NELSON'S PIONEER FLEET

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 5 January 1927, Page 9

NELSON'S PIONEER FLEET

(To. The Kditpr.)

Sir,- Ry ca'iii/l&y' 8f .wio of its eacliosj, apprentices; il.d'f) re'sicJeul in Ketone, 1 have enjoyed some pleasurable hours porusuig Lis treasure,! copy of your pj'.unui.l ; s refcent "Diamond Ju.bitee'9 number of ".he "Mail." In congratulating its proprietors and staff—both literary and mechanical—upon its excellence and immense historic worth, I would like to be. permitted by yon to add a few supplementary remarks aiient that section of the said historic issue which makes mention of the arrival of Nelson's "-Mayflower" fleet—the Will Watch. Whitby, Fifeshire. ..Mary Anne, Lloyd's and Lord Auckland—and the number of first immigrant passengers conveyed by them. In comparing your list of 696 passengers, landed at Nelson Haven, with an official London list, published in .1814, as having been despatched to New Zealand shores in the six vessels named, Wellington S6U lament wwattl seem also to have shared in llieir glory by way of increased population, as the excerpt therefrom will show : ■Whitby" (347 tons). Captain Lacy ; ship's surgeon, Dr. McShane; left Gravesend for I'ort Nicholson on the

27th April 1841, arriving 18th Sep (ember same year. Passenger list

IS cabin and 45 steerage; all males Total 59.

"Will Watch" (251 tons), Captain Walker; ship's surgeon, Dr. Reck; left Gravesend for Port Nicholson' same date, arriving same date as the "Whitby". Passenger list, 12 cabin and 33 steerage; all males. Total 45. "Lloyd's" (500 tons). Captain. Green; ship's surgeon. Dr. Bush; left Gravesend for I'ort Nicholson on 11th September 1841, arriving I.lth February following year. Passenger list, 84 males and 134 females. Total 222. "Mary Anne" (600 tons). Captain Bolton; ship's surgeon. Dr. Cook; left Deal for Port Nicholson 24th September 1841, arriving 28th January following year. Passenger list, 110 males and 88 'females. Total 198. "Fifeshire"' (557 tons), Captain Arnold; ship's surgeon, Dr. Spence; left Deal lor Port Nicholson 20th September 1841, arriving 19th January fol-, lowing year. Passenger list, 88 males and 82 females. Total 170. "Lord Auckland" (482 tons), Caplain Jardine; ship's surgeon, Dr. Lid-

belter; left Deal for Port Nicholson 27th September 1841, arriving 7th February following year. Passenger list, 93 males and 81 females. Total 174*

By the foregoing it would appear that the above six. immigrant ships brought 868 passengers to New Zealand", of which number 696 evidently proceeded in them to Nelson, the remaining 172 settling in Wellington at least for a time. The London publication gives 63 ships all told as being under charter to the New Zealand Company (listed in sequence of despatch) as from 1839 to 1844. and of which number the settlement of Nelson claims share in 27—more than a lliird ! And their names: Whitby, Will Watch, Lloyd's, Alary Anne, Fifeshire, Lord Auckland, Bolton, Martha Ridgway, London. Clifford, Sir Charles Forbes, Tljos. Harrison, Olympia, New Zealand, Thos. iSparkes, Bombay. Prince of Wales Indus, Phoebe, St. Pauli. Tyne, Ursula. Himalaya, Theresa. Bella Marina, Skield and Raymond; whose captains, ship's surgeons, list of passengers, date and port of departure, and arrival in New Zealand, I can supply with brief particulars, as in the case of those already outlined. —I-am. etc.. N. J.' BENNINGTON. Eastbourne, Wellington. 4th Jan., 1927.