISH CROWN,1150 tons, Captain Whitfield, sailed London 15 May 1863, arrived 17 Aug with over 400 immigrants. This was the first ship to arrive at Lyttelton direct from Liverpool. Twelve deaths occurred, all children and there were nine births. She did not make a second voyage to the colony.

BROTHERS PRIDE, 1236 tons, Captain Sproul, sailed London 25 July 1863, arrived 10 Dec with 371 immigrants. When she arrived flying the yellow flag, the melancholy intelligence of the death of 44 persons having occurred soon reached shore. She experienced a rough passage, but no serious damage was done to the ship. Both vessel and passengers on arrival were placed in quarantine.

CANTERBURY, 1223 tons, Captain Clare, sailed London 21st Sep 1863, arrived 10 Jan 1864 . passengers

CAPTAIN COOK, 1000 tons, Captain H. C. Cleaver, sailed Spithead 17th May 1863, arrived 5 Sep. The Captain Cook sailed with 18 second class, 66 steerage and 370 assisted immigrants, making a total of 498 souls, including the crew. During the voyage there were eleven deaths and on arrival the vessel was placed in quarantine. After passing the Cape she encountered two or three heavy gales, one developing into a fearful hurricane, during which the ship was severely crippled. During one of the gales on 5 Aug, many large ice-bergs were encountered and the officers and passengers had an anxious time . passengers

DAVID G. FLEMING, 1467 tons, Captain Cruickshank, sailed London 23rd Aug 1863, arrived 9th Dec, making the passage in 100 days. She brought 12 cabin and 300 immigrant passengers. Three deaths occurred during the voyage and one seaman was drowned . passengers

DERWENTWATER, barque 567 tons, Captain Thomson, sailed London 5th Sep 1862, arrived 7th Jan 1863 . passengers

DONA ANITA , barque 500 tons, Captain Smith, sailed London 1st April 1863, arrived 14th July. Her 4th of 5 visits . passengers

EPSOM, 548 tons, Captain Vaux, arrived 10th August 1863 . part list

EVENING STAR, 811 tons, Captain Montano, sailed 1 Jan 1863, arrived 13 April . passengers

HOLYROOD, 501 tons, Captain H. Deane, via Hobart, arrived 14th Sep 1863, after a lengthy and tedious voyage of seven to eight months.

HUNTRESS, 776 tons, Captain Barrow, arrived 21st April 1863 with 313 passengers. Experienced very heavy weather in the Channel and only reached the Line after a very long interval of 60 days. She was to have called at Timaru to land passengers, but owing to a heavy gale blowing in from the sea, Captain Barrow carried the passengers on to Lyttelton.

KIRKLAND, 453 tons, Captain College, from London, arrived 18th August 1863.

LANCASHIRE WITCH, full-rigged ship of 1574, Captain West. Sailed London 4th July 1863, arrived 13 Oct with 420 immigrants. The Lancashire Witch was one of the many vessels built at Quebec and was eleven years off the stocks when she came to New Zealand. She was owned by Firnie and Co. of Liverpool and in 1863 was chartered by the Shaw Savill Co. She made her first passage to Lyttelton in 1863 and the 420 immigrants who embarked at London experienced a very trying and anxious time. Shortly after her departure scarlet fever broke out and before reaching Lyttelton three adults and 23 children died and were buried at sea.

METROPOLIS, 1082 tons, Captain Kennery, sailed 4th March 1863, arrived 16th June with 160 passengers.

PRINCE of WALES, arrived 24 June 1863

ROMAN EMPEROR, 720 tons, Captain King, sailed from Plymouth 22nd Dec 1862, arrived 30th March 1863 with 103 passengers including 20 for Auckland.

SEBASTOPOL, 993 tons, Captain D. Taylor, sailed London 17th Jan 1863, arrived 21st May with 235 passengers.

Sir RALPH ABERCROMBIE, 744 tons, Captain Gilbert, sailed 13th June 1863, arrived 12th September.

ZAMBESI, 1089 tons, Captain McNeil, arrived 20th Sep 1863 with 80 passengers.


. . 1864 . .
AMOOR, sailed London 8 April 1864, arrived 2nd July, making the passage in 86 days with 13 saloon and 160 Government immigrants .. passengers

BALACLAVA, 621 tons, Captain Stewart, sailed 6th Nov 1863, arrived 29th Feb 1864. with 13 cabin and 45 steerage.

BELLISSIMA, 431 tons, Captain Ritchie, sailed from London 29th June 1864, arrived 31st Oct after a tedious passage of 125 days, bringing 12 saloon and a number of steerage passengers .. part list

BRITISH EMPIRE, 2600 tons, Captain Thomas B. Callenan, sailed London 15th May 1864, arrived 6 Sep. At the time of her arrival she was the largest ship to enter the port. She had 33 cabin passengers and 366 immigrants. British Empire was a vessel dogged by bad luck. While being towed down the river from Bristol, her bow stuck on a projecting part of the bank. The river was tidal and the tide in this instance was running out very fast. It swung the stern of the ship around until it caught the opposite bank, leaving British Empire high-and-dry. In this position several lighters and small vessels were actually able to sail under her. Understandably considerable strain was placed on the ship and when she was refloated repairs were required.
The voyage
British Empire was eventually wrecked along with many other vessels during a tidal wave at St Thomas in the West Indies.

COUNTESS of SEAFIELD, Captain Danvers, arrived 27 Aug 1864

COSSIPORE, 763 tons, Captain Hulbert, sailed London 19 April 1864, arrived 11 Aug.

DERWENTWATER, barque 567 tons, Captain Thomson, sailed London 1st Sep 1863, arrived 2nd Jan 1864 . Third voyage to Lyttelton . passengers

GOLDEN SUNSET, 1000 tons, Captain Tidmarsh, sailed from Portsmouth 19th Feb 1864 arrived 30th May with 20 passengers. This vessel was one of the White Star liners only recently built.

IRONSIDES, 899 tons, sailed 6 May 1864, arrived 24 August.

IVANHOE, Captain Dunn, 14 June 1864

LADY DOUGLAS, ship, 564 tons, Captain Evans, sailed 24th Nov 1863, arrived 29th Feb 1864. First direct ship from the Clyde.

MIRAGE, 718 tons, Captain J. Campbell, arrived 5th Sep 1864 with 36 passengers.

TIPTREE, 1650 tons, Captain Davis, sailed 20th Oct 1863, arrived 20th Jan 1864. Passengers, 30 saloon and 344 immigrants. The passage land to land was made in 76 days.

W. H. HASELDEN, 896 tons, Captain John Rose, sailed from London 5th Aug 1864, arrived 15th Dec with 46 passengers. She was a new ship on her maiden voyage. Owing to a succession of head winds down Channel and a series of light winds and calms after parting with the pilot to making the New Zealand coast on 9th Dec, the voyage occupied 135 days. Captain Rose reported that during the whole voyage he had never occasion to take in the royals.


. . 1865 . .
BLUE JACKET, 1790 tons, Captain Stevens, sailed London 5th Aug 1865, arrived 13th Nov. Captain Stevens reported that a week after sailing a serious mutiny broke out (the cargo having been broached previously), which was promptly repressed and the ring-leader secured, not before the second mate had received a fearful gash on his head, 4½ inches long with a sheath knife, nearly bleeding to death before the arteries could be tied and the wound sewn up. The first officer also received a severe blow on the face from an iron belaying pin by the ruffian who had tried to kill the second mate. The Snares were passed on November 8th, when light winds were experienced until arrival in port .. passengers

DONA ANITA, barque 500 tons, Captain Davis, arrived 3rd Jan 1865 (via Invercargill) . passengers

EASTERN EMPIRE, 1763 tons, Captain Ferguson, sailed from London 28 Aug 1864, arrived 4 Jan 1865 with 323 passengers, after a tedious passage of 132 days.

GLENMARK, 958 tons, Captain Thompson, sailed Gravesend 30 Oct 1864, arrived 21 Jan 1865 with 400 passengers

GREYHOUND, 1410 tons, Captain J. S. Wright, sailed London 22nd Jan 1865, arrived 7th May. On the previous voyage the Greyhound ran to Melbourne in 78 days . passengers

RACHAEL, 676 tons, Captain Brodie, sailed 3rd Dec 1864, arrived 26th March 1865 with 21 Passengers.

TUDOR, 1785 tons, Captain F. Wherland, sailed 10th June 1865, arrived 23rd Sep .. passengers.


. . 1866 . .
BLUE JACKET, clipper ship 1790 tons, Captain James White, Sailed London 15th July 1866, arrived 14th Oct with 173 immigrants. Her figurehead was a man from the waist up, in old sailor's costume, a blue jacket with yellow buttons, the jacket open in the front, no waistcoat, loose shirt and a large knotted handkerchief round the neck with a broad belt and large square buckle and cutlass hilt at the side. On either side of the figure-head was a scroll, saying 'Keep a sharp lookout'.

CISSY, 649 tons, Captain T. Spencer, sailed from the Downs 1st Dec 1865, arrived 24th March 1866. Captain Spencer had previously visited Lyttelton as an officer on the Cissy when the early settlers arrived in 1850. Passengers, 12 saloon and 21 fore-cabin.

Sir RALPH ABERCROMBIE, 744 tons, Captain J. Anderson, sailed from the Downs 15th June, arrived 4th September. Experienced several severe gales till 30th August, on which day she passed the Snares.

LEICHARDT, 621 tons, Captain T. E. Philips, sailed from Start Point 17th August, arrived 23rd November. 21 saloon and second-class passengers.


. . 1867 . .
CANUTE, 1250 tons, Captain Quain, sailed London 9 Dec 1866, arrived 7th April 1867. 1 of 8 voyages to NZ, all to Lyttelton . 38 Passengers. In 1872, after loading £80,000 in gold at London and having on board 50 passengers and crew, Glenmark sailed into oblivion. She was never seen again and there was no evidence as to what happened to her, her passengers, or the gold.

GLENMARK, Aberdeen clipper 958 tons, Captain Wrankmore, sailed London 18th Aug 1867, arrived 14th Nov

HIMALAYA, 1000 tons, Captain Cow, sailed London 2 Nov 1866, arrived 10th Feb. Made 24 trips to NZ, bringing thousands of immigrants . passengers

LINCOLN, 995 tons, Captain Leamon, sailed from the Downs 2nd February, arrived 19th June. Owing to heavy gales experienced in the Channel, during which considerable damage was done by heavy seas breaking on board, flooding the 'tween decks with water, the vessel returned to the Downs. The damage being repaired she sailed again on 14th February. After passing the Cape heavy gales were encountered until off Tasmania on 27th April. At this part of her voyage the whole of her best sails were split and many carried away, and the poop ladders washed overboard. The ship was hove-to on two occasions during the storms, and it was found necessary to batten down the 75 immigrants on board.

PARIA, barque, Captain Nicol, sailed 8th January, arrived 30th April. The barque had an eventful voyage of 110 days from London Docks. A week after sailing she encountered a teriffic gale, during which the ship rolled heavily, straining very much and shipping tremendous seas. A portion of her bulwarks was cut away to allow the water to escape. The gale continued for two days and on the 17th a quarter-boat was carried away with about 150 feet of top booting. After passing the Cape another heavy gale was experienced for two days with heavy snow showers. Again on 3rd April she encountered another furious gale, during which, heavy seas swept into the cabins and down the steerage hatch, doing serious damage to the passengers' luggage. On 4th April a very large iceberg from 7 to 8 miles in length was passed; also several small ones, and on 14th April to the 19th sighted several large icebergs and passed through a quantity of ice. On 26th April Stewart Island was sighted, thence the ship carried light S.W. winds to port. The Paria fortunately had only 23 passengers on board.

RED ROVER, 1041 tons, Captain D. McCauley, sailed from the Downs 18th May, arrived 29th August. During the voyage two of the seamen were washed overboard during a heavy gale and were drowned. Passengers, 34 saloon.

MELITA, 800 tons, Captain Grant, sailed from London 23rd July, arrived 8th November, with 18 saloon and a number of steerage passengers.


. . 1868 . .
COLEROON, 760 tons, Captain E. Montgomery, sailed from Gravesend 27th March, arrived 11th July. The vessel met with a succession of heavy gales before and after passing the Cape. On 3rd June she shipped a heavy sea, when large quantities of water poured down the after hatchway. Men were employed for many hours bailing it out from the cabins. The Coleroon brought out 20 first and second class passengers.

GAINSBOROUGH, 900 tons, Captain Charlton, sailed London 25 Jan 1868, arrived 2nd May. On the 30th January encountered a strong gale and was compelled to put into Plymouth, which she left on 8 Feb. From 10 April to end of voyage heavy gales were experienced. The ship in one instance covered 300 miles in 24 hours. The Gainsborough brought 96 Government immigrants

HYDASPES, 1655 tons, Captain Edwin S. Babot, sailed London 26th July 1868, arrived 28th Oct . passengers


. . 1869 . .
CAROLINE COVENTRY, 880 tons, Captain Ollery, sailed London 25th Feb 1869, arrived 8th June, after a stormy passage of 129 days . passengers

CELAENO, 702 tons, Captain C. H. Renaut, sailed London 30th Sep 1869, arrived 16th Jan 1870. Built in Aberdeen in 1863, the Celaeno made 11 voyages to NZ. In 1871 she landed the first government-assisted Norwegian and Swedish migrants. They had heard of Māori, but otherwise knew little about their destination. The immigration agent in Norway reassured them that ‘there are no man-eaters there now. You will find them a nice race of people’ . passengers

CLONTARF, 1120 tons, Captain A. W. Barclay, sailed London 30th Nov 1859, arrived 16th March 1860 . The arrival "We have never had such a list of deaths to publish when reporting the arrival of the Clontarf. It was a bad weather passage, especially when the ship was approaching the New Zealand coast. The mortality among the twenty-eight children was appalling, nearly all succumbing to measles or whooping cough. In the long death roll there were five adults, one of them being an apprentice on the ship. Dr Stone did all he could during this very trying passage and worked himself so hard that his own health suffered so much as to disable him from performing his duties during the latter part of the voyage, and the ship came to anchor he was unable to leave his cabin" . the passengers

HYDASPES, 2092 tons, Captain Edwin S. Babot, sailed London 3rd July 1869, arrived 30th Sep. The Hydaspes was a powerful ship, built at the same time and in the same yards as the Lady Jocelyn. She made two trips to Auckland, three to Lyttelton and one to Dunedin. During all of these voyages she was under the command Captain Babot. She met her end when returning to England in 1878. Beating up the Channel she collided with another vessel and was sunk . passengers


. . 1870 . .
SIBERIA, 1301 tons, Captain Inglis, sailed 20th Nov 1869, arrived 21st Feb 1870, making the passage in 81 days land to land. Passengers, 16 saloon and 157 immigrants.

CERES, 861 tons, Captain Cochrane, sailed from the Downs on 4th March, arrived 19th June. From 29th May to 3rd June experienced a succession of heavy gales and snow storms, and from 7th to 10th June more severe gales, the ship being hove-to for 24 hours and the hatches battened down; heavy seas swept the decks and carried away the starboard bulwarks. The Ceres brought a number of saloon passengers but no immigrants.


. . 1871 . .
GLENMARK, Aberdeen clipper 958 tons, Captain Wrankmore, sailed London 29th July 1871, arrived 1st Nov. 1 of 8 voyages to Lyttelton . passengers

HARVEST HOME, 547 tons, Captain Trewyn, sailed from the Downs 11th October and Lands End 13th 1870, arrived 30th Dec, making a rapid passage of 76 days from Start Point to Anchorage. She brought a number of passengers, including several old colonists, but no immigrants.

NORMA, 1050 tons, Captain J. Scuru, sailed 18th Feb 1871, arrived 27th May. Passengers, 37 saloon and second class, many of whom were old colonists returning from a visit to the Homeland.


. . 1872 . .
CHARLOTTE GLADSTONE, clipper ship, 1304 tons, Captain James Fox. Sailed London 5 Nov 1871, arrived 2nd Feb 1872. Built at New Brunswick in 1865, she was well adapted for the conveyance of passengers and during the three voyages to the Dominion brought out about 900 Government immigrants . passengers

DOVER CASTLE, 1008 tons, Captain Kerr, sailed London 19th Jan 1872, arrived 7th March . passengers. One voyage to Auckland in 1875 resulted in a period at the quarantine station on Motuihe Island. Having completed a number of voyages to NZ, she sailed from Auckland to China in 1875 where she was sold and renamed Kem. She was later stranded off the coast of Norway and was broken up.

FRIEDELBURG, 786 tons, Captain E. Kopper, sailed from Hamburg, arrived 31st August with 297 Government immigrants.


. . 1873 . .
CARDIGAN CASTLE, 1022 tons, Captain Davies, sailed London 23rd Aug 1873, arrived 15th Nov after 84 days. She came twice to NZ. On 28 Sep 1876, she again left for Lyttelton, arriving 6 Jan 1877 taking an even 100 days . passengers

COSPATRICK, 1220 tons, Captain Elmslie, sailed London 20 March 1873, arrived 6th July . passengers

CRUSADER, iron ship-rigged vessel 1058 tons, Captain Sutherland, sailed London 11th Oct 1872, arrived 5th Jan 1873. Made 28 voyages to NZ, 13 to Lyttelton, 4 to Auckland, 3 to Wellington, 7 to Dunedin & 1 to Bluff . passengers

EDWIN FOX, 836 tons, Captain John Ellis Johnson, sailed London 28 Jan 1873, arrived 27th June. Six deaths occurred; Dr Langley an A.B., killed when the Bay of Biscay was being crossed, three adults from fever and one infant (not noted in the surgeons report ). The ship was placed in quarantine as four of the deaths were from fever . passengers

HIMALAYA, 1000 tons, Captain Friston, sailed London 22nd Nov 1872, arrived 13th March 1873 . passengers

LYTTELTON, barque, Captain Beck, sailed Cape Town 20 Nov 1872, arrived 10th Jan 1873. On 7th March 1872 the 850 ton barque Agamemnon left London but by the time she was in the South Atlantic she was shipping significant amounts of water and the Captain was constantly drunk. Both passengers and crew petitioned the captain to put into the nearest port, but he absolutely refused. Eventually the Agamemnon put into Rio de Janeiro where the passengers complained to the Consul that they should be forwarded to New Zealand by same vessel, under a different Captain, or by a different vessel. With another Captain the Agamemnon again put to sea on 8th August 1872, but they were forced to put into the Cape of Good Hope when they continued to take on water. Continuous pumping and the jettisoning of a good deal of cargo, was fruitless as the vessel continued to experience a good deal of rough weather. Once the Agamemnon was condemned the passengers continued their voyage to Lyttelton on board the barque Lyttelton .. The cargo followed on the LOIS, captain John Lewis.

WHITEHALL, 936 tons, Captain Raddon, sailed 16th June 1873, arrived 26th Sep with cabin passengers only.


. . 1874 . .
APPELLES, 1030 tons, Captain McLay, sailed 26th Jan 1874, arrived 5th May with 320 passengers.

ATRATO, Captain Husband, sailed London 10th Feb 1874, arrived 20 June. Also docked Dunedin, after having encountered a series of misadventures. Although only 360 feet overall, she had no less than 762 immigrants on board and of that number 280 were children. There was much sickness on board and before New Zealand was reached there were 33 deaths, all being children with one exception. Croup was the cause of 17 deaths and measles were very bad, 180 out of the 280 children being down at one time or another .. the list size of the 762 passengers requires separate links

BALLOCHMYLE, 1438 tons, Captain Lunden, sailed from Gravesend 25th Feb 1874, arrived 1st June. The Ballochmyle called at Plymouth and embarked 502 passengers. Took her final departure from Start Point 4th March. There were five deaths and three births during the voyage. The Ballochmyle was sent out by the New Zealand Shipping Company and made the passage from Plymouth to the Snares in 84 days .. passengers

CANTERBURY, clipper ship 1242 tons, Captain Strachan, sailed Glasgow 4th June 1874, arrived 1st Sep. Built in 1874 for Patrick Henderson by Robert Duncan, sailed the seas for many years, and during the seventies and eighties brought thousands of immigrants to New Zealand. She was one of the fastest sailors and most comfortable ship afloat, and made some remarkable runs both out and home . passengers

CARTSBURN, 1251 tons, Captain Young, sailed Glasgow 8th April 1874, arrived 14th July . passengers

CATHCART, clipper of 1,387 tons, Captain Crawford, sailed from London 11 June 1874 with 481 Government immigrants and from the Downs 3 days later, making the passage in 70 days 12 hours to the Snares and arriving at Lyttelton on 29 August 1874, 76 days from the Downs to port.
A remarkable passage was made by the fine iron clipper Cathcart to Lyttelton in 1874, built four years previously by Robert Steel, of Greenock. The equator was crossed on the 21st day out. On the 28th July she made a run of 304 miles and the following day 293. Four of the crew, during the voyage, broke into the fore-hold, broached cargo and secured drink; one of them was brought aft and placed in irons; another, having attempted to rescue him, was also taken in charge, but while being secured the first prisoner escaped to the forecastle. Captain Crawford and the officers going forward to recapture him, were prevented from doing so by several of the crew, who made use of threatening language. The captain, finding that the mutineers would not listen to reason, returned to his cabin and after deliberation with his officers, armed himself and went forward the second time. Finding the doors of the forecastle closed, he demanded admission. Previous to this, part of the crew had left the mutineers. Those within refused to open the doors, threatened the Captain and said that they meant shortly to be masters of the ship. Argument was useless and the door on the starboard side of the forecastle was, in spite of much resistance, partly forced open with hand spikes and the Captain, again warning the mutineers, fired three times amongst them, three of them being wounded. An entrance was effected and the mutiny quelled, the ringleaders and others being placed in irons. On the arrival of the ship at Lyttelton the men were brought before a magistrate and charged with endeavouring to make a revolt. Four were sentenced to twelve weeks imprisonment with hard labour and two to one month additional for assaulting the Captain .. passenger list

CITY of GLASGOW, Captain Black, with 249 statute adults on free passage; 29 English, 196 Scots and 24 Irish. Sailed from Glasgow 23 December 1873 and arrived Lyttelton 21st March 1874 a voyage of 73 days. There were 3 births and 8 deaths on board.
Wellington Independent, 26 March 1874
This splendid iron clipper built ship, one of Messrs Smith and Son's fleet, arrived unexpectedly off the Heads on Friday night after a remarkably quick passage of 73 days from pilot to pilot.
The arrival of the ship was notified by the pilot boat coming up at 5 o'clock on Saturday morning with a report to the health officer, stating that the ship had arrived the night before and was lying at anchor outside the Heads that measles and scarlet fever had broken out in the ship during her passage and several deaths had resulted but that at the present time the patients were convalescent. At noon the health officer and commissioners proceeded down to the ship, the vessel at that time being at anchor about two miles outside the Heads with the quarantine flag at the main. On going alongside, Dr Gleghorn, surgeon superintendent, informed the health officer that measles broke out on the day the ship sailed. The disease was mild and not of a bad type and was confined to the married people's compartment. One of the officers was attacked with measles, but was now recovering. During the voyage there had been two cases of scarlet fever of a mild type. He further stated the disease had been brought on board by one family this was two days before he joined the ship. On the day he came on board he learnt that a child was suffering from a rash, which he judged on examination to be measles .. more here

CRUSADER, 1058 tons, Captain Reanut, sailed Plymouth 25th Sep 1874, arrived 31st Dec . passengers

DILHARREE, 1293 tons, Captain R. McNeilly, sailed Plymouth 13th Dec 1873, arrived 11th March 1874. Originally a full-rigged ship built for trooping to India, the Dilharee, a composite-built vessel of 1293 tons, was rigged as a barque when she came to New Zealand in 1874 & 1875 . passengers

DUKE of EDINBURGH, 1117 tons, Captain Mosey, sailed London 17th July 1874, arrived 1st Nov . passengers

ELIZABETH GRAHAM, barque 598 tons, Captain J. J. Mordean, sailed London 16th July 1874, arrived 7th Nov . passengers

GERALDINE PAGET, 1200 tons, Captain S. Ogilvie, sailed London 18th Sep, arrived 27th Dec. First voyage to Lyttelton with 395 immigrants. One of the immigrants, John White, while doing gymnastic feats on the jib guys shortly before reaching Lyttelton, fell into the sea and was drowned . passengers

GUTENBERG, Captain Bockwaldt, sailed Hamburg 4 July 1874, arrived 25 Oct . passengers

ISLES of the SOUTH, 821 tons, Captain J. D. Le Conteur, sailed from Plymouth 6th Nov 1873, arrived 2nd Feb 1874. This was the seventh vessel sent out under the auspices of the New Zealand Shipping Company. She brought 8 saloon and 320 Government immigrants and made the run from the Cape in 28 days.

PEERESS, ship, 780 tons, Captain Miller, sailed from London 29th March 1874, arrived 23rd July, bringing 280 immigrants.

STONEHOUSE, Captain O'Bley, sailed from London, arrived 29th June 1874 with immigrants. The vessel took her final departure from Start Point on 10th April. (Shaw Savill)

St. LAWRENCE, 1094 tons, Captain Johnston, R.N.R., sailed 19th May 1874, arrived 29th August bringing 412 immigrants. This ship was chartered by the New Zealand Shipping Company and arrived on the same day as the Cathcart. A vast difference of the build of this vessel and the Cathcart was quite apparent when they dropped anchor, the former being a modern clipper and the latter one of the old freight built ships used in bye-gone days for the conveyance of troops. The bulwarks were nine feet high. The immigrants came out in charge of Mrs McPherson; the surgeon-superintendent being Dr Pattison.

VARONA, 1314 tons, Captain Rowe, sailed Glasgow 6th Feb 1874, arrived 27th May, with 322 immigrants. The Varona encountered a severe gale in the Bay of Biscay, during which several chain plates were broken and chains had to be passed under her to secure her masts, remaining round her more or less during the voyage; this retarded her passage. (New Zealand Shipping Company.)


. . 1875 . .
BLAIRGOWRIE, clipper 1550 tons, Captain Darke, sailed London 29th May 1875, arrived 22nd Aug with 444 immigrants. First voyage after being launched at Glasgow in 1875

CICERO, 1130 tons, Captain Raymond, sailed 1st Feb 1875, arrived 18th May with 9 saloon, 10 second cabin and 227 Government immigrants. With the exception of one gale which lasted for 24 hours, the Cicero enjoyed an exceptionally fine weather passage.

DESDEMONA, 1490 tons, Captain Forwill, sailed from the Downs 20th Feb 1875, arrived 6th June . passengers

LACTURA, 1380 tons, Captain Tucker, sailed 2nd June 1875, arrived 27th Sep. Although she was a new ship the Lactura made a long passage of 116 days owing mainly to the numerous gales encountered. The most severe were those met with after crossing the meridian of Greenwich on 9th August, when troubles began in right earnest. On the 18th August a heavy sea struck the ship, flooding the decks fore and aft and carrying everything movable overboard. On the 25th the vessel was hove-to during a heavy gale. A huge sea struck her, coming over the forecastle right aft, smashing the forward part of the saloon skylight and flooding the saloon. The ship was labouring and rolling very heavily and a portion of the starboard bulwarks were washed away. After sighting Amsterdam Island on 31st August, the vessel was twice hove-to through stress of weather. (Shaw Savill)

ORIANA, 997 tons, Captain Guthrie, sailed 29th March 1875, arrived 24th July with 33 saloon and second class passengers and 11 Government immigrants. (New Zealand Shipping Company)

STAR Of CHINA, 797 tons, Captain Blaker, sailed from Plymouth 19th April 1875, arrived 2nd August with 260 Government immigrants.

TINTERN ABBEY, 1346 tons, Captain P. B. Stevens, sailed 7th Jan 1874, arrived 3rd May 1875 with 309 Government immigrants. During the voyage there were 18 deaths, mainly young children. The ship brought out for the Acclimatisation Society (in charge of Mr Henry Bills) 100 each, partridges, blackbirds, starlings, thrushes, red-polls and linnets. Also 110 goldfinches and 160 yellow-hammers. Of the number shipped over 80 per cent were landed. On 14th Jan 1875, in the Bay of Biscay, when the ship was rolling fearfully during a heavy gale, she was struck by a heavy sea which rushed down the single women's compartment, surgery and hospital; and during a heavy roll at the time the starboard life-boat was washed away. (Shaw Savill)


. . 1876 . .
BORDER CHIEF, 1011 tons, Captain Leslie, sailed 7th June, arrived 11th Sep 1876. She was chartered by the New Zealand Shipping Company and landed 30 passengers. The passage land to land was made in 88 days.

CITY of DUNEDIN, 1085 tons, Captain Kilgour, sailed Glasgow 25th March 1876, arrived 1st July. The accommodation was in the 'tween decks, the space being divided into three by bulkheads, single women being in the after compartment, married amidships and single men in the forward compartment. The City of Dunedin completed ten voyages to Port Chalmers, direct from Scotland . the story of the voyage . the passengers

CITY of SAN FRANCISCO, steamship 3400 tons, Captain J. J. Waddell, a mail-ship operating between the western coast of the USA, Fiji, NZ (various ports) and Australia . the arrival 29 June 1876 & passengers.

COUNTESS of KINTORE, 752 tons, Captain Norie, sailed London 2nd Feb 1876, arrived 29th April . passengers

DESDEMONA, 1490 tons, Captain Fowill, sailed from the Downs 20th Feb 1876 and Start Point on the 25th, arrived 6th June, with 33 saloon and second class passengers.

WOOSUNG, 729 tons, Captain Fisher, sailed from the Downs 14th April 1876, arrived 10th August.


. . 1877 . .
CARDIGAN CASTLE, 1200 tons, Captain N. Davies, sailed Gravesend 30th Sep 1876, arrived 6th Jan 1877. Her 2nd of 2 trips to NZ . passengers

HOPEFUL, 332 tons, Captain Tuly, arrived 17th Feb 1877. (NZ Shipping Company)

PRIMROSE, 596 tons, Captain W. Shirwen, sailed 28th Feb, arrived 20th June 1877, with saloon and second cabin passengers only. The Primrose was a comparatively new ship, this being her second voyage. She was commanded by her owner.

WARWICKSHIRE, 679 tons, Captain Harry, sailed 21st Nov 1876, arrived 28th Feb 1877. (Shaw Savill)


. . 1878 . .
DUKE of ARGYLE, 963 tons, Captain Davidson, sailed from Gravesend 22nd Feb, arrived 9th June 1878. Chartered by the New Zealand Shipping Company; she landed 24 saloon and steerage passengers.

HYDASPES, 2092 tons, Captain Edwin S. Babot, sailed Plymouth 10th Aug 1878, arrived 9th Nov. After this voyage she was beating up the Channel when she collided with another vessel and was sunk . passengers

LAJU, 560 tons, Captain McWhirter, sailed 24th Sep 1877, arrived 5th Jan 1878. (NZ Shipping Company)

MALACCA, 593 tons, Captain Dickinson, sailed from London 2nd Jan, arrived 6th April 1878. (NZ Shipping Company)

MALLOWDALE, 1289 tons, Captain Dornan, sailed 4th Sep, arrived 13th Dec 1878, with 37 saloon and second class passengers.

OLIVE, 847 tons, Captain McCracken, sailed from London 21st April, arrived 7th Aug 1878. The long passage was attributed to very unfavourable weather when running down her easting. She brought a number of saloon and steerage passengers.

. . 1879 . .
ADELAIDE, 683 tons, Captain Raeburn, sailed 20th March 1879, arrived 10th July. (NZ Shipping Company)

BOYNE, 1350 tons, Captain John Kelly, sailed London 18 Nov 1878, arrived 27 Feb 1879 .. passengers

CAPE FINISTERRE, 882 tons, Captain Robertson, sailed 2 Dec 1878, arrived 31st March 1879, with 23 saloon and second class passengers

CITY of QUEBEC, 708 tons, Captain Falconer, sailed London 3rd Dec 1878, arrived 5th March 1879 with 1200 tons of general cargo and six passengers

CORIOLANUS, 1045 tons, Captain Cawse, sailed London 4th Jan 1897, arrived 6th April . passengers. She made three voyages to NZ. This was the 1st.

HAWARDEN CASTLE, 1101 tons, Captain Matthews, sailed London 4th April 1879, arrived 17th July . passengers

ORTHES, 1206 tons, Captain Macfarlane, sailed 23rd Nov 1878, arrived 16th Feb 1879. (NZ Shipping Company)

RED GAUNTLET, 1072 tons, Captain Bowie, sailed 16th Feb, arrived 17th June 1879. This ship made a long voyage of 132 days from Gravesend; she was detained in Portland Roads for five days landing the chief officer and some of the crew owing to sickness. Proceeded on her voyage on 16th Feb bringing a small number of saloon and steerage passengers. (NZ Shipping Company)

SOUTHESK, 1154 tons, Captain Nicholl, sailed 27th Sep, arrived 28th Dec. (Shaw Savill)


. . 1880 . .
AETHELRED, 1057 tons, Captain Dunn, sailed from Gravesend 20th March, arrived 16th June, making the passage in 82 days land to land.

FIRTH of LORNE, 837 tons, Captain Stevens, sailed 6th Nov 1879, arrived 19th March 1880.

WEST RIDING, 913 tons, Captain Thomas, sailed 27th August, arrived 13th Dec 1880.


. . 1881 . .
HAWARDEN CASTLE, 1101 tons, Captain Matthews, sailed 4th April, arrived 17th July. 44 Passengers (Shaw Savill)

NORMAN McLEOD, 834 tons, Captain Ure, sailed 14th July, arrived 24th Oct.

REMINGTON, 999 tons, Captain Carr, sailed 13th Feb, arrived 25th May.

ROUTENBECK, 930 tons, Captain Stitt, sailed 26th May, arrived 23rd Aug.


. . 1882 . .
CITY of NAUKIA, 986 tons, Captain McConnell, sailed 9th June, arrived 9th Sep. Chartered by Shaw Savill Company.

HELEN SCOTT, 1118 tons, Captain Goldsworthy, sailed 19 Aug 1881, arrived 5 Jan 1882. This ship collided with H.M.S. Tawar at St. Vincent and suffered some damage.

HORSA, 1128 tons, Captain Wilson, sailed 7 Sep, arrived 12 Dec 1882.

SYDENHAM, 1063 tons, Captain Miller, sailed 29 October 1881, arrived 30 January 1882.


. . 1883 . .
AURIGA, 518 tons, Captain Stone, sailed 30th Nov 1882, arrived 28th Feb 1883.

BRITISH KING, steamship 3559, Captain Kelly, sailed London 21st June 1883, arrived 11th Aug .. passengers

BRITISH QUEEN, steamship 2277 tons, Captain Nowell, sailed Plymouth 24th March 1883, arrived 17th May .. passengers

CENTURION, 1194 tons, Captain Widdicomb, sailed 29 Sep 1882, arrived 5 Jan 1883.

CRUSADER, 1058 tons, Captain Lewellyn Davis, sailed Gravesend 13th Dec 1882, arrived 22nd March 1883 . passengers . another list

DRAGON, 696 tons, Captain Petherbridge, sailed from Plymouth 23rd May, arrived 12th August.

DUNSCORE, 1000 tons, Captain Hind, sailed 4th March, arrived 27th May.

KINGDOM of SWEDEN, 788 tons, Captain Cooper, sailed 10 Nov 1882, arrived 12 Feb 1883.

ROKEBY HALL, 1004 tons, Captain Barry, sailed 17 Dec 1882, arrived 23rd April 1883. On the 10th Jan a heavy squall struck the ship carrying away lower maintopsail yard and blowing sails to ribbons. A flash of lightning struck the mainmast, splitting the maintruck, which fell to the deck.


. . 1884 . .
ARAWA, 5,000 tons, a clipper-type steamship, the first steamship in the Shaw, Savill and Albion Shipping Company fleet, built in 1884. Sailed London 8 Nov 1884, arrived 24 Dec & a number of other ports .. passengers. Also arrived Lyttelton 24 July 1886. After 31 years service she was sunk by submarine in 1915.

BRENHILDA, 1393 tons, Captain Johnstone, sailed from London and via Auckland, arrived 24th February after a smart passage of 88 days.

CINGALESE, 698 tons, Captain Raddon, sailed 14th June, arrived 7th Oct 1884.

CLAREMONT, 755 tons, Captain McDonald, sailed 4th April, arrived 13th July 1884.

DRAGON, 696 tons, Captain Milner, sailed 27th February, arrived 2nd June 1884.


. . 1885 . .
ALLEGIANCE, 1180 tons, Captain Roberts, sailed 25th March, arrived 23rd June 1885.

DRAGON, 696 tons, Captain Milner, sailed 6th July, arrived 20th Oct 1885. On 1st October a heavy sea struck the ship breaking over the poop and washing away the man at the wheel. The cabin doors were stove in and a large portion of the port topgallant bulwarks carried away.

PHOTO
Ships berthed at Lyttelton 1876-1880
Note the Timeball in distance, built 1876