John SIMPSON

  General Notes:

John Simpson and his wife Sarah where the founders of the Simpson family in New Zealand. He and his wife sailed from England to Nelson, New Zealand on the ship Cresswell in 1856. They took their second son Michael with them, who was about one year old at the time. For reasons unknown, they left their first-born son, John, behind in England. The boat landed in Nelson on the 6th of October, after a voyage of 104 days. The names "Simpson, John, Mrs and one child" appear in a passenger list in The Examiner for October 8th 1856, mentioning seven cabin passengers and 134 steerage passengers. The ship is recorded (in Sir Brett Henry's two volumes of "White Wings" which were published in Auckland in 1924 and 1928 respectively) as having a tonnage of 574. The Captains name isn't listed, but appears elsewhere in shipping records as Captain William C Barnett. This has since been confirmed by family members who have viewed other documents pertaining to the ship's 1856 voyage. Examination of these doccuments has also confirmed the spelling of the ships name, which has been recorded in error in past as "Creswell" with only one "S". There was another ship sailing at the same time that was named either "Creswell" or "Cresswell" under Captain Williams - this appears to have caused confusion to some as they search for shipping records.

It has been discovered that John and Sarahs immigration was 'bonded'. In exchange for assisted passage they where to make regular payments to the New Zealand government, total amount 23 pounds 3 shillings, with installments due April 6 1857, October 6th 1857 and April 6 1858, each of 7 pounds 14 shillings and 4 pence.

John and Sarah's imposing headstone in Motueka is inscribed with the words "Sacred to the memory of John Simpson, who died Oct. 14th 1899 aged 81 years. Safe in the arms of Jesus. Also of Sarah, his wife, died June 2nd, 1910 aged 81 years. At rest." This inscription corrects the year of death for John, previously recorded incorrectly as 1898.

Initial basic information on this individual was passed on by Margaret Bruce, who had collected and retained a rudimentary family history based on first hand accounts and information collected during the 1972 family reunion. Information with regards to the bonded immigration was researched by Nicky Simpson at the Nelson Museum, who hold a copy of the passenger list, as well as the Nelson Examiner for the 8th of October 1856 and the local councils published "Votes And Proceedings" notes for 1857.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Painter.

• Residence, From 1818 to 1856, England.

• Immigration, 1856, Nelson,Nelson,New Zealand.

• Residence, From 1856 to 1899, Motueka,Nelson,New Zealand.

John married Sarah ROLLINSON in England. (Sarah ROLLINSON was born in 1829 in Westmorland,England, died on 2 Jun 1910 in Motueka,Nelson,New Zealand and was buried in 1910 in Motueka,Nelson,New Zealand.)