"Isabella Hercus"
The "Isabella Hercus" was a full rigged ship built in 1849, sailed from Plymouth 24 October, 1850 and arrived Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand 1 March, 1851 with 148 passengers under the command of Captain Halstone.
Chief Cabin Passengers Fore Cabin De Mole, John L.
De Mole, Mrs
Edgar, George H.
Heath, Mr
Heath, Mrs
Hopper, Thomas
Parkerson, Burrel
Parkerson, Knowles
Shand, Charles
Shand, John
Shand, Thomas
Sidebottom, Henry
Willis, J.T. / Surgeon Superintendent
Willis, Mrs
Willis, child under 14
Willis, child under 14
Willis, infant
Wilson, Rev. James
Wilson, Mrs children under 14
Wilson, Sibella Mary
Wilson, Beatrice
Wilson, Cecilia Anne
Wilson, Catherine
Wilson, Margaret
Wilson, infant
Wormald, RichardAnderson, Humpfrey
Bell, Hugh
Blackford, William
Bruce, Thomas
Hayter, Henrietta
Hayter, Richard
Hayter, William
Klipsch, Ed Frederick
Percy, Hannah
Percy, John
Plate, John Tate
Slear, Robert
Stuart, John
Stuart, William
Wilcox, John Smith
Wilcox, EleanorPaying Steerage
Clarke, Robert
Dauby, Charlotte
Dauby, John
Lewis, Ed
Steerage
E A Surname Name Age M Ch Native Country Trade £ s d Name of Land Purchasee recommending Remarks Allott Elizabeth 4 F England Allott Jabez 2 M England Allott Mary 30 F Y 2 England 14 350 Allott William 26 M Y 2 England Gardener 16 22 369 Ashby Edward 25 M Y 1 England Farm Laborer Ashby Harriett 25 F Y 1 England Ashby William 12 M England Ashley Anne 27 F Y England 9 328 Ashley Joseph 24 M Y England Tailor 15 23 135 Biffew Ludy Flowers 20 F England Domestic Servant Servant of A. T. Ba? 16 359 Brown John 20 M England Blacksmith, Carp'r, Farm Lab Burrell Parkerson 40 392 Brown Charlotte 27 F England Governess 25 301 Chince? Charles 19 M England Agricultural Laborer Rev. J. Wilson Cocby Ellen 23 F Y England 10 339 Cocby Henry 30 M Y England Carpenter & Cooper 15 Collis Hannah 22 F Y England 6 313 Collis Henry 24 M Y England Agricultural Laborer 10 Duncan Catherine inf F Scotland 19 347 Duncan George 31 M Y 1 Scotland Agricultural Laborer 16 Duncan Jane 25 F Y 1 Scotland 29 378 Denne William Henry 21 M England Agricultural Laborer 49 370 Evans Catherine 39 F Wales Laundress 50 370 Evans Margaret 14 F Wales Domestic Servant 5 6 8 Fairfield Ann 25 F Y England 28 349 Fairfield George 23 M Y England Maltster? Hon. Capt. Duncan 33 343 FlreckinghamAnn 28 F England Domestic Servant 8 327 Gould Anne 22 F England Domestic Servant 5 31 385 Hagerty Dinah 39 F England Dressmaker 32 386 Hagerty George Thomas 15 M England Laborer Hughes Robert William 4 M Scotland 18 338 Hughes Robert William 26 M Y 2 Scotland Domestic Servant 8 15 J.J. Bulls Rely Hughes Susan 28 F Y 2 Scotland Hughes William James inf M Scotland 5 302 James John 19 M England Agricultural Laborer Rev. James Wilson Johnson Caroline 3 F England 20 311 Johnson Henry 38 M Y 2 England Agricultural Laborer Hon. Capt. Duncan Johnson Mary 31 F Y 2 England Johnson Sarah 10 F England 45 393 Klipsch Frederick 25 M England J.P.Wills 13 99 Martice? Henry 23 M England Farm Laborer 7 10 17 367 Martin Charles 30 M Y 1 England Carpenter 8 Martin Charles 8 M England Martin Eliza 32 F Y 1 England Mutton Susannah 18 F Y England 12 316 Mutton Thomas 25 M Y England Agricultural Laborer 10 Nichols Ellen 3 F England Nichols Emma 1 F England Nichols Esther 4 F England 24 379 Nichols Joshua 28 M Y 3 England Agricultural Laborer Nichols Sarah Ryder 25 F Y 3 England 52 325 Nash Charlotte 21 F England Schoolmistress & Dom. S. 51 324 Nash Daniel 18 M England Schoolmaster Owen John 1 M Wales 1 294 Owen John 32 M Y 1 Wales Agricultural Laborer James Wyatt Owen Martha 30 F Y 1 Wales 46 353 Philpotts James 20 M England Agricultural Laborer 5 39 391 Playsted Alfred George 42 M 4 England Farm Laborer Widower Playsted Charly 16 M England Farm Assistant Playsted Isabella 6 F England Playsted Mary 16 F England Domestic Servant Playsted Sarah 12 F England 27 358 Price Emma 30 F England Domestic Servant Rev. J. Wilson 48 383 Reisice? Richard 22 M England Farm Laborer 7 10 J.P. Willis Esq. 3 355 Roberts Ann 39 F 6 Wales Seamstress & Laundress 5 James Wyatt Widower Roberts Anne 9 F Wales Roberts Caroline 2 F Wales Roberts John 13 M Wales Roberts Mary 7 F Wales 4 356 Roberts Robert 18 M Wales 5 James Wyatt Roberts William 11 M Wales Rutland John 1 M England 7 326 Rutland John 26 M Y 1 England Carpenter & Gardener 12 Rutland Mary 26 F Y 1 England Smeaton Anne 31 F Y 2 England 21 172 Smeaton Robert 38 M Y 2 England Blacksmith Bill @ 2 years for £22.10 Smeaton Sarah Anne 11 F England Smeaton Thomas 8 M England 26 348 Smith Caroline 28 F England Domestic Servant Rev. J. Wilson 34 343 Solly Edward 19 M England Laborer & Butcher 47 335 Solomon Dorothea 23 F England Domestic Servant 5 38 387 Stephenson John 18 M England Laborer 11 211 Stephenson Sarah 19 F England Domestic Servant 5 41 15 Thomas William 21 M England Gardner & Cow Keeper George Heath Esq. Vickery Benjamin 5 M England Vickery Charles 3 M England Vickery James 10 M England Vickery John 9 M England 2 65 Vickery John 33 M Y 5 England Agricultural Laborer John Shand Vickery Mary 29 F Y 5 England Vickery Thomas 7 M England Walter Amelia 12 F England Walter George 8 M England 36 389 Walter George 28 M Y 2 England Farm Laborer Hon. Capt. Duncan Walter Lydia 35 F Y 2 England 37 390 Wigzell Charles 21 M Y 2 England Tanner & Gardener Hon. Capt, Duncan Wigzell Charles Edward 2 M England Wigzell Hannah 20 F Y 2 England Wigzell Walter George inf M England 35 357 Wolley George Henry 17 M England Baker & Laborer Wraight Mary Anne 28 F England Wraight William inf M England 30 354 Wraight William 35 M Y 1 England Agricultural Laborer George Heath Esq. Wurst Anne 25 F Y 1 England 15 366 Wurst George John 25 M Y 1 England Laborer 5 Elizabeth Frances Harts Wurst Sarah inf F England
E
A
M
Ch
£ s dNo. of Embarkation Order
No. of Application on Register
Married
No. of children
Sum paid
Reference:
Canterbury Association Shipping Office (London, England) Lyttelton
Shipping List Published: Salt Lake City, Utah : Genealogical Society of Salt
Lake City, 1973. Copy of passenger lists of some Canterbury Association emigrant ships
held in the Canterbury Museum. Available on microfilm at Family History Centres
worldwide through their loan programme. Item #1066515 Two passenger lists for the
"Isabella Hercus" are available on the microfilm from the Embarkation
Department. Dated October 23rd 1850 listing 105 souls and the other November 13, 1850
listing 104 souls, 85½ adults.
COLLIS: Henry Collis was baptized 12 February 1826, Hurst, Berkshire, England, the second son of George Collis and Elizabeth Mary Chaplin. On 10 March 1850 he married Hannah Wells at Langley Marish, Buckinghamshire. Henry and Hannah sailed from Plymouth 24 October 1850, per "Isabella Hercus", arriving New Zealand 1 March 1851. They did not stay there for long, as in 1852 they left for Tasmania where their first child Louisa Mary was born at Hobart, 25 July 1852.
At the end of 1852 Henry was appointed postmaster at Waterloo Point, Great Swanport. Two more children were born, Fanny Elizabeth, 17 August 1854 and Alfred Brent, 9 May 1856. Alfred died 24 September 1857. Soon after this the family returned to England. Three more children were born Alfred John (1859), Buckinghamshire, Emily Wells (1861), Bethnal Green, London and Clara Dora (1864), Cambridgeshire. The family obviously moved around a lot.
Once again the family moved back to Tasmania where my great-great grandfather Albert Henry was born, 19 November 1866, Southport. Henry passed an examination and became a schoolmaster. In 1871 Henry was appointed by the Tasmanian Board of Education as a teacher for the children of the Furneaux Islands, Bass Strait. On 1 September 1871 he opened his school on Badger Island followed by another school on Cape Barren Island in November of the same year.
It was reported by Canon Marcus Brownrigg, missionary to the islands, that Henry and Hannah were living and working in great discomfort in a single-roomed tent. No black-board, maps, desks, nor indeed any proper school equipment were provided by the Board of Education. Mr and Mrs Collis are very persevering and painstaking in their duties and are deserving of praise on that account. For 13 years Henry was teaching in the Straits, when ill-health forced him to retire. He died on 1 June 1895, at the age of 69, and is buried in Wybalenna Cemetary on Flinders Island. Hannah died 7 November 1899 and was buried along with Henry.I would love to hear from anyone who is a descendant of Henry and Hannah Collis. I can only speculate at why they returned to England between 1858 and 1864, maybe somebody can help me. Information courtesy of Allison Bozoky
DENNE
Emblen Blunden (daughter of George Blunden a Tayler.[ sic] married Charles Hughes in the County of Surrey, England on August 19, 1850. At the time of marriage it was stated that Charles was a florist. They had three children, Georgina, John Charles and Harriett. On September 18 1855 they left London aboard the "Isabella Hercus" for a new life in New Zealand. Charles was listed as a Labourer. Fever of a low character prevailed on board. On October 14th, little Harriett died. One can only imagine the heartbreak her parents and siblings felt. Such a sad start to their adventure. Emblen and her children were to suffer even more, when, on December 12, husband Charles also passed away, with a little over three weeks of the journey left, Emblen was left to contemplate her future.One can only imagine the trauma a young widow with two children had to face in a strange new country. However it wasn't long before she met and married William Henry DENNE. He had travelled to New Zealand on the "Isabella Hercus" in 1851. It was perhaps the one thing they found they had in common, which probably started their initial conversation. Just ten months after her arrival, on November 18 1856, at Kaiapoi, just outside of Christchurch, William a 27 year old Sawyer and Emblen 28, tied the knot in the presence of Alfred and Mary Elizabeth WESTON. The Officiating Minister was John ALDRED. They started their family of eight more children:
1. William Henry b.20th September 1858
2. John George b. 12th January 1860
3. Henrietta b. 5th April 1862
These first three children suffered an illness which first took Henrietta on 24th October 1862, followed by William on the 10th April and John on the 29th April, in 1863 all at Rangiora. On 23 February 1864, their next child,
4. Emmeline (my Great Grandmother) was born at Rangiora, followed by
5. Henry George b. 10th August 1865
6. Anne b. 4th March 1867
7. Eliza b. 13th May 1869 and
8. Elizabeth Craig b. 7th April 1871
These five lived to marry and have families of their own.
In 1872, Georgina HUGHES died in Victoria Australia at the age of 21.
William Henry DENNE spent his life as a Sawyer, Carpenter and Builder in the Canterbury district and died in Ashburton, NZ on December 14 1914 at the age of 85. Emblen died in Richmond Victoria on June 26 1907 aged 80 years. Ironically, had she lived longer, she would have had the unenviable position of remembering her two husbands passing, Charles on the 12th and William on the 14th of December.Marriages of surviving children are as follows:-
Emmeline m. Thomas Edward BROUGHTON 26th March 1888 Chch
Henry George m. Mary Elizabeth NEEDHAM 29th March 1888 Chch
and Elizabeth PARLANE on 20th July 1909
Anne m. ?RUSSELL and had 3 sons. Her husband's family took the children after her marriage broke up. Am interested in learning details.
Eliza (aka Gypsy) m. Fred SEBLEY
Elizabeth Craig m. Edward HERBERT
They all lived in Victoria, Australia from time to time, but spent time in each country.A family legend states that Emblen was actually the daughter of Lord and Lady BLUNDELL, Blundell Castle, Ireland, and "ran off" with Charles (their gardener) a nephew of the author of Tom Brown's Schooldays. This has yet to be examined. Information courtesy of Jackie. Jackie hopes that this will open up some lines of communication. Posted 14 September, 2002.
DeMole: John Stephen DE MOLE (1825-1853) Solicitor.
Born -12 Aug 1825, Southwark [inner borough, London]. Parents - John Bamber De Mole, 1798-1846, solicitor and Clerk to the Merchant Taylors Company, City of London, and Isabella Maudslay (1797-1870), daughter of Henry Maudslay, engineer and inventor. Eldest of 6 boys and 4 girls - one of each died young. Lived in Clerk's apartments at Merchant Taylors Hall - cultured and pious family with Genevan connections. Educated at home and at Merchant Taylors School, then probably entered his father's office for training. Suffered from TB, as did several others in family. John's father died in January 1845. In 1848 Isabella De Mole moved John and the younger children to Jersey for better climate. (Brothers Henry William, clerk in Custom House, London; Frederick Valentine, Hon.East India Co. Bengal Infantry; George, Merchant Navy.)
C.1850 John married Anna Maria Scott Cuming, daughter of William Cuming, tavern-keeper in St.Heliers, Jersey (no record found). Sailed for New Zealand in 'Isabella Hercus', 24 October 1850. He probably hoped the sea voyage would improve his health. Family tradition says he took a pre-fabricated iron house. There is a mention of them as being a 'family' but we don't know if that means they had a baby. Arrived Lyttelton 1 March 1851; New Plymouth 10 April. John acquired a Crown Grant of land- where?. Said to have lived in 'very primitive conditions'. We don't know if the iron house was ever got ashore or could be used. His health deteriorated.
In August 1853 his brothers Henry William DM and Frederick Valentine arrived in Adelaide, SA. Henry re-embarked almost at once 'to meet John and bring him to Adelaide'. September 1853 - John sold his Crown Grant to Mr Halse. On 24 October John and his wife sailed in the 'Velox' brig for Sydney, where they arrived on 10 November. John died on the 11th, on board the brig, aged 28. He was buried by Henry in Camperdown Cemetery on the 13th November.
Taranaki Research Centre
Name: De Mole Mr & Mrs
Ship: Velox
Date: 24 Oct 1853
Direction: Departure
Port of departure: New Plymouth
Destination: Sydney
Newspaper date: 26 Oct 1853
Anna Maria had a half-brother, Henry Cuming, a winegrower in Adelaide. She presumably stayed with him until September 1854 when she returned to England via Melbourne. She was re-married in July 1859 to Captain William Ley Hunt. The rest of the De Mole family joined Henry and Frederick in Adelaide in 1858 and settled there.
Information courtesy of Anthea Fleming (Melbourne). Anthea is Henry's great-great grand-daughter. "The sad stories of unsuccessful settlers who left no descendants should get a bit of a mention as well as the founders of families. The poor chap was only a footnote to the family saga, and his marriage had been completely forgotten till I started digging. If descendants of any of his shipmates ever recorded anything about him, I should love to know."HAYTER: Richard HEYTER wrote a diary on board 'Isabella Hercus' to Lyttelton. Dates covered - 24 October 1850 - 13 January 1851. It is now at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch. He was travelling with his sister Henrittta. Hayter took up farming in Heathcote but later became a contractor for the Northern Railway.
NASH: Charlotte Emily Nash and her brother Daniel, are recorded as arriving on that ship on that sailing. John Maurice wrote "I am not sure what became of Daniel, but Charlotte married Matthew Lee Joyce in December 1851 in Lyttelton. Their parents were, George Nash, headmaster of Canterbury, Kent, England and his wife Charlotte Elizabeth (nee Frazer). Charlotte was my Great great grandmother and is buried in the Picton cemetery. Charlotte and Matthew had eight children and shifted to Picton with them all, Matthew drowned when the schooner Louisa foundered off the West Coast near Greymouth, shortly after their arrival in Picton. Charlotte later married a well known James (Worser) Hebberley. I am currently about 60% of the way to making a family history of all the descendants of Charlotte and Matthew Joyce. " Posted 20 February 2005
SHAND: Three cabin passengers on the Isabella Hercus were John (1805 - 1874) from Chester, England with two sons Charles Arthur (1834 -) and Thomas Jones Walker Shand (1835 - 1918). Thomas was to have six children; Maude, Yeo, Phillip, Rebie, Norah and Esme and the descendants of these plan to have a family reunion at the time of the 150th Celebrations in Christchurch. Contact Diana Shand ph (03) 365 0546 or fax 377 2387John Shand, a merchant of Liverpool, emigrated as a widower for the health of his eldest son. His daughter Catherine joined them in 1857 after finishing her schooling. Soon after their arrival a two-storey sod homestead was built on "Avon Lodge" farm at Riccarton, where Shand Crescent comes off Riccarton Road. As one of the first to sign up to the Wakefield settlement, John Shand qualified for an acre town lot as an incentive. Shand’s Emporium stands on part today, at 88 Hereford. Street. The family established themselves breeding stud horses and farming. The way to a second farm "Rawcliffe" at Springston was marked with a ploughshare across the treeless plain, and now a road, is still called "Shand’s Track" by the locals. John built the Wheatsheaf Inn on Shand’s Track, now a private home.
John Shand was one of the early Masons in Christchurch and in November 1861 was elected to the Provincial Council. He was also on the A & P Association Committee, Avon Road Board and chaired the Riccarton Road Board. Thomas’s eldest daughter, Dr Maude Ferrer, became one of New Zealand’s first women doctors and his three sons all moved to North Otago and farmed there until retiring. Boredom led them to buy isolated or high country farms in fare-flung corners, which they then left for their sons to carry on. Their sons farmed on at Island Hills, Culverden, Port Ligar, Marlborough Sounds, and Blue Duck, Kaikoura (which Tom left to become a Member of Parliament for Kaikoura). Posted Oct 10, 2000.
Shaftesbury Street, was Grondale St. Shand Crescent, John Shand (1805-74) came out in 1851 on the Isabella Hercus. His block ran from Riccarton Road to ...
SIDEBOTTOM: John Henry Charles Sidebottom was an oversearer for the Rhodes Brothers at Levels Station, South Canterbury and is known for apprehending James Mackenzie, the sheep stealer in 1855. He was the son of Rev. Henry Sidebottom of Trinity Paraonage, Halifax, Yorkshire. Later he became part owner of a run on the Waimakariri River, near Oxford, NZ and sold his share before his death on 17 April 1859.
SOLLY: Edward landed at Lyttelton on the Isabella Hercus at the age of 19. He was listed as a butchers labourer. Finding that his line of work was either unavailable or unsatisfactory, he moved to Nelson where he purchased land at Waimea west before moving with his wife Mary and children to become pioneer farmers in the Takaka district He was said to have grown some of the finest hops in the district. He is listed on the early settlers memorial at Takaka, Golden Bay, Nelson.
Edward Solly b. 3rd Sept. 1865 Takaka. His parents were Edward Solly & Mary Ogilive Moore.
WIGZELL: Charles Samuel WIGZELL was born in Canterbury, Kent, in 1823, married to Hannah LEE on 13 Sept 1846 in Canterbury at St. Pauls, and died in hospital in Christchurch on 26 Nov. 1898. He is buried in Linwood Cemetery. Charles was a tanner and gardener, but more of a general labourer in New Zealand, although he is shown as a tanner and as a gardener at various times, mainly on the baptism records of his children. He lived in various locations, all in the Christchurch district.
Probably the most interesting of his children is Charles Edward WIGZELL, who is shown as being 2 years old on the Isabella Hercus passenger list. He was born in Castle Row, Canterbury, Kent, died on 7 Feb 1901 in Sutherland, Sydney, NSW and buried in the Independent Cemetery at Rookwood. He was married on 11 Feb. 1869 to Fanny EVANS (an English girl) in her parents house at 289 Riley St, Surry Hills, NSW. An article was published about him by the Sutherland Historical Society. "Charles was only a couple of years old when the family sailed from Plymouth to Christchurch, New Zealand to start a new life. He was educated there but at the young age of 16 he left NZ, and sailed to Sydney, NSW. In October 1866 he was accepted as a Sunday School teacher at the Bourke Street Congregational Church. He held that position until 1891, but was a Deacon of the Church almost up until his death. By 1867 he was in business at 143 South Head Road as a hairdresser, an enterprise which went from strength to strength. Charles, "a gentleman and a scholar" was hard working, with strong religious principles." He communicated well, and was obviously a good chairman and an equally good committee member. Information courtesy of Graham Mason. Posted Oct. 2004About 1850 a few members of the WIGZELL "clan" and their families, all of western Kent, emigrated to South Australia (2) and to New Zealand (3). It is not known why any of them migrated, but it seems they were neither rich nor destitute. Possibly they were just trying to establish a better life for their children?
WILLIS The surgeon-superintendent and representative of the Canterbury Association was Dr. John Willis who travelled with his wife Agnes and three daughters Agnes, Emma and Mary. He set up a practice in Christchurch, settled at Opawa on the Heathcote River on 100 acres called "Hawford." Their son Charles was also a passenger. Dr Willis died two days after a fall from his horse in Christchurch Square.
The Star Saturday 17 November 1900 page 5
Lyttelton - Willis
Another old Colonist who passed away, in the person of Mrs Willis. The deceased lady arrived in Lyttelton with her husband (the Late Dr. J.S. Willis) & 3 children in the Isabella Hercus, on March 1851. For many years she resided in Opawa, but latterly, with her youngest daughter at Port Levy. Until her death at the advanced age of 90 years which took place on Saturday last. Mrs Willis leaves four daughters and one son, 30 grandchildren and 4 g.grandchildren.Passenger listing:
Isabella Hercus1855-1856 to LytteltonBook: John Hercus has published, Oct. 24, 2000, a 56 page book Isabella Hercus - the sixth ship. Covers the building of the ship at Ardrossan, Firth of Clyde, its voyages and some pen portraits about the better known immigrants. Limited edition. 350. Researched by John Hercus, Edited by Vivienne Allan. Contains 56 pages. Very well researched and illustrated. No index.
Chapter one: Launching the Isabella Hercus
Chapter two: The Journey to New Zealand
Chapter three: The Case for Six Ships
Chapter four: Founding Families
Chapter five: The Second Voyage to New Zealand
Chapter six: More Founding Families for Canterbury
Chapter seven: Travels & Tales
Chapter eight: The Last Voyage
The First Voyage to New Zealand October 1850-March 1851 The Passenger List
The Second Voyage to New Zealand - 1856 The Passenger List
References, Bibliography of Sources & References, Acknowledgments.
The Isabella Hercus was wrecked in 1871. She was lost on the Colorado Reef, Cuba on 27 Feb.
Canterbury Pilgrims Association
New Zealander, 12 April 1851, Page 2
Mr. Godley had proceeded to Wellington by the Isabella Hercus. We shall be a little curious to hear how he has fared with the political agitators there, into whose arms he cast himself immediately on his arrival in the colony.
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