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'MATOAKA'
Bristol to Lyttelton, New Zealand 1860
'Lyttelton Times' Dec 5, 1860
Departed Bristol September 2,1860.
Arrived--December 1, ship Matoaka, 1092 tons, Alfred Stevens.
First Cabin ANSON Mr and Mrs BROWNE Mr and Mrs Delamain Mr and Mrs DIXON Mr and Mrs HUMPHREYS Mr and Miss FITZGERALD Mr and Mrs and 5 children PHILLIPS Miss ROBERTS Miss SINTER Mr and Mrs Slater Mr and Mrs and the SLATER Misses (4) Strangman Mr and Mrs and family TESCHMAKER Mrs [not her first trip to NZ] WEBBER Misses (2) WEALE Miss and servant Messrs W. and A. ALINGTON, ALLEN, DENNY, DUDDING, DUNN, FENN, FITZHERBERT, JOHNSTONE, JONES, MADDISON, MENZIES, R and P. PALAIRAT, PARKER, and PLACE Second Cabin LOUGH Mr and Mrs and five children TUCKEY Mr and Mrs and child Messrs BIGGS, BONIFANT, COLE, GERRETT, LEIGH and POWYS Third Cabin BOWEN J. CAMMACK R. CHIVERS C. and T. [listed as Government Immigrants under C. and T. CHIVAIS] COWLES W. FRANKLIN Fanny and child GAY J. HOLLIDAY J. KENNY C. METHUEN Mary (Methnen) ONYBALL D. (Oyball) Government Immigrants BELLAMY James farm labourer wife and four children BUCKLEY Andrew labourer wife and three children BLAIR James ploughman wife and three children BARNETT Joseph labourer wife and two children BAIN David ploughman and wife BENNET Alexander (?)joiner wife and two children BUTTERS Edward farm labourer and wife CLARK Richard farm labourer and wife COOKE John farm labourer wife and child COOPER John farm labourer wife and three children CONNELLY Thomas farm labourer and wife CUMMING Peter farm labourer wife and seven children DAVIE William [age 29] ploughman and wife Christian [29 Aberdeenshire] FARNEY Arthur [55] farm labourer and wife Margaret [53 Aberdeenshire] FARNEY Alexander labourer wife Margaret [25 Aberdeenshire and son Arthur 8 months] GARILY Michael groom wife and two children GLOSTON John ploughman and wife GRAY James farm labourer wife and four children HERBERT William schoolmaster wife and child HOPKINS William miner and wife HUNT James bricklayer and wife HUNT John bricklayer wife and two children JEFFREYS William farm labourer and wife KINDLYSIDES Thomas blacksmith wife and four children REECH Charles farm labourer and wife ?Keech LOUGH Henry cook wife and two children LAMBERT Robert farm labourer and wife MONEY Charles groom wife and child MCINTOSH Neil shepherd wife and child MITCHEL William tailor wife and four children MACFARLANE Robert ploughman wife and child MCLAREN James shepherd and wife MCLEOD Peter farm labourer and wife MACFARLANE Andrew blacksmith and wife MCKAIG John farm labourer wife and child MOORHEAD David farm labourer wife and child MORGAN John miner wife and three children MUNDAY Martin farm labourer and wife PEARCE Walter printer and wife PATTERSON Charles shepherd wife and five children PATE (?) James farm labourer wife and two children not listed in LTs RHIND Alexander labourer wife and three children STEPHENSON Willia ploughman wife and child SMITH William farm labourer and wife SMITH John mecahnic wife and five children TILLEY William farm labourer wife and three children TUCKEY John wife and child WAUGH Thomas farm labourer and wife Single Men BILLINGS George labourer BUCKLEY John labourer BUCKLEY Timothy labourer BOYLE John labourer BELL Charles grocer BELL C.A. clerk BARELL Wiliam farm labourer BIGGS F. farm labourer CLARKE James farm labourer CAMERON John shepherd CHIVAIS C. CHIVAIS T. CRAIK John ploughman DUKE James shepherd ELLWOOD John farm labourer ELLWOOD Michael surveyor GREIG William mason GUNN Alexander shepherd GIBB Stewart shepherd GRIFFITHS David farm labourer GLEW Samuel farm labourer GARRETT Roland labourer HARRIS Henry labourer HANNAY Thomas labourer HALL Edward groom HUNTER Alexander farm labourer HOULT Francis farm labourer HOLLIDAY Joseph LOCKHEAD John ploughman and two children LOW John ploughman LIGHTBODY John farm labourer LEIGH Peter farm labourer MCCULLOCH Donald farm labourer MARSHALL Philip farm labourer MCCUNE George farm labourer PHILIP James farm labourer PERDUE William farm labourer POWYS Arthur ROSS David shepherd SMITH James shepherd SMITH Thomas carpenter SMITH Thomas miner SKILLEN Robert farm labourer SKILLEN Samuel farm labourer TOMBS Charles farm labourer WELSH Thomas labourer WADDELL Edwin labourer WALTERS Thomas farmer Single Women BLAIR Mary ASCOLI Jenette domestic servant BELL Mary BUCKLEY Bridget housekeeper BAINBRIDGE Charlotte dairymaid and two children FARNEY Mary [18] domestic servant Aberdeenshire FARRELL Mary domestic servant GABATTIS(?) Ann domestic servant GRAY Jan governess GRAY Laura HUNTER Jane dairymaid HUNT Celia dressmaker HUNT Jane domestic servant JOHNSON Elizabeth domestic servant JONES Eliza domestic servant LOCKHEAD Elizabeth dairymaid LARIMAR Ann LARIMAR Edith LAWRENCE Mary governess LOUGH Jane domestic servant LOUGH Mary domestic servant LOUGH Sophia domestic servant LUMLEY Amelia domestic servant MCINTOSH Janet MAHON Susan domestic servant MCCUNE Elizabeth domestic servant MILVERTON Elizabeth dressmaker PATE Elizabeth RHIND Elizabeth ROWLE Martha laundress ROUTLEDGE Amelia domestic servant RANKINE Elizabeth domestic servant SCHJOTT Ann governess SALTER Eliza domestic servant SEAGAR Elizabeth matron SMITH Ann domestic servant STEVENS Emily domestic servant STURROCK Helen domestic servant TAYLOR Helen domestic servant WILSON Mary domestic servant WOODING Eliza dressmaker Births on Board October 25 Mrs CONNELLY of a son November 22 Mrs CLARK of a son Deaths on Board September 21 Julia MORGAN aged thirteen months October 5 John McINTOSH aged fourteen months November 5 Ellen STEVENSON aged five months November 15 John TUCKEY aged nineteen monthsThe fine ship Matoaka, Captain Alfred Stevens, from Bristol, by which ship J. E. Fitzgerald returns to our shores, dropped anchor in our harbour at half-past eight on Sunday morning, after a rapid and very pleasant passage of eighty eight days. The Matoaka was towed to sea from King's Roads, Bristol, on Thursday, September 1, and on the following day the pilot and steamboat left her off Lundy Island. Thence till the thirteenth, when the ship was abreast of Madeira but out of sight of land, fine weather and steady breezes were experienced, and after two days of light wind in that latitude the N.E. trades were fallen in with, and carried to September 20 in latitude 14� north and longitude 28� ?min west. During the run down the N.E. trades several outward bound ships were passed. From September [20?/29?] variable winds were experienced, with occasional squalls and torrents of rain until October 1; then met steady breezes from the south, and crossed the equator next day in 2[4?]� longitude, twenty-eight days out, after which strong trades were fallen in with, hanging far from south. On October 8 the eighteenth degree of south latitude was reached in longitude 33� 25' west, and then, the wind veering to east and north-east, the ship began to make to the south-east, and for several days made excellent running. On October 27 passed the meridian of the Cape in latitude 43� south, and then fell in with strong winds from north and north north-east, with much rain which weather continued with only two days' intermission until November 25, when a south-west wind was picked up and the Snares were made at midnight on the 27th, eighty-two days thirteen hours from Lundy Island. From Snares light variable winds and calms impeded the progress of the vessel up the coast, and the anchor was not dropped till the eighty-eighth day. The passage generally was fine, the ship's topsails being reefed only four times during the whole way out. As will be seen by the list, the passengers by the Matoaka are numerous, in the first and second cabins as well in the steerage, and all are landed in good health and excellent spirits. The health on board has been good, there being four deaths (infants) and two births. Captain Stevens has received from his passengers highly complimentary testimonials, one of which is signed by every one of the cabin passengers, and accompanied by a purse of thirty guineas. The testimonial was presented on board on November 30 with an address from Mr Fitzgerald.
08/12/1860 'Lyttelton Times' newspaper [ W.H.R. Dale Album, Canterbury Museum ]
"The Matoaka - This fine vessel has come to our shores in a condition to serve almost as a model of what an emigrant ship ought to be. Capacious, clean, a fast sailer, and well victualled, she has transported her living freight from one side of the world to the other with the least possible inconvenience to themselves. Emigration managed in this way would soon silence the prevalent and unhappily often justifiable complaints against agents and brokers. The Matoaka has been fortunate and as well provided in many respects, and not least of all in the surgeon who has had charge of the health and discipline of the emigrants. Dr Young is not a novice at his work, having been surgeon of the favourite ship Regina on her last voyage, when, it will be recollected, she brought a number of emigrants in a most creditable state of health and comfort. The success of the Matoaka is another evidence of Dr Young's ability as doctor of an emigrant ship - an ability which drew a marked tribute from the saloon passengers."
14/12/1860 'Lyttelton Times' newspaper [ W.H.R. Dale Album, Canterbury Museum ]
"We learn that the arrival of the Matoaka has brought a very opportune supply of labour into the market. All the single men and all the female domestic servants met with engagements at good rates before the end of the second day after landing. Most of the married couples and families have also found employment, so that out of the large number brought in only very few are still in the barracks."
FARNEY: Mary FARNEY [1846-1920] and her grandparents Arthur [1798-1879] & Margaret nee Watt [1799-1865] plus uncle Alexander [1829-1868] and wife Margaret [d.1874] nee STEWART and family arrived at Lyttelton on the Matoaka. Arthur FARNEY was born at Kintore, Aberdeenshire and he and Margaret WATT were married at Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire. Margaret was born at Gateside, Culsalmond parish, Aberdeenshire. Arthur and Margaret reared their family in the Inverurie area, Aberdeenshire. They and most of their children & families emigrated to New Zealand. Peter McLEOD, a passenger, signed the register at the marriage of Mary FARNEY & Thomas Harford DILLON in 1863. Most are buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch.but the family patriarch, Arthur Farney, is buried at the Geraldine Cemetery. Margaret nee Stewart remarried Thomas ELMSLEY but survived only long enough to bear him a child. William DAVIE was the son-in-law of Arthur Farney & Margaret Watt, having married their daughter, Christina FARNEY [1827-1901]. The Davie's farmed near Geraldine. Mary married Thomas Harford DILLON at Kaiapoi in 1863. Mary's mother was Barbara FARNEY who came to NZ in 1861 on the Sebastopol with her husband Robert HUNTER, b.1850, and child. Other family members to arrive in NZ were Arthur Farney & Margaret Watt's daughters Catherine Keith FARNEY, with husband Alexander DUNCAN, via the Cresswell in 1859; and Mary Margaret Helen FARNEY, with husband James BONNYMAN, via the Queen of the Mersey in 1862. For some reason Ellen is called Aster in the passenger list of the latter ship. Alexander DUNCAN was a contractor of Sydenham, Christchurch.
Obituary, page 8, 'Press' newspaper, Christchurch, 11/09/1905
"Another early colonist has passed away, in the person of Mr Alexander Duncan, of Buffon St, Sydenham. The late Mr Duncan was 71 years of age, and was a native of Benahei, Aberdeen. He arrived in Lyttelton in the ship Cresswell in August 1859. Soon after his arrival he took up some land at Bingsland, which is now known as Rowe's Corner. Fortune did not favour him in farming pursuits, and together with a small number of others he journeyed overland with the West Coast gold rush. This journey proved very wearisome, and only two of the party completed it. Mr Duncan crossed over to Nelson in the capacity of packman to one of the storekeepers. Returning from Nelson he was on the same track as the four unfortunate men who met their death at the hands of Burgess, the Maungatapu murderer, but by good fortune changed his route. The late Mr Duncan took part in the excavation of the Lyttelton tunnel. He leaves behind him two daughters and four sons, and sixteen grandchildren." [Arthur Alexander Keith DUNCAN, a son, was the Deputy Public Trustee in Wellington when he died.]Passenger List Matoaka - Assisted Emigration [Archives New Zealand, Christchurch, Ref. 1MCH4/32]
The full fare for Arthur & Margaret & Mary was �48.10, of which they paid �25.10 in cash.
The full fare for Alexander & Margaret & Arthur was �32, of which they paid �8.10 in cash and �17 in promissory notes.
The full fare for William & Christian was �32 of which they paid �17 in cash.
The above information and the passenger list courtesy of Peter Dillon Posted 5 May 2000. Please contact Peter if you would like further information on the above families or have information to share.MARSHALL: Philip George Marshall was born, December 11, 1836 in Chew Magna, Somerset, England. He lived in Akaroa, View Hill, Oxford and Southbridge. In Feb.1872 he married Elizabeth Comyns in St. Lukes Anglican Church, Avonside, Christchurch. He died 25 April, 1896 in Southbridge and is buried in Ellesmere. Information courtesy of Patti McVetty. Posted 12 May 2000
Lyttelton Times, 1 March 1862, Page 4
STODDART—SCHJOTT—Feb. 27, at Okain's Bay, by the Rev. Henry Torlesse, Mark Pringle, youngest son of the late Rear-Admiral Stoddart, of Edinburgh, to Anna Schjott, daughter of the late Rev. O. Schjott, of Skien, Norway.
Old House Diamond Harbour. Renowned Canterbury painter Margaret Olrog Stoddart (daughter of Anna Barbara and Mark Pringle Stoddart) lived and painted Godley House. The house partially collapsed after the June 13th 2011 aftershock. Several of her most significant paintings were of the house in its garden and harbour setting. The Stoddart family lived in Godley House until 1913 when both houses were sold to the Lyttelton Borough Council. The council then named it after the John Robert Godley, who came to New Zealand for two years as the Canterbury Association Agent and is known as the "founder" of the Canterbury settlement. Godley House was built as a family home by Harvey Hawkins - ship chandler, ironmonger and speculator, and one of Lyttelton's leading citizens. Diamond Harbour was originally named Stoddard’s Bay after Mark Stoddart. Anna Barbara Stoddart died in 1911 age 76,Other voyages:
Passenger list: Left Gravesend 15 June 1859, arrived in Auckland 26 Sept. via Wellington
Passenger list: Left London Nov 14, 1861 and arrived Feb 10, 1862 Lyttelton
Passenger list: Left London Oct 13, 1868 and arrived Feb 8, 1869 Lyttelton
1858 into Victoria, AUS
Lost with all hands:
The "Matoaka" was built in 1853, wooden full rigged ship, 1092 tons, Willis and Gann Co. vessel, purchased in 1867 by the Shaw Savill Co., made eight voyages to New Zealand between 1859 and 1869. In 1862 she made a run out to Lyttelton from Bristol in 82 days this being her best passage. On May 13, 1869 she left Lyttelton for London under the command of Captain Alfred Stevens with 45 passengers including 13 women and 18 children and a crew of 32 but was never seen again.
Suggested reading:
Passenger List Archives New Zealand, Christchurch, Ref. 1MCH4/32
Lyttelton Shipping - Passenger Index Canterbury Museum Library
White Wings by Henry Brett Vol. 1
Dairy of W. Herbert Alington, includes account of voyage. Canterbury Museum
Dale Album, Canterbury Museum, Christchurch"More last words"
before the people belonging to the shore are ordered to retire
"Never mind the passage-money, only come back"
"Stay a twelve month or so, Mary, and if I'm lucky"
"Had enough of England, and England's not sorry, I dare say, to get rid of me"
"She will break her heart"
"It's very hard, hard, hard, very hard to part"
""Nae forget the auld kirk, Archy"
"No light in the berth"
"Get the gold, if it costs me my life"
"Six dozen shirts enough"
"Well, I'll put it in my box, mother, but afraid I shan't read it"
"Where they give the peaches to the pigs"
"Lodging-house -awfully bitten"
"All the way from Mullingar without bit or sup"
"Write to mother and the girls every mail"
"Time will soon slip by"
"All the best"
FROM WHITE WINGS:-
Lost with all Hands.
Considering the number of voyages that were made round the stormy Horn in
the old sailing ship days the New Zealand trade was singularly free from
disasters. Saddest of all epitaphs for a gallant ship is that of the
'missing.' There is something so ominous and mysterious about it, and one's
natural grief at the loss of relation or friend seems trebled when disaster
of that kind occurs. One of the few ships from New Zealand that have been
posted 'missing' was the Matoaka, which was a well-known Willis, Gann and
Co. She and her skipper (Captain Stevens) were very well known in the
colony, and particularly in Canterbury, five out of the eight voyages the
ship made to New Zealand being to Lyttelton. Captain Stevens was a very
popular man in Christchurch and Auckland. The Matoaka, a ship of 1092 tons,
was trading to New Zealand from 1859 to 1869. On May 13 of the latter year
she left Lyttelton for London, Captain Stevens being in command, but she was
never heard of again. It was conjectured that the ship struck an iceberg
during the night, and foundered with all hands.
As an instance of the trying time ships sometimes had among the ice, an
experience of the Matoaka's may be cited. On the run out from London to
Lyttelton in 1867 she fell in with a great number of bergs when away down in
the South Indian Ocean in about the same latitude as Kerguelen Island, and
not quite half-way between that spot and the bottom end of New Zealand. It
was Christmas Day. As far as the eye could reach from the masthead there
were bergs extending north and south. As night came on sail was shortened,
and the ship passed several bergs from 300ft to 400ft in height. The
following day and night the ship was still among bergs, and the last one
passed was 320 miles from the large group. In waters like that it meant the
most vigilant navigation, and the officers and crew had a very anxious time
until they got free of the ice.
Captain Stevens was in the Matoaka for seven years, and during that time he
made fairly fast runs out and home, never exceeding 95 days port to port. In
'62 the ship did the run from Bristol; to Lyttelton in 82 days, that being
her best passage in the trade.
The Matoaka on her first voyage to Auckland came up from Wellington, leaving
that port on September 17, 1859. She was flying light, and when off Castle
Point encounted a heavy northerly gale, during which several sails were
split, and the vessel hove-to for twelve hours. The same night she slipped a
sea which stove in the main hatch and her bulwarks. This gale was the cause
of the long voyage of eleven days from Wellington.
Captain Stevens was specially interested in bringing out song birds for the
Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. Owing to the unremitting care bestowed
on them, with the assistance of the carpenter, he landed in a healthy
condition a large number of starlings, larks, blackbirds, thrushes, and
other songsters in 1867. He also was successful in landing a healthy lot of
pheasants and partridges. The following year Captain Stevens was even more
successful. On this occasion he landed twelve pairs of thrushes, 77 pairs
blackbirds, 22 house sparrows, 7 redpoles, 1 yellow-hammer, 1 pair bramble
finches, and 1 robin. On the previous voyage several robins were placed on
board, but they all died.
Following are the particulars of the eight voyages made to New Zealand by the ship:- To Auckland: Sailed Arrived Captain Days *June 15 Sept. 26, '59 Stevens 103 *Via Wellington, 92 days Sept. 23, '64 Jan. 3, '65 Barnett 99 To Wellington: June 13 Sept. 13, '59 Stevens 92 To Lyttelton: Sept. 4 Dec. 1, '60 Stevens 88 Nov. 20, '61 Feb. 10, '62 Stevens 82 Oct. 7, '66 Jan. 10, '67 Stevens 94 Land to Land 85 days Nov.16, '67 Feb. 11, '68 Stevens 86 Land to Land 80 days Nov. 12, '68 Feb. 8, '69 Stevens 89 To Port Chalmers July 3, '65 Stevens 84