Passenger list of ships to BLUFF, New Zealand - pre 1900
ngairedith
Found a site that has a list of all the ships that sailed into BLUFF New Zealand which is the southern-most town in New Zealand and was one of the earliest areas of New Zealand where a European presence became established.
The first ship known to have entered the harbour was the Perseverance in 1813, in search of flax trading possibilities, with the first European settlers arriving in 1823/1824.
This is the foundation for the claim that this makes Bluff the oldest permanent European settlement in the country.
This list is of ships arriving from 1862, more added as found. Perhaps you can help them with the list It also has lots of other info - on board diaries, photos etc
NOTE There were many more ships arriving before 1900. I have concentrated here mostly on those with passenger lists or interesting facts.
Taken via PASSENGER SHIPS AT BLUFF before 1900
ROBERT HENDERSON 9 Feb 1858 (2nd Trip)
FLYING MIST 25 Aug 1862
ROBERT HENDERSON 4 Sep 1862 (link to passenger list is broken)
the Ship-board Diary of Thomas Reid who sailed
STORM CLOUD 8 Dec 1862
SIR GEORGE POLLOCK 9 Jan 1863
SIR WILLIAM EYRE April 1863
NEW GREAT BRITIAN 10 Aug 1863
HARWOOD 18 Sep 1863
HELENSLEE 25 Sep 1863
GRASSMERE 14 Dec 1863
EDWARD THORNHILL 26 Jan 1864
SEVILLA 4 Sep 1864
ARIMA 23 Sep 1864
DONNA ANITA 13 Dec 1864
CARRICK CASTLE 3 Aug 1871
WILLIAM DAVIE 12 April 1874
PETER DENNY 26 July 1874
TIMARU 18 April 1875
CHRISTIAN McCAUSLAND 29 Aug 1875
WHITE ROSE 21 Oct 1875 (interesting)
PETER DENNY 26 Nov 1875
ADAMANT 2 Dec 1875
WAITARA 27 Dec 1875 (no passenger list)
POMPONA 14 April 1876
POMONA 14 May 1876
MARLBOROUGH 4 Nov 1877
MATAURA 1 Dec 1877
OAMARU 13 Jan 1878
WESTERN MONARCH 20 Jan 1879
MARLBOROUGH 7 Jan 1880
TARARUA 28 April 1881 (Wrecked at Waipapa Point)
ARAWA 24 Dec 1884
RAKAIA 14 Jan 1886 (no passenger list)
Odd List of Immigrants to Bluff via Auckland & Wellington
Passengers from Australia
by ngairedith
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ngairedith has been a Family Tree Circles member since Feb 2008.
Comments
petermclauchlan on 2013-12-07 16:19:50The "yesteryears" site searched the name McMath and found mention of disembarked passangers at Bluff in September 1862.First stab at vessels name is possibly "Robert Henderson". I am looking for Thomas McMath 24/12/1840-14/9/1906 BDM 1906/5736.Also "Papers Past" Wairarapa Daily Times-vol LV,issue 8560 pg 5 dated 20 sep 1906,referers to immigration 44yrs previously.
ngairedith on 2013-12-07 18:45:28hi Peter,
don't know if you know or are asking - but Thomas McMath died 14 Sep 1906 aged 67 and is buried Grave 7, Block II A at Lumsden cemetery
This would make him aged about 22/23 on landing on the Robert Henderson
The 'Robert Henderson' would be the correct vessel as the article you refer to, 20 Sep 1906, says: ... who landed at Invercargill 44 years ago this month ...
Of interest (and brought a smile), the Otago Daily Times, 20 Sep 1862 reported:
... A large proportion of the emigrants by the Robert Henderson were landed yesterday afternoon, and were taken to the barracks in Princes-street. No arrangements appeared to have been made as to the hiring of the female servants, now so much needed in Dunedin. No Immigration Officer, no matron, no person at the doors to prevent the ingress of improper characters. The girls were their own mistresses, in every respect, and looked for the most part, as if they intended to remain so. The inquiries whether they would accept service, were met by such replies as
"They didna ken" or "they couldna just say"
"They would bide a wee bittie"
"They hadna seen enoo'o' the toom to answer the speerins"
- What wages would they require, if the did agree to hire?
"It is gey an' difficul' to say; what would be gi'en?"
- For a useful servant, ?30
"Thirty poons! Eh, sirs, that would never do. Sixty poons was little enoo'."
These, and similar answers only went to show that the females, from the time they landed had been under very improper tutelage, and that if immigrants are to be useful to colonists, upon their arrival in this country, a different system must be initiated, than that which at present exists
petermclauchlan on 2013-12-07 21:20:40Thankyou Thomas McMath was my 5th gen grandfather and the first immigrant into NZ in my family line so I am interested in finding out as much as I can about him as well as the rest of his family ie the brother James and there mum n dad etc. We have messaged each other previously regarding the Mclauchlan line of my dad. Peter Mclauchlan
petermclauchlan on 2013-12-07 21:25:44Also Thomas Reid,s shipboard dairy contains a few names and details that may be of use.
ngairedith on 2013-12-07 21:58:31aaah! yes, I remember the McLauchlan research for your dad that was quite some time back. You have deleted some of your older postings, did you keep all the research?
petermclauchlan on 2013-12-07 22:27:03Yes on the my heritage site a relative in Ausie took me back to the 1630,s which was good but to be honest the hunt is as good as the find if you know what I mean, so I have been working on the other lines in my tree so this McMath connection is thru my mums mum.