SHIP BOMBAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 83, 8 April 1940, Page 5

SHIP BOMBAY.

SURVIVOR PASSES. PERILOUS VOYAGE TO N.Z. EARLY FRANKLIN RESIDENT. An association of over 60 years with the Franklin district was severed yesterday by "the death at Rotorua of Mr. Robert Bilkey at the age of 83. Mr. Bilkey is believed to be the last surviving passinger of the ship Bombay, which arrived in Auckland in 1865 after a perilous voyage occupying 112 days. Born near Penzance, Cornwall, Mr. Bilkey was the youngest of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bilkey's seven sons. When he was nearly nine years old the Bilkey family set out ror New Zealand by the 937-ton ship Bombay, which was commanded by Captain G. Sellars and carried 400 passengers. For three months the voyage was uneventful, but on March 8, 1865, a squall was struck, the ship being then about 400 miles off the New Zealand coast. Most of the sails that were set were blown away and the-damaged spars went overboard, with the result that the ship's side was pounded all night, but the hull stood the buffeting. Next morning the wind increased to hurricane force and a heavy squall carried away the mainmast about 10 feet above the deck. The captain hove to for the night and next day the barque Constance, bound from Sydney to Auckland, was sighted. The Bombay was then taken in tow as far as Three Kings. By this time the crew had rigged three sails and the Bombay was left to continue the voyage. Thej following day H.M.S. Curacao was sighted and as the jury rig was unmanageable she took the Bombay in tow to Auckland, which was reached on March, 18. ! Farming At Onehnnga. Mr. Bilkey and his family settled at Onehunga, where farming was carried out for 11 years. They then went to,

Buckland, near Pukekohe, where a large block of land was taken up. Young Mr. Bilkey set out on his own account and purchased land on Pukekohe Hill. This block and the block at Buckland still remain in the family. As a grower of potatoes and onions, Mr. Bilkey was known throughout the Dominion for some 37 years. He was actively engaged in growing until he retired four years ago, and continued buying and selling produce. For over 20 years Mr. Bilkey was vicar's warden in St. Andrew's Anglican Church at Pukekohe, and was representative to Synod until five years ago. His life ambition was to see a new church erected, and his dreams of many years were fulfilled before he retired from an active participation in church affairs. As a memorial to those who fell in the Great War, Mr. Bilkey had erected some years previously memorial gates on the church property. Mr. Bilkey served on the Pukekohe Borough Council, and was in his young days a non-commissioned officer in the mounted rifles. Commemoration Shield. To mark the 72nd anniversary of the forming of the Bombay settlement — this was called after the ship as many of the passengers took up residence in the district—Mr. Bilkey presented a shield to the Bombay Sports Club. On this shield is a silver plaque which shows a full-rigged ship drawn from memory by Mr. Bilkey a few years ago. Each year he attended the annual sports in the district and was again present at the meeting last month. In many other ways Mr. Bilkey showed his generosity to residents of Franklin. A memorable occasion in Mr. Bilkey's life was the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the wedding of his parents, and at the large family gathering (there were five, generations present. iHis mother died a year later at the age of 95. Mr. Bilkey is survived by four eons and two daughters, who are: Mr. R. W. Bilkey (Pukekohe), Mr. E. E. Bilkey (Epsom), Mr. H. C. Bilkey (Pukekohe), Mr. N. T. Bilkey (Te Kowhai), Mrs. G. Treanor (Northcote) and Mrs. A. Bellingham (Rotorua). There ave 12 grandchildren.