THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMS.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20777, 10 February 1933, Page 9

THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMS.

'i ,'' 40 TUX MrtTOB 0* THUS PBZSS. doubt existing in tho fffk< of our early settlers aa to who r,*!lfi* Wtuiilly Canterbury pilgrims is, (fcjthfcfe, removed by a letter written ■'*fi'thß Colonists' Rooms, London, 'Minuter 21, 1860, by Captain a %rtfa Simeon to Mr Alston, secre-. m ''if U>e Canterbury Association JMT»: '"The first expedition of colo JSonsistcd of 1200 passengers in fw»!a, for though only the itankSiir George Seymour, Cressy. wriotte Jane sailed from EngM~i. ttt ** same time, they were so 'jl! 11 ? followed by the Castle Eden BLINMU Hercus that the whole ; I'PHw.t colonists really emigrated ' , &&f* Simeon explains to Mr 'S'SfS *wt tho idea of one large ex■kSS*"^. in&Uad of the dispatch of •SP? 1 !" f »om time to time origin'fflt** the leaders of the first m.'WjjMfcolwiistji, their contention be- : Jg:*P *? the whole number landed jSW; t'ley would more easily and {JHJPv accomplish tlie task of lay m W Jma'tatfons of the new colony, paragraph of this letter 'W* Simeon writes: "On the j. iE!«' ** »ro persutidod that there , ■ time" (the sivfch or final i ''« L* th,f expedition having • MSJ'**"!.» » month before tin- | iSSjJ** mitten) "a number of mf ''air-intending colonists, -' '1 ffiwiiLir*** Wpre f»''"vii together arid 'riESS'fS 1 " "'epnrHnjr at the aame : '-B i l *™ prwtlv Form the mam •Hjyjg, "WM&rant founders f>f th<? ;' 'jjlEW*. as mm Dared with tt.p | ;..jEßJ;flw.wWrh- it now approach '"'(MM? I ** °' f N<w Zcnlnnd. A* ■ jBIb-W. W*** P-H-I «>f the farm ■ iPS^i* 1 ' iM "ift-renfc- nlaees. TW#*S? <Jl ' < "' *«iuainted with enrh :,,W(E"#t» of us i„ s efc continually ' 'Jlifci'■',!-: '

and take an active part in matter that concern all, bnt the majority, and more especially those whose minds are not quite resolved, seem to be waiting, for some external impulse that would make them members a community preparing to move. ' Captain Simeon clearly differentiates between what he calls the "pioneer" body and the "mam" body of emigrants (none of whom had then left England), and the inference is that the real Canterbury pilgrims were the passengers by the hrst six vessels, including the Castle Eden and the Isabella Hercus As far as the local association has been able to, discover there are only 25 people living ont of the 1200 pioneers who arrived in Lyttelton up to March 1, 180 l Yours, etc., gELWYN BIUJ eE. February 9, 1933.