Early Settlers of Manchester Block

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 283, 30 November 1945, Page 2

Early Settlers of Manchester Block

As stated in yesterday's “Times," the celebration of the 100th birtnday of Mrs. Sarah Heappey, formerly of Halcombe and now of New Plymouth, has brought to light the fact that other early settlers of the Manchester Block survive. It is of interest to publish the original passenger list of the ship Waipa, which sailed from London on December 10, 1875. The list was headed “Emigrant and Colonists Air Corporation Ltd., 25 Queen Anne's Cate, Westminster S.W. Names and particulars of the emigrants proceeding to Manchester Settlement, Wellington, per the Ship ‘Waipa' from London." The names are a,s follows: Thomas Nichols, Sarah Nichols (wife), Thomas Nichols (son), Henry Nichols (son), William Nichols (son), Augusta Nichols (daughter), Joshua Nichols (son), all from Kent; Alex Dowden, Sarah Dowden (wife), A. J. Dowden (son), S. J. Dowden (daughter), M. L. Dowden (daughter), W. H. Dowden (son), H. H. Dowden (son), G. F. Dowden (son), A. H. Dowden (daughter), all from Middlesex; William Hovord, Phoebe Hovord (wife), George F. Hovord (son), Matthew H. Hovord (son), all from Shropshire; Joseph Heappey, Eliza Heappey (wife), William Heappey, Sarah Heappey (wife), Emily H. Heappey (daughter), William Heappey (son), Eliza Heappey (daughter), all from Staffordshire; Joseph Samuel Fowles, Emma E. Fowles (wife), both from Hereford; Thomas Milton Frampton, Amelia Shore Frampton (wife), Eliza Mary Frampton (daughter), Charles E. Frampton (son), Thomas M. Frampton (son), Ada Elizabeth Frampton (daughter), all from Dorset; James Alfred Page, Eose Anne Page (wife), G. D. W. Page (son), J. A. C. Page (son), all from Sussex; James Wise, May Wise (wife), Jane Wise (daughter), Annie Wise (daughter), Jessie Wise (daughter), Margaret Wise (daughter), all from Glamorgan; Thomas Broad, Frances Broad (wife), Mary Broad (daughter), all from Glamorgan; Noah Spicer, Hannah Spicer (wife), Louisa Spicer (daughter), Alice Spicer (daughter), Ethel Spicer (daughter;, Kate Spicer (daughter), Esther Spicer (daughter), William Spicer (son), all from Somerset; Edward Child, Sarah Child (wife), Sarah Amelia, Frances Louise, Emily Mary, Eose Lucy (daughters) and Edward G. and Frederick William and Walter Louis (sons), all from Middlesex; John Graves, Helena Graves (wife), both from Middlesex. The remarks on the list include: “The foregoing list contains 13 families consisting of 68 souls, amounting to 52 statute adults. They appear to be a very good party generally . . . . " The principal settlement of the Manchester Block was, of course, Feilding. The emigrants mostly arrived at Foxton and came on to Feilding per bullock wagon and then dispersed over the country, a number settling at Halcombe.